9 replies to this topic

[Pals]

Allright. I just made my first map and was hoping some of you would play it and give me feedback on it. Thanks and enjoy.

Note: It can be difficult if you let the enemy take the bridge and other goodies.

Edit:
The old version has been removed. Please download the new one from below.

Edited by Pals, 15 August 2006 - 06:45 AM.

[00 Nobody]

I'll be sure to check it out Pals, and see what you can do at this point.

Well, just checked it out, and it's pretty good. But next time, don't be afraid to use the smooth terrain and raise/lower terrain tools. Pretty good for a first map.

Edited by 00 Nobody, 14 August 2006 - 02:21 PM.

[Pals]

Thanks. I will remember to use the smooth terrain tool. Also, how do you make mountains?

[00 Nobody]

Just use the raise terrain tool untill it's as high as you want (not the change terrain tool). Then, choose a snowy texture that fits the other nearby textures and put it on top of it. After that, use the blend textures tool.

[Pals]

Thanks, I'll use that after I get a bit more comfertable with the mapmaking.

I will be releasing an improved version of River Wars in a few hours, so if you wish to wait, I will need feedback on the new (and improved ) version. Thanks.

Edit:
IT IS DONE!

The new and improved version is out (with the Militia AI working thanks to 00 Nobody's help). And again I am looking for some feedback. Please Enjoy!

Attached Files

•  River_Wars.zip   33.91KB   55 downloads

Edited by Pals, 15 August 2006 - 02:55 PM.

[Pals]

Sorry about the double post, but I wanted to announce the release of my second map. Please feel free to give me feedback. Enjoy!

Edit: This map has been removed, due to scripting errors (mainly), and because I feel it is not one of my better maps.

Edited by Pals, 19 August 2006 - 10:20 AM.

[Bob]

You were looking for feedback so...

I played riverwars. Good start for your very first map. You kept it simple and didn't try to build a mega-map on your very first try. Which is good.

While I haven't opened her up in worldbuilder yet to check the innards out. I did notice some small things while I was playing it.

1.) Your mountains need to be higher. You had a ramp-way through the mountains, which was good, but the problem is that I didn't need to use it. Because all my vehicles could drive right over the mountains anyway.

2.) You only had one bridge across the river. Typically, to make a funner game you would want 3 or more ways across the river.

3.) Your bridge needs a little bit of elevation. While I was playing, the bridge was drawn under the water at several points. A tad bit of elevation on both ends of the bridge would be one way to solve that problem. Or when you first make a map, and it asks all those map sizing questions, make sure to set the maps initial elevation to 10 or higher.

4.) The tech placement at the bridge, while it made sense, it also slightly hindered me in building my structural defenses around the mouth of the bridge. I personally don't build defensive structures that will block the traffic flow across the bridge when I need it, so my structure defenses sit off to the sides, right where your tech arty was placed. It made it very difficult (but not impossible) to build a solid defense at that chokepoint. I did appreciate the placement of the tech SAM sites. Always a big help.

Good job for your first map.

[Pals]

Thank you very much. I will keep your comments in mind for my next maps.

[Bob]

More feedback.

This time Desert Oasis. I got a chance to open it up in worldbuilder, and I spotted the following problems:

1.) Inner and outer perimeters are located outside the maps orange boundary border. The orange border represents the physical area the game is played in. Neither human nor the computer AI is allowed to build their base outside the orange map boundary. Yet for some reason you have your base areas defined in this out of bounds area. Meaning that your computer AI has much less space to build within. Click on the pic below...




... Here you can see where your base should be. Note that the perimeters should be within the orange map boundary line. Yours isn't. Note the blue 'Build Size' box. This is a guide to how big your base should be at a minimum. The building size box/object guide can be found under civilian structures and is a very important tool.

2.) Combat Zone.

' Each map must have one and only one combat zone trigger area. The combat zone
encompasses everything that is not part of the base areas or their perimeters. While incursions into the
combat zone do not prompt automatic responses from AI opponents, they do signal to the AI that the
stakes of the game have been elevated. Define the trigger area polygon for the combat zone to be
everything that is not part of a base area. The name of the combat zone polygon must be,
“CombatZone”. '

- Quote above from the Worldbuilder manual page 40.

Note the bolded sentence above. Everything that is not a base area, should be defined as a combat zone.

On your map River Wars, your combat zone is too small. It didn't really make much difference on that map since all of the combat was taking place on the single bridge anyway, but still in future maps you need to be aware of this.

On your map Desert Oasis, You don't even have a combat zone. For some mysterious reason where the combat zone should be, you have it marked as OuterPerimeter4, and where OuterPerimeter4 should be you have a polygon area named Area 55, which means nothing to the computer's AI.

So re-adjust your base perimeters so that everythings inside the maps orange borders. Make sure your base sizes are about the size of the 'building size' object in the civilian structures folder. Rename your area 55 to OuterPerimeter4. Rename your old OuterPerimeter4 that surrounds the city to 'CombatZone'. Resize the combat zone to include all other areas that are not part of a base. And then you'll be good to go.

Edited by Bob, 18 August 2006 - 11:31 PM.

[Pals]

Thanks Bob. That map is actually not a good one of mine. I didnt spend much time on it. I will keep your comments in mind for future maps.

Edit:
Is there a way to rotate the camera in World Builder like you can during the game?
Nevermind. I figured it out (press the mousewheel in and turn the mouse).

Edited by Pals, 19 August 2006 - 02:27 PM.