Mapmaking Tips by Demaris

Map Making Tips by Demaris

By Demaris, 2006-03-05 @ 05:19:11

When you are making extensive maps, and especially when you are dealing with more advanced concepts (I.E. Mobile Grids and Death Counters), there are many things that can make the process of creating the map go more smoothly.

Always name your locations! This is especially useful when dealing with multiple mobile grids. Even if it is simple names like "p1 grid", it still makes it so you don't have to look back at your other triggers to find out whether you used "Location 47" or "Location 46" for your complex spell. It may seem obvious, but it is a real time saver. Also, if you want to allow others to look at your map, named locations will let them see more quickly where they are located and to which triggers they relate.

Death Counter Shortcuts

1.If you are using a unit that doesn't appear on your map (as you should be!), name the unit to something which helps you remember what the counter is used for.

I.E.

Player 1 has suffered at least 35 deaths of "Cave-in"

Compared to:

Player 1 has suffered at least 35 deaths of "P1 randomization result"

And for single state variables (Death counters that just work as switches)

Player 2 has suffered exactly 1 death of "Kakura"

Compared to

Player 2 has suffered exactly 1 death of "Spawn Switch"

Comments

When I talk about comments, I mean the trigger action, of course. I can't count the number of times i've yelled at a friend when he asked me to help with a trigger problem. I open the map up and find 80 or so uncommented triggers. He doesn't know which trigger it is either. So i get to slog through them all until I find the one that looks right. This is especially important if it is a long project, and you are forced to stop mid-trigger group. Leave a trigger with the Condition of Never and the comment of where you left off, for example "Finish the unit spawns after p4".

Just a couple of hints to speed your mapmaking along.

(Copied from Old Old Wiki; Original Article - http://doodle77.dyndns.org/tutorials.php?id=318)