User Guide

A FEW EXTRA STEPS FOR

SKIRMISH MAPS

A good multiplayer map makes a good Skirmish map as well, because a Skirmish map is, in fact, a

multiplayer map that is playable by only one player. All other players are controlled by the CPU. The design

of a Skirmish map is identical to the method described to build multiplayer maps, with a few extra steps.

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For more information on creating multiplayer maps,

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Eighteen Steps to Creating Multiplayer Maps on p. 36.

1. Before you begin building your map, read all of these instructions so that you can plan ahead to convert

your multiplayer map to a Skirmish map.

2. Complete Multiplayer Steps 1 – 17. Build a multiplayer map to completion, including playtesting.

3. Save your completed multiplayer map under a different name. You should work on a separate file for

your Skirmish map.

4. Set up trigger areas for each base. For a Skirmish map, the AI opponents must have some information

embedded into the map so that they can figure out what to defend, what to fight for, and how to attack

the human player. The following steps provide the means for the AI to do so. Each base area needs two

trigger areas defined for the AI, and another trigger area is shared by all CPU-controlled opponents.

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To create a trigger area, click the Polygon tool in the toolbar. Left-click the first location for defining the

trigger area. Left-click at the turn points on the perimeter of the trigger area, and then left-click on the

first location to finish creating it.

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To assign a name to the created trigger area, type the name in Area Name textbox of the Area Trigger

Options window.

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Outer Perimeter. The outer perimeter of a CPU-controlled base is the first stage of alert. When an

enemy unit breaches the outer perimeter trigger area of an AI-controlled base, the available units of the

AI player address the threat. In defining the outer perimeter for a base, you want to make it neither too

big nor too small. When it’s too large, the AI reacts too soon, attacks small scouting parties needlessly,

and exposes himself to counterattacks from other directions. If it’s too small, the AI reacts too late to

prevent damage to the base structures. The name of the outer perimeter for start location #X must be,

“OuterPerimeterX” where X is the number of the start location.

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Inner Perimeter. When the inner perimeter of a CPU-controlled base is breached, the AI drops everything

to address the threat. Consequently, the inner perimeter should not be much larger than the base area

itself, as units and defensive structures already created by the AI can address less-than-immediate

threats. However, if a tactical advantage such as a choke point is some distance from the base, it may

make more sense to define the inner perimeter to include that point. The name of the inner perimeter for

start location #X must be, “InnerPerimeterX” where X is the number of the start location.

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Combat Zone. Each map must have one and only one combat zone trigger area. The combat zone

encompasses everything that is not part of the base areas or their perimeters. While incursions into the

combat zone do not prompt automatic responses from AI opponents, they do signal to the AI that the

stakes of the game have been elevated. Define the trigger area polygon for the combat zone to be

everything that is not part of a base area. The name of the combat zone polygon must be,

“CombatZone”.