Age of Wonders Heaven Julia with Gameplay background
Welcome
Downloads Home
Review Guidelines
Main site
Forums
Code of Conduct
Search

Advanced Search
Multi Player Maps
Home
New Releases
New Reviews
New Comments
Top-Rated

Submit File
Browse Categories
New Files

Multi Player Maps » Coming of the Dread Lord

Download File Post Review Post Comment

Coming of the Dread Lord

Author File Description
Jason
File Details
Ruleset: TS Standard Rules
Map Size: X-Large
Playable Races: Some
Surface Levels: 3
Difficulty: Impossible
This is a very, very challenging map with many roleplaying elements. All Neutral and Good aligned races are playable and it makes a fun single-player and multiplayer PBEM game. Each of the playable races will be given a quest through pop-up dialog. The Frostlings and the Highmen have the strongest starting position, while the Elves and Humans have the hardest starting positions.All of the Dungeons on the map are empty, so don't bother searching them. They are the "Dread Portals" through which the Dread Lord's preliminary forces shall teleport into the world, so be wary of those locations!You have 65 days until the Dread Lord makes his arrival somewhere on the surface map. A fun way to play this map is via PBEM, with a human playing the Dark Elves as a "spoiler" race for more of a challenge. If so, I would reduced the number of black dragons that come through the Dread Portals as it may be overwhelming. Game Background:Over the last several centuries, ten Houses have risen to power in the land of Alair - each one representing the interests of one of the diverse races in Yrndia. In the last fifty years, a fragile peace has developed between the neutral and good races and trade has developed over the distances through the use of magic portals designed by the Elves as a sign of goodwill.Now, all is at risk.
AuthorComments & Reviews   ( All | Comments Only | Reviews Only )
Angel Draco
Rating
4.6
Breakdown
Playability5.0
Balance4.0
Creativity5.0
Map Design4.0
Story/Instructions5.0
Another classic from Jason. Similar to Jason's other masterpiece, Lord of the Rings: Reign of Terror, this map has great replay value because it is a totally different game depending on what race you are. There is a wonderful RPG element with all of the description bubbles and quests. You really get sucked into the story as well as the action. I've played this map several times in both solo play (as the Highmen) and in two different PBEMs. Both the Dark Elves and Gobbos can by played by a human as a "spoiler" race to make things even more difficult. TONS of dragons and powerful units teleport in constantly so you can't let your guard down for a second. A wonderful map!
Sir Crashalot
Rating
4.4
Breakdown
Playability4.0
Balance4.0
Creativity5.0
Map Design4.0
Story/Instructions5.0
This map is HARD HARD HARD :)
But it is so addictive that I just love to play it.
It is playable in both single and multiplayer games....playable but not necessarily winnable.:)

A brilliant map that is a `must have` for all AoW veterans.
Spasmarod
Rating
4.0
Breakdown
Playability4.0
Balance2.0
Creativity5.0
Map Design4.0
Story/Instructions5.0
This map is good for playing with humans as the neutral and good races and the AI as the evil ones. However , you gotta have a LOT of time and patience
RogerRabid
(id: Roger the Rampant)
I would love to play this game when I have an uber-computer, as I can see some great underground places to find, one with 95 BGs in it, another with 73 BGs. However with my PentiumII 350mhz plus a Voodoo2 it took 10 minutes for all races to finish day 1, and another 17 minutes for all races to finish day 2. I just can't spare the time - shame, it looks like a great map
Carcharoth
Rating
4.6
Breakdown
Playability5.0
Balance3.0
Creativity5.0
Map Design5.0
Story/Instructions5.0
Jason is one of the few people that have realized the potential of AOW. Without them the game itself would become boring once the campaign has been completed and the feeble scenarios conquered.
The re-playability, creativity, enjoyment, details, and most importantly the challenge of his maps are beyond compare.
I believe this map to be the best that has been made for the game.

Carcharoth
Tekk Zero
Rating
4.8
Breakdown
Playability4.0
Balance5.0
Creativity5.0
Map Design5.0
Story/Instructions5.0
This scenario has pratically everything: good story, beautiful terrain, and fun gameplay. I recommend this map to any player who feels the AI is just too easy in other maps. You will not find it here. I would have give this map a straight 5, except for newbies this is an incredibly difficult map. However, for any experienced player this is a must to play.
Frogman
Rating
5.0
Breakdown
Playability5.0
Balance5.0
Creativity5.0
Map Design5.0
Story/Instructions5.0
I think this is the greatest map ever made. A world unto itself. Without a doubt it is brutal tough, yet it can be beaten. What captivates me is all the text bubbles, the quests, the scale of the map, the hidden areas, the progressively tougher reinforcement releases, the items, the heroes, the story. Well darn, the whole thing just captivates me. Even peaking in the editor will not reveal all the jewels of this map. I have spent hours in the editor tweaking the game for pbem games and I am always surprised to find something I overlooked before.

I probably know this map as well as Jason now, I have yet to see its equal in complexity, drama, and tension as you await the arrival of the Dread Lord.
blackoak
Rating
5.0
Breakdown
Playability5.0
Balance5.0
Creativity5.0
Map Design5.0
Story/Instructions5.0
This is the best map I have ever played! Each race must use an entirely different strategy, its loke playing a different scenario with each race. All are challenging. Frostling may be easiest d/t to his peace with darklord.
I loved the numerous sub-quests and the hidden city for each race and the hidden allies and treasures. This makes it likely ther best story-line ever for a scenario!
PetrusOctavianus
Rating
4.8
Breakdown
Playability5.0
Balance4.0
Creativity5.0
Map Design5.0
Story/Instructions5.0
Playability: 5
With ten (I think) playable races, and each with their own "quests" and rewards, this map is very replayable. And it's a very exctiting and challenging map.

Balance: 4
The player enabled races are not very balanced, with the Undead AI being very powerful, and the Highmen starting with only one city (four hexes, though) and four heroes, while the other factions start with larger positions.
Some of the rewards, in the form of extra units and a 4 hex city, are easier to come by for some factions. Too bad most are off limits to the AI, since for some weird reason the AI players won't attack Independents.

Creativity: 5
Lots of custom made heroes, custom names, some items (the Inferno Staff is bugged, though, places to explore and pop up messages.

Map Design: 5
Extremely intricate map, with lots of secluded areas. The use of teleporters makes it extremely dynamic and quite unpredictable as well, with no clear borders.

Story/Instructions: 5
Each faction have their own "story line", which details some of the goals of the heroes. Sometimes you get messages after conquering key locations.

Additional Comments:
The only thing that prevents me from rating this map 5 is that the map is just too exhausting. I spent three weeks before killing the Dread Lord. It's really too bad you can't have as VC to kill a specific hero (That's my biggest beef with this game; all the a map maker can't do, and even more all the things the AI can't do, such as simple things like picking up items and attacking Independents). So in the end the forced removal of Leaders on map made the mopping up phase too annoying, especially when the Elves broke the Highmen/Elves/Dwarves/Halflings alliance just before I could claim victory.

Post Review Post Comment

HGDL v0.8.2

Login
Forum Username:


Password:




Create a new account
Forgot password?
Rating
4.7
Breakdown
Playability4.6
Balance4.0
Creativity5.0
Map Design4.6
Story/Instructions5.0
Statistics
Downloads:2,852
Favorites: [Who?]1
Size:229.22 KB
Added:05/29/01