Map Name : Movie LotR2 : Helm's Deep Type : Stand Alone Seige Size : 300x300 Version : 1.1 (w/ slipstream upgrade) Difficulty : Normal or Hard Recommended Difficulty for Play : Hard or Very Hard (Defense)
I know what you're thinking... "Not another Helm's deep map...!!!" but this is a helm's deep map based on the movie "Lord Of The Rings : The Two Towers".
Ever since i saw the movie...I was thinking of seeing it in one of the seige maps for stronghold...but the maps i've come across for stronghold and crusader are not exactly what i had expected...even though i've read the book too... frankly i was dissapointed to say the least.
After a month of searching, i got frustrated and decided to recreate the epic seige based on the movie. This map is as close as you can get to recreating the seige...i actually spent two hours, watching the sequence frame by frame and making notes and stuff... Of course i had to add a few things using my imagination since the layout is not crystal clear in the movie...I also had to add traps and pitch ditches to balance out the gameplay (I represent the death of the first few orcs in the movie by using spike traps to kill them ... since the AI was slaughtering me on my beta test map even on easy...!!! The AI, to my pleasant surprise, does a pretty good job of playing as the horde...the macemen (representing the orcs) attack the walls and climb the seige towers (i had to remove the laddermen because they got killed before they ever got to the wall and the macemen didn't climb 'em...sorry) the slow moving shield orcs in the movie who seige the gate by slowly moving up the ramp are represented by swordsmen and pikemen who do the same here...there are of course battering rams as well...the map is designed so that your troops can keep falling back to defend the keep as in the movie and when i play, i usually fight until the enemy reaches the front of my manor (as in the movie)...but i mostly win if i use the traps properly and come through with about 80% losses...I've also written up a pretty decent story for the map (based on the movie ofcourse!) to set up the seige...I wanted to add the riders of Rohan to come in as reinforcements...initially i had placed them on the hill on the side...but the macemen attacked them first...so i had to remove them...any way...i'm sure there is a way to trigger reinforcements...but uptil then u can enjoy this map...
This Map was made for defense and has not been extensively tested from the attacker's point of view so it may seem a bit unbalanced...
Update Changes v1.1 : - Hovels' zone accesible from cave area (or by breaking through the new wodden palisade) to represent people in the caves (removed the rounded tower area) - wooden palisade with platform for few archers behind main wall - reduced number of pitch ditches (or relocation for some) - reduced number of starting soldiers for defenders - slightly different combination for attackers - laddermen added for attackers alongwith extra seige tower (bye bye wall !) - no more ballistae(or any other seige engine) for defenders (more focus on using pitch properly) - big gate house in inner wall replaced be small gatehouse - EXTENSIVE landscaping (notice the difference in your overhead map)
This is a good map. Dodger: You don't say things like that ok it doesn't encourage them to make more maps. keep that to your self.
Thank you.
UnikUnok
Posted on 02/05/03 @ 12:00 AM
I agree with Tedman is this language really necessary? ph33r_M3's use of g**damn is also offensive to some like myself. Perhaps a review of the guidelines and a little forethought my good fellows. I do feel however, an overall rating of 3.8 is more accurate for what is a good map. Nice Work Talos 911!
talos_911 File Author
Posted on 02/05/03 @ 12:00 AM
Thanks for all your comments...
although it isn't very clear what exactly you found "s**t" in my map dodger, since i have made it clear that the map is based on the movie.You should rate me on how well i emulated it rather than how i "copied" it, Otherwise all the mapmakers who make amazing maps based on real castle should also get a "1" in map design 'cause they "copied" it according to you...maybe you should read the review guidelines before submitting ratings which you cannot justify nor do they make sense...
BTW thanks for that in-depth review Ph33r_M3...
If you guys could specify how i could have made the map better, i'd try to implement it in an update and my future maps.
Andrew Dunn (id: Mechstra)
Posted on 02/06/03 @ 12:00 AM
I came back to the SH downloads section to see what's about, and frankly I'm shocked at the attitude displayed by dodger_1987. It wasn't like this back in my day, mumble, grumble, kids today, mumble...
GillB Staff
Posted on 02/07/03 @ 12:00 AM
Don't worry, he has been contacted by Sulis. If the comment isn't corrected and a fuller review posted within a week, it'll be deleted.
GillB Staff
Posted on 02/08/03 @ 12:00 AM
Removed
talos_911 File Author
Posted on 02/22/03 @ 12:00 AM
Thanks for your review Sulis...its great to know that my first map is such a sucess...i think i've done all i could with the map in the v1.1 update. No clear criticism has come through on any part of the map so i won't be updating it to v1.2 anytime soon. But rest assured that i'm watching the player comments and forums, almost everyday, for ways to further enhance my map. Maybe in time i'll go ahead with the update...again thanks for your reviews and comments.
talos_911 File Author
Posted on 06/10/03 @ 12:00 AM
Thank You, Thank you all !!
-Talos_911
Goigon
Posted on 01/23/07 @ 09:22 PM
Wow, This is an awsome map! I have seen the movie and this is the closest map of the battle i can find. Excellent job! Keep it up.