Prologue
Some of you might have seen or heard about my new map, Mystic Library. If not, you can check in this post about it. In both cases, you will have noticed that each chest has the same weapon 10 times, but in each tier its stats upgrade too. Grab a seat if you are interested in proceeding to reading this post, appreciated.
Backstory
While I was looking for an idea about my next map after finishing Glass Castle, I wasn’t brainstorming much. Spent more time playing my map and/or other maps in the meantime. Those times were when we also had more free time with my gang, so we were also playing maps that are not in the public pool in custom lobbies. After playing in plenty of those maps, public or not, based on what I saw there and played with, it came to me; what if I made a new map where you can have such strong weapons. The maps didn’t have the same plan as Mystic Library, but they gave me a pinch of inspiration that led to this. All weapon chests, containing their own weapon 10 times, each tier with bigger damage value than the previous- Copper Shortsword can reach 500 damage!. While in the Build dimension, thinking what the map’s theme should be, didn’t take me long to think of a library (after failing with making an asphalt road). It came to me it would fit that, in a library is where you can obtain more knowledge, and it can feel as if while you are there, you study to learn how to make your weapons stronger. The term “Mystic” came at the last moment before posting my submission in the forums, to stress my previous point to a bigger degree.
A bit of lore about Mystic Library
For those who have been in my map during its testing, you surely will have noticed some signs talking about the library’s secretary, Margaret, being absent in those rough times. Here is some story.
The library didn’t always use to be so empty… In older times it would be lively most of the time, and the person in charge of the place, Margaret, would always make sure everyone had whatever they needed for their studies or comfort. Who was the person that built the Mystic Library, however? Margaret hit us with the same answer every time she was asked that; “The founder isn’t really a person, so they aren’t really existent in our mortal world.”. No one could ever understand that, and Margaret never gave further details about them, but she wasn’t forced to either, people just accepted it, for Margaret guided them in there after successfully being able to find that secret place. The founder never intended the library to be for common mortals; whoever found that place was special, possessing hidden potential in them, and Mystic Library was just the place to develop it. Quite plenty of people started discovering that place later, from explorers to royal family members. It was when the library was booming in popularity, everything in there had a peaceful flow and nothing ever was wrong in there- most of the time at least. While time was passing and more people were coming, offering and increasing their knowledge, a war broke out in the surface. Lots of library members were involved in it, some of them perished, others lost their homes, others had other terrible, more tragic things happen. Margaret thought the library would be more silent, but it actually increased in activity. Several generals, from knights to mages, doctors and servants, discovered the library while looking for a base to make plans, and made it their secret meeting point. That day Margaret added The War Table and limited access to the upper floor to stamp approved only members during that time of crisis. Several months later, out of the blue, all of them disappeared. Just another day where Margaret woke up, ready to start working in the library, but no one was there for some hours. Later some people came by, but Margaret didn’t know them, she still shrugged it off. Two days later, some of the generals who were fighting in the world returned, but Margaret was absent, which was extremely odd as she was technically living there. She had made a huge commitment to the library and just one day, she disappeared. They worried about what had happened to Margaret, but they couldn’t let it affect their plans, and just continued using the library as they normally did. Then later on, they stopped coming too. Together with all those relevant members, there were also some casual members who were visiting the library at least once in three days, who had noticed all those changes in it. Rumours made up by them have it that probably those new random people who had come that one day were involved in Margaret’s disappearence. Others believed -or at least want to believe- that because of Margaret’s impact and passion for the Mystic Library and her relations with the immortal founder, she might be a demigoddess, so wherever she is she might be alright. That story has been going on around library members and gives them hope while patiently waiting for her return, even though it’s been over 15 weeks since she was last seen. Because of her impact and commitment, and of course her devotion and approachability, members respect the rules of the library and Margaret’s desires. However, not all take that route… but also few people claim that, based on the new signs in the library talking about Margaret, although she is absent, the founder is still watching it somehow. Or what some people call “makes sense”, they exist to scare bad-mannered people. No one can be sure what is true.
Good to know
- The players’ spawn point starts at the bottom left corner, where 6 wall blocks have been painted with shadow dye to seem as if it is the entrance of the library. Above that place, which I call the desk or secretary desk, there are echo blocks which protect you from Sand Elementals. The desk’s 2 blocks high size is enough to protect you from snipers and pirate’s during round 11-13.
- All bookshelves in the map are actuated so you can walk through them freely, but some blocks in two of them are not, on which you parkour to reach to the strongest weapon chests. For those you will need to have at least the
Well Fedbuff which you can get from the first ammo chest that contains the Mango or third ammo chest containing Spaghetti, which gives much better stats and makes the big parkour easier. - Alongside the above, the easy parkour shelves in the lower floor, there is a switch on top of it, which actuates some blocks on the upper left corner that lead to the secret room. There is a switch in it too to actuate them again, making that room a safe zone to regenerate health back or to attack from distance, considering you have weapons passing through blocks.
Epilogue
If you reached until here, then I am firmly thanking you for spending time to read this post, much appreciated. Some final words about Mystic Library;
I want to thank everyone who helped me test this map (you know who you are), it took painfully long to finish this. Adding a bit over 500 items in just the weapon chests, noting down in paper all damage outputs I modded them to have and the prices, continuous testing to see which weapons felt too strong or too weak and then making new lobbies a lot more than once and twice to re-test them, spending over 90 minutes after midnight to transfer all price and damage outputs in the submission and so on. I am actually feeling very nice now that I finished it and I hope you enjoyed reading this post, as well as I hope you will enjoy my map. See you there. 