35 replies to this topic

[Titanium Justice]

I usually have a small concept in my head of what I want the dungeon type to be, also, I usually go along as I build and if I don't like how something looks I end up improving it later during the progression.

[Evile]

I just get a theme and build puzzles and choose items and such to suit the theme. Thats all the planning I do.

[Peteo]

I plan and desing my dungeons so thoroughly it isn't even funny. >_<
First I make a basic desing of the level to get the shape and size of the level, and then I draw a real accurate and detailed blueprint of the whole level and then build the level based on that. Oh and one thing I'm especially proud of is how different all of my dungeons are... not just graphically, but in almost every way.

[Exate]

When I used to ZC, I'd design dungeons on notebook paper.

First, the theme of the dungeon. Perhaps a general shape, along of what I want in it, etc. I'd draw boxes for each room, and other small things as certain icons. I'd make it simplistic, but enough detail to give me an idea of how it's supposed to be done.

[Lemon]

I usually just do an insanely rough outline on notebook paper because I found that if I try to do it randomly every room ends up having a point, which while sounds good in theory, it's the useless rooms that make a dungeon seem bigger and more interesting .

[nicklegends]

I'll first consider the location and feel of the dungeon I have in mind, then I will select the item or items that should be placed in the dungeon, which then opens my mind to the types of puzzles that could be implemented.

After this pre-planning stage, I use graph paper to slowly model what I want the rooms to look like, using a special key to designate which doors are locked, shuttered, open, bombable, etc.

It gets way more freeform after this point, but the fact of the matter is that I have pretty much everything down on paper before I begin to build. There will always be those spur-of-the-moment good ideas that I add on the fly.

[Octorockoncrack]

Ditto

Double Ditto

[Beefster]

I design the basic shape of the dungeons and decide on the dungeon "gimmick" such as lighting things on fire or controlling the flow of power. From there, I actually implement it all. I usually also make around half of the dungeon dependent on the dungeon item.

[Aeon]

Okay, for those of you who design on a spur-of-the-moment basis, what do you do to make sure that your dungeons are solvable? I mean, preventing players ever getting into a situation where they've unlocked the wrong door and now they have no way of ever getting another key - that kind of stuff. Do you just make sure that every lock has another key behind it somewhere? Or do you just make all your dungeons really linear?

[Evile]

I just think really hard and write down how many keys I've given out and double check everything. I also test it to see if I missed anything too.

[ZebraStallion]

Before I start making my quest, I write down all of the dungeon names, theme, and item on a piece of paper. Then I choose the tiles and just start building...

[nicklegends]

I just think really hard and write down how many keys I've given out and double check everything. I also test it to see if I missed anything too.

Yeah, definitely keep an eye on the keys, because they can lead to uncompletable quests (especially for newbies). Never place keys behind locked doors whose passages don't lead to an outlet or to a critical item, because you can get stuck this way if more than two locked doors are available for opening at the same time. (Truth be told, it's more difficult to explain this that I realized... And it's getting late.)

[Alestance]

The following element plays its first role in the creation of the dungeon: Its size and shape.

I first make the whole size of the dungeon, and have it's predefined shape. After that I then consider the Theme.

One a theme and it's proper elements/alternate locations are in place, I then consider the level.

If its an early level, I put few, but enough enemies and have them weak.

After that, I fill in the doors/locked doors/ shutters/ etc. then clean up and apply items to the dungeon. Also putting miscellaneous elements that also apply to the dungeon.

After that, I test it and see if it feels right. If it doesn't I start over.

[CastChaos]

Okay, for those of you who design on a spur-of-the-moment basis, what do you do to make sure that your dungeons are solvable? I mean, preventing players ever getting into a situation where they've unlocked the wrong door and now they have no way of ever getting another key - that kind of stuff. Do you just make sure that every lock has another key behind it somewhere? Or do you just make all your dungeons really linear?

I still remind you that creating a dungeon on the go is superior to planning. For example, yes, it's much easier to make a dungeon solvable without planning. If you make a plan and while making, you realize that it's unsolvable, then your whole plan can go to the dustbin. Keys are the top important pillars, along with their non-item equalients: shortcuts.

This is how I made my last dungeon:
1. Decided the entrance is on the middle of the map, there will be passages to all sides and the north side leads to a boss lock and eventually to the boss.
2. Decided to have a vertical corridor in the line of the entrance and next to it on two sides, all three having their pair one floor upper. Middle is for boss key, sides are for the two dungeon items.
3. Deciding on the method of the dungeon event, closing down upper left corner of the map to give place for duplicate screens.
4. Starting to go south from the entrance, placing a lock block on every screen, then split the ways to lead two rooms, each with one shutter and one "stairs".
5. Starting to make the upstairs left line, dropping the idea of downstairs simmetry and making even the upstairs slightly non-simmetric, placing a throw off route and a big room, then finishing the route with a puzzle, then a miniboss, then the first dungeon item.
6. I count how many lock blocks I placed. I decide I need to place the same amount of keys. I count the doors that lead to nowhere and divide the keys between them almost equally, still causing dead ends.
7. I take one of the dead ends, open it and create a long curved road what involved warps, one lock block, one key, one compass, one info room, one "give money or heart" room whiches eventually lead to a miniboss and then the boss key. One shortcut and no dead ends included.
8. Using up all remained dead doors, I make it so that there are keys whiches can be got only with the first dungeon item.
9. I finish the big room and make a route that involves lots of warps and one big room with a puzzle room and shortcut which leads to a warp that creates a shortcut to the last miniboss and eventually the second dungeon item.
10. I finish the one timed event and make the room that leads to the boss.

During this, I made only three mistakes: I made a warp and didn't delete it when it became unneccessary; I made a part of a screen that is inaccessible (no problem, there's nothing interesting now); and now as I wrote the above points I realized that I forgot to put the appropriate amount of lock blocks on the last route. Must fix that.

[Master Maniac]

most of the time i just wing it. ill have an idea for a great dungeon while im making one and then ill put the two together. most of the time all of my dungeons have multiple important items in them, each leading to the next. this makes the dungeons larger and more expansive. i only include about 3 to 4 dungeons in each quest, so they need to be huge.