Design Tips for a Fun Brickbattle Map: Difference between revisions

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Now that Roblox supports multiplayer user maps, I thought I would put together a short list of tips and pointers for budding map-makers to think about, drawing from my own experience. This article is intended to help you design fun maps that people will enjoy playing.
{{CatUp|Tutorials}}
{{Outdated|reason=This article is noticably written in 2008, given the very first sentence.}}
__TOC__


== Right-Size Your Map ==
== Introduction ==


First things first. When starting out with a new map, think about how many people are going to be playing it at once. A lot of user maps are made as huge as possible - this is fine if you think 50 people are going to be playing your level at the same time. However, if only 4 people are playing in a huge map that takes forever to walk across to find someone, then it is going to get old fast. For comparison, [[Chaos Canyon]] is only 300x300 studs large, and no one has ever complained that it is too small.
Roblox has had Multiplayer support for years now. Even though the veterans know how to construct a good map, it is the new people who come flooding in who really bring in the new ideas. This page is to guide a new user through the creation of a [[place]].


== Make Things Destructible ==
== Make Your Place The Right Size ==
When starting out with a new map, think about how many people are going to be playing it at once.  Many people want to make a huge map, but this might not be necessary if all you want is a house on it.  If there are going to be only 8 people on it at once, don't make it too big.  If you want to have 20 at once, then make it as big as you want.


I don't know about everyone else, but I like blowing things up. For me, being able to blow things up is one of the best parts of Roblox. Battles are more epic when there is rubble lying around everywhere. In order for buildings to blow up well, they need to be made out of small bricks. A lot of people make their levels out of huge bricks, which is a fast way to build a level, but makes it less fun to play in general.  
== Make Things Destroyable! ==
People like explosions, and people like it even better when you get random bricks flying in all directions in slow-motion. While it's easy to make something with a few large bricks, make it with a bunch of small bricks. This makes it more easily destroyed when people aim a rocket at it. Also, don't just make things like a wall destroyable.  Make a portion of a floor breakable too, just make sure to have an unbreakable one underneath. Warning: Having too many loose things can cause major lag within games.


== Don't Use Too Many Bricks ==
== Keep The Brick Count Down ==
If you use too many bricks in one place, the map will load for a very long time, and it will be laggy and twitchy for people. When the Developers sit down to make a multiplayer map, the rule is to keep it under 2,000 bricks. The maximum limit of bricks is not set, but anything over 10,000 bricks is a lagfest. Keep it under 3,000 if you are making something really big. For stationary object, use only a few bricks, and use more for the things you are blowing up.


At the same time, if you use too many bricks, your place will be slow for people to load and laggy for people to play. When I am making an official Roblox map, I try to keep the brick count to under 2000 bricks. The take-away point here is to use lots of bricks on elements that are important to your level. For example, if you are making a cool castle level, spend a lot of bricks on the castle. Mountains, trees, and background scenery need fewer bricks.
== Use That Space! ==
Empty space can be boring. If your map is mostly empty space, you should do one of two things:


== Empty Space is Booooooooring ==
#fill the place with awesome [[scripts]].
#Or fill up the space with something interesting. At the very least, throw in some mountains or something. If it is too late to make your space smaller, then add in more things, like some trees or a brickyard. Try not too fill your place with too many things, as many veterans know, it can slow things down.


Empty space is boring. If your map is mostly empty space, you should do one of two things: 1) make your map smaller or 2) fill up the space with something interesting. At the very least, throw in some mountains or something. If it is too late to make your space smaller, I suggest put in some conveyor belts and put in some pretty things to look at around them; like Toa Zuku's map.
== Make Different Places To Go ==
Imagine a multiplayer map that is just one big long hallway. This map would get dull real fast, unless it was a giant slide. When designing a level for people to fight in, you want to build the level so that your players have options and htings to do, or watch. For example, in [[http://www.roblox.com/Chaos-Canyon-place?id=14403 Chaos Canyon]], PilotLuke's Battlecube has at least three ways in. If I decide that I want to storm the Battlecube, I have an interesting choice to make: which way should I go? This makes a map more fun, especially for team games.


== Many Paths ==
== Lock And Anchor Your Terrain ==
It is good practice to [[Lock]] and [[Anchor]] your terrain. Locking will prevent people, or if you're in [[Edit|edit mode]], you from moving it accidentally. Anchoring will stop big [[RBX.lua.Explosion (Object)|explosions]] from knocking off [[Part|parts]] off of your stuff.


Imagine a multiplayer map that is just one big long hallway. This map would get dull real fast. When designing a level for people to fight in, you want to build the level so that your players have options. For example, in [[Chaos Canyon]], PilotLuke's Battlecube has at least three ways in: the front door, the really long staircase, and the smaller staircase on the other side of the map. If I decide that I want to storm the Battlecube, I have an interesting choice to make: which way should I go? This makes a map more fun, especially for team games.
== Use Weapons, But Not Too Many ==
A lot of people when they first learn how to put new weapons in their map go hog-wild and add everything. When you have ten weapons, it's a little too crazy. Using a variety of weapons from All Models makes for an interesting variety of combat. Of course, you can always leave out weapons and make a building map. Or you can have no weapons at all, and find ways to manipulate the [[RBX.lua.ClickDetector|ClickDetector]].


== Balance Secrets ==
== Have People Spawn In Other Locations ==
If you're planning on having a fighting map, then make sure that you have several different [[Spawn Locations]] for each team. Make sure that they are spread out a bit too. If you have the enemy team's spawn right next to your team, then they are going to sit there and launch rockets at you when you spawn, giving you no time to react. This isn't fun, make sure the team is dispersed by at least two different spawn locations.


Secrets in maps are great. There is a secret passage to Blackrock Castle in [[Crossroads]] and there is a secret opening under the temple in [[Chaos Canyon]] that can let more experienced players sneak up on others. Having secrets in your map makes it more fun to explore - this is a good thing. However, you don't want to build a map where everything is a secret door because that makes it not fun for players who are new to your map. It will quickly become frustrating for them and they will leave.
== Make It Original ==
If you're planning on having a popular map, make sure you make it your style. Chances
are, if you like something, others will too. If you want to make a different kind of map than anyone else, think "out of the box". Even if you have already thought of map, like an obstacle course, make sure you think of things that are different from other maps.


== Lock and Anchor Terrain ==
== Add Atmosphere ==
If you want to make your [[Place]] more interesting, add atmosphere like mountains, volcanoes, etc. If there's no atmosphere, then the enthusiasm that the [[Player|Players]] get is very low, and your place may end up being not lively or popular.


It is good practice to [[Lock]] and [[Anchor]] your terrain. Locking will prevent people from picking up your mountain and moving it around. Anchoring will stop big explosions from knocking off parts of your mountains.
== Don't Put Every Weapon in Your Map ==
A lot of people when they first learn how to put new weapons in their map go hog-wild and add everything, including the Death Laser, which was never meant for online gaming. Unless you really want people to be able to destroy any part in your map permanently, I suggest you take the [[BrickBattle Guide: Death Laser|Death Laser]] out of your map before [[How do I publish my map?|publishing]] it. You might also consider removing the [[Tools:Model Dragger|model dragger tool]] unless you want your players to be able to pick up your castle and throw it off the side of your map. Now that's something to think about...
[[Category:Building Tutorials]]
[[Category:Building Tutorials]]

Latest revision as of 02:04, 14 October 2024

Information Outdated Page
This article has outdated information. Please update this page to fit our current standards!

Specifically: This article is noticably written in 2008, given the very first sentence.


Introduction

Roblox has had Multiplayer support for years now. Even though the veterans know how to construct a good map, it is the new people who come flooding in who really bring in the new ideas. This page is to guide a new user through the creation of a place.

Make Your Place The Right Size

When starting out with a new map, think about how many people are going to be playing it at once. Many people want to make a huge map, but this might not be necessary if all you want is a house on it. If there are going to be only 8 people on it at once, don't make it too big. If you want to have 20 at once, then make it as big as you want.

Make Things Destroyable!

People like explosions, and people like it even better when you get random bricks flying in all directions in slow-motion. While it's easy to make something with a few large bricks, make it with a bunch of small bricks. This makes it more easily destroyed when people aim a rocket at it. Also, don't just make things like a wall destroyable. Make a portion of a floor breakable too, just make sure to have an unbreakable one underneath. Warning: Having too many loose things can cause major lag within games.

Keep The Brick Count Down

If you use too many bricks in one place, the map will load for a very long time, and it will be laggy and twitchy for people. When the Developers sit down to make a multiplayer map, the rule is to keep it under 2,000 bricks. The maximum limit of bricks is not set, but anything over 10,000 bricks is a lagfest. Keep it under 3,000 if you are making something really big. For stationary object, use only a few bricks, and use more for the things you are blowing up.

Use That Space!

Empty space can be boring. If your map is mostly empty space, you should do one of two things:

  1. fill the place with awesome scripts.
  2. Or fill up the space with something interesting. At the very least, throw in some mountains or something. If it is too late to make your space smaller, then add in more things, like some trees or a brickyard. Try not too fill your place with too many things, as many veterans know, it can slow things down.

Make Different Places To Go

Imagine a multiplayer map that is just one big long hallway. This map would get dull real fast, unless it was a giant slide. When designing a level for people to fight in, you want to build the level so that your players have options and htings to do, or watch. For example, in [Chaos Canyon], PilotLuke's Battlecube has at least three ways in. If I decide that I want to storm the Battlecube, I have an interesting choice to make: which way should I go? This makes a map more fun, especially for team games.

Lock And Anchor Your Terrain

It is good practice to Lock and Anchor your terrain. Locking will prevent people, or if you're in edit mode, you from moving it accidentally. Anchoring will stop big explosions from knocking off parts off of your stuff.

Use Weapons, But Not Too Many

A lot of people when they first learn how to put new weapons in their map go hog-wild and add everything. When you have ten weapons, it's a little too crazy. Using a variety of weapons from All Models makes for an interesting variety of combat. Of course, you can always leave out weapons and make a building map. Or you can have no weapons at all, and find ways to manipulate the ClickDetector.

Have People Spawn In Other Locations

If you're planning on having a fighting map, then make sure that you have several different Spawn Locations for each team. Make sure that they are spread out a bit too. If you have the enemy team's spawn right next to your team, then they are going to sit there and launch rockets at you when you spawn, giving you no time to react. This isn't fun, make sure the team is dispersed by at least two different spawn locations.

Make It Original

If you're planning on having a popular map, make sure you make it your style. Chances are, if you like something, others will too. If you want to make a different kind of map than anyone else, think "out of the box". Even if you have already thought of map, like an obstacle course, make sure you think of things that are different from other maps.

Add Atmosphere

If you want to make your Place more interesting, add atmosphere like mountains, volcanoes, etc. If there's no atmosphere, then the enthusiasm that the Players get is very low, and your place may end up being not lively or popular.