semi-article: Attach your document
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Shock Trooper
Member # 3683
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written Wednesday, May 12 2004 05:17
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However size and level of your scenario, it is always a good idea to have a readme file with the followings: 1. 'how to' - Simple instructions of playing the game sometimes means a whole lot to a new player. Most designers are already such experienced players that they forget about being a greenhorn in this area. 2. If you include a prefabricated party, there is a chance that it might not work for some players. Please put the data of that party in the text file; it could help adding more players to your scenario. 3. Some people like reading walkthrough or hint. If there is some importance data that could influence finishing of the game, it won't hurt to write it down. 4. Have multiple (workable) email addresses. 5 or 7 years from now, someone will still download your game and play it. So, if you are a last-year college student, don't just give your school's email address. Post another one that you will be sure to check regularly - that is if you wish to read feedback from your players. ** This is probably more of a comment than a real article. Posts: 266 | Registered: Wednesday, November 12 2003 08:00 |
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Warrior
Member # 4186
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written Wednesday, May 12 2004 08:41
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1 - About the "How to" I agree, even for the fully basic advices. Your scenario could be the first one a newbie try to play and that doesn't cost anything to copy/paste the standard instructions in your readme. 2 - About the pre made party, I don't understand what "put the data of that party in the text file" means. You means that this should be clearly mentioned in the readme file? If you mean that I agree otherwise if it means some resources manipulation, I can't agree. 3 - About walkthrough/hints I agree, it's better than nothing but I'd prefer a well organized set of html file that will be easier to provide hints without too high risks of spoiling. 4 - About the emails, I don't remember to have seen that. I agree with the problem but I'm not sure how good is the solution. Still about readme files: - It doesn't hurt to put some subtle publicity in it. Provide a list of special features, provide a short but appealing abstract of the subject and a short introduction of the story, at the opposite avoid very long story background description put in the readme or put it at the extreme end of the text file and be clear to mention that it's not required to read this. - Avoid being too obviously pompous and pretentious. - Never wrote that your scenario is bad or has bad points. Players will see that themselves and otherwise you could spoil them their pleasure about flaws they could have not notice. - Put a long list of testers, if necessary create new names, that will always produce a good feeling and will help the players enjoy more your scenario. - Put a list of the known bug you didn't succeed to solve. Be sober, no need to accuse the editor or the game engine. - Put a list of you other scenario already made. A last point, don't expect the player will read any line of your readme file. Posts: 175 | Registered: Friday, April 2 2004 08:00 |
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Shaper
Member # 32
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written Wednesday, May 12 2004 09:11
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I'm not sure a "How to Play" section is really necessary. Reading the BoA docs(not the editor) should key a player in. Having it in every scenario's documentation would get repetitive and waste space. -------------------- Lt. Sullust Cogito Ergo Sum Polaris Posts: 2462 | Registered: Wednesday, October 3 2001 07:00 |
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Shock Trooper
Member # 3683
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written Wednesday, May 12 2004 09:26
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I don't know about boa, but I don't recall seeing any instruction on how to play other custom scenario. Speaking from a newbie's point of view, I open the zip file and see many files - one I can guess that it is the scenario file, and one has .bmp. But how about .meg? Certainly, for those who are not familiar with mac/pc different graphic file would have no clue what to do with them. I think it should be assumed that a game player dl the game to play, not to make a guess which file goes where. #2. Yes, I mean the stat of the party incase the actual file erupts. #4. It might not be a good solution, but still designers should try to be a bit more farsight. Nothing is more frustrating than playing some games, get stuck, and have nowhere to turn to and unable to contact the designer. Posts: 266 | Registered: Wednesday, November 12 2003 08:00 |
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Shock Trooper
Member # 3683
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written Wednesday, May 12 2004 09:28
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I don't know about boa, but I don't recall seeing any instruction on how to play other custom scenario. Speaking from a newbie's point of view, I open the zip file and see many files - one I can guess that it is the scenario file, and one has .bmp. But how about .meg? Certainly, for those who are not familiar with mac/pc different graphic file would have no clue what to do with them. (at least I don't) I think it should be assumed that a game player dl the game to play, not to make a guess which file goes where. #2. Yes, I mean the stat of the party incase the actual file erupts. #4. It might not be a good solution, but still designers should try to be a bit more farsight. Nothing is more frustrating than playing some games, get stuck, and have nowhere to turn to and unable to contact the designer. Posts: 266 | Registered: Wednesday, November 12 2003 08:00 |
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Off With Their Heads
Member # 4045
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written Wednesday, May 12 2004 09:37
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quote:What on Earth are you trying to say? Lie about your beta-testers? That's completely unnecessary and useless. quote:I would think you should just solve them. Jeff did something like this with the BoE engine, and some people hate him for it now. Only leave in bugs if they are inherent to the Blades engine and you can't do anything about them. quote:Not really. The tutorial will be the first scen that a newbie will try to play. I don't think there's been a documented instance of a newbie to a Blades system (either oE or oA) playing anything but VoDT next, especially since it is free as part of the demo. Don't copy and paste the standard instructions. That's pointless. The players can read the docs and play the tutorial. But if there are special tactics necessary for combat or special instructions of any kind for the scenario (Of Good and Evil has some, for example), then you should mention them. I think this is what Dragongirl was saying, so I'm just clarifying. I suppose it goes without saying that Read Mes should include acknowledgements and (if applicable) a link to the designer's web site. Alcritas's Read Mes are a pretty good model for any new designer. TM's scenarios sometimes require intensive, um, prep work -- see Corporeus -- and his Read Mes are pretty good about explaining what needs to be done, too, relating to Dragongirl's last post. [ Wednesday, May 12, 2004 09:38: Message edited by: Pronounced Kel-LAN-don ] -------------------- Arancaytar: Every time you ask people to compare TM and Kel, you endanger the poor, fluffy kittens. Smoo: Get ready to face the walls! Ephesos: In conclusion, yarr. Kelandon's Pink and Pretty Page!!: the authorized location for all things by me The Archive of all released BoE scenarios ever Posts: 7968 | Registered: Saturday, February 28 2004 08:00 |
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Warrior
Member # 4186
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written Wednesday, May 12 2004 12:32
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quote::D quote:I quote myself : "You didn't succeed to solve." Otherwise, I don't think you need worry, you aren't Jeff and you don't ask a fee for your scenario. quote:If your scenario produce a bug then you are wrong and it's useless to accuse the engine. It's up to you to avoid bugs of the engine. quote:No this "How To" was about installation of the addon. Ha well it's how I understood it and second post of dragongirl confirms that. Posts: 175 | Registered: Friday, April 2 2004 08:00 |
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BoE Posse
Member # 112
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written Wednesday, May 12 2004 16:14
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Credit your graphical artists. Add names of beta-testers? Vent, I thought your English was bad, but it now seems that you're just on something. :P Kel, sometimes you just can't solve a bug, or it's not worth the effort (e.g. you need to rebuild a whole town to fix a graphical glitch). Download a bunch of BoE scenarios (doesn't matter if you have BoE or not, you can still read the text files), and see which readmes you like and which ones you don't. Make yours similar to the ones you like. -------------------- Rate my scenarios! Areni Revenge To Live in Fear Deadly Goblins Ugantan Nightmare Isle of Boredom Posts: 1423 | Registered: Sunday, October 7 2001 07:00 |
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Triad Mage
Member # 7
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written Thursday, May 13 2004 01:40
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Including the data of a prefab party - This means writing out the character's stats so the player can recreate the character if the save file is corrupted. -------------------- "At times discretion should be thrown aside, and with the foolish we should play the fool." - Menander ==== Drakefyre's Demesne - Happy Happy Joy Joy Encyclopedia Ermariana - Trapped in the Closet ==== You can take my Mac when you pry my cold, dead fingers off the mouse! Posts: 9436 | Registered: Wednesday, September 19 2001 07:00 |
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Warrior
Member # 4186
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written Saturday, May 15 2004 14:57
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quote:I am playing BoE scenario, still few but for the few, none of them had a rock solid readme, including no thanks to beta testers (but inside the game itself which isn't a so good thing appart at the end), hints or walkthrough not included and many more weak readme design. I need to see more example but I don't think it was in the BoE culture and traditions to do standard and complete readme files. [ Saturday, May 15, 2004 14:58: Message edited by: Vent ] Posts: 175 | Registered: Friday, April 2 2004 08:00 |
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Off With Their Heads
Member # 4045
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written Saturday, May 15 2004 16:01
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Do you have the same complaints about the big-name designers? If I were making a readme, I would copy Alcritas's format, or TM's from his later scenarios, or Brett Bixler's, or if I had a big scenario, Stareye's. At the Gallows in particular has a good readme. Old scenarios or scenarios by lesser-known designers don't necessarily have good readmes, though. In the early days, I think it was more standard to have the intro text to the game say everything that needed to be said. -------------------- Arancaytar: Every time you ask people to compare TM and Kel, you endanger the poor, fluffy kittens. Smoo: Get ready to face the walls! Ephesos: In conclusion, yarr. Kelandon's Pink and Pretty Page!!: the authorized location for all things by me The Archive of all released BoE scenarios ever Posts: 7968 | Registered: Saturday, February 28 2004 08:00 |
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BoE Posse
Member # 112
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written Saturday, May 15 2004 18:54
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Readmes, like everything, vary in quality. Brett's are usually very good. Nice to see you're playing BoE! -------------------- Rate my scenarios! Areni Revenge To Live in Fear Deadly Goblins Ugantan Nightmare Isle of Boredom Posts: 1423 | Registered: Sunday, October 7 2001 07:00 |
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Triad Mage
Member # 7
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written Sunday, May 16 2004 01:52
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Hints and walkthroughs shouldn't be a part of the readme. They should be a separate file if they exist at all. -------------------- "At times discretion should be thrown aside, and with the foolish we should play the fool." - Menander ==== Drakefyre's Demesne - Happy Happy Joy Joy Encyclopedia Ermariana - Trapped in the Closet ==== You can take my Mac when you pry my cold, dead fingers off the mouse! Posts: 9436 | Registered: Wednesday, September 19 2001 07:00 |
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Warrior
Member # 4186
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written Monday, May 17 2004 22:14
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Ok guys, I agree I haven't saw yet enough BoE examples of readme to have a general judgment. :D Drakefyre, I agree, the hints or walkthrough is much better in a separate file(s) but as a part of a package and not through an url that could have disapeared or an email to contact that could not exist. So yes technically it must be in a separate faile but it should be like an annexe of the readme. About that, when a package include more than one file, it's good to provide a list of the files in the package with a short description for each file. Posts: 175 | Registered: Friday, April 2 2004 08:00 |