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designer_workshop:making_your_first_board [2013/08/16 13:26]
M57 [Circle Mode vs Fill Mode] 		designer_workshop:making_your_first_board [2014/04/26 06:03] (current)
M57 Simplifying language
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 As such, the Designer is necessarily complex, having features that can enable your map to do things that  As such, the Designer is necessarily complex, having features that can enable your map to do things that 
 ..well, haven't even been thought of yet.   ..well, haven't even been thought of yet.  
-WarGear has an extensive set of [[http://www.wargear.net/help/display/Getting%20Started|tutorials]]  +WarGear has an extensive set of tutorials on this wiki to help you in this endeavor. 
-already built into the site. However many of those pages are being updated and migrated to this wiki. +
 ===== The Evolving Review Process ===== ===== The Evolving Review Process =====
  
-Once, or even before you have started creating your board, one of the first things you will want to consider doing is //registering// your board here on the wiki site. If you are uncomfortable doing this, ask any [[Review Board Roster|Review Board Member]] to do it for you.+Once (or even before) you have started creating your board, one of the first things you will want to consider doing is [[proving_grounds:proving_grounds|//registering// your board here]] on the wiki site. If you are uncomfortable doing this, ask any [[Review Board Roster|Review Board Member]] to do it for you.
  
 There is an evolving consensus in the Board Review community that the way a board goes from inception to live should be integrated with the review process such that the very last step of the process (the Review Game) feels more like a ribbon cutting ceremony than an inquisition.   There is an evolving consensus in the Board Review community that the way a board goes from inception to live should be integrated with the review process such that the very last step of the process (the Review Game) feels more like a ribbon cutting ceremony than an inquisition.  
-In order for this to work, the road to bringing a board live should involve the active participation of Review Board members, +In order for this to work, the road to bringing a board live should involve the active participation of the members of the [[Review Board Roster|Review Board]] and [[Development Board Roster|Development Board]], 
 and the playing of a number of development (Dev) games.  and the playing of a number of development (Dev) games. 
-It is hoped that active discussion and other activity on the board's Wiki page will facilitate this.+It is hoped that active discussion in Dev games alongside other activity on the board's Wiki page will facilitate this.
  
-**Bottom Line**: We are not here to intimidate, we are here to help. No matter what your level of knowledge or experience is, realize that all of us have been there at some point in our lives.+**Bottom Line**: The Review Board members are not here to intimidate; they are here to help. No matter what your level of knowledge or experience is, realize that all of us have been there at some point.
 ===== Keep It Simple ===== ===== Keep It Simple =====
  
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 WarGear has a Review Board whose primary mission is to maintain a level of quality and functionality for maps  WarGear has a Review Board whose primary mission is to maintain a level of quality and functionality for maps 
 that go 'live.' that go 'live.'
-However, the review criteria is subjective in nature. You can read more about it [[Review Board Criteria|here]] as well as on the [[http://www.wargear.net/help/display/Board%20Review|WarGear site]], +However, the review criteria is subjective in nature. You can read more about it [[Review Board Criteria|here]], 
 but generally speaking,  but generally speaking, 
-if you are making a map that you plan to make available to the community at large  +if you are making a map that you plan to make available to the community at large, here are some things you should consider.
-- one that will 'count' in the rankings, here are some things you should consider.+
  
  
   *Avoid making boards that could be seen as being too close, or too redundant, to those already in the inventory of live boards available. The standards for bringing in a board which could be seen as too close to another one will be very high in order to justify its inclusion .   *Avoid making boards that could be seen as being too close, or too redundant, to those already in the inventory of live boards available. The standards for bringing in a board which could be seen as too close to another one will be very high in order to justify its inclusion .
-  *Your map should have textured game-play. For a standard Risk-style map, this means a reasonable assortment of choke-points or dice mods, or some other features that give the game interest. +  *Your map should have varied facets of game-play. For a standard Risk-style map, this means a reasonable assortment of choke-points or dice mods, or some other features that give the game interest. 
-  *Your map size should not be too large - players don't like to have to scroll from the map to the play buttons and back all the time.+  *Your map size should not be too large - players don't like to have to scroll from the map to the play buttons and back all the time. Again this is a guideline, not a rule. However, if your board is larger than the average screen, be prepared to justify your reasoning behind it. 
   *Your territories should not be too small - this is obvious, but it should be considered very early in the process.  Think about what your map will look like even before you start working with the image.   *Your territories should not be too small - this is obvious, but it should be considered very early in the process.  Think about what your map will look like even before you start working with the image.
  
 **Bottom Line**: Consider the games already on the site and think of what isn't there that you would like to play, and what would make it fun to play.  Be creative.  Don't be afraid to think out the box, you can always stuff your brain back in there if things get out of hand. **Bottom Line**: Consider the games already on the site and think of what isn't there that you would like to play, and what would make it fun to play.  Be creative.  Don't be afraid to think out the box, you can always stuff your brain back in there if things get out of hand.
-===== Board Image(s) =====+===== Image Editors =====
  
 You will need a good image editor that supports layers and can make images with transparency. Simple editors like MS Paint will not do the trick. You will need a good image editor that supports layers and can make images with transparency. Simple editors like MS Paint will not do the trick.
-Many of the designers on this site that have PCs use professional or sem-professional image editors that support "Layers", such as Photoshop or Illustrator. +Many of the designers on this site use professional or semi-professional image editors that support "Layers", such as Photoshop or Illustrator. 
  
-Paint.net is a very popular PC based editor with a number of WarGear designers, and it's free!+Paint.net is a very popular PC based editor with a number of WarGear designers, and it's free! Another option is the open-source Graphic Image Manipulation Program (GIMP) which roughly parallels Photoshop in tools and features.
 Mac users should easily be able to find inexpensive but powerful editors like Acorn that will do the trick. Mac users should easily be able to find inexpensive but powerful editors like Acorn that will do the trick.
  
-For more on-site information on choosing an editor, click [[http://www.wargear.net/help/display/Board%20Design%20Tools|here]] +For more information on choosing an editor/images/fonts/etc, click [[Designer Tutorials:Board Design Tools|here]].
-If you think you're about ready to take the plunge, make sure you visit [[Designer Tutorials:Creating Board Images|this wiki page]] to learn how to make images for your board.+
  
 +If you think you're about ready to take the plunge, make sure you visit [[Designer Tutorials:Creating Board Images|this wiki page]] to learn how to make images for your board.
  
  
-  The Following is migrated from the Getting Started Page in the Wargear Help Section.. +====== Get Started ====== 
-===== Getting Started ===== +
  
 ====Create the board image==== ====Create the board image====
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 ====Circle Mode vs Fill Mode==== ====Circle Mode vs Fill Mode====
  
-Before you start on your board you'll need to decide whether you are going to do a 'Circle Mode' or Fill Mode' design. **Circle Mode** means the player's color and units are drawn inside a predefined circle placed on top of the chosen image. Circle Mode maps are generally made when a new board maker first forays into map making. It allows them to get an feel for how the designer works. //However, it is very important to note that Circle Mode maps will NOT be allowed to be submitted for Review for public release. They are able to be played in Beta mode, but will never be considered to go Live.//+{{ http://www.wargear.net/images/help/designer-circlemode.png}}Before you start on your board you'll need to decide whether you are going to do a 'Circle Mode' or Fill Mode' design. **Circle Mode** means the player's color and units are drawn inside a predefined circle placed on top of the chosen image. Circle Mode maps are generally made when a new board maker first forays into map making. It allows them to get an feel for how the designer works. //However, it is very important to note that Circle Mode maps will NOT be allowed to be submitted for Review for public release. They are able to be played in Beta mode, but will never be considered to go Live.//
  
-{{ http://www.wargear.net/images/help/designer-circlemode.png}} 
  
 In a **Fill Mode** design, the occupying player color is flood-filled into an area defined by a single continuous color on the board as shown below. The game engine will flood fill the color underneath the territory until it meets a pixel of a different color. __Pulling an image off of the internet and simply placing territories on the image is NOT going to work for Fill Mode.__ In a **Fill Mode** design, the occupying player color is flood-filled into an area defined by a single continuous color on the board as shown below. The game engine will flood fill the color underneath the territory until it meets a pixel of a different color. __Pulling an image off of the internet and simply placing territories on the image is NOT going to work for Fill Mode.__
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 {{ http://www.wargear.net/images/help/designer-fillmode.png}} {{ http://www.wargear.net/images/help/designer-fillmode.png}}
  
-It's generally more work to create a Fill Mode design as you will need to carefully draw each territory boundary to ensure that it is cleanly delineated but the overall effect is often visually superior. Be careful when using dithering on the lines that make up your borders as this can lead to a messy effect when the territory is flood filled. For more information on borders and anti-aliasing, see the [[http://www.wargear.net/help/display/Anti-Aliasing|Fill Mode - Anti-Aliasing]] Help page. Also, utilize the the Fill All toggle to test that Fill Mode will function correctly and as expected once player owned.+It's generally more work to create a Fill Mode design as you will need to carefully draw each territory boundary to ensure that it is cleanly delineated but the overall effect is often visually superior. Be careful when using dithering on the lines that make up your borders as this can lead to a messy effect when the territory is flood filled. For more information on borders and anti-aliasing, see the [[designer_workshop:anti_aliasing|Fill Mode - Anti-Aliasing]] Help page. Also, utilize the the Fill All toggle to test that Fill Mode will function correctly and as expected once player owned.
 ====Creating a Board==== ====Creating a Board====
  
 Access the board designer page by clicking on the Designer Icon  Access the board designer page by clicking on the Designer Icon 
-{{:designer_workshop:designertab.png?nolink|}} at the top of the page then select the 'Board Designer' tab. \\+{{:designer_workshop:designertab.png?nolink|}} at the top of the page, then select the 'Board Designer' tab. \\
  
 {{ :designer_workshop:designertab2.png?nolink |}}\\ {{ :designer_workshop:designertab2.png?nolink |}}\\
designer_workshop/making_your_first_board.1376674006.txt.gz · Last modified: 2013/10/26 09:33 (external edit)

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