21 replies to this topic

[Theryan]

First thing I do is get things planned out. I figure out what dungeons happen in which order, along with the items found in each one,

a general layout of the overworld, some HCP locations, etc.

 

For overworld design, I usually have a really rough idea of what I want an area to be like, just the biome, size of the area, and maybe a very basic idea for layout. There's not nearly as much need for careful planning in the overworld due to lack of puzzles, obstacles, etc, so I honestly make a lot of the details up as I go.

 

Dungeons do take some thinking ahead, especially if they're big or complicated. It can be really easy to screw up a dungeon's design if you're creating it on the fly. Missing keys, extra keys, wrong warps, accidental roadblocks, the list goes on. Planning a dungeon out on paper beforehand can help prevent those issues from popping up during actual development.

 

I don't know how to help design a story... I'd suggest going to Writing School for that.

[LTTP]

thanks Theryan

[Ben]

For Quest 744 I have basically made the overworld up as I went along, though I allocated sections of it for different styles of environment. Some screens for lake, some for mountains, etc. Once I got to the point where I was actually two levels in, I started planning the rest of the quest because I became more or less sure I would actually finish it. It is now 6 dungeons and most of two overworlds, so I really hope I do finish it.

 

However, I have the dungeons all planned out on graph paper with room shapes (each room is 3x3 cells on paper) as well as locations of items, or maybe other features like dark rooms or FFCs, not to mention doors. There is a little room to improvise, of course.

[Theryan]

A lot of people(myself included) have pointed out the benefit of mapping dungeons and the like out beforehand. Exate made a template a while ago for "ZC Graph Paper" that is set up to be the perfect dimensions for mapping things out in ZC down to the combo. I totally forgot about this, but its certainly worth mentioning in this topic. The topic is a sticky in Developer's Exchange, by the way... But I also linked it right here!

[LTTP]

O neat!
I can't print out the grid tho.

 

maybe some grid software out there people use?

Edited by LTTP, 25 May 2013 - 08:30 AM.

[TheLegend_njf]

I usually just throw a lot of random things on random screens in random locations using random theories, following a random storyline, guided by a random graphics pack, choosing random themes, I bring together new random enemies and new random art, and constantly click stuff in my random world of madness.

Than once I have created an absolute mess, I than weave and mould it into art.

My focus is to do as much clicking as frigin possible without the task getting tedious or boring (because if its boring to make, than chances are its boring to play). so this insane approach is how I effectively build and build without losing interest.

That's why often my quests are often progressed in drafts, and explains the notable inconsistencies people do find when playing my betas. In Souls 2, until recently you can find a beautiful dungeon that includes a room of random tiles slipped together that doesn't even look like anything. It does catch people off guard, but I assume most people are used to my building strategy by now.

Creativity is my first motivating drive, than the details and planning is worked around this creative drive I seem to build with.

Edited by NewJourneysFire, 25 May 2013 - 11:01 PM.

[LTTP]

That's helpful NewJourneysFire :O
Gives me some mental idea's how to get things started now ^_^