Post by bb on Jun 16, 2011 2:45:42 GMT 1
Meaby you allready know it, however here are some tips of the "father of all BK mappers" Dmitry Matveyevskoye. Most are common sense to experienced mappers, but still is a nice guidance.
Translation by Google.
Source: gtools2005.narod.ru/scenarios_b1.html
The main mistakes a beginner level designers. General advice and recommendations on the creation of their missions and maps.
Too much complexity.
Drift towards hardcore by a thorough knowledge of your script. It is difficult - not always fun. The gradual buildup of complexity in the course of transmission. Educational component in a company or chapter.
It is difficult - is not always interesting. Nabivshaya nauseam truth, but that's about it forget about all novice designers of game levels. No exaggeration - this is the most common problem not only for lovers, but to no lesser degree for professionals.
You come up with a plot, you know what, when and where it will occur every nook and corner of the card or sign up to the level of pain. The player did not know it. He sees your work first. About - up to 70% of players do not even bother to read the task, especially if it is long. And somewhere 5 0% simply throw play if they "press" in the beginning. It must be remembered that the player did not have to replay the whole day long your "brilliant" mission in the expectation that when he finally get lucky. Except for very small - part of the hardcore players, most players still want to just have fun and feel like winners.
Another thing - if you make a script designed specifically for hardkordnyh players. In this case, at least, it is necessary to mention this in the description.
In any case, the most important task - to interest the player in the first minutes of the game, which is bright and easy task or event. Let it be difficult, but not right away and then, by the end of the mission when the player is already firmly "sit" on your creation in the desire by all means, any means to the end and finish the look it will all end. Grow difficulty gradually from job to job until the final battle or event.
If you're doing the whole company or the head of several missions, the question of gradual complexity becomes especially important. Remember how the company built by famous designers recognized hits. There is bound to present not only a smooth increase in complexity, but is almost always a sufficiently large training element within the first few missions.
Inadequate testing and bugs.
His vision of the mission is deceptive. One-sidedness of the transmission and the fight against bugs.
One of the major mistakes the young designer level, this lack of testing of its work and as a result of too much raw creations and posted online. Of course, here we go first of all about amateur scenarios, as in any professional team is always a group of testers (though this is not always saved).
Even if you are a very patient man, and tested your script 100 times, as shown by my practice is still a high probability of presence of bugs and flaws. Often critical. The main reason is that you always check their work, unconsciously based on their own vision of the script as a developer. I have set for ourselves are two main ways of testing for the creation of "home" scenario. The first and most reliable - just give play to their friends or relatives. Do not prompt and to look for their game and reaction. Ask to comment on their overall impressions. The second way - let alone a script for a few days and try to play afterwards. Better in 1 - 2 weeks, when it will begin to forget themselves, how and what should happen in the mission. I assure you, even if you do not find critical bugs, at least, what is sure to want to tweak the schedule, the gameplay or balance. Certainly there is a curve object is delivered, or not quite on time running the event, incorrectly written text of the job, or something else.
Insufficient attention to detail and gameplay drawing cards .
Starting and key zones. Living world, scripted sketches and events. Small gifts and tips to the player. Solutions player.
Another weak point of beginning mapdizaynerov is a lack of drawing level with graphic terms, and inattention to detail. Such people tend to like to say - the main content and eventful, and not the shell. I'm sure it's not. In the finished, and just a qualitative scenario, all should be brought to its logical conclusion. And the graphics and game content. Another thing is that some editors do not have sufficient tools to facilitate the life of a designer. In any case, it can not be an excuse, and probably should remain on the conscience of developer tools or editor. And even more so than a problem player. Strive to ensure that the card would be (a level scenario) was not only stupidly crammed with small objects, but it becomes like a "comfortable". If you create a city, try to make it so that there would be, relatively speaking, to live for the player.
The special charm of your map will give an unusual and unexpected design solutions when standard objects can be arranged or combined in some novel way. Generally speaking, this is a separate and, in my opinion, an interesting topic, which is to figure out how or whether some other time.
But let's say you caught a terrible editor. No one automatic operation does not work copy / paste, just a shortage of parts and objects at hand and so on, but want to make a beautiful card. What to do? Especially, if you have time and for any reason is not enough for detailed drawing. In extreme cases, can yield such - try to describe only those places where the player will be guaranteed to be present. Especially the starting point and where will be the main events of your story.
Do not skimp on the melenkie gifts, unexpected discoveries and bonuses for the player. Take a few simply beautiful or unusual places, even if they are not directly involved in the passage. This does not change the gameplay and balance, but will bring additional interest to your script, make the passage more exciting and enjoyable. If possible, try to satiate your world scripted sketches and events that have no direct relationship to the passage of the plot. Let the player will be pleasantly surprised to discover that the game world as it lives, regardless of his actions.
It is in the first few minutes of game will receive the most vivid impression. Try to interest him in the first seconds of the game, which is striking and memorable design element starting area, or simply an unusual initial event.
A very special moment - it's giving the player the possibility that some choose and make decisions. Even if assumed to be absolutely linear passage of the script, try to give the player at least some choice of action. Sometimes, simply create the illusion that the player's actions, something independent. But if you believe in maintaining the balance, we can provide the player and more powerful tools for decision making. Until completely nonlinear version with different conditions of victory and defeat. Of course, such an approach would require much more effort in the creation and especially testing.
Honestly, me and myself is not always possible to follow some of these rules in their missions, but as far as they tend to think it necessary.
Help AI.
Brakes. Small obzhekty terrane. Overloading card details units.
When you create a scenario it is always important to remember as well the optimization of his creations. Even very low system resources the game can make the brakes as a result of overloading of a single-level or card details of the landscape units and scripts. Also, remember - if you have a very powerful computer, cool graphics and lots of memory is still does not mean that all users who will be playing in your script is the same hardware.
Sore spot most of today's games is not a good algorithm to find a way for units. Often, so just awful. Try to help in this AI. For example, whenever possible you should not hold important battle or event in the rugged terrain. If you want to organize a nice attack the enemy on the player's position, forgetting Dr. Tes that would be in the right place cards were enough for this space. It is not necessary to arrange the necessary scripted event (for example, the movement of the column of troops on mountain serpentine), where units can simply get stuck.
A large number of initially deployed units on the map, too, does not add to the speed when you start the mission. For example, if you need to arrange an attack on big players of the enemy during the game, as a rule, does not necessarily have all units on the map in advance. Enough at the right moment to call their script as reinforcement.
More details terrane certainly paints a map, but also directly affect the speed of the game. Sometimes designers clearly overzealous "sowing" map a huge number of small objects in place and out of place. For example, if you want to make a big and beautiful forest do not need to be planted throughout the area between the trees hundreds of bushes grass, fungi or other details of nature. Most likely, they simply will not be seen. In this case, try to nicely draw only the visible edge of the forest and edge.
So, if you're good razviraetes in scripting, it bears careful attention to optimizing the scripts and triggers.
Lack of forethought build script.
The absence of the sketch or scheme for constructing mission.
Do not waste your time wasted on unnecessary rework and rework the script. Think about all the events and tasks in advance. Very useful, and in many cases and simply need before starting work in the editor to draw a sketch of the mission, on paper or make a sketch in Visio. So you get the whole vision of what you will be in the game and be able to avoid many errors, to calculate the initial balance, consider the location of important facilities and to prepare in advance for the answers to many inevitably arise along the way issues. How will change the balance over the passage of a player steps the script? What events and in what sequence will occur? Will the relationship between them? Will the player to bypass apart your triggers to events, thus violating conceived the plot? Particular attention should be paid to the preparatory work on the script, if you intend to construct a nonlinear plot or a different ending.
Even if you already have in your head as you think, it is ready and a clear plan to build a mission, you still do not be lazy and make at least a sketch on paper. Any professional level designer must carefully think and plan their work at the stage of a plan or sketch.
Supporting documentation and placement of the mission in the internet.
Method of installation of your mission. Scenario description. New features.
Assume your script is ready, thoroughly tested and ready to conquer the hearts of players. It is important to take care of more convenient, fast and above all user friendly way setting it in the game.
If you installed the script, you must copy several files into the game, the detail and clearly explain in the accompanying document how and in what sequence to do it. Describe all the main "features" and characteristics of your card. Especially if it's more or less still modification.
Remember that not all players are gamers and are able to immediately understand a phrase such as - "... unzip rararhiv the propeller and pour the contents and the root directory.
If you have a script, for example, devoted to the Second World War, would be great to give a clear and brief historical background to the events you play in a text file. If this scenario is the "fantasy" game is quite appropriate to be a short description of your story and features. In addition, always pleasant and most importantly, useful to get feedback from players on their creations. So do not forget to include your postal address in the description.
Good luck!
Translation by Google.
Source: gtools2005.narod.ru/scenarios_b1.html
The main mistakes a beginner level designers. General advice and recommendations on the creation of their missions and maps.
Too much complexity.
Drift towards hardcore by a thorough knowledge of your script. It is difficult - not always fun. The gradual buildup of complexity in the course of transmission. Educational component in a company or chapter.
It is difficult - is not always interesting. Nabivshaya nauseam truth, but that's about it forget about all novice designers of game levels. No exaggeration - this is the most common problem not only for lovers, but to no lesser degree for professionals.
You come up with a plot, you know what, when and where it will occur every nook and corner of the card or sign up to the level of pain. The player did not know it. He sees your work first. About - up to 70% of players do not even bother to read the task, especially if it is long. And somewhere 5 0% simply throw play if they "press" in the beginning. It must be remembered that the player did not have to replay the whole day long your "brilliant" mission in the expectation that when he finally get lucky. Except for very small - part of the hardcore players, most players still want to just have fun and feel like winners.
Another thing - if you make a script designed specifically for hardkordnyh players. In this case, at least, it is necessary to mention this in the description.
In any case, the most important task - to interest the player in the first minutes of the game, which is bright and easy task or event. Let it be difficult, but not right away and then, by the end of the mission when the player is already firmly "sit" on your creation in the desire by all means, any means to the end and finish the look it will all end. Grow difficulty gradually from job to job until the final battle or event.
If you're doing the whole company or the head of several missions, the question of gradual complexity becomes especially important. Remember how the company built by famous designers recognized hits. There is bound to present not only a smooth increase in complexity, but is almost always a sufficiently large training element within the first few missions.
Inadequate testing and bugs.
His vision of the mission is deceptive. One-sidedness of the transmission and the fight against bugs.
One of the major mistakes the young designer level, this lack of testing of its work and as a result of too much raw creations and posted online. Of course, here we go first of all about amateur scenarios, as in any professional team is always a group of testers (though this is not always saved).
Even if you are a very patient man, and tested your script 100 times, as shown by my practice is still a high probability of presence of bugs and flaws. Often critical. The main reason is that you always check their work, unconsciously based on their own vision of the script as a developer. I have set for ourselves are two main ways of testing for the creation of "home" scenario. The first and most reliable - just give play to their friends or relatives. Do not prompt and to look for their game and reaction. Ask to comment on their overall impressions. The second way - let alone a script for a few days and try to play afterwards. Better in 1 - 2 weeks, when it will begin to forget themselves, how and what should happen in the mission. I assure you, even if you do not find critical bugs, at least, what is sure to want to tweak the schedule, the gameplay or balance. Certainly there is a curve object is delivered, or not quite on time running the event, incorrectly written text of the job, or something else.
Insufficient attention to detail and gameplay drawing cards .
Starting and key zones. Living world, scripted sketches and events. Small gifts and tips to the player. Solutions player.
Another weak point of beginning mapdizaynerov is a lack of drawing level with graphic terms, and inattention to detail. Such people tend to like to say - the main content and eventful, and not the shell. I'm sure it's not. In the finished, and just a qualitative scenario, all should be brought to its logical conclusion. And the graphics and game content. Another thing is that some editors do not have sufficient tools to facilitate the life of a designer. In any case, it can not be an excuse, and probably should remain on the conscience of developer tools or editor. And even more so than a problem player. Strive to ensure that the card would be (a level scenario) was not only stupidly crammed with small objects, but it becomes like a "comfortable". If you create a city, try to make it so that there would be, relatively speaking, to live for the player.
The special charm of your map will give an unusual and unexpected design solutions when standard objects can be arranged or combined in some novel way. Generally speaking, this is a separate and, in my opinion, an interesting topic, which is to figure out how or whether some other time.
But let's say you caught a terrible editor. No one automatic operation does not work copy / paste, just a shortage of parts and objects at hand and so on, but want to make a beautiful card. What to do? Especially, if you have time and for any reason is not enough for detailed drawing. In extreme cases, can yield such - try to describe only those places where the player will be guaranteed to be present. Especially the starting point and where will be the main events of your story.
Do not skimp on the melenkie gifts, unexpected discoveries and bonuses for the player. Take a few simply beautiful or unusual places, even if they are not directly involved in the passage. This does not change the gameplay and balance, but will bring additional interest to your script, make the passage more exciting and enjoyable. If possible, try to satiate your world scripted sketches and events that have no direct relationship to the passage of the plot. Let the player will be pleasantly surprised to discover that the game world as it lives, regardless of his actions.
It is in the first few minutes of game will receive the most vivid impression. Try to interest him in the first seconds of the game, which is striking and memorable design element starting area, or simply an unusual initial event.
A very special moment - it's giving the player the possibility that some choose and make decisions. Even if assumed to be absolutely linear passage of the script, try to give the player at least some choice of action. Sometimes, simply create the illusion that the player's actions, something independent. But if you believe in maintaining the balance, we can provide the player and more powerful tools for decision making. Until completely nonlinear version with different conditions of victory and defeat. Of course, such an approach would require much more effort in the creation and especially testing.
Honestly, me and myself is not always possible to follow some of these rules in their missions, but as far as they tend to think it necessary.
Help AI.
Brakes. Small obzhekty terrane. Overloading card details units.
When you create a scenario it is always important to remember as well the optimization of his creations. Even very low system resources the game can make the brakes as a result of overloading of a single-level or card details of the landscape units and scripts. Also, remember - if you have a very powerful computer, cool graphics and lots of memory is still does not mean that all users who will be playing in your script is the same hardware.
Sore spot most of today's games is not a good algorithm to find a way for units. Often, so just awful. Try to help in this AI. For example, whenever possible you should not hold important battle or event in the rugged terrain. If you want to organize a nice attack the enemy on the player's position, forgetting Dr. Tes that would be in the right place cards were enough for this space. It is not necessary to arrange the necessary scripted event (for example, the movement of the column of troops on mountain serpentine), where units can simply get stuck.
A large number of initially deployed units on the map, too, does not add to the speed when you start the mission. For example, if you need to arrange an attack on big players of the enemy during the game, as a rule, does not necessarily have all units on the map in advance. Enough at the right moment to call their script as reinforcement.
More details terrane certainly paints a map, but also directly affect the speed of the game. Sometimes designers clearly overzealous "sowing" map a huge number of small objects in place and out of place. For example, if you want to make a big and beautiful forest do not need to be planted throughout the area between the trees hundreds of bushes grass, fungi or other details of nature. Most likely, they simply will not be seen. In this case, try to nicely draw only the visible edge of the forest and edge.
So, if you're good razviraetes in scripting, it bears careful attention to optimizing the scripts and triggers.
Lack of forethought build script.
The absence of the sketch or scheme for constructing mission.
Do not waste your time wasted on unnecessary rework and rework the script. Think about all the events and tasks in advance. Very useful, and in many cases and simply need before starting work in the editor to draw a sketch of the mission, on paper or make a sketch in Visio. So you get the whole vision of what you will be in the game and be able to avoid many errors, to calculate the initial balance, consider the location of important facilities and to prepare in advance for the answers to many inevitably arise along the way issues. How will change the balance over the passage of a player steps the script? What events and in what sequence will occur? Will the relationship between them? Will the player to bypass apart your triggers to events, thus violating conceived the plot? Particular attention should be paid to the preparatory work on the script, if you intend to construct a nonlinear plot or a different ending.
Even if you already have in your head as you think, it is ready and a clear plan to build a mission, you still do not be lazy and make at least a sketch on paper. Any professional level designer must carefully think and plan their work at the stage of a plan or sketch.
Supporting documentation and placement of the mission in the internet.
Method of installation of your mission. Scenario description. New features.
Assume your script is ready, thoroughly tested and ready to conquer the hearts of players. It is important to take care of more convenient, fast and above all user friendly way setting it in the game.
If you installed the script, you must copy several files into the game, the detail and clearly explain in the accompanying document how and in what sequence to do it. Describe all the main "features" and characteristics of your card. Especially if it's more or less still modification.
Remember that not all players are gamers and are able to immediately understand a phrase such as - "... unzip rararhiv the propeller and pour the contents and the root directory.
If you have a script, for example, devoted to the Second World War, would be great to give a clear and brief historical background to the events you play in a text file. If this scenario is the "fantasy" game is quite appropriate to be a short description of your story and features. In addition, always pleasant and most importantly, useful to get feedback from players on their creations. So do not forget to include your postal address in the description.
Good luck!