AS-AmunRa_Beta2
9/10/2004

Created By:
	Azazel-{666}-
	SpikeTheHuman-{666}-

This is our first mapping experience (with the exception of a presently Beta DM
map by Azazel), and proved to be quite a challenging yet rewarding experience.  We
started the map about six weeks ago with the goal of having it ready for the Make
Something Unreal Contest.

This is a Beta Version released especially for the MSUC Phase 4.  Sadly, we
weren't able to finish everything in time -- coming in the near future will be
more complete bot support, enhanced performance, a matinee, and most importantly
playtesting so that we can better balance the level.


Azazel was largely responsible for level layout, textures, lighting, sound, trim --
the things that can make a map truly immersive.  Spike did the objectives, custom 
programming, terrain, zoning, and pathing -- the things that provides a unique
playing experience.

Please contact us with comments and feedback at Azazel@ProjectAscendant.com and
SpikeTheHuman@ProjectAscendant.com

Features:

This version features a new weapon (the Staff of Amun Ra), new objective types
and enhanced objective types capable of using custom announcements, mesh and 
skin overriding spawns, a choose your own adventure style branching 
of the objectives, and much more.

The Staff of Amun Ra is a special weapon and the primary objective of the map.
The primary fire of the staff knocks back all oponents and does minor damage.
The alternate fire heals the staff holder and teammates within a radius,
while hurting opponents an equal amount.  The longer it is held down,
the more effective it gets till it reaches maximum effectiveness.

New objective types allow you to make deliveries using any mesh and a 
wide variety of other features.  The staff and the explosives are examples of
this.

Early on the attackers get to choose which side of the temple they wish
to place the explosives, yielding different possible playing experiences.
Essentially it is a loop: you get to choose which side you go in and then 
come out the other end.

Once the attackers have retrieved the staff, the temple guardians come to life.
At this point, the defenders start spawning as skeletons and stone guardians
until the attackers have fought their way out of the temple.

The heart of the new objectives and other capabilities lies in the MymAssault 
package, which will be made available for use by the assault community once 
I'm finished commenting, polishing and testing the code.


Scenario:

This scenario is a reenactment of the Izanagi Corporation raid 
in 2173 AD upon a United Nations archeological dig located in 
the Ank Ho Sept Nebulae.  The records detailing this scenario 
came out of the Izanagi archives and came under close scrutiny 
with the recent Liandri acquisition of said company.  The records 
detail the brutal surprise attack upon a largely archaic & 
obsolete UN peacekeeping force at the nearby encampment, and the 
subsequent bombing of the sacred temple site to gain entrance to 
the subterranean chambers below.  It is unclear at this point 
whether the Izanagi task force entered through the floor of the 
temple, or through the wall, but the results are the same: The 
theft of the ancient holy relic called The Staff of Amun Ra.  Local 
clerics believed it was the powerful weapon of the GodKing, Amun Ra, 
that purportedly ruled the planet for three thousand years.  The 
staff was supposed to have mystical powers over the very elements 
of the earth, and could supposedly heal festering sores upon the 
multitudes.  The theft of the staff appears to have coincided with 
the 8.6 quake that rocked the entire continental shelf at this point.   
There are garbled and incoherent reports of the few surviving members 
of the task force details encounters with Temple Golem Defenders 
and Skeletal Guardians but these are most probably some sort of 
mass hallucination caused by contaminated cavern air.  The Izanagi 
assault team barely escaped the temple with the staff and defeated 
UN back up troops before exiting the valley and fleeing the planet.  
Further research indicates that the staff possessed tremendous power 
and appeared to be some sort of ancient alien technology.  Izanagi 
reverse engineered it and applied the technology to many of their 
subsequent products…the most notable of these being the highly 
experimental Ion Plasma Tank that was instrumental in stopping the 
Miner rebellion of 2197 in the Lambden Sector.  

-Mym, Head Liandri Archivist