Also Known As: banshee_revora (Steam) Joined: 15 Aug 2002 Location: Brazil
Posted: Fri Dec 05, 2008 12:19 am Post subject:
Welcome to Red Alert 3 Mapping Discussion
Subject description: Quick intro and tips for better mapping!
Welcome people! This forum was made to help people mapping Red Alert 3. Basically, when you have any doubts about mapping or problems with your map, ask here. Check the tutorials in the Red Army Tutorials to avoid the same question twice. We do also welcome people'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 Red Alert 3 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. Resizing the map should be the first thing to be done once you start the map. 350x350 is the minimum size for a 2 players map. Make it bigger for more players.
- You can import a TGA as a map. Use greyscale colours to define the height map. Actually, the game only reads the amount of blue in the colour, so if you set a colour with too much blue, you'll have a huge cliff.
- 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 money resources ruins the gameplay and makes AI a fool. Excessive cash makes the map too easy. Make sure it's ballanced and that AI is able to access it. Also, remember to place some tech buildings in the map and some expansion patchs to motivate players to expand and fight for certain locations of the map.
- You must use grids when deploying the ore fields, and set them to either 45, 135, 225 or 315 degrees, or else you can't deploy refineries next to them in the green zone.
- Make sure each base has at least 2 different entrances. We recommend 3 or more. This increases the ammount of strategies and challenge of the map, making attacks less predictable.
- Water is your friend and can be used as a nice way to expand the strategy level of the map. Think about water when planning your map.
- Make sure the border of your map is 10 feet high or higher, otherwise the map won't show up in the skirmish menu.
- Scripts 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 few 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 and make it heavly texture. Use the option to blend the textures to make it look more realistic.
- Don't forget to add the players to the skirmish map before saving it.
- World Builder comes with a superb manual and quick readme file that includes the checklist of what needs to be done. Take a read at it. It's very easy to understand and it is full of tips.
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. Last edited by Banshee on Sat Dec 06, 2008 11:27 am; edited 2 times in total QUICK_EDIT
Joined: 18 Jun 2005 Location: Dordrecht, the Netherlands
Posted: Sat Dec 06, 2008 11:12 am Post subject:
*hint* Never, and I say, never use anything below 350 x 350 for a map, even for 2 players. It seems the scale is even more off then in Generals or TW. Do follow the advice Banshee gave in the first post. *hint*
Also Banshee, the map border can also be 10, and it will still work ingame (as I've tried)
Besides that, I've also got something usefull to add to this list about the Ore Nodes: you must use grids when deploying them, and set the to either 45, 135, 225 or 315 degrees, or else you can't deploy refineries next to them in the green zone QUICK_EDIT
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Welcome to Red Alert 3 Mapping Discussion
