The Datafile PD-CD 4/DATAFILE_PDCD4.iso/games2/trellis/Instructs/Part1

Text File | 1995-10-18 | 5.8 KB | 111 lines

                        TRELLIS - The Adventure Interpreter
                      (c) copyright 1991-4 Soft Rock Software

                             Designing A Game On Paper
                             -------------------------

The first and most obvious thing you need in order to write a game (apart
from a computer to write it on!) is the idea. Once you have an idea, write
it down and, with it, anything you can think of that you may need to
remember when you are writing the game. For example, the actual objective
of the game and any puzzles or obstacles you can think of that you will
want to include.

Puzzles and obstacles may involve the use of objects. An object is an item
that exists inside the game but is not a part of the background. It is
something that the player can, in some small way, interact with. For
example, the floor is not an object since it is (normally, at least) a
part of the background. A sword, on the other hand, is an object because
it can be picked up and used by the player.

Objects will be dealt with in greater detail later in these instructions,
and there is also a separate section dealing with puzzles. They are
mentioned at this stage purely for planning. If your player is going to
have to fight a monster (or whatever) in the game then he/she will need
some kind of weapon - and that weapon will be an object. The monster
itself is an example of a puzzle.

The next stage is, quite possibly, one of the more difficult parts. You
must now map out the locations in your game. It is difficult because of
the number of things to consider, such as the number of locations, how the
player moves  between them, and so on. The mapping process will be
described, very briefly, in the next few paragraphs. You may find this
easier to follow if you load the map for the game !Pyramid, which was
supplied free with Trellis into !Draw and look at it on your screen while
you read. It is called 'PyramidMap'

First of all, remember the compass! Use the top of your page as North, the
right as East, the bottom as South and the left as West. Next, draw a
square, of about an inch in size, for each and every location in your game
- taking care not to forget that this is a map! If the field is North of
the path, it's square should be placed above that of the path on your
paper.

In each of these squares write a two or three word description of the
location. Next, using a different colour to make them stand out, draw
short lines between squares that the player can move between - note that
these squares should be touching on the map in one of the four compass
directions. In more complex games, with more complex methods of movement,
this need not be so. However, this is a subject beyond the scope of these
instructions.

Now, using a different colour again, make a note of the objects that the
player can find in each location. Don't worry if you haven't actually
thought of any yet, as these can easily be added later. Even if you have
done so, you may find that you want to add more later.

For example, at some stage during the game your player might walk into
'the kitchen' and see 'a piece of meat' on 'a table' - on your map, write
'meat' and 'table' in the location described as 'the kitchen.'

The last part of the map is the numbering. Each and every location must be
numbered. Using another colour, write a number in every one of the squares
on  your map. Start with 1, make sure you only use each number once, do
not miss out any squares and do not miss out any numbers. In other words,
if your game has 9 locations number them from 1 to 9, not 4 to 12 (which
doesn't start with 1) or 1 to 3 and 5 to 10 (which misses out 4).

If you look at the map for !Pyramid, one of the games supplied with
Trellis, you will  see a number of locations that seem to use the same
number. This is not actually what it seems; rather than contradict what is
said above about numbering, what has been done is that these locations
have been used in more than one place. Each of these duplicated locations
is a trap - the player can enter them but can't leave, so they are easily
used more than once.

This can be a useful way to fill out your map. You might, for example,
have empty spaces where you haven't actually put anything. You can fill
such spaces up with traps of this sort. In a jungle, for example, you
might have a swamp or quicksand, or something of that nature.

Study the map further, and you will notice that location number 1 is where
the player has to reach in order to win. Locations 29 to 32 are the traps,
and all the locations from 2 to 28 are the places the player can travel
through normally. It is a good idea to try and group locations in this
way, because you can simplify conditional operations. In this example, the
player loses if his/her location is greater than or equal to 29, and wins
if it is 1. If the traps were rooms 3, 12, 21 and 27 the check for these
locations would be a bit more complicated.

This could be extended further. If your game had an area of jungle and an
area of desert you might want the player to become thirstier and thirstier
in the desert - but not the jungle. If the desert area location numbers
are grouped together (perhaps 42 to 65) the software can just make one
check (is player location greater than or equal to 42 and less than or
equal to 65?) to see if the player is in the desert.

Finally, with the map drawn up you may find it easier to think of more
objects/ puzzles to include. If so, note them down as before, putting the
objects in their locations on the map.

HINT: although this is 'traditionally' done on paper, you may find the use
of !Edit and !Draw more practical for notes and mapping respectively. It
is easier and less messy to change things on the screen than it is on
paper.

However, if you prefer to use paper, I have included a draw file with
appropriately sized squares marked out. You can print this out to use it
for mapping - it's called 'Print4Maps'