04-07-2013
In case we don't get a PTNT map guide (Though I believe we will with all the new stuff) we still have this. Red indicates what won't work on the new server, based on the few info I have.
If no new guide pops up I'll try to update this.
1.1) Server softwares
1.2) WoM Client
1.3) Map build servers
2) Starting your map
2.11) Picking a theme
2.12) Map sketch
2.13) Imaginary grid
2.14) Symmetry
2.15) Main weapons
2.16) Structures
2.17) Spawns
2.18) Landscape
2.19) Map size
2.20) Liquids
2.21) Entities
2.22) Special map features
3) Game modes
3.1)Team Deathmatch
3.2)Free For All
3.3)Capture The Flag
3.4)King of the Hill
3.5)Payload
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1) Tools
There's a variety of tools to use in order to build a map. They are not necessary, but they make things a lot easier. Training Day was built on a vanilla server with no hacks and it took a few days to finish it, while Two Towers, which was built on a McForge server with the WoM client, took a few hours.
1.1) Server softwares
List of useful server softwares you can use:
With flying and speed features, you'll be able to build in hard-to-reach places without any troubles. You'll also be able to get the .dat file of your map and clean, cool screenshots with "/client ui [on/off]".
1.3) Map build servers
List of servers where you can go to start building your map:
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2) Starting your map
This part of the guide includes a few tips that may be useful while building a map. These will work on any map, regardless of it's game mode. For more specific information about maps of a specific game mode, go to "Game modes".
As the first tip of this section, when building a map, you may want to build it as simple as possible, then add details to it. Define what kind of spawn your map is going to have, the general height of it, where the players are going to fight, locations of structures and anything that relates to landscape (hills, caves, mountains, rivers...). This helps you to get an overview of your map and lets you tell whether your idea is going to work or not.
2.11) Picking a theme
Althought it seems to be something that isn't important, the theme is where you should start first, in order to get a mental sketch of your map and ideas for the map name. The influence of the theme in the map varies depending on the game mode.
2.12) Map sketch
When you start to build your map, you may want to build it as simple as possible, then add details to it. Define what kind of spawn your map is going to have, the general height of it, where the players are going to fight, locations of structures and anything that relates to landscape (hills, caves, mountains, rivers...). This helps you to get an overview of your map and lets you tell whether your idea is going to work or not.
2.13) Imaginary grid
This grid helps you to organize your structures over the map and helps you to find the center of it easily. To visualize this grid just imagine your map being divided in chunks of 4*4 blocks. (Though any 2^n works, I believe four is a good size)
2.14) Symmetry
It's important that your map have symmetry*, otherwise it won't be fair to one of the teams. The grid mentioned above can help you to achieve that. Keep in mind that only the structures need to be mirrored, you still can mess around with the blocks you used on them.
2.15) Main weapons
Your map must be built in a way that allows players to effectively use the following weapons:
2.16) Structures
Structures can be either destructible or indestructible. The game mode influences which kind of structure is going to be used. If you are going to use indestructible structures keep in mind that they must have a layer of bedrock in it's walls and in it's floors, if there's more than one, to prevent players from noclipping through them.
These structures can be decorative or have some purpose, and both helps making your map more attractive. Such structures can be organized by using the imaginary grid. The kind of structures that are going to be built is defined by the map theme.
2.17) Spawns
The spawns are where the players start. You can have a default spawn (may have multiple exits), or a random spawn across the entire map, several portals leading to specific locations or a random portal that leads to specific locations, or a random portal that leads to specific random locations. The game mode also influences which kind of spawn is going to be used.
2.18) Landscapes
These, if used correctly, helps making your map way more attractive. They can be either be indestructible or destructible. Landscapes also follow the same rule of the structure: they must fit with the theme.
It's not recommended to use the imaginary grid with these, as it wouldn't look natural.
2.19) Map size
Map size varies depending on the game type, recommended sizes are (Y=height):
Y must be a multiple of 16 for maps to have correct height, although a map of size 65 for example will allow shading such as in CTF-Dunes. With invisible shadow creating blocks.
For X and Z less than or equal to 128, X divided by Z (and vice versa) must be an integer (any positive or negative whole number). i.e 48xYx16 will work (because 48/16=3) and 48xYx32 will not (since the quotient is 1.5 which is not a whole number or integer).
For X and Z greater than 128, it must be a multiple of 128 (128, 256, 384..). i.e 128xYx384 will work, 128xYx160 will not.
2.20) Liquids
Liquids can be used for decorative purposes or to build specific things. The only liquids in classic are lava and water. If your map have lakes of any liquid on the edges, it's recommended that the liquid level inside the map match the water level outside the map.
2.21) Entities
You can request to add pre-built weapons on your map. The current options are:
2.22) Special features
List of special features that can be requested:
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3) Game modes
Before starting to build your map, it's also recommended to choose a game mode. As the way the map is going to be built depends on which mode you pick. In case you can't decide which mode to pick, start a TDM map, as it is the easiest one to be converted to another game mode.
3.1) Team Deathmatch
The main game mode on TNT server, where you kill everyone without having to worry about anything else. Again, if you don't know which game mode to pick, choose this one for the reasons stated above. It's maps usually have a main fighting ground and may contain one or two secondary fighting grounds.
The primary fighting ground is where players will spent most of the match time. It's also where you should focus. Try to make it eye-appealing. You want the players to fight in a cool place, not just a box made of one type of block.
This area should also have a moderately big space. It has to be big enough to pack a bunch of players, and small enough to make fights more exciting. What you should consider while building this area is the possibility to connect more rooms easily (hence the missing wall).
The secondary fighting grounds are as important as the primary one, these are where the players will move to when their fight on the primary one is over. They follow the same "rules" as the primary one, though they don't need to be as big, as the number of players will be reduced at the first fight.
With both built you shall focus on the way they will be connected. It's recommended that all the areas have two (or more) entrances, not only to allow flanking, but to give the player the feeling that, as long as he's alive, he isn't safe.
3.2) Free for all (FFA)
Free for all, deathmatch, whatever you want to call it. This mode was recently added to the server and it doesn't have a big map rotation. It's a good game mode to choose if symmetry isn't really your thing because FFA maps don't need to be symmetric. This part of the guide will give information* about non-symmetric maps.
FFA maps will have about five unique rooms, these being landscape or a structure. Your choice. Each of these rooms will have about three exits. Essentially, there's only two things to worry about while making a FFA map: the size of the rooms and it's connections. FFA maps have random spawns, no need to worry about them.
Though there will be more enemies, the rooms don't need to be as big as team deathmatch ones, as the players will be scaterred all over the map. The rooms should be made to support about six players. As for the connections, keep in mind that a few players will fight on these as well, make them big enough for three players.
3.3) Capture the flag (CTF)
CTF is one of the modes where killing is important, but not the main objective. CTF maps have two elements: The team bases and the middle area, which will be called "the stronghold", controlling this middle area helps to win the round. It's recommended to make CTF maps indestructible. They may be 64*128*64.
The team bases have to be relatively big. These bases have to offer some kind of challenge to the enemy team before they can get to the flag room. To make gameplay interesting, you may make the path to get out of the enemy flag room easier than the path to get in it. This can be achieved if the flag room (which doesn't need to be a closed room) is on a high place, like a cliff. It's harder to climb a cliff than to descend it.
"The stronghold" (Not the map CTF-Strongholds) will be the area that separates the team bases. This area should be built in a way that allows both teams to use it as a forward base. It doesn't need to have a forward spawn. Make sure that the teams can access this area from a maximum of two paths. You can limit the paths to it by adding rivers, cliffs, death pits or whatever fits your current theme.
Flags need to be clear as three logs stacked up, with an accompanying 2x3 cloth flag of the teams colour.
3.4) King of the hill (KOTH)
King of the hill relies on controlling a structure for the longest time possible. These maps have defined spawn locations for each team and the capture point, which can be either in a huge building (i.e. An adminium fort), or somewhere on the landscape (i.e. On the top of a mountain). Similar to the CTF maps, they may be 64*128*64.
The only fighting ground in these maps is the area around the control point, which means that such area must have enough space for all the players. Also, it must have multiple entrances, else it will be almost impossible to the opposite team to recapture it.
The area around the control point have to be indestructible, or at least have a layer of bedrock. Else the players will break everything around it and make it unreachable.
You can request to add a feature that allows the players that control the capture point to spawn closer to it. There should also be eight modifiable blocks in a circle to indicate the capture bar near or at the capture point.
3.5) Payload
Payload maps consist of pushing a cart through a pre-built track. To push the cart, players have to stay close to it. This game mode has two variants: Classic payload and Attack/Defend payload. This mode has a longer game time than the others.
On classic payload, both teams have as objective to push their cart to a specific place. In these maps, make sure that the red and blue tracks come close to one another at one point, to add the element of risk. It’s recommended to add at least one alternative path to the map, to allow players to attack their enemies from behind.
In case we don't get a PTNT map guide (Though I believe we will with all the new stuff) we still have this. Red indicates what won't work on the new server, based on the few info I have.
If no new guide pops up I'll try to update this.
1.1) Server softwares
1.2) WoM Client
1.3) Map build servers
2) Starting your map
2.11) Picking a theme
2.12) Map sketch
2.13) Imaginary grid
2.14) Symmetry
2.15) Main weapons
2.16) Structures
2.17) Spawns
2.18) Landscape
2.19) Map size
2.20) Liquids
2.21) Entities
2.22) Special map features
3) Game modes
3.1)Team Deathmatch
3.2)Free For All
3.3)Capture The Flag
3.4)King of the Hill
3.5)Payload
1) Tools
There's a variety of tools to use in order to build a map. They are not necessary, but they make things a lot easier. Training Day was built on a vanilla server with no hacks and it took a few days to finish it, while Two Towers, which was built on a McForge server with the WoM client, took a few hours.
1.1) Server softwares
List of useful server softwares you can use:
- McForge
- iCraft
With flying and speed features, you'll be able to build in hard-to-reach places without any troubles. You'll also be able to get the .dat file of your map and clean, cool screenshots with "/client ui [on/off]".
1.3) Map build servers
List of servers where you can go to start building your map:
- Epsilon Map Factory
2) Starting your map
This part of the guide includes a few tips that may be useful while building a map. These will work on any map, regardless of it's game mode. For more specific information about maps of a specific game mode, go to "Game modes".
As the first tip of this section, when building a map, you may want to build it as simple as possible, then add details to it. Define what kind of spawn your map is going to have, the general height of it, where the players are going to fight, locations of structures and anything that relates to landscape (hills, caves, mountains, rivers...). This helps you to get an overview of your map and lets you tell whether your idea is going to work or not.
2.11) Picking a theme
Althought it seems to be something that isn't important, the theme is where you should start first, in order to get a mental sketch of your map and ideas for the map name. The influence of the theme in the map varies depending on the game mode.
2.12) Map sketch
When you start to build your map, you may want to build it as simple as possible, then add details to it. Define what kind of spawn your map is going to have, the general height of it, where the players are going to fight, locations of structures and anything that relates to landscape (hills, caves, mountains, rivers...). This helps you to get an overview of your map and lets you tell whether your idea is going to work or not.
2.13) Imaginary grid
This grid helps you to organize your structures over the map and helps you to find the center of it easily. To visualize this grid just imagine your map being divided in chunks of 4*4 blocks. (Though any 2^n works, I believe four is a good size)
2.14) Symmetry
It's important that your map have symmetry*, otherwise it won't be fair to one of the teams. The grid mentioned above can help you to achieve that. Keep in mind that only the structures need to be mirrored, you still can mess around with the blocks you used on them.
2.15) Main weapons
Your map must be built in a way that allows players to effectively use the following weapons:
- TNT (Range: N/A | Explosion radius: 4)
- Pistol (Range: 9)
- Rocket (Range: inf. | Explosion radius: 4)
- Airstrike (Range: N/A | Area weapon)
- Mortar (Range: 10 | Arc weapon (Height: Approximately 20 blocks) | Explosion radius: 4)
2.16) Structures
Structures can be either destructible or indestructible. The game mode influences which kind of structure is going to be used. If you are going to use indestructible structures keep in mind that they must have a layer of bedrock in it's walls and in it's floors, if there's more than one, to prevent players from noclipping through them.
These structures can be decorative or have some purpose, and both helps making your map more attractive. Such structures can be organized by using the imaginary grid. The kind of structures that are going to be built is defined by the map theme.
2.17) Spawns
The spawns are where the players start. You can have a default spawn (may have multiple exits), or a random spawn across the entire map, several portals leading to specific locations or a random portal that leads to specific locations, or a random portal that leads to specific random locations. The game mode also influences which kind of spawn is going to be used.
2.18) Landscapes
These, if used correctly, helps making your map way more attractive. They can be either be indestructible or destructible. Landscapes also follow the same rule of the structure: they must fit with the theme.
It's not recommended to use the imaginary grid with these, as it wouldn't look natural.
2.19) Map size
Map size varies depending on the game type, recommended sizes are (Y=height):
- Team deathmatch: 64*64*64
- FFA, KOTH, CTF: 64*64*64 | 64*128*64
- Payload: 64*128*64
Y must be a multiple of 16 for maps to have correct height, although a map of size 65 for example will allow shading such as in CTF-Dunes. With invisible shadow creating blocks.
For X and Z less than or equal to 128, X divided by Z (and vice versa) must be an integer (any positive or negative whole number). i.e 48xYx16 will work (because 48/16=3) and 48xYx32 will not (since the quotient is 1.5 which is not a whole number or integer).
For X and Z greater than 128, it must be a multiple of 128 (128, 256, 384..). i.e 128xYx384 will work, 128xYx160 will not.
2.20) Liquids
Liquids can be used for decorative purposes or to build specific things. The only liquids in classic are lava and water. If your map have lakes of any liquid on the edges, it's recommended that the liquid level inside the map match the water level outside the map.
- Water can be used to build elevators
- Lava can be used as a tool to deny area
2.21) Entities
You can request to add pre-built weapons on your map. The current options are:
- Cannons
- Mines
2.22) Special features
List of special features that can be requested:
- Lava floods
- Laser beams
- Block spawn
3) Game modes
Before starting to build your map, it's also recommended to choose a game mode. As the way the map is going to be built depends on which mode you pick. In case you can't decide which mode to pick, start a TDM map, as it is the easiest one to be converted to another game mode.
3.1) Team Deathmatch
The main game mode on TNT server, where you kill everyone without having to worry about anything else. Again, if you don't know which game mode to pick, choose this one for the reasons stated above. It's maps usually have a main fighting ground and may contain one or two secondary fighting grounds.
The primary fighting ground is where players will spent most of the match time. It's also where you should focus. Try to make it eye-appealing. You want the players to fight in a cool place, not just a box made of one type of block.
This area should also have a moderately big space. It has to be big enough to pack a bunch of players, and small enough to make fights more exciting. What you should consider while building this area is the possibility to connect more rooms easily (hence the missing wall).
The secondary fighting grounds are as important as the primary one, these are where the players will move to when their fight on the primary one is over. They follow the same "rules" as the primary one, though they don't need to be as big, as the number of players will be reduced at the first fight.
With both built you shall focus on the way they will be connected. It's recommended that all the areas have two (or more) entrances, not only to allow flanking, but to give the player the feeling that, as long as he's alive, he isn't safe.
3.2) Free for all (FFA)
Free for all, deathmatch, whatever you want to call it. This mode was recently added to the server and it doesn't have a big map rotation. It's a good game mode to choose if symmetry isn't really your thing because FFA maps don't need to be symmetric. This part of the guide will give information* about non-symmetric maps.
FFA maps will have about five unique rooms, these being landscape or a structure. Your choice. Each of these rooms will have about three exits. Essentially, there's only two things to worry about while making a FFA map: the size of the rooms and it's connections. FFA maps have random spawns, no need to worry about them.
Though there will be more enemies, the rooms don't need to be as big as team deathmatch ones, as the players will be scaterred all over the map. The rooms should be made to support about six players. As for the connections, keep in mind that a few players will fight on these as well, make them big enough for three players.
3.3) Capture the flag (CTF)
CTF is one of the modes where killing is important, but not the main objective. CTF maps have two elements: The team bases and the middle area, which will be called "the stronghold", controlling this middle area helps to win the round. It's recommended to make CTF maps indestructible. They may be 64*128*64.
The team bases have to be relatively big. These bases have to offer some kind of challenge to the enemy team before they can get to the flag room. To make gameplay interesting, you may make the path to get out of the enemy flag room easier than the path to get in it. This can be achieved if the flag room (which doesn't need to be a closed room) is on a high place, like a cliff. It's harder to climb a cliff than to descend it.
"The stronghold" (Not the map CTF-Strongholds) will be the area that separates the team bases. This area should be built in a way that allows both teams to use it as a forward base. It doesn't need to have a forward spawn. Make sure that the teams can access this area from a maximum of two paths. You can limit the paths to it by adding rivers, cliffs, death pits or whatever fits your current theme.
Flags need to be clear as three logs stacked up, with an accompanying 2x3 cloth flag of the teams colour.
3.4) King of the hill (KOTH)
King of the hill relies on controlling a structure for the longest time possible. These maps have defined spawn locations for each team and the capture point, which can be either in a huge building (i.e. An adminium fort), or somewhere on the landscape (i.e. On the top of a mountain). Similar to the CTF maps, they may be 64*128*64.
The only fighting ground in these maps is the area around the control point, which means that such area must have enough space for all the players. Also, it must have multiple entrances, else it will be almost impossible to the opposite team to recapture it.
The area around the control point have to be indestructible, or at least have a layer of bedrock. Else the players will break everything around it and make it unreachable.
You can request to add a feature that allows the players that control the capture point to spawn closer to it. There should also be eight modifiable blocks in a circle to indicate the capture bar near or at the capture point.
3.5) Payload
Payload maps consist of pushing a cart through a pre-built track. To push the cart, players have to stay close to it. This game mode has two variants: Classic payload and Attack/Defend payload. This mode has a longer game time than the others.
On classic payload, both teams have as objective to push their cart to a specific place. In these maps, make sure that the red and blue tracks come close to one another at one point, to add the element of risk. It’s recommended to add at least one alternative path to the map, to allow players to attack their enemies from behind.
.