Lesson Mapper - Design of Phase - Planning and Construction

[Striker - RRPG]

Hello friends, I’m JuniorMaker and now we’ll start another ‘mapper’ lesson.

Today the issue that will be discussed will be completely different from the previous ones... In earlier classes I explained the construction of some specific maps, step-by-step. But, as I said, today we won’t discuss any specific map, we will learn how to plan the design of a ‘stage’, and understand why good planning is crucial to your game. Your game will be denominated as an "epic game" or as just "another one", depending of your planning.

Before we see how we plan and build a ‘stage’, I would like that, those who haven’t read my previous lessons, to read it, because each lesson addresses a different topic and so you’d be improving in several aspects.

• AulaMapper1 - Concordance
• AulaMapper2 – Geometric Maps
• AulaMapper3 - AutoTiles
• AulaMapper4 – Geometric Maps Part 2
• Aula Extra – Mapping of Caves and Beaches Setp-by-step
• Aula Extra 2 – Mapping of Forests Step-by-step

I see many games that do have a good level of mapping, but their games have no more than 3 or 4 hours of gameplay, that becomes frustrating, because we almost never see a good level of mapping in the games, and almost everyone does not have a good planning for their stages. (And there are those who have a good level of mapping but they don’t have any planning.)

It is good to remember that I’ll be using the term "stage" or “levelâ€

 

[Nick_Flamel]

Nice tutorial! keep with them, they sure help a lot of people improve their mapping!!

Also: Your english improved significantly since your last one! XD good job!

 

[silver wind]

I don't think he wrote it himself, Nick. *cough*read the last line*cough*.

Good work, JuniorMaker!

 

[Rorin]

Great tutorials, but next time can you take the screenshot without the event boxes? Just go to the first or second layer (Not the event layer), go to "View > Dim Other Layers" or you can use F4. This way, you see all the layers put together and not have the event boxes.

 

[Nick_Flamel]

I don't think he wrote it himself, Nick. *cough*read the last line*cough*.

OOoops!!

But hey! Take alook at the time he last edited and the time of my post.. I think he added that last line after my comment...

Anyway, Rorin's Tip is a nice one to be taken into account! Other than that, as I said before, keep them coming!

 

[Striker - RRPG]

Great tutorials, but next time can you take the screenshot without the event boxes? Just go to the first or second layer (Not the event layer), go to "View > Dim Other Layers" or you can use F4. This way, you see all the layers put together and not have the event boxes.

Accurate, in the Brazil, I made new lessons, produced they accurately as you he suggested, I took off the ScreenShots, with the resource of the F4, in briefing I dispatched by post more lessons here, and will see new the ScreenShots.

Thanks to all for the compliments...

att.

Júnior.

 

[___]

Haha I kinda miss your broken english Junior   This is a good overview but I think you should spend a little more time on creating an overall vision for the area beforehand.  Pacing and progress is really important when designing an area; you want the tension, difficulty and drama to build as you get closer and closer to the climax of the map.  You also want a feeling of cohesion, a bit of variety showing that each little scene in the forest (or whatever) is different, but all part of a well-rounded whole.  If you design a map and it's just screen after screen of endless forest you might as well cut out the endless forest and drop the boss fight in, or risk boring your player to death.

Also, work on establishing reasoning for sidepaths.  You really don't want useless dead-end side paths, IMO, they increase player frustration because it ends in the player having to do just that many more annoying random battles or wasting that much more time before getting through the zone.

You always want that little hidden item that rewards the explorer-type player and reaffirms his playstyle when he goes the extra mile and crawls down that menacing alternative path or takes the route that obviously won't get him to his goal faster, if he gets to the end and there's nothing there his elation at finding something that most players won't turns to disappointment and frustration of purpose, which in turn discourages him from looking next time and really fulfilling his greatest love.  I face this a lot as a heavily exploration-oriented player who often treks down that path only to find the ha-ha-fuck-you-nothing-there end of the trail, and it really damages my desire to continue playing.

You also, however, don't want to make these side-paths too important or your achiever-type player, who doesn't much enjoy exploring but must have the best-of-the-best stuff, will feel compelled to wander down every little side route, despite not wanting to, because he fears he will miss some uber item otherwise.

So the trick is to make your side route reward according to how far the player goes out of his way, and for the reward to focus on neat and different, but not good enough to make it a required stop.  Hope that's helpful.

 

[Akris Star]

Very nice tuts man, but unfortunatly I can't read whatever language you use in the links.