Solo Mapping Competition #3

[CRAZYRUSSIAN]

Syleona - Yo, dude, where did you get that image from? The one with the stairs?

I drew that one for Tripix, I believe, and his game. http://www.dilogus.com/


I just think it is funny, and thought you might want to know, in case you didn't, some info about the image.

 

[Syleona]

Hey Anton. Yea, I know. I took the picture off his Photobucket profile, haha, because I asked if he knows any image that would fit the theme banner.

If it's a problem, I'll take it off.

Anyway, the shots are lovely so far.

 

[RED BARON]

Looks lovely WherewolfTherewolf - Gotta see how it turns out.

 

[ragingspeedhorn]

Interesting. I might join this one, an adventure game/map sounds like fun.

 

[HappyCockroach]

Syleona, does the map need to have any replay value? The riddles will all be spoiled when replaying, unless they randomize. But that would be quite painful to do.

 

[real138]

i think replay factor is a big factor in game design what if you only played through a game once then it would last like a week. would go through so much money. you like to play games multiple times. so i think the answer is yes.

 

[WherewolfTherewolf]

Idk, if you've ever played something like The Legend of Zelda, or Mario, or something along the lines of the content Nintendo releases, they seemed to be aimed at providing the best experience the first time, and they make plenty of money.

Basically after you've figured out how to beat a puzzle, its hard to not feel deja-vu the next time you play through the game. The whole nature of puzzles/riddles is the difficulty of solving it the first time. Though it may have stumped you once, no ones going to be stumped by:

A man comes into town on Friday, stays 3 nights then leaves on Friday, how did he do it?


Basically games like that are aimed at hanging you up on the content the first time. Though you can play through them multiple times, it's never truly the same as the first run through.

 

[real138]

ik but i mean it should still have some replayablility. im not gonna say what im gonna do so its replayable but there are many things you could randomize for one.

 

[HappyCockroach]

i think replay factor is a big factor in game design what if you only played through a game once then it would last like a week. would go through so much money. you like to play games multiple times. so i think the answer is yes.

OH CMON, you moneymaker, this is just a map. Randomizing some stuff can be a pain in the ass. I'm asking Syleona, btw.

 

[real138]

lol well she is a professional game designer and its a contest you dont just enter some run of the mill thing if you want to win. lol watever.
btw syleona dont think you caught it but can i add observer slots to the map?

 

[WherewolfTherewolf]

Hmmm, does anyone know a waterfall model that looks good for tall vertical waterfalls?

=The normal one looks ok if you look at it from the front, but looks terrible from the side when you stack a bunch together to make a large waterfall.
=The UTM one looks a bit Meh. It's ok, but I dont think it looks quite right.

Also one without the particles at the top and bottom could be helpful too, they look weird stacked

Here's the terrain I would like them on (still WiP). Basically, there should be some water flowing from that huge obelisk in the background and down the pillars. Also I'm going to remove the orbs from those statues in the front, basically its like a locking mechanism and you need the two orbs to open a path, which forces you to go into a bunch of rooms and yada yada yada. (Am I overusing that Myrmadon statue?)

I'm also gonna take Amiguiru's (meh, spelled something like that) advice and I'm gonna put some large water pillars in this area too, but I'll get to that later

 

[Amigurumi]

@ WherewolfTherewolf:
nice terrain, dude
Amigurumi, btw D:

I don't think that this map needs a high replay value. It's a puzzle map, and generating
random puzzles take alot more time, than doing for each room a specific puzzle.
Also, if you once played a puzzle game, you know the solutions for each puzzle, if
you reaply it. And that can't be really avoided through randomized puzzles,unless you
do something VERY complicated.
After a year, you forget everything, and can play this map again.
So let's wait what the judge has to say

/Edit: but the pain thing is going to be the testing... I can't really say how long my
map needs to solve... I need only some seconds for the puzzles, because
I know everything D: I need a brainwash after I finished it...

 

[RED BARON]

/Edit: but the pain thing is going to be the testing... I can't really say how long my
map needs to solve... I need only some seconds for the puzzles, because
I know everything D: I need a brainwash after I finished it...

Or maybe just get someone to beta test it for duration.

 

[Amigurumi]

yes, that may solve the problem xD

 

[RED BARON]

yes, that may solve the problem xD

Life is easy right?

I do believe I read that beta testers was allowed right Syleona?

 

[Mouzyy]

hohoho!
im maybe in, i still have a month so maybe!

 

[KeLeNoR]

I am in.

And once again, i am MiddeM.
I am telling this because with this name i will name the author of my map.

 

[Mechanical Man]

ik but i mean it should still have some replayablility. im not gonna say what im gonna do so its replayable but there are many things you could randomize for one.

Instead of replayability, single player maps are played by more people than multiplayer, since singleplayer can be play by anyone, right now, for multiplayer some people can't play multiplayer by various reasons, crappy internet connection, pirated copy, don't want to wait for people to join and don't want to bother other people with crappy map.

However I dislike those pure thinking puzzles, that after you solve them, needing even hours, you can solve them after playing in matter of second. But if you make for example a regular RPG or some RTS campaign, you can't exactly go the same way as before when you playing again, especially if you are given more choices. The only thing is that you are so tired by testing afterwards, that you don't want play that map anymore. However other people can play it of course.

 

[syltman]

The time is kinda short. 1 month and 16 days for a 1h long map that is also going to be an adventure map?

 

[Amigurumi]

The time is kinda short. 1 month and 16 days for a 1h long map that is also going to be an adventure map?

well, in a puzzle map, it can sometimes happen, that you need more than
normal for one puzzle. so it varies.
Some might complete the map in more than 60 minutes, some less than 60.

 

[pippo]

you can't see how long you would take for the map, because you know all the secrets...

That's because testers are allowed...

Well I would think it should be of a file size thats convenient for download. If it takes the judge an hour to download your 15mb map (on some slow connection) I think you'll be disqualified fast (lol, dling the map is the fast trap, THE TEST OF PATIENCE)

If it takes an hour to download 15mb, your pc has got serious problems...

 

[NearbyHermit]

A small RPG would work !

I might join,if I have time,I really want 1st prize

 

[Pyritie]

Guys, keep in mind the theme of the map - a "small RPG" by itself would not work at all

 

[NearbyHermit]

Guys, keep in mind the theme of the map - a "small RPG" by itself would not work at all

A small RPG is perfect!

 

[Kingz]

Small is nothing i could attach to this contest in any way...

I am making a really big map, so i can add all the things that come to my mind, as far as i seen nobody is making a big map, i surely will

 

[NearbyHermit]

Small is nothing i could attach to this contest in any way...

I am making a really big map, so i can add all the things that come to my mind, as far as i seen nobody is making a big map, i surely will

Awesome choice!

But I picture a gloomy map captured in a small world!

Big could also be mysterious,but it gives the impression of solitude ; I mean,whenever I see large maps,I know it would take a lot to dechipher it .

 

[Pyritie]

A small RPG is perfect!

Uh, no it isn't

 

[NearbyHermit]

Uh, no it isn't

As you say...

But watch me do it !

 

[YourNameHere]

Uh, no it isn't

Watch him do it!

 

[KhalanDuriant]

Well here is a small picture about my map. It is your maincharacter standing at the starting point. Not much but I'm working on it.

 

[NearbyHermit]

Well here is a small picture about my map. It is your maincharacter standing at the starting point. Not much but I'm working on it.

It looks awesome!

What is it about?

 

[jareph]

omg... i have no idea to make this map >.<

some more around 60 minutes of playtime..... omg... a long game...

 

[X-OMG-X]

Is there any specific way we have to follow when we want testers?

Do i just ask a nice user here on thw?
Do i make a thread in the map development thread?
Do i upload my map to the map section when its in beta stage?
Any other ways to get testers?

 

[Crazed_seal2]

Ask a friend. Simple PM them the map and tell them to try it!

 

[SlayerII]

You dont have friends? just ask one of them

 

[YourNameHere]

Is there any specific way we have to follow when we want testers?

Do i just ask a nice user here on thw?
Do i make a thread in the map development thread?
Do i upload my map to the map section when its in beta stage?
Any other ways to get testers?

I think asking anyone who isn't in this competition to test your map is fine.
I assume publicing your map before the contest is finished is not allowed.

 

[Slaydon]

ive restarted my comp, but i still got my map, but there is a delay cuz i need to re install warcraft, will be done with the train part asap, i think i got some hours

 

[Pyritie]

I assume publicing your map before the contest is finished is not allowed.

Nope, it's allowed. As long as you keep it so you're the only one working on the map then it's fine

 

[Syleona]

Okay, Lots of posts since my last one, so I'll try to reply them all:

This is NOT a Small RPG nor a Typical escape map. More like something between.
It's more like an RPG combined with a puzzle/riddle/trap filled adventure gameplay.

Also, this time I am not going to ask for significant replayability as the time is short and it's quite complicated to handle it if you are not an experienced coder. However, we'll give a big deal during the lectures to this subject.

The observer slots should be allowed, why not? Can be a handy thing.

Beta testing is allowed as well, as long as the beta tester will not be a Judge or Another Contestant.

I've seen some shots, and I am going to remember you all:
This HAS to be an Indoor map. It could start outdoor, like when your character enters the place, but after that it has to be indoor.

 

[SlayerII]

Well but i am still allowed to make you solve 2-3 riddles before you are allowed to enter the indoor place?

 

[YourNameHere]

Nope, it's allowed. As long as you keep it so you're the only one working on the map then it's fine

Well fine then, I thought it wouldn't since you get alot more feedback and can also look at the other contestant's maps.

 

[Syleona]

Sure, as long as it less than 5% of the gameplay.

Well fine then, I thought it wouldn't since you get alot more feedback and can also look at the other contestant's maps.

Beta testing is allowed as well, as long as the beta tester will not be a Judge or Another Contestant.

 

[KhalanDuriant]

It looks awesome!

What is it about?

Thank you.
You have to enter the Temple of T'leas Dharn - I don't know why (yet) and there you have to do some quests.

 

[Pyritie]

Beta testing is allowed as well, as long as the beta tester will not be a Judge or Another Contestant.

Mind adding that to the first post?

 

[X-OMG-X]

This HAS to be an Indoor map

Does a dungeon count as indoor or outdoor if you cant see the roof?

 

[Tleno]

Does a dungeon count as indoor or outdoor if you cant see the roof?

Well maybe... but if its not 1st/3d person map, then it would look more like a trench than a dungeon...

 

[Kingz]

Adding roofs is tricky cause of the camera.

I am making a undergound dungeon within a temple, it will have the indoor feeling but if add roofs it might screw up the camera and all, so i hope roof isn't a must in the map

 

[X-OMG-X]

What i did is that i've added big rocks around the path to look like walls.
And i've placed pillars to prevent the cave from being collapsed.
Around each "stage" of my cave there's walls placed to make the stage area more visible.
Also, its hard to see on the screenshot, but theres height varation where the rocks are.
And my heavy brown fog should also prevent it to be outdoor.

 

[Slaydon]

Introducing mah Train!

 

[X-OMG-X]

Introducing mah Train!

Lol. Thats really creative work
Does actually look kinda nice. I like it.