Previously Unreleased: Mistiria Map 1 (download)

[Marco]

About a year and a half ago, me and Joel decided to polish off this 5-6 year old project.  While we eventually abandoned the idea in favor of dedicating our resources to a StarCraft 2 campaign, we did manage to get a significant amount of work done on the first map.  The last time it was touched was sometime in 2006 if I remember correctly.  Nevertheless, I think the map is a fun play, albeit short.  Just consider if a short story that ends abruptly if you never heard of Mistiria and what it was originally supposed to be.

You can download it here:
http://www.celestialreverie.com/Mistiria-01.w3x

The music is all Joels.  Voice credits are Joel, Mink, Archangel, and myself.  ZeusLegions original voiced parts (for those who remember them in the original demo)  never make it in because the game stops before it gets to them.  Here are some recommendations for playing it based upon feedback I got from CC staff when I showed it to them:
- Set music and SFX volume to the same levels before you start
- All portions of the gameplay are currently at a difficult level.  Save often, especially during the first part.  If you don't save, you'll have to rewatch the cutscenes, as there is no way to skip them implemented.
- The game ends abruptly about 30-45 minutes into the map,  It will black out when it is done.  ALT-F4 to exit WC3 at that time.

I would go back and edit the difficulty, but the editor doesn't want to seem to cooperate with Vista 64-bit, and I'm too lazy to set it up on one of my other computers.  This is the final edit.  In particular, we really just want opinions on the music, gameplay, and cutscenes.  Enjoy,

[Lavarinth]

Nice Desler, I was actually going to speak to you about this.

[Marco]

Well, now you won't have to.  =)

[Lavarinth]

I do recall your pirate project, as well, hmm?

[Marco]

I do recall your pirate project, as well, hmm?

Just another addition to a long list of projects that never saw the light of day.  Ah young Desler, if only I could go back in time and slap you on the face. 

[Lavarinth]

... Tell me about it.

Hah, I wonder where Joel's Day of the Fish (correct project name?) went to as well.

Still though, I did enjoy this one map of Mistiria, to be honest. Took me a while to actually beat it.

[Thalraxal]

*downloads* I'll try this out sometime tonight.  I never got around to downloading the old Mistiria Demo on WorldCrafters (didn't have WC3 back then, curse my old computer!), so this should be interesting.

[JoelS]

Hah, I wonder where Joel's Day of the Fish (correct project name?) went to as well.

Yep, that was the name. 

It evaporated when Darky lost his soul to World of Warcraft, much to my chagrin.  He had done a fair amount of work on the first map, but then WoW claimed him, never to let go it would seem.  I released the script to it on the forum I had at WC3campaigns, but the site seems to have vanished, too.  I wonder if I posted it here as an 'open source' script if anyone would want to turn it into a campaign?  I still have the logo, too...  and I think I have the icons I made for the dwarves who were some of the main characters.  We never got to the point where we had anything voiced or music was made, though.

... and yay for Mistiria!  Yay.

[Revan]

Two things that I can say about your map:

The good thing: it was fantastic! You really did put enough work into the map. Even the cutscenes were nicely made. Most campaiigns lack in this matter, as most of the time the camera is kept in one place. Also, Mistiria has a nice voice.

The bad: life is cruel. Too bad that you decided to abandon this, I would have surely played through. Can't blame you though, hopefully your sc2 projects will be at least as good as this.

[Marco]

Two things that I can say about your map:

The good thing: it was fantastic! You really did put enough work into the map. Even the cutscenes were nicely made. Most campaiigns lack in this matter, as most of the time the camera is kept in one place. Also, Mistiria has a nice voice.

The bad: life is cruel. Too bad that you decided to abandon this, I would have surely played through. Can't blame you though, hopefully your sc2 projects will be at least as good as this.

Thank you for your words.  At the time we decided to start this, there was no indication of StarCraft 2 coming out, but it was only soon after we started that we began to see signs (like Blizzard hiring people who had experience in real-time strategy games).  Since science fiction is my true love, the more indicators I saw of its arrival, the less I wanted to continue on a project we were reviving.  Nevertheless, it gave us a good indicator of what both me and Joel were capable of doing at the time, and what I was capable of doing gameplay wise with an editor like WorldEdit.  Unfortunately, I never could throw myself at WC3 as I did with StarCraft - oh how I tried though - but ultimately I just cannot come up with a story that truly sent my creative spirit soaring in the fantasy genre.

[Lavarinth]

Science fiction is simply far more appealing to most of us.

[muaddib]

and some prefer both fantasy and sci fi
downloading the map, and give it a go ^^

to joel: day of he fish looked amusing, shame other matters interfered. 
oh, and your music rocks

[Magic]

Woah.

I'm afraid I've long had WC3 uninstalled so I won't be able to check this. I remember playing the demo years ago and enjoyed your funky blend of anime and the themes that you unleashed from your mind, though I also remember the unit placement being a lot like your SC work which I always didn't feel right.

Anyway, that was a different time and it's great to see you as always, Mr Desler. I hope this brings back some well-deserved nostalgia. Likewise, Joel, there is some for you, but it isn't as funny - though certainly more practical for modmakers. 

And if anyone wants to see what I worked on in my time with SC and WC3 ...

(I hope this doesn't come off as unecessary advertising to Lavarinth - I just spent the last few days setting up all of this stuff and want some lovin'!)

Thank you for your words.  At the time we decided to start this, there was no indication of StarCraft 2 coming out, but it was only soon after we started that we began to see signs (like Blizzard hiring people who had experience in real-time strategy games).  Since science fiction is my true love, the more indicators I saw of its arrival, the less I wanted to continue on a project we were reviving.  Nevertheless, it gave us a good indicator of what both me and Joel were capable of doing at the time, and what I was capable of doing gameplay wise with an editor like WorldEdit.  Unfortunately, I never could throw myself at WC3 as I did with StarCraft - oh how I tried though - but ultimately I just cannot come up with a story that truly sent my creative spirit soaring in the fantasy genre.

I hope you're not too hard on yourself about it. I've always been somewhat laid-back, but I really have came to appreciate in recent years just how much this is a hobby.

It sounds really simple, but some of us get sucked in to campaign and modmaking, for better or for worse, and don't truly comprehend how tough it can be to finish a whole campaign - and, more importantly, that there's then nothing wrong with cancelling it.

In the end, do what thou wilt, and be happy. 

[Marco]

This isn't the same map I released all those years ago.  It was completely redone.  Thats kind of why I'm displaying it, because the ideas and design displays me and Joels collective capabilities up to about a year and a half ago.  Of course, the story is old though.  As for your other statement, the best people in the community had more than simply a casual interest in doing mapping and modding.

And yeah, I read that interview again a few days ago when you put it up.  Nostalgia alright.  The SC community will always be superior to the WC3 community.

[Magic]

This isn't the same map I released all those years ago.  It was completely redone.  Thats kind of why I'm displaying it, because the ideas and design displays me and Joels collective capabilities up to about a year and a half ago.  Of course, the story is old though.

I see, pardon me. I wouldn't mind viewing a few screenshots to see how different it is.

As for your other statement, the best people in the community had more than simply a casual interest in doing mapping and modding.

Absolutely, the line between professional and amateur was blurred for me. It's always fascinating to see how a full game takes approximately two years to develop while people make campaigns and mod games solo or in small teams and spend years doing it. Rommel is still working on Heart of Storms and Realm Design are plugging away on their Dawn of Chaos mod. 

And yeah, I read that interview again a few days ago when you put it up.  Nostalgia alright.  The SC community will always be superior to the WC3 community.

You certainly seem a lot more mellow.