[CF List] levels & exp

[Henric Karlsson]

On Mon, 1 Apr 2002, Steven Lembark wrote:

>
     
     
     >
     
      >  There are some very deep random dungeons.  The problems I have with some
     
     >
     
      > of them is that since they only use 'standard' monsters, the difficulty
     
     >
     
      > can jump pretty good.  The giant race dungeon comes to mind - you start
     
     >
     
      > with things like ogres, then small trolls, hill giants, and then goes to
     
     >
     
      > trolls.  There is a pretty big gap (I find) between the hill giant and
     
     >
     
      > trolls - I might be able to slice my way through the hill giants without
     
     [...]
Well there is, if I remeber correctly a directory
 maps/styles/monsterstyles/
Where it seems possible to define your own random levels (with respect to
monsters). So if a map has a special monster need it should probably be
possible to do even with random levels.

>
     
     
     >
     
      But the monsters aren't the only part. Well-designed dungeons
     
     >
     
      can be physically harder even with the same monsters due to
     
     >
     
      fewer places to hide/escape or combinations of monsters and
     
     >
     
      traps. Random dungeons can help with the monsters being well-
     
     >
     
      scaled, but the really interesting parts come from dungeon
     
     >
     
      layout itself.
     
     >
     
     
     >
     
      Catch there is that we need people to do the careful design.
     
     [...]
>
     
      the process fun to plan && well-streamlined. Emphasis there
     
     >
     
      would be on allowing people to lay out "effective" dungeons
     
     >
     
      [whatever definition we come up with] with minimal overhead.
     
     

Maybe a map editor could give some support here? I currently have no idea
how to make an "effective map" template, but I have a few other ideas that
would simplify map making.

How about a few quick buttons, to which you could temporay assign a few
commonly used tiles for the current map. Like if you use stone floor tiles
and lava alot on a map.
And in the Java editor, a "fill below" option like the old X11 editor had.
A random level monster designer, that makes files to put under the styles/
directory.
Maybe there could be templates for commonly used map mechanisms, like a
1-8 randomizer; spikes,boulder and 8 buttons. I know these aren't really
hard to make, but if you're new to map making a collection of map
mechanisms could at least give you some ideas on what is possible. (or
just a machanism gallery in the help section)

/Henric