Cube TD interview

darkshakuras · Jul 20, 2010

Good article for the Cube TD fans out there.

Slightlyrandom Cube Tower Defense Interview from z33k.com

Slightlyrandom, author of Starcraft 2 Map Cube Tower Defense has just released a new version and he had time to talk sc2 maps with z33k.

z33k: In warcraft 3, the key to beating many tower defense maps was finding the most over-powered tower. The original Cube TD was rare in that you could build a highly complex maze. Can you tell us a little bit about Cube TD?

Slightlyrandom: Like you say, in most Tower Defenses maps you are limited to dealing damage (and sometimes slowing monsters down a bit), and have no way to influence which route the monsters take to reach their goal. This makes for fairly simple gameplay, where the aim is to maximize Damage Output, and thus the race for the most efficient tower is paramount.

It is my feeling that Cube TD, and a few other maps like it, is quite a different kind of map altogether. Mazing, being able to make monsters walk the path you want them to, changes the challenge entirely. Sure, you can still get places by building the most efficient towers, but because this is not enough to beat the game on anything but the lowest difficulty (and I am not even sure it is enough there), you have to approach it from multiple angles at the same time. That is, you not only have to think about which towers deal the most damage in the least amount of time, but also about how to maximize the efficiency and exposure of the monsters to these towers.

You then have to try and outwit the creator in two ways; First, in trying to abuse the fact that the balance between the different kinds of towers is never going to be perfect, and second in trying to abuse the rules and paths the monsters follow in getting to the end of the map.

It is this combination which made Cube TD stand out, and why I chose this map as my template for getting into mapping in the first place; Simply put, I was appalled at the quality of the available Tower Defense maps and their lack of depth, and decided to recreate one of the maps I admired in WC3 to fill that gap.

Cube Tower Defense by Slightlyrandom

z33k: I remember spending hours sketching out the most efficient design. Even after managing to build a path that circled the map many times over, there was still a decent challenge in designing reusable intersections to place the most expensive towers. It was a great map. Can veterans expect the same challenge? Are there any additions in the new version?

Slightlyrandom: The map in its current form is fairly barebones. I haven't recreated the Advanced Towers, I haven't yet put in additional game modes, and really, since this was my first map, I just wanted a basic, working and fun map before I worried about all these other things. Which is what it is, right now. The gameplay works, the pathing works, the basic towers are in place and the map is quite enjoyable. But, Veterans who found the optimal paths in the WC3 version of Cube TD are going to find that these will also work in this version, and the amount of innovation, as it were, isn't very great - yet.

Now, the next stage is twofold: Firstly, I am going to try and improve the map, see if I can find interesting new mechanics to put in there and perhaps challenge the old vets. But since the map is basically the same, the paths are the same and the towers fill out roughly the same role, the optimal route and tower placement is still the same as it always were (Yes, I know what it is, but can you find it?). So, what I hope will happen that will challenge both me and other fans of Cube TD, is that others will either be inspired by this map and make variations with different layouts, or make derivatives with new and novel game mechanics; This is why I have released the map into the Public Domain, and why you will never see me release a locked version of the map. I hope others will take my work, and improve upon it.

z33k: Any other map projects you are working on?

Slightlyrandom: Yeah, I have a couple of other projects I started working on, but since I am not quite sure if they'll ever get anywhere, I won't run around promising stuff. One is a map I also enjoyed a lot in WC3; Kodo Tag, which I hope to remake as something like Ultra(lisk) Tag. Ultra Tag has a ring to it, doesn't it? Anyway, in addition, I have a half-working model of a a Snake/Tron style multiplayer game kicking around called Creepy Crawlers that might need some love and attention. We'll see if I get around to making them actually be playable and fun.

First off, though, I'll have to get a couple of extra gamemodes into the Cube. And hopefully replace the current boring models with something interesting. Oh, and polish off the building animations. And tweak the balance a bit more. And...

Yeah, I might not get anything else working for a bit
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Cube TD interview

Cube TD interview

Discussion in 'StarCraft 2 Maps, Replays, Modding' started by darkshakuras, Jul 20, 2010.

darkshakuras New Member

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Cube TD interview

Cube TD interview

Discussion in 'StarCraft 2 Maps, Replays, Modding' started by darkshakuras, Jul 20, 2010.

darkshakuras New Member

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