Siege:

A multilplayer mod for HexenWorld

Overview & Objective

Siege for HexenWorld is the one of the first fully realized attempts to bring a certain level of strategy and realism to the 3D shoot-em-up genre. Instead of your typical frag-fest, Siege presents the player with a more in depth and entertaining experience. This experience can most easily be summarized as a "First Person Warcraft". Siege attempts to bring intelligence and planning to the multiplayer FPS, traditionally the realm of mindless deathmatch. It combines entertaining gameplay, real world psychics, balanced characters, numerous options, and many surprises.

The basic premise behind Siege is a confrontation between an attacking team and a defending team. The attacker’s goal is to besiege the defender’s castle and steal the crown. The defenders on the other hand, need to be able to hold off the attackers long enough, thereby effectively deterring the enemy from gaining control of the castle. If the crown is stolen within the allotted time, the attacker wins, if not, the defender wins. Depending on the number of players, this time limit can be set by the server, otherwise default time is usually around 30 minutes. The game is a race against time, and both sides have many tools at their disposal in order to insure victory. How effectively they use what they are given though will ultimately determine the outcome. This is where strategy plays a key role in Siege. There is no one way to approach the game, there are many strategies that can be employed by either side. Most of the fun in Siege derives from successfully discovering new tactics and strategies. The game never gets boring because it presents players with flexibility and rewards them for their ingenuity. This truly sets Siege apart from most of the other multiplayer mods available and offers an interesting and engaging alternative to the typical pointless frag-fest of most 3D games of this nature. Siege is also set apart by the realism it offers to the player. The player is challenged to a certain degree by a small learning curve that is required by most character classes or by certain weapons of destruction, such as catapults or ballistae. Since realism is a key factor in Siege, nothing is as easy as it seems. Some classes are inept in certain areas and mastering the catapults is a small challenge in and of itself, making the reward of success that much sweeter. Much play testing and experimentation has been instrumental in making the game a very balanced and enjoyable experience. Siege is clever and entertaining 3D gameplay that successfully blends action, realistic gameplay and strategy in a multiplayer environment.

> > Beginning the Battle

> > Everyone comes into the game in a small room with two teleporters. The left(red) teleporter depicting a ballista is the Defender teleport. The right(blue) teleporter depicting a catapult is the Attacker teleport. Choose your team by stepping though the desired teleporter. On the other side you will find yourself in your base or barracks. You will notice that your team is either clad in blue and silver with a Crescent Moon symbol (attackers) or in red and gold with a Sun symbol (defenders). This will aid you in easily identifying your team mates.

> > In each base there is a button that has the message "Press When Ready". When all your players are in and ready to begin the battle, press this button. When both buttons are pressed, the exits to the bases open and the timer starts counting down again from the top. This ensures that everyone starts at the same time.

> > Time Limit

> > The time limit defaults to 30 minutes. In the bottom right you will see a display that shows you how much time is left until the attackers lose. This timelimit starts counting down as soon as the map starts, but don’t worry, it resets as soon as the battle is begun.

> > Frag Limit

> > This is how many people the defenders can lose before forfeiting control of the castle. If this number of defenders is lost, the attackers win automatically. You can see the number of defenders lost and the total number available in the same lower right display next to the shield symbol. The attackers have 3 times as many men to lose as the defenders. Their losses and reserves are indicated by the numbers next to the sword in the same display.

> > DM Info screen

> > Bringing up your standard DM info screen ("+showdm") will tell you the colors and frags of each player as well as their name, ping and connect time. In addition, before the players name is info on the playerclass, team, and level of the player.

> > Objectives

> > The goal of the attackers is to break into the castle and capture the King’s Crown from the defenders. The defenders’ only goal is to stop them.

> > Attackers:

> > The attackers initial objective is to break down the tops of the ramparts with explosive barrels launched from their catapults. Once they have broken these ramparts, they may safely catapult themselves over if they can clear the spikes. Once over, they need to lower the drawbridge and open the main gate to let in the others. However, in case they get killed and have get over the walls again, it is best to try to break the chains for the drawbridge. Doing this will lower it permanently. Now the only remaining obstacle is the main gate. This can be broken after quite some effort, but the best way to break it is to have a Necromancer become a beast and ram it over and over until it breaks. Now you have free reign inside the castle and it is only a matter of time before you find the key. In the first tower there is a Cube of Force that will lead you to the key when activated. Once you have the key, you must break into the King’s Tower (the second tower). You will meet some resistance here, but remember that every door or gate that is a barrier to your progress may be broken (besides the door to the Throne Room and the door to the defender barracks). Once inside the King’s Tower, it is a simple matter to ascend the spiral stairs and fight your way into the Throne Room and capture the crown.

> > It is quite possible that all your catapults could be destroyed. At this point, you will find that there are a couple other ways into the castle, aside from sending in a flying Succubus or wall-climbing Assassin. There are two other ways to get in the castle, but none as good as breaking down the front doors. It is also possible that you could be imprisoned by the defenders’ enchanted Icon of the Defender. If you find yourself in prison, alert your teammates to arrange a jailbreak or attempt to find a weakness in the cell and break out yourself.

> > Defenders:

> > Your first objective should be to secure the Throne Room Key and ensure it’s safety. This is the most important element of the attacker’s success and you should either put it in the best hiding spot you can or give it to the best player on your team. Next, you must address the problem of three catapults hammering on your front door. There are 4 ballistae on the two front towers. The bottom two have doors that block them and can be opened and closed with the "Use" key. These are better defended than the top ballistae, but the top ballistae have more range and a better range of fire. You should try to prevent the attackers from launching barrels while killing as many attackers as you can. You should mainly concern yourself with destroying the catapults, however, since that will force your attackers to find another way into the castle. There are also arrow-loops at the base of each front tower to allow you to fire out of the base of the towers with very good protection.

> > If the attackers do manage to break a hole in your ramparts, be sure to have someone watching the switches for the drawbridge so that they do now open the gates and let in the main force or possibly even destroy the chains supporting the drawbridge. It is quite possible that you could lose all your ballistae. If this happens, you should be prepared to be dealing with a onslaught of attackers within the front court. It may help to have someone ready to imprison attackers and prevent jailbreaks. If the attackers have gained easy access to the front of the castle, it is time to fall back and close the porticullis to the inner courtyard. There is a switch in the inner courtyard that closes this porticullis as well as doors that seal off the other entrances to the courtyard on the higher level. The attackers will have to break down at least one of those doors to get in. If you lose one of those doors, your last line of defense are a few monsters that will help you fight the attackers as they try to break down the door to the Throne Tower. If the attackers manage to break down that door and have the key to the Throne Room, your only hope is to battle them on the spiral steps leading up to the Throne Room and stop them at any cost. It is here that the Paladin and Succubus are most useful as they are the best straight fighters. The Necromancer will be helpful here with his destructive spells and the Crusader can help keep the defenders alive and boost them, perhaps even sacrificing himself to take out a good number of attackers. Only the Assassin and Dwarf will be of little use at this point in the game.

> > Winning the Game

> > There are two ways for the attackers to win and two ways for the defenders to win. The defenders win if the time limit is reached or if they kill all the attackers. The attackers win if they capture the crown or kill all the defenders. A victory splash screen will come up and a small fanfare will play informing all of the outcome. To the victors go the spoils and the losers must wait for another day to redeem their honor.

> > Character Classes and Modifications

> > PALADIN

> > The paladin is a brute strength brawler- he is a deadly in-fighter and is the second best player for breaking down barriers. He is the strongest character and starts with the second most health. While he may not seem to have any really special abilities, he is a natural leader, and for Defenders, a leader is sorely needed…

> > Weapons

> > Sword

> > – Has a good range and in the hands of a paladin, can decapitate enemies with ease.

> > Axe

> > – Isn’t quite as good for melee fighting as the sword, but the axe is the best weapon for breaking wood.

> > Shortbow

> > – The paladin’s brute strength makes him able to fire his arrows a good distance, but he has little to no skill with the weapon making is extremely inaccurate.

> > Spells

> > The paladin has no spells.

> > Abilities

> > Free Action

> > – The paladin can move through water as if on land and can hold his breath longer. This makes him the best candidate for braving the piranhas in the moat and attempting to break in through the sewer.

> > Divine Intervention

> > – The paladin occasionally will be preserved by his god when killed.

> > ASSASSIN

> > The assassin is the stealth character. She is fast and deadly. She is good for either offense or defense. She is the fastest of the group, but also has no spells. Her great accuracy with her effective weapons combined with her ability to scale walls makes her a highly desirable addition to a Siege Attacker’s party.

> > Weapons

> > Dagger

> > – A fast but weak weapon, however, her backstabbing ability makes it more powerful if used correctly.

> > Shortbow

> > – The assassin is an expert with the shortbow and has the best firing rate with it. While her lower strength makes it so she cannot shoot it quite as far as a paladin, she can hit a target with accuracy.

> > Crossbow

> > – The assassin’s crossbow is a long-range, straight-firing weapon that requires her to stand still and aim carefully while shooting. It can propel flaming arrows with great speed and do a lot of damage.

> > Tripwire

> > – The tripwires are used to lay traps around corners or behind curtains. An assassin being chased can also use the tripwires as a nice way to dispatch her pursuers.

> > Spells

> > The assassin has no spells.

> > Abilities

> > Backstab

> > – As part of the assassin’s stealth and assassination skills, she can deliver a heinous blow with her dagger if the victim is facing away from her.

> > Hide in Shadows

> > – The assassin will fade out in areas of darkness.

> > Spiderclimb

> > - The assassin has the ability to grab onto surfaces and scale them. However, this is a slow process and she makes a good amount of noise doing so. She also cannot fire or use any items while climbing. If she is hit while climbing, she will fall off the wall.

> > CRUSADER

> > The crusader is a mix of a cleric and a fighter. He only has one weapon, but he can boost both himself and others with a variety of cheap, but powerful spells.

> > Weapons

> > Hammer

> > – The crusader’s hammer is a nice average all-purpose weapon that can be turned into a powerful ranged weapon when enchanted.

> > Spells (mana cost)

> > Heal(5)

> > – Can be cast on himself or others. Heals 5 points of damage, but will not raise your health above your maximum health.

> > Enchant Hammer(10)

> > – Turns your hammer into a magically enchanted hammer you can throw a short distance and will magically return to you. This spell lasts 60 seconds.

> > Turn Undead(15- Not Implemented)

> > –May change. Was intended to repel Necromancers, Succubi, and Summoned Imps.

> > Mercurial Speed(20)

> > – Gives you or a target player the speed of Mercury.

> > Berzerker(30)

> > – Multiplies the strength of the crusader or target player times 4. This strength fades quickly.

> > Cloak of Perseus(40)

> > – Turns crusader or target invisible except for a trail of magical footsteps.

> > Wrath of God(max)

> > – You must have a full load of mana to cast this spell. It will cause everyone in front of you to be struck down by lightning and kills you as well.

> > Abilities

> > Revivification

> > – Every time the crusader goes up a level, he gets full health and full mana. (May be replaced with something more useful since there are no level increases in Siege)

> > Holy Strength

> > – When he kills someone, sometimes can pick a sphere that gives him double damage (may also be replaced)

> > NECROMANCER

> > The Necromancer is not meant to fight a melee. If he does, he’ll most likely get his ass whooped, and bad. He is weak and somewhat slow. But his strength is his offensive spells, which are somewhat more expensive than the Crusader’s magic.

> > Weapons

> > Sickle

> > – His close-range weapon, it’s the weakest melee weapon of the bunch.

> > Shortbow

> > – The necromancer can barely use this weapon. He’s not very fast with it, but more accurate than the paladin. His physical weakness, however, makes it difficult for him to shoot very far or do much damage with it.

> > Spells (mana cost)

> > Magic Missiles(2)

> > – These are long-range but somewhat inaccurate manifestations of the Necromancer’s naughtiness.

> > Poison(20)

> > – Poisons the target for a short amount of time, causing slowness and a loss of life over time.

> > Polymorph(30)

> > – Turns targets into sheep.

> > Delayed Fireball(40)

> > – Launches a glyph that explodes into a huge expanding fireball (basically, the paladin’s glyph from Hexen 2)

> > Summon Imp(60)

> > – Summons an imp to do the Necromancer’s bidding. If the Necromancer dies, the imp will die too.

> > Become Beast(100)

> > – Turns the Necromancer into a giant beast that can step on people and catapults, break down doors, and causes earthquakes when he jumps. This lasts for three minutes.

> > Abilities

> > Soul Stealing

> > – After killing someone, he sometimes can steal their soul for extra health (may be replaced by Necrophagy- see below)

> > Vampiric Drain

> > – When he hits with the sickle, he can steal mana from the victim.

> > Necrophagy

> > (Not Implemented) When the necromancer steps over a dead body, he absorbs it into him and gains 5 health (but not over his max health).

> > SUCCUBUS

> > The Succubus strikes a balance between fighter and mage- she is fairly fast, has average strength, 4 weapons and 4 spells. Her primary advantage is use of the skies.

> > Weapons

> > Bloodrain

> > – A short-range straight-fire projectile spell that requires no mana.

> > Sword

> > – Like the paladin’s sword, it is a good weapon, but she is not a strong or fast with it.

> > Shortbow

> > – She is better with the crossbow than the necromancer or paladin, but does not equal the assassin's efficiency with it.

> > Grenades

> > – Probably the most destructive weapon available, these do not become available until the attackers have gotten pretty far into the castle.

> > Spells (mana cost)

> > Repulsion(20)

> > – Repels players and projectiles away from her.

> > ? (Not Implemented-40)

> > Flame Shield (Not Implemented-60)

> > - The Succubus becomes enveloped in a shield of fire that stops small projectiles and burns others on contact.

> > Flight(100)

> > – Allows her to fly freely for 60 seconds.

> > Abilities

> > Demon Glide

> > – Holding down the jump button while in mid air will cause her to open her wings and glide slowly to the ground.

> > Mana Absorption

> > – Sometimes gains mana when she takes damage.

> > Sadistic Glee (Not Implemented)

> > – May gain health when she kills a person at close range.

> > DWARF

> > The Dwarf is not a magic user or a particularly great melee fighter, but he is small, resilient, and the best digger/demolitionist of the classes. He has only 2 weapons but excellent armor and three very useful abilities. He is a poor swimmer, has shorter reach, and is slower than the other characters.

> > Weapons

> > Hammer

> > – A solid pummeling weapon, very good for breaking stone.

> > Axe

> > – A better melee weapon than the hammer, the axe is also very useful for chopping into anything made of wood. Both weapons are products of fine Dwarven blacksmithing.

> > Spells (mana cost)

> > The assassin has no spells.

> > Abilities

> > InfraVision

> > – The Dwarf can "see" heat waves off of other people. This is evident when a player walks into the shadows, he glows red in the Dwarf’s view.

> > Regeneration

> > – The dwarf has excellent constitution and constantly regenerates health at a steady pace up to 75% of his maximum, and only if he is not in a berzerker rage.

> > Berzerker Rage

> > – If the Dwarf is low in health and is hit particularly hard, he may go into a fit of rage and become faster and much stronger, but will not regenerate health during this time.

The "Use" key returns!

The "Use" key is in the keyboard config screen as "use object" – it is impulse 13. This key is very important in Siege. It is used for the following actions:

> > Climbing: Face a wall and hit the "Use" key. This will put you in climbing mode. Then just face where you want to climb to and hold down the jump key. You will slowly progress in that direction as long as you hold the jump key. Hitting the "Use" key again will release you from the wall and return your jump key to normal jumping.

> > Doors/Plats

> > : All the lifts in the map must be used by standing on them and hitting your "Use" key. The door to the Defender barracks and the individual prison cell doors must also be opened with the "Use" key. The prison cell doors can only be opened from the outside of the cell, obviously.

> > Barrels

> > : To load a catapult, push a barrel up to the rear of the catapult, face the barrel, hit "Use" and push forward. The barrel will lift up and forward onto the catapult. If you put the "skill" console variable to "0", the barrels will auto-load when pushed up to a catapult. There is one large barrel on the field that contains a Greek Fire mixture. To light this barrel, light a torch and then attempt to "throw" the torch at the barrel- you can be right next to the barrel to light it in this manner. Other fire and flaming arrows will also light these barrels. When they hit, they will start a good size fire that burns for 30 seconds.

> > Catapults

> > : You can fire a catapult by hitting it with your first weapon, or by standing on it and jumping (if you want to launch yourself) or by hitting the fire button while you’re in control of it. You gain control of it by standing in the center of the catapult. While in this mode, you can aim the catapult by turning slowly. The catapults can be moved a limited range by pushing at the front or back of the catapult and hitting the "Use" key.

Default Controls

The config.cfg that comes with Siege has my default setup. Here are the keys, their bindings and associated actions as they are set up in the config.cfg. There is a "saveconfig" console command that will save out a config file for you in-game once you have your desired configuration arranged. From then on, all you have to do is type "exec <name>.cfg" (where <name> is the name you saved it as) to use your config in the future.

The defaults:

MOVEMENT/ACTION:

Key Binding Action

UPARROW +forward Moves player forwards

DOWNARROW +back Moves player backwards

LEFTARROW +moveleft Player sidesteps left

RIGHTARROW +moveright Player sidesteps right

SHIFT impulse 22 Toggles crouch (+crouch doesn’t toggle)

CTRL +jump Jump

END impulse 13 Universal "Use Object" key

mouse1 +attack Fire weapon/spell

mouse2 +speed Player runs

WEAPONS:

Key Binding Action

1 impulse 1 Select weapon/spell 1

2 impulse 2 Select weapon/spell 2

3 impulse 3 Select weapon/spell 3

4 impulse 4 Select weapon/spell 4

5 impulse 5 Select weapon/spell 5

6 impulse 6 Select weapon/spell 6

7 impulse 7 Select weapon/spell 7

8 impulse 8 Select weapon/spell 8

INS impulse 10 Cycle through weapons/spells (not

> > > > > > > > > > implemented)

INVENTORY/ITEMS:

Key Binding Action

[ invleft Cycle left through inventory

] invright Cycle right through inventory

ENTER invuse Use selected inventory item

BACKSPACE impulse 44 Throw selected inventory item

K impulse 34 Drop the Throne Key where you’re standing

SPACE impulse 32 Panic Button- use all inventory items

INFO:

Key Binding Action

TAB +showinfo Raise stat bar for your inventory, etc.

D +showdm Show detailed information on all players

MENU/CONTROLS:

Key Binding Action

ESCAPE togglemenu Toggles menu on/off

` toggleconsole Raises/lowers console

F1 help Brings up help screens

F12 quit Quit game

PAUSE pause Pause game

+ sizeup Increase screen size

= sizeup Increase screen size

- sizedown Decrease screen size

F11 screenshot Take a screenshot

OTHER:

Key Binding Action

s messagemode Send a message to everyone

t messagemode2 Send a message to your teammates only

PGUP zoom_in Zoom in

PGDN zoom_out Zoom out

F2 say `22 Taunt (you can put your faves here)

F3 say `23 Taunt (you can put your faves here)

F4 say `24 Taunt (you can put your faves here)

F5 say `25 Taunt (you can put your faves here)

F6 say `26 Taunt (you can put your faves here)

F7 say `27 Taunt (you can put your faves here)

F8 say `28 Taunt (you can put your faves here)

F9 say `29 Taunt (you can put your faves here)

F10 say `30 Taunt (you can put your faves here)

Other settings:

Setting Meaning

name Cosmos Sets my name to "Cosmos" by default

color 0 0 Sets my multiplayer color to 0 and 0, Siege will force this anyway

+mlook Makes mouselook always active

crosshair 1 Turns on the little crosshair in the center or the screen

> > > > > > m_pitch -0.022000 Turns on inverted mouse (making it a positive number turns off inverted mouse)

The Setting

The Defenders of the Crown are a lost people. Years ago, they had a great leader who built a powerful, peaceful empire. He was a Great Paladin named Halcyon and his Golden Crown is the foremost symbol of power in the region, and the bearer of the Crown can easily lay claim to the now empty leadership. Their king also had a golden sword which, according to legend, was presented to him from the bosom of the magical pool in the center of the castle. According to legend this sword, named Excelsior, bestowed it’s chosen bearer with great strength, speed, and resilience. It is said only a great leader may bear the sword. Excelsior was lost, however, long ago when Halcyon was slain by his closest confidant, turned traitor by the evil influence of the Serpent Riders. It is said that some day, a new leader will arise and lead the defenders to glory once again, and at that time, Excelsior will return. But none have stepped forth. Furthermore, the long-standing enemies of the Defenders of the Crown are the Order of the Crescent Moon. They were the dominant power in the area before the advent of the Defenders of the Crown. The very place the castle stands upon once was their holiest of temples. They will not rest until they have reclaimed what they believe to be rightfully theirs.

The level that has been designed for "Siege" has been specifically made to offer many obstacles and advantages to both attacker and defender. Besides the fact that the castle has been constructed to effectively prevent the attacker from infiltrating it, it still has its share of weaknesses and is not impregnable. From a designing standpoint, this level was constructed with simplicity in mind, in order to meet the demanding needs and limitations of network and modem play. I will present briefly how the castle was designed and some of the many options available to the players:

> > All the players start with all their weapons, but only the arrows are available as ammo from the beginning of the game. Later on, the Assassin’s glyph will become available as will the Succubus’ grenades and more arrows.

> > There are many doors in the castle that can be strategically sealed or shut off, but be forewarned, most doors are also breakable as well.

> > Attackers are given maneuverable catapults that fire exploding barrels and defenders are given ballistae to guard the castle ramparts from destruction, and both of these weapons are NOT indestructible.

> > The castle is equipped with a fully functional prison that can house up to eight enemy players, but that doesn’t necessarily mean that you can’t escape somehow once you’re imprisoned.

> > There is more than one way to get inside the castle, if you can somehow manage to survive a deadly moat full of ravenous killer piranhas!

> > The castle is not only protected by the defenders, but by certain castle guardians that appear JUST at the right time.

> > Both sides have access to a barracks area that can be used as a temporary safe haven or a meeting room to discuss various tactics, but don’t hang around for too long, time is of an essence!

> > The castle has breakable ramparts that must be destroyed before any attacker dares to catapult himself over the walls, lest they wish to be impaled by the bloody spikes that line the front of the castle.

> > The castle crown can only be captured by successfully acquiring the key to the throne room, which may or may not prove to be a problem.

> > There are many other secrets that I have not delved into; instead, I’ll give the players the satisfaction of discovering them on their own!

> > Other Important Instructions

> > "Impulse 34" will drop the Throne Room Key wherever you’re standing. This is good for hiding the key so you don’t leave it out in the open when you die.

> > "Icon of the Defender" now acts as a device that, when aimed and fired immediately drops an attacking player’s inventory and teleports him or her into a prison cell.

> > There are team only triggers that can only be used by the right player; for example, the door to the defender barracks can only be opened and closed by a defender, not an attacker.

> > The "KILL" command has been disabled in order to provide more realism and balance to the game.

> > Mana is now only used by certain character classes and is not necessary for the use of character weapons; instead specific ammo has been placed on the map for various weapons. Mana is not picked up anywhere on the map, instead magic-users produce mana over time.

> > The "Force Cube" now acts as a tracking device that will, roughly, lead you to the location of the throne room key.

> > The "Ring of Water Breathing" now has a most desirable side effect.

> > Team chat allows players to talk to each other without being overheard by the opposing team.

> > Arrows cannot do damage to things with high health such as ballistae, catapults, ramparts and heavy doors. They can only really damage players, monsters and barrels.

> > Targeted Spells:

> > Some spells can be cast on the caster or a target. If you point at a player when casting the spell, it will cast it on them, otherwise, it will cast it on the caster.

> > The map’s lighting starts off in daylight and fade to nighttime over a course of 10 – 20 minutes, then fade back up again, simulating the passing of day and night.

> > Future Ideas and Implementations

> > Different fantasy type settings for castles, for example, "Ice Castle", "Obsidian Tower", "City of Troy", "Forest Fort", "Moon Base", etc.

> > Different mission objectives such as, "rescue the princess", "destroy and pillage", "escape from the castle" or "castle vs. castle."

> > Battering ram that will allow attackers to break down the main portcullis with ease.

> > Pots of hot oil that can be poured down from the castle ramparts.

> > Cannons that fire…well, cannonballs of course!

> > For those Monty Python fans, castles that launch out cows and other barnyard animals.

> > Moving bridges and ladders that can be used to scale the castle walls.

> > There will be a few more abilities (designed for Siege specifically) eventually.

-Michael Gummelt & Perfecto Cuervo

with: Josh Weier, Jeremy Statz, Mark Morgan, and Nathan Albury