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Creating Good Descriptions

Level 5
Joined
Oct 18, 2008
Messages
122
Well, I'm Mialee from Brazil and you're about to read a tutorial about how to create good heroes to your map. Do not expect a 100% correct grammar since my country doesn't speak english.

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1. Introduction
2. Making a good hero description
3. Abilities tooltips
4. Coloring Texts and using pre-made values
5. Conclusion

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1. Introduction


This tutorial will show you good description tips to your hero arena, RPG or any other kind of map you're making. You'll see some pictures that will help you to understand some things.

The tutorial will talk about how to make a better introduction to your hero, how to make good abilities tooltips, how to make colored texts and much more.

The tips that will come with a ":thumbs_up:" before are important tips.

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2. Making a good hero description


Some maps have negative points because of some leaks on descriptions, some of those are because:

* The hero's description isn't good.
* The abilities tooltips aren't showing the right thing
* The abilities hotkeys aren't good.

To fix the first * an option is to never use a hero chooser of the kind that you just move the wisp to the circle of power and then you get a hero, unless you know how to make a trigger that when the wisp walk near the circle a description about the hero appears at the player's screen.

The reason for never use a "circle of power" kind of hero chooser is because it makes the player to choose a hero just for the hero's look. The player can't see any information (or history in RPG maps case) nor have any idea about it's abilities. So, I suggest you to make the hero chooser in taverns or altars (or any other structure) because then the player can see something about the hero.

:thumbs_up: Making your hero chooser in structures gives the player an idea about what kind of hero he'll choose.

Creating histories about the hero's past and objectives is essential to make a good hero description. If you want you can answer the question "Why is this hero in that arena/RPG?" (This is optional but makes the description better).

Here I made a description for a RPG hero (use this decription ONLY for example):

Hardbyte - The Forest Druid

When he was just a child, and old
druid of his tribe gave him the bear
morph technique. Now that all his
tribe is dead he is one of the lasts
pure druids of the earth. Wanting
revenge for his tribe, Hardbyte, as
the druids one time called him, has
travelled to lots of locals seeking
for a rest of good poeple to bring
peace again to the world.

Hardbyte can learn Bear Morph,
Bear's Roar, Beast Instinct and
Hurting Claws.

Feel the nature's wrath

The description that I created is just an example, as you can see, it answered the question "Why is this hero in that RPG?". The part when I talk about it's past and objetives was presented too. The abilities (under the description) that he can learn are just optional. In my opinion it is better because the player can have an idea about the hero that he'll take.

The little phrase that I wrote at the end of the description, at least for me, looks good because of the "impact" that it can cause. This is really optional.

You need to think that the player never saw the hero as you did. He don't know what kind of abilities does the hero haves and don't even know his primary attribute. So, making something like "Primary attribute - Strenght" is another good option to your hero description too.

------------------------------------------

3. Abilities Tooltips


The tooltips of abilities is other important point of a map. Some maps don't have a good hotkey because of complex shotcuts. Hotkeys like A, S, M and H can't be used because it's already filled with Attack, Stop, Move and Hold Position shortcuts.

I suggest you to use hotkeys like Q, W, E ,R, T, F, D, C and V because those shortcuts are near the normal hand position of a player at the keyboard. Sometimes the spell doesn't have a good shortcut-combo, this happens mostly in arena maps; the shortcuts don't have a good position or maybe it makes the player to be confused. The point is... If the ability name don't have a letter to a good shortcut, just put a (E) or any other letter in the spell's name front.

Here I made a Learn Tooltip to a random spell (use this tooltip ONLY for example):

Beast Inticts

When the druid is in bear form,
he can use his bear senses to
feel the presence of predators.
Can be used to feel other heroes
and creeps. If the creep haves
less than 30% of it's life, the
druid have it's vision and gains
a haste that can help him to
track his lunch.

Level 1 - 10% movement speed
bonus.
Level 2 - 20% movement speed
bonus.
Level 3 - 30% movement speed
bonus.

You can put as many levels as you want but, mostly in RPG's case, try to make the spell tooltip more real by don't using the words manacost, 10 seconds duration and some other things that steals all the tricky thing.

:thumbs_up: Don't put words such as "manacost" or "duration" at the ability tooltip, it steals your map "essence".

------------------------------------------

4. Coloring Texts and using pre-made values


Now that you already knows how to make good hero descriptions and abilities tooltips you'll learn how to explore the tooltips commands such as |n, |cff and <Data>.

The |n will works like an "enter" button. It'll jump the line that you are. Here's an example about |n command:

At the ability editor:
... a haste that can help him
to track his lunch. |n|nLevel 1: 10%...

At the game:
... a haste that can help him to
track his lunch.

Level 1: 10%...

The explanation for it look like it just skipped 1 line is because the line that you were editing already count as one line. If you wanted just to skip to the next line (without 1 blank line) you should just put a |n.

Now, we'll talk about how to put colors (|cff command). The |cff is the code to tell the system that you're going to put a color. The nexts 6 digits are the colors that you'll want.

Here's a color code for a color that we see too much in the ability editor (the color irself is Bolded):

S|cffffcc00t|rorm Bolt - [|cffffcc00Level %d|r]

Do this look complex to you understand? I'll explain:

The |cff needs to appear before any color code, it shows to the editor's AI that you're going to put 1 color.
The ffcc00 is the code of the color.
We didn't put a space between the "S|cff" because if we put would look like: S torm Bolt.
The |r after the color is the color code end (if you don't put it the text will stay colored until the end).
The "t" after the code color is (are) the word (s) that you'll want to be colored.

Now that you know what's everything in the ability editor, the description in game would look like that:

Storm Bolt - [Level 1]

:thumbs_up: Before choosing darker colors remember that the back's plane of the tooltip is kinda black.

The "%d" of the description means that the level of it will be show according to the next level of the ability. Example: you got Storm Bolt level 2, when you'll learn the level 3 it'll show: Storm Bolt - [Level 3].

You can see 500 colors at this site: 500+ Named Colours with rgb and hex values. The colors you'll need to put are at the forth collum (Hex).

Now, it's time to talk about the <Data> command. First step you must do to understand this commands is go to:

Object Editor > View > Display Values as Raw Data (Ctrl + D)

Well, now you'll see the base abilities' names as 4 letters/numbers.
For example, the Storm Bolt ability is now called AHtb.

Let's continue using the AHtb ability as example. In the Ability Learn Tooltip of it, you'll see (At level 1, 2 and 3 lines) an thing like this:

... stunning the target. |n|n|cffffcc00Level 1|r - <AHtb,DataA1> damage, <AHtb,Dur1> second stun.

The Itallic thing is the command we're gonna analise. First:

The <AHtb,DataA1> means that the value that will be shown in the level 1 tooltip.

Bue why it will show the level 1? And not 2 nor 3?

That's simple... After the name of the spell - AHtb - it says DataA1, which means that it'll show the level 1 damage that you've put to do. Example of a imaginary damage for the level 4 tooltip of AHtb:

<AHtb,DataA4>

The "DataX" will be show if you put the Raw Data Values to be shown. In the case of AHtb, we have only DataA, but in the case of Thunder Clap spell, we have the Datas: A for area damage, C for slow percent and D for attack speed slow.
If the DataX means a % of anything, you must put a ",%" after it. Example:

< ,DataX,%>

:thumbs_up: You can only use the < ,DataX> command to pre-put values show as Data and Dur, and not Cooldown and other things.

The same process works to pre-put Durations, you just need to change the DataX for Dur1 or 2 or 3 and there it goes...

And remember, if you want to put those things at your custom ability, the prefix (4 letters before the Data) must be the prefix of the based ability.

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5. Conclusion


Those tips presented in this tutorial are going to help you creating good descriptions at all. Good criticism and commendation are really welcome.
Grammar can be wrong, if you want to tell me how to improve it you're welcome too.

Thanks to everyone on THW who helped me in this tutorial.

CYA
 
Last edited:
Level 24
Joined
Feb 28, 2007
Messages
3,480
Needs proper formatting such as a title and headers. Also, your spell tooltips aren't that great either. Finally, the tutorial covers something relatively small that most (I say most because I mean most, not all) people could probably figure out just by playing other similar maps.
 
Level 5
Joined
Oct 18, 2008
Messages
122
Dreadnought[dA]@ - This is a nooby tutorial supposed to help new members that aren't experienced at map making and not good map makers.

Septimus@ - I readed all submissions rules before posting this and already updated the tutorial to a "making good abilities combo" section. Check it out.

Linaze@ - I know. As I figured it other people can do that too BUT it took me like 1 year of map-making to make good heroes. And RPG maps at W3 aren't that good in heroes, the tutorial just give some tips about how to create good heroes. Already updated it to a ability creation topic.

So, if you have more critic just go and say it, I'm here to improve the tutorial!
 
Last edited:
Level 31
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May 3, 2008
Messages
3,155
I readed all submissions rules before posting this and already updated the tutorial to a "making good abilities combo" section. Check it out.

I doubt you ever try to understand it. From what I seen, it look like you still using and some unnecessary tag on it.

In addition to those guidelines,

,

, and

tags should be used as headings or sub-headings, size tags or whatnot.



> The reason for never using this kind of hero chooser is because it makes the player to choose a hero just for the hero's skin. The player can't see any information (or history in RPG maps case) nor have any idea about it's abilities.
> So, I suggest you to make the hero chooser in taverns or altars (or any other structure).

I disagree about this part. The main reason why it looks bad is because author who usually make such a heroes selection are newbie or have no acknowledge of how to create a trigger of hero selection via tavern.

History and ability of the heroes are available for such a hero selection system if they add a specific trigger that show the ability and history of the unit such as clicking the unit. The only bad thing about this hero selection system is a waste of space unless you have a very little amount of hero to select from it or you are using a rather huge size map with plenty of space available.

Combo ability is also just a merit point, it slightly increase the replayability of the heroes and nothing else.

From what I seen in this tutorial, it only tell user to polish the hero description (Tutorial of How to polish map by hvo-busterkomo already cover a partial part of it) and follow the theme of the heroes (Which is something very common and everybody know about it).

I do not think this tutorial came close to any use. Still, the decision to graveyared it would be up to the pyritie and gilles itself.

 
1) Remove colored text
2) Use

tags as headers
3) Use [hidden=""] instead of [attach]
4) Remove your signature (Edit > go advanced > uncheck the "show signature" box)
5) Remove all of the >'s, they serve no purpose
6) Maybe you could [[b][/b]indent] your tooltips or put them in a [table] or something, to make them stand out more

 
Level 5
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Oct 18, 2008
Messages
122
Questions

1) Remove colored text
2) Use

tags as headers
3) Use [hidden=""] instead of [attach]
4) Remove your signature (Edit > go advanced > uncheck the "show signature" box)
5) Remove all of the >'s, they serve no purpose
6) Maybe you could [[b][/b]indent] your tooltips or put them in a [table] or something, to make them stand out more[/QUOTE]

[B]About 1:[/B] The tutorial doesn't have that much colored text... The one I used at description are supposed to be in a different color to make a difference between normal abilities and the primary attribute.

[B]About 2:[/B] I'll do that when I come back to home (2 or 3 hours).

[B]About 3:[/B] Can you be more specific about how to do that?

[B]About 4:[/B] I'll do that when I come back to home (2 or 3 hours).

[B]About 5:[/B] I'll do that when I come back to home (2 or 3 hours).

[B]About 6:[/B] I really wanted to put'em in a ''show/hide'' table but I don't know how, can you tell me?

 
About 1: The tutorial doesn't have that much colored text... The one I used at description are supposed to be in a different color to make a difference between normal abilities and the primary attribute.
Don't use colored text. Find some other way to do it. Maybe you could underline or italicize it or something?

Can you be more specific about how to do that?
[hidden=""][img]http://your-image-link-goes-here[/img][/hidden]

About 6: I really wanted to put'em in a ''show/hide'' table but I don't know how, can you tell me?

Those are only good if you have a big picture or lots of information. For something small like a tooltip, I'd suggest you put it in a
.
 
This tutorial is a bit useless.The theme of tooltip description doesn't worth a tutorial.
People make it as they feel.
And I don't consider this as a tutorial.It says 'make it that way!' but you never answered question on how to make it that way.

A tutorial is something that tell you how and answere some question.
For example in the theme of tooltip you can mention command like |n for linebreak |c######|r for color code and stuff.

> Remember to put all the levels variables on the learn description. If there are more than 10 levels on the spell put a description like that:

Raise Dead

The Heartless calls the dead from the darkness
with his magic book. The ritual to call it costs
him some power which increases with level.
The skeletons summoned by this ritual have
a time-life to back to hell again. The time
increases with level.

Each level increases 50 manacost and 10 seconds duration.
This shows your ignorance.There's a blizzard command that allow tooltip to keep track of wich level data.

there's a lot of useless mumbo jumbo "Heartless" "Fearbringer" as if you were making suggestion hero.

And basically all you precognize is dota description template.
So shortcut and say: 'Make it like dota'
You didn't even have idea by yourself.

And on the top of that you don't know what you're talking about.
You don't know wtf is a skin hu?

I really loath does dogmatic tutorial who claims to be the 'good way' without explaining anything.
There several ways of achieving stuff and tutorial should show one of that way w/o pretension to be the best way.
 
Level 5
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Callahan: I was just trying to make a tutorial to help people... I'll delete it soon if it's not helping... I'm sorry if you don't liked it... I did my best.

Thanks for your precious time.

About ''my ignorance'': The description is for Learn Tooltip, not the one that shows when you already bought the ability.
 
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Level 5
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Oct 18, 2008
Messages
122
the command that Callahan pointed isn't possible... The command is <AO(inicials of base spell),Data(A1,A2,A3)>

and it only shows the damage of the current level... it's just for blizzard don't make "mistakes" with the attacks, durations and etc...

there is no command that shows the next level damage/duration.
 
Level 24
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May 9, 2007
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3,563
My issue is that I don't like a lot of the stuff that you have in the tutorial. I don't want useless crap about the back story in my ability tooltips, ever. I want stats in the tooltip.

Can't you just tell people to look at the Blizzard hero descriptions/tooltips and learn from that?
 
Level 5
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Messages
122
I can't say nothing if you want to do it by your way... This tutorial is supposed to help who wants to see a good way to do descriptions... If your's is better then that... So, do by your way and write a better tutorial..

I'm full of you.
 
Level 24
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Feb 28, 2007
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Yeah, cause this discussion really adds something to the moderation of this tutorial, both of you, enough!
So, I do agree that this is one way to write tooltips and such, but how people write tooltips is pretty different from person to person, and because of that, I am unsure how a tutorial for this can really be that useful.
 
Level 24
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Yeah, cause this discussion really adds something to the moderation of this tutorial, both of you, enough!
So, I do agree that this is one way to write tooltips and such, but how people write tooltips is pretty different from person to person, and because of that, I am unsure how a tutorial for this can really be that useful.

Yeah, it does. Giving my input on a tutorial (which you seem to be doing in your post), then asking a question when I didn't understand his reply, seems legitimate enough.

Back on topic, I agree with you there. It's too broad, and too opinionated a subject to justify writing a tutorial about.
 
Level 1
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Jul 28, 2009
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The tutorial did help me (at the last part, the first parts were pretty much obvious but I do still see mistakes in some maps).

And about the people complaining: give him a break, he probably did his best and it did help me so I guess it´ll probably help other people too.
 
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