KaRnAgE?/Developer Journal
- Making really really big rooms, don't do it. Walking virtual miles is a pain in the rear for any gamer.
- Add decoration, even if it's something lame. Bad decoration is better then no decoration.
- One of the most questions I get about making a map from people is what makes a map good, or how can I make my map better. This is always my answer to them.
1. General flow of the map. Does your map go anywhere, is there a theme to it? Can you access all the rooms w/ease?
2. Add diversity to your maps, don't add all the good weapons in one part and all the powerups in another, or something of that sort. Make everything a challenge to get, this way people have to work to get multi-kills.
3. Arch some of the ceilings in the rooms/hallways. don't connect room directly together, make some doors, elevators to spice up the game play.
Working a good Map
If you been wanting to build maps like pro's you have to start small. You can't just expect to just jump into a really huge extravigant map thinking everyone in the world is gonna go nuts just playing it.
Make a map you enjoy playing your bots in 1 on 1 or 2 on 2. From there look at it and try and imagine other things that could make it better or that you'd like to see added to it, like SkyZones for example. Say you have this really outrageous 2 vs. 2 map, but you want to make it a bit bigger so more of your friends will play, but afraid to release it cause you might have your feelings hurt cause they say it sucks.
Try and figure out what would make them say that? Are all the rooms blocks? are there any arches or doors or elevators that make the gamming better? What about running space? do you have enough room to dodge and roll and jump and run and et cetra with out riding a wall? do you have secret rooms that hold valuable game items?
Adding all these things can make a simple 2 vs. 2 map extreamly cool. To be honest, my first map I thought was really really great, but after a while and insestent pestering of friends to play it, I saw it was rather lame. So i keep it to use as a reference anymore then play it. My Second map I think is quit better. I'm still working out the botpath bugs and trying to come up with a good skyzone, but It's got a good feel to the general play of it.
- I'm not a master mapper, yet, I know most of this info is common knowledge, but you'd be surprised how many times I get asked these questions.
KaRnAgE
