15-08-2005 04:36									#1
	Scenario Designer's Notebook Avatar Enlargement: We've got the solution

How do you set about designing a scenario?

I start by buying a spiral notebook. I keep all my notes in it, in pencil. I find it's much easier than using a computer program for notes, especially when you're referring to your notes while changing files from the scenario. I generally write most of my ideas down before making changes to the game files.

Second, I develop the concept. I take out books from the library on the period and the campaign or war I'm interested in, and dig out various atlases, including historical ones. Often I have an old wargame that is very useful for maps and orders of battle. I decide 3 things initially: The time frame for the scenario - when it starts and ends, the area to be covered by the map, and the specific civs to be included.

Third, I make the map. If there's a good one already made that covers the right area, I check it for accuracy and usually add more detail. Most often I make one specifically for the purpose. I draw a grid on an inexpensive atlas in pencil over the area I want for the map. Then I replicate the grid on a blank (all ocean) civ2 map, using icecap terrain as reference points. (Remember that the horizontal distance on the civ2 map must be twice the vertical).

Getting the scale right is tricky. Usually, I try to figure out what cities will be on the map when the scenario is done. Then I scale the map so that there are no major gaps between the city radius of the various cities, generally allowing between 2 and 4 squares between cities in fertile areas.

Once the map is done, I make a list of all the unit types I think I'll need. If possible I try to find an Order of Battle for the various civs and convert it to the needs of the scenario.

After this, I don't really follow a set order. Usually I'm thinking about units and stuff in the Rules txt, including unit stats, terrain costs, wonders and city improvements. I try to develop a concept for the tech tree at the same time. I begin to gather unit art from various sites or my own collection. In order to get high quality and uniformity in the style of units, I try to prevail on skilled artists to help out.

Once the units and rules are shaping up, I add improvements to the cities, size them and add the starting units. I finish the map at this stage, adding irrigation and roads, etc. Then I check the cities for food, unrest, etc.

At this point, I do the leaders stuff on the cheat menu - who's at war or allied with whom, etc. I save the game as a scenario for the first time. Also at this point, I decide who can see what on the map. If the map is to be partly unexplored, I cover the entire map, and then explore it for each civilization with a 40 mp air unit with a 2 space visibility.

After that I do some preliminary playtesting, just to see how the civs and units interact. Then I start the events. Once I've added the first events, I always work from a save game, never starting as a scenario and saving that. Otherwise, your 'scenario loaded' events won't work later.

Then its' just a matter of fiddling and tweaking, adjusting everything. Once it's playable, I go through the Game, Labels, Describe and other assorted files to modify names and messages in order to add color to the scenario. I also look at the other gaphics files like Icons, Improvements, Cities and People, to see what needs to be changed.

Only when it seems finished to me, do I ask for playtesters. I prefer 1 or 2 reliable playtesters who know what they're doing, to a general beta release. The objective is to get practical suggestions for improvement, not to generate reviews. Bugs you may have missed or flaws in your design that a cunning player could drive a semitrailer through are what you're looking for.

My usual mistake is to add too many extra improvements and weaker units that can be sold off to pay for a bunch of powerful units that disrupt the balance of the scenario.

Once it's playtested I make the final adjustments and release it.

I'm curious if others use the same general approach, or if they do something entirely different.

	15-08-2005 06:44									#2
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You did not mention the tech tree, that's the main backbone of my design style.

I keep the tree on a spreadsheet along with associated units, improvements and wonders derived from techs. These things have to be moved about and adjusted dozens of times so I found electronic storage is still best. Other things on the spreadsheet include unit stats and texts or timelines copied from the internet. I don't even start on anything else until this is complete.

Last edited by kobayashi on 15-08-2005 at 06:54

	15-08-2005 08:35									#3
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I did mention the tech tree, but you're right in that it's something I don't like much and tend to not do that well at. I often use the tech tree for triggering events, eg. ending the game in Prince of Darkness, or reinforcements as in the upcoming Warlords of China.

	15-08-2005 11:13									#4
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Initially, I plan on paper, for reasons similar to techumseh.

First is planning. This often involves thinking about the topic for a couple weeks while riding the bus to work. My approach is the scenario is an interactive story, with a background, characters, and possible endings.

In the case of Pax California, I went and visited a lot of the locations the scenario will take place in. Additionally, Wikipedia is a great resource for picking up details.

The rules.txt are worked out in the following order:

1. Technology
2. Terrain / Movement
3. Improvements
4. Civs / Governments
5. Units

Graphics are often done before the rules, though sometimes concurrently. To keep things consistent, I start with what you see the most of (terrain) to what takes up the least on screen space (units).
1. Terrain
2. Cities
3. Icons and City.gif
4. Units
5. DLL backgrounds

	28-08-2005 21:16									#5
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anyone else?

	31-08-2005 08:36									#6
	Support Apolyton, buy Civilization III: Complete

Come on. Curt, Harry, Jim? anyone?

	31-08-2005 13:59									#7
	Re: Anyone else Support Apolyton, buy Galactic Civilizations

Phase I: Thinking

Once I settled for a topic - which I consider a real hard task - I start thinking. These first thoughts do not necessarily include anything written. I think about the timeline, the plot, whch units to include, etc. during sports, cleaning the kitchen ...

Phase II: Settling down

The next step is to write a concept down, I do this with pencil & paper: Civ line-up, game preferences (like starting year, some of the main scenario features, etc.).

Then I start looking for a/the map(s) I could use. If I should find one I am going to adjust it to the specific needs of my planned scenario, if I find none ... guess what - I'll make a new one.

NOTE: MapEdit by Mercator comes in very handy. Actually this is the only map tool I am using - save the Civ2 Map Editor, of course. Making an acceptable map takes time but I think the result makes it worthwhile.

Phase III: The start of a new scenario

After this is done I start plotting the tech tree and combine it with the city improvements and the units section (this is definitive the main effort which also consumes most of the time). If I get bored by editing the tech tree I open up Photoshop to mod around with some of the graphics.

Phase IV: In-game editing

Since this can be one of the most boring parts of scenario creation I try to get through this as fast & accurate as possible.

NOTE: I am using CivCity and CivStack to achieve the in-game esiting aims as fast as possible. I think it is still boring but better if you place all the cities first and then run CivCity.

Phase V: Matching the parts

This is about pitching together the various parts of the scenario done so far - graphics, rules, in-game editing - and forging a new scenario.

After this is done I usually check everything once, somethimes twice or more often if it is working really properly.

Phase VI: Playtesting

Then it is time to play.

I tend to send the new scenario to a limited number of fellow Civ-addicts immediately after I have completed the creation process. I am a bit "exhausted" from the creation and I do not want to do anything with it shortly after finishing it.

My pre-release testers see if there are major flaws in the scenario - it is easier that way for these fellows did not spend the same time as I did in front of the computer setting things up.

After these initial bugs'n'flaws hunt I release a BETA version ...

	31-08-2005 19:10									#8
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Phase I: Formulation - This is where I figure out what I want to do, how I can make it happen with the Civ 2 engine, the theme of the scenario, and the work involved in creating the scenario.

Phase II: Map Creation - I design the map based on what I think I want, edit it, resize it (yes mapedit is a necessity) place the terrain, place markers for the cities, etc...

Phase III: Place the cities and Terrain Improvements - This is where the big thinking goes into place as I devise how the cities and improvements will affect gameplay. Nations are created and some editing of the text files occurs here.

Phase IV: City Improvements - Placing the improvements is a delicate process. I decide what I want and where. CivCity is used here extensively.

Phase V: Unit Creation - Besides already formulating what I want in the scenario throughout the beginning process I decide what exactly should be in the game. I scrounge for units, make my own, and graciously beg for units from others.

Phase VI: Unit Placement - Intial units are placed, battle lines formed, etc.... If the scenario is ToT I then start the map conversion and then start placing units.

Phase VII: Text editing for Theme - I edit the text files to create a definate theme for the scenario.

Phase VIII: Events and Sound Editing - Events are created, sounds created and mixed, graphics polished.

Phase IX: Finishing touches - I work on making the events and gameplay work correctly up to a point where its semi-playable

Phase X: Playtesting Final Editing.

	12-09-2005 08:13									#9
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Well I'm glad to see advice like this being given out for the whole forum to bennifit from. I can say personally it will be a huge help in getting "The World of Jules Verne" moving.

I seem to remember not to long ago seeing a tech tree illustrated chart for ToT that would also be a big help. Does anyone remember where that tech tree chart was posted?

	12-09-2005 16:02									#10
	Full PM-box? Change here!

First, I normaly work on a few units to get my creativity going.
I then look at the map, and make a prototype tech tree.
The graphics are changed and edited as the project moves forward.

Level1 - Units, map, tech tree.
Level2 - Labels, Icons, Cities.
Level3 - tech tree and rules.
Level4 - Game/Advice text, initial unit placing.
Level5 - Sound gathering, terrain.
Level6 - Unit placement, final edits to various files.
Level7 - Final Events, Rules/Pedia/Advice edits.
Level8 - The great bug hunt - Which never ends!

My scenario creation is like and ongoing edit, I am constantly changing
the order that Units are laid out in the graphic file, or tweaking events.

I like to get the map and tech tree sorted early, as
everything after that is easy and fun to do....Apart
from those damn pedia, advice and describe files!

	12-09-2005 19:31									#11
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I'm interested in how people use the community to design scenarios. In the olden days, scenario plans were kept very secret until the release, with perhaps one or two trusted playtesters brought in near the end. Now some people do everything out in the open, with lots of participation from the whole forum. Are there any disadvantages to this?

	12-09-2005 20:05									#12
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I think one of the disadvantages about open beta's of scenarios is that they're constantly being revised, so if you start getting into a scenario and a major revision is needed, you're screwed. There's still a lot to be said for the behind the curtains approach, where you know when the scenario's released that almost all the bugs have been ironed out... speaking of which, how's Warlord's of China coming Tech? Is it perhaps in secret beta testing to a select few already?

Don't keep us in suspense!

	12-09-2005 21:00									#13
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Nah, I'm putting off some boring and detailed work lining up techs with reinforcements and the associated events. The thing almost ready to ship except for that, thanks to the excellent artistic assistance of Fairline.

I know what you mean. It's hard to tell when getting a finished product sometimes. Some scenarios are in a constant state of revison. I hate being halfway through a scenario and a revised version goes up. I usually just walk away.