After some testing, and some seriously mean strategic use of capture locks and teleports, I've come to the conclusion that health crystals in the middle of the map are not conducive to fair play. There are two maps that have these: Manadala and Exile. I'll look at each seperately as the severity of the issue is drastically different on each map. However, the primary issue with 'unfair play' using these crystals is that they favour heavy hitters (Rook, Unclean Beast, Torch Bearer) and unfortunately players are not at liberty to choose which map they are placed upon before selecting a character.
MANDALA
Situated in the middle of the map is a health crystal that is close enough to the enemy towers guarding the +30% health and damage flag for each team, to attack, return to heal, and attack again and eventually steal this flag. The issue with this placement is that it can be nigh impossible to uproot certain demigods from this location due to the easy access to recover health/mana and nearby towers for retreat if the flag is stolen. The factor that was intended to serve to balance the location is that is it not on any creep lanes, and 'camping' in this location can have negative side effects in the form of lost xp, through the gold gained in destroying the enemy's towers can often make up for this. Personally I dislike the idea of a strategic map point benefiting certain demigods more than others and would prefer this to be changed to a gold mine and/or artifact shop instead.
EXILE
Situated on either side of the map are two health crystals, each one closer to one team than the other. Both of the flags controlling these crystals have different benefits, the one closest to the dark side provides +15 mana/sec, the one closest to the light side provides +15 health/sec. Both of these crystals are next to creep lanes, meaning there is no strategic disadvantage to holding these locations, and as previously discussed contain more benefit to some demigods than others. The biggest issue here is how heavily loaded these locations are and holding them both will often spell game, but an additional concern is that they are not inherently equal: +15 mana/sec > +15 health/sec. This is especially true for demigods that can transform mana into health (Rook, Sedna, QoT, Erebus), but is true for all demigods in the form of spike damage trumping health regen. I'm going to petition that the health crystals be removed from these locations and the flags provide a benefit other than increased mana and health regen (or that they both provide the same type).
There may be a secondary issue here with the mana regen flag though, as it nearly completely negates the requirement to purchase gear that improves mana regeneration for half of the demigods (Rook, Regulus, Unclean Beast, Oak), and making an adjustment to the ammount it provides (+7?) might help to rebalance this with other flag types.
If you have any arguments with the above, please post.
Removing the crystals would help, or at least increase the distance to travel.
I also thought that have those crystals there makes it a bit overpowered....having the flags is fine, but maybe not he crystals...
Also crystals have too long of a range....the Demigod should have to be right up next to it to be healed
-Phal
I don't agree with you're logic that a Crystal is better for some demigods than others. IMO they are good for ALL demigods.
In my opinion (might be wrong or need more testing), but due to the lack of creeps hitting the middle area, it is not worth camping out at. The portals on the left and right become the main lanes and where the battle settle to early/mid/ and late game.
The center crystal, if someone wants to camp... fine, the loss in exp and gold from no creeps means they're wasting there time and guaranteeing a win. In most games I've played if you do take the middle you take it and move on to doing other things so it becomes this guerrilla warfare hit and run location. Late game the crystal gives you a middle point in the map to retreat and repress the fortress which imo is it's primary purpose to help speed up late game victories.
In short, I think Mandala is fine as is.
Early game the crystal points are very important as it keeps your down time minimized so you're not having to spend money on teleport scrolls. I.E. you gain exp faster. The cyrstals serve as a half way point to push in on the oppositions base, this is a good thing.
HINT: On Exile you can't be gaining the benifit of regen from a crystal AND keep the flag that controls it. So if you're getting pressed/attacked in a 1v1 situation they can steal the crystal away from you.
---------------------------------------
Flags give some small bonuses but I don't think they make or break the battle (which imo is a good thing). The crystals provide a place to push/hold the line (and save gold via not having to get teleport scrolls as much or potions). Flags matter more for the faster gain in war score than the minor bonus imo.
Wait. I'm pretty sure those flags near the crystals on Exile are not +15 mana or hp /second but instead +15% to TOTAL mana or health. If you don't believe me, take the flags and watch your health or mana jumps several hundred points.
I think they are +15 per second regen, not 15% total...at least on Exile.
Not keeping the flag and gaining the benefit of the crystal during that combat was part of my point. If you can't use the crystal, and harassment tactics won't work (because the crystal can just be used to heal if you run) then holding/taking the crystal forces a (melee) combat to the death, and favours demigods that are better at this than others.
Err.. and yeah, those flags give +15 mana or health per second, not a percentage.
i agree with jara if u dont like these maps because of the health crystals then dont play on them simple but dont bitch about a map some people likeit anit op in any way
op = over powered
over powered means when the person/team has a major advantage over the other team
there is no major advantage to either team if ur team can't maintain a hold on the post it is ur teams fault it doesn't mean that it is overpowered plus u can also cap the flag if someone is at te spot forcing them to come get u before u cap it but if there is 2 off u there then that is unlikely to work
but it has nothing to do with the map being overpowered
on mandala the regen in the middle isn't crucial to win it is a nice bonus but it anit a main point so again not op so no need to mention it
Indeed
are u teal'c from stargate lol
and did i spell crucial right or wrong
edit i spelt spell wrong
Huh? Are you talking to me or the person I quoted?
All I can think of is... map editor. Who cares about overbalanced maps? Make your own "balanced" maps. Meanwhile, I don't really see anything wrong with the Crystals except for the Light and Dark flag differences. Why would it seem logical to give one side 15% more Mana regen while giving the other side 15% more health regen? It should be the same. Otherwise, I think that though the Crystals are very powerful, you have yours and your opponent has theirs so it should be all good. They might be powerful, but they aren't gamebreaking. And I would definitely disagree about decreasing the mana regen. There is always a point to buying +mana and +health regen. You can't have enough >.>. And besides, you are completely forgetting the fact that the random n00b you always looked down upon a forgot about will suddenly run up and jack your flag, putting a cap lock on it before you can react.And camping the location is their choice and their loss. They can camp all they want, but as long as you continue to get the xp and gold you will have an advantage against him the minute he comes out. And who cares if he just goes AFK? Just go and destroy his Citadel.
My issue with Exile is that dark has a debilitating flag closer to their base, where as light gets celerity. While Celerity is ok (depends on the demigod), but I think debilitating is better overall.
If you could guard the flag AND be healed by the crystal would allow anyone to lock that flag down till they left. How is that balanced?
As it stands now, if you're solo and in a 1v1 situation you need to fight (fighting = interactive and fun) and then if you win, you can retreat and get healed. The loser then has to head out.
Alternatively you can run early get healed some and then come back and keep fighting the would be flag capturer (which basically means you're fighting the flag assaulter with 1 1/2 total life and mana, which gives you a huge advantage).
So I'm not really seeing your issue. Lots of gameplay can happen around the crystals and it's an advantage to own a crystal but it's still possible to steal or take control of an enemy controlled crystal. So what's the issue you have?
you
keeping the flags as much as possible tends to make the winning of the match easier the last game i played we won because the enermy didn't bother getting there flags back we capped the valor flag and rthere fortitude fllag but they didn't even notice he had took it and didn't bother getting it back they were good players in fighting but stupid as hell in capping flags and knowing when to withdraw
and a alternative is to start capping the flag even if there regenerating then they will come out hit them like hell and then they will proberly retreat to the heal spot while they are finish capping the flag and then finish them off
The center crystal, if someone wants to camp... fine, the loss in exp and gold from no creeps means they're wasting there time and guaranteeing a win.
Bingo. The last time I played this I thought I'd go for the middle and get that tastey Crystal. I was spending all my energy trying to keep it, while most of the other team was battling on the far right and left. I was able to hold the middle and eventually take that next flag...but by that time my opponents had so much XP and gold they just blew through the outside lane and pwnd us.
Either you can take the middle for a good camping spot, or you go to the outside for gold and XP. Balanced trade-offs. If anything taking the crystal is a mistake..not unfair.
hes right so dude who posted this stop bitching
The maps are ok. Don't make all maps equal!.. that will be boring. But adding more different maps will be nice!
Oh, then no.
There are many great features available to you once you register, including:
Sign in or Create Account
