I have been making maps on and off for quite some time, mainly for the grand kids and nothing worthy enough to post, but I need some advice.
Like all game builders each has their limitations. As does DF Editors. I am not complaining about DF at all. Please do not get me wrong. BIG fan...
Kids these days can be attracted to the "next thing" in a heartbeat. Finally, my question: How do I make my maps "interesting"? I have tried "time of
day", "weather", different landscapes... etc. I have used most, if not all, the win/lose conditions.
I am trying to teach them, the best way I know how, to make their own maps. Kids and long tasks do not always mix well. Keeping their interest is
becoming harder to do.
I know my request may seem a little vague, but if there are documents, tutorials, videos etc, on how to make both fun and interesting maps, I would
appreciate any information that you guys may have. Many thanks.
You see, J, your question here is quick enough, but the answer most definitely is not. It is the bane of ALL mappers and modders in this community.
Asking invites madness. That madness is the entry fee to club of decent mappers, though. Welcome to the fold! We've saved you a seat, a kazoo, and
pre-sorted your jelly-beans. The walrus* demands the yellow ones. We can no longer allow him to get peckish. Not since the accident.
If you search around this very site, you'll find a good number of tutorials and examples of all kinds of neat tricks with which to spruce up a map's
playability, and the DFReload.com is a sister to the DFBarracks, although it's been distressingly unavailable for a few days at the time of this
reply. NovaHQ.net is also a good resource.
But really, the best thing you can do is just keep mapping, make more mistakes, confirm as quickly as you can the 999 ways something doesn't function
so that you can lock down the 1 way that it does. EXPERIMENT! CONSTANT VIGILANCE! GARBLED REFERENCES!
I don't post often these days, but when I do, I try to keep it froody. Sorry.
Edit: The dugong, actually. The walrus married recently, and has been screening our calls.
As soon as I had hit the 'Post Reply' key, I had a sinking feeling, that I would get a response like yours.
Madness you say? Bane of all mappers you say? Pre-sorting jelly beans... unheard of... lol
Froody? I'm detecting a reference to "Hitchhikers"... Excellent movie... Sorry. I digress.
I made a tunnel mission that was fun to make. Took ages. The grandkids enjoyed it. It had vanishing decoy's; Booby traps (mostly landmine-type stuff);
Sliding fake walls; No bad guys! The tunnel was a rabbit-warren. Trying to get out was hard enough without having to worry about bad guys...
I've got to get some sleep. Almost 1am here in Oz.
Thanks for the tips and references. Much appreciated.
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