Starting tips in map-making

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Aug 03, 2012 13:54

Subject: Starting tips in map-making

simsverd

Messages: 921,
Joined: Dec 02, 2010,
Location: Bergen, Norway
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This is from the ingame help when using map-editor. I list it here so others can contribute with additional tips and discuss what it takes to make good maps.

Design:
The size of the map is important. A two player map that is 30 x 30 might just be too big to be enjoyable. And avoid making a map with the intent to make it a picture, unless it relates to the actual gameplay. It may look nice in zoom-out view, but be totally unplayable.

Balance:
Make sure to think about the units and race strengths and weaknesses. For example, water gives flying units an advantage (which helps Krhaleans and Sapiens), whereas tight protected areas give races like Titans who have long range siege an advantage. Think about where ranged units could be placed for each race and what they would be in range to hit. The best maps take each race into mind for proper balance and strategy.

Initial Unit Placement:
Remember that each races infantry unit (underling, marine, and mecha) have different movement rates. Place starting infantry in locations that do not give an advantage to one race over another by allowing them to obtain a neutral base earlier than an opponent. (For example, underlings can often traverse 3 spaces and still capture a base whereas marines and mecha cannot. Also, mecha can teleport to distant areas before other races can)

Adding bases:
You can add bases to begin play as either owned by a team or neutral. The first player on his 1st turn does NOT receive the credits of the already captured bases. If you want the second player (red) to have less of an advantage on their beginning turn in terms of credit advantage, make some of the bases neutral with a unit nearby to capture on the first turn. This will cause red to not start with as much of a credit advantage than if you simply start with all bases completely owned.

Credit per base:
It’s recommended to us a value lower than 50 or 25 credits per base if you want to create maps where taking a base does not lead to a quick winner. Having many small-value bases favors more small position overthrows. Larger credit bases are still fine, but losing just one base in these cases basically means the game is over for players of equal skill level.

This message was edited 4 times. Last update was at Aug 07, 2012 11:01

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Send me a PM here or invite me to a game if you want to ask me something, suggest a map for tourney or just wanna play a game

Aug 04, 2012 02:16

Subject: Re:Starting tips in map-making

rwieczor84

Messages: 184,
Joined: Dec 24, 2010,
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good topic, many maps are very unbalanced and sometimes first move by blue player ends the game in rated maps...

One suggestion for map creators: if blue player pick sapiens and buys Marauder or two he can prevent capturing reds new base and his second turn ruins reds game. So please set blue starting credits less then 250credits or set his starting base far from reds neutral base as he could easy obtain it.
Similar could happen when blue titan can purchase two speeder and kill one unit capturing base.

Aug 06, 2012 06:46

Subject: Re:Starting tips in map-making

simsverd

Messages: 921,
Joined: Dec 02, 2010,
Location: Bergen, Norway
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Additional tips:

Credit
Having to much credit income might sound like a fun idea... but usually isnt! It makes players not having to think on what to buy and usually leads to massing of ships and tanks/artillery.. resulting in an overflow of units and lots of "clicking" each round.

Size of map
Its easiest to balance small or medium sized maps. Large maps will let khral or titans get neutral bases quicker and might also let titans build up an "impregnable fortress" of plasmas and walkers. ...and did i mention "clicking"... large maps is almost always so much "clicking"!

Symetry
In my opinion maps should have symetry to obtain best possible balance. A cool looking map is not nescessary good.

FFA vs Team
Maps that are good for team play are not always good for FFA. To balance maps for FFA its usually smart to organize starting positions/bases in some kind of "circle". Otherwise you risk that players on the "fringes" gets it easier than those in the "middle".

This message was edited 2 times. Last update was at Aug 06, 2012 06:48

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Aug 21, 2012 10:06

Subject: Re:Starting tips in map-making

simsverd

Messages: 921,
Joined: Dec 02, 2010,
Location: Bergen, Norway
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Tips in map testing:

Its a good idea to test your map before publishing it as "finished". Also think about naming and how you want to promote it.

This is how i do it when creating a new map:
I usually call the first attempt map "test1 xxx".

After publish i try it out vs the bot first. Not that the bot is particulary smart, but you can get a feel of the map and see obvious weaknesses/imbalances you didnt see when using the mapeditor.

Then i try it vs other players. I usually make invite games with players i know have a good map sence and knowledge on game balance.

The most important imbalances to look after are (in my opinion) :
- can some races/colors get more neutral bases than others without possibility for other player(s) to stop ?
- is starting credit fair? think about that 1st player dont get credit from owned bases first round. Think about what the players can buy on round 1 and 2 - and how this affects balance. Think specially on when and how many speeders and marauders players can buiy in the start, and how these fast units can affect the first few rounds.
- is it to much forest/mountain (giving edge to saps with marine/heli vs khral fliers and titan heavies penalized on terrain)
- can titans get up walker in any way? if not there is very hard beating khral
- is the terrain open enough? so that titan cant turtle up to easily (one plasma can hold off very much in a chokepoint...)

After a test or two i usually finds things i want to change. I do the changes. Publish as "test2 xxx" and delete the first version.

Repeat until satisfied...

When i am happy with a map i give it its proper name. Not with version number or "final" attatched.

To promote a map i usually plays many invite games with medium and high level players. Hopefully they like the map and vote enough positives. Even good maps need to be found.. so a little work to get it started is usually needed.

Good luck and happy map-making !

This message was edited 1 time. Last update was at Aug 21, 2012 10:14

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Aug 22, 2012 14:43

Subject: Re:Starting tips in map-making

rwieczor84

Messages: 184,
Joined: Dec 24, 2010,
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i like your map Waffleisland its very tactical

and your sugestions here are very nice, i hope map creators would take ownership of these rules

Dec 24, 2012 13:26

Subject: Starting tips in map-making

Bigface11

Messages: 8,
Joined: Dec 24, 2012,
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Hey guys,

I've been making some levels recently and was having difficulty making maps with more than 150 credits per base. I know some maps that have 300 per base. Any idea what I'm missing?

Dec 24, 2012 14:03

Subject: Starting tips in map-making

Bigface11

Messages: 8,
Joined: Dec 24, 2012,
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Also, I saw you mention that you could delete maps. How do we do that?

Dec 25, 2012 00:38

Subject: Re:Starting tips in map-making

simsverd

Messages: 921,
Joined: Dec 02, 2010,
Location: Bergen, Norway
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Max base value was reduced... because there where so many (noobs) that made insane unbalanced maps with so much credit that the maps was not really playable... Lower credit is usually better .. so you have to plan ahead on what you can build, and not just making the most expensive unit thoughtlessly on each base each turn..

Deletion of maps: when in map browser (start custom game), you find your map. It will have a dustbin icon on the left side to delete the map.

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Jan 03, 2013 11:02

Subject: Starting tips in map-making

Bigface11

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Joined: Dec 24, 2012,
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That makes sense, there are definitely a lot of maps with way too much income.

What about ranked maps? What are the prerequisites needed to become ranked?

Jan 03, 2013 16:12

Subject: Re:Starting tips in map-making

simsverd

Messages: 921,
Joined: Dec 02, 2010,
Location: Bergen, Norway
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25+ votes where at least 80% are positive gets the map to rated status

Moderator of gamechat and forum. Tourney admin.

Send me a PM here or invite me to a game if you want to ask me something, suggest a map for tourney or just wanna play a game

Apr 12, 2013 08:08

Subject: Re:Starting tips in map-making

restomoo

Messages: 2,
Joined: Apr 12, 2013,
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So how do you vote for or against a map? I can't seem to figure that part out.

Apr 14, 2013 18:15

Subject: Re:Starting tips in map-making

Seamonster95

Messages: 32,
Joined: Jan 07, 2013,
Location: California
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After you finish playing a map it will give a "thumbs up or down" to 1700+ players, to players 1700 and down it will offer to rate the race combination.

-Nessie

May 16, 2013 23:31

Subject: Re:Starting tips in map-making

jacob55

Messages: 35,
Joined: May 16, 2013,
Location: Tumut,new South Wales,Australia
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How do you get in map editor

Does anyone play black ops 2

May 17, 2013 05:49

Subject: Re:Starting tips in map-making

PurpleLlama

Messages: 31,
Joined: Apr 21, 2013,
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jacob55 wrote: How do you get in map editor

Jacob you need the android
version to be able to do so

This message was edited 1 time. Last update was at May 20, 2013 06:06

May 17, 2013 05:51

Subject: Starting tips in map-making

PurpleLlama

Messages: 31,
Joined: Apr 21, 2013,
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Sorry guys I shouldn't use Swype on this anymore. Jacob, In order to have map Editor, you have to have an android or kindle. Apple does not have the ability to do so yet

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