Welcome to TS Mapping Discussion!

Banshee · Last edited by Banshee on Wed Aug 10, 2005 11:52 am; edited 2 times in total

Welcome people! This forum was made to help people mapping TS. Basically, when you have any doubts about mapping or problems with your map, ask here. Check the tutorials in the Tutorials Factory to avoid the same question twice. We do also welcome ppl's under construction work and screenshots to be posted here, since people may attach their files whenever they need. As soon as you finish your map, post it on TS Map Archive. This forum is viewable to unregistered users, but you need to register to post.

When planning a map, have in mind some basic concepts:

- Plan the size, ammount of players and terrain before you start the map.

- You can import a bitmap as a map. Use blue for water, brown for terrain, orange for another type of terrain and green for grass. The size of the bitmap is the size of the map. Bitmap must not exceed 255 of width or height.

- Real world style maps are better than symetric, because the player will really need to scout the map and may expect surprises. Symetric maps are more ballanced, but very predictable.

- Lack of tiberium ruins the gameplay and makes AI a fool. Excessive tiberium makes the map too easy. Make sure it's ballanced and that AI is able to access it.

- Make sure each base has at least 2 different entrances. This increases the ammount of strategies and challenge of the map, making attacks less predictable.

- NEVER! I repeat: NEVER place tiberium on slopes. It crashes the map. If you want tiberium on slopes, put a tiberium tree in a plain terrain close to the slope.

- Triggers provide life to a map and make it more dynamic. Use them to have higher quality maps.

- Choke points are places where few units are able to pass at the same time. They provide new tactics for the map. Use them, but do not abuse. Choke points where only one or two units may pass at the same time usually provides problems and headaches. Avoid them.

- Beware when placing neutral buildings. Some of them may provide advantages for players of a specific side toward others, or players from a specific starting locations towards others. They are the easiest way to unballance a map, specially when they allow players to use superweapon. Beware when using them. However, refineries are usually a welcome neutral building.

- Maps with cliffs, unstable terrains, trees, rocks, etc... are more real and more fun than plain maps. They increase the eye candy factor of your map, making your map more popular. Make sure you place them over your map.

That's it, folks and have fun! I believe there are points that I didn't covered properly. If you have something to add, post in a reply below. I hope it contributes to improve the overall quality of the maps posted on the Map Archive and in the rest of the community.

The DvD · Posted: Wed Aug 10, 2005 10:10 am Post subject:

Some nice points there, Banshee! Also.. : How the make maps that don't SUCK Very Happy