User Guide

6
BEGINNING MAP DESIGNERS
After installing World Builder and reading this Introduction, beginning map designers should read the Getting
Started (
➤ p. 7) chapter to learn the basic elements of the application. In the Laying Out a Map ( ➤ p. 30)
chapter, some fundamental concepts in designing maps are presented.
Start building a very simple multiplayer map by following the Eighteen Steps to Creating a Multiplayer Map
(
➤ p. 36). If you have questions during the process, you can refer to the Tutorial: How To ( ➤ p. 43) section,
which describes in simple steps how to build individual terrain, texture, and object features of a map.
✯ Skirmish maps are made by adding a few more things to a multiplayer map. If you design a good
multiplayer map, you can produce a good Skirmish map easily. For more information,
➤ A Few Extra Steps
for Skirmish Maps on p. 40.
When you have completed your map, be sure to test it in the game.
✯ Since you must script unit, team, and player strategies in single-player maps, they are more challenging
to create. It is recommended that you wait until you have some skill in creating multiplayer maps before
you start building single-player missions.
ADVANCED MAP DESIGNERS
World Builder is a graphical tool whose design is based on industry-standard graphics applications. If you are
familiar with common art packages, the tools of World Builder should be fairly intuitive.
As you learn, you may want to review the Command Reference (
➤ p. 14) section, which outlines every toolbar
tool and menu item in some detail.
✯ It is highly recommended that all designers become familiar with the Eighteen Steps to Creating a Multiplayer
Map (
➤ p. 36) and A Few Extra Steps for Skirmish Maps ( ➤ p. 40) materials. These sections present a
general, step-by-step approach to developing maps. When you’re ready to build the more complicated
maps for single-player games,
➤ Eighteen Steps to Creating a Multiplayer Map on p. 36.
Additionally, the Tutorial: How To (
➤ p. 43) provides simple instructions for creating rudimentary features of
maps.
✯ For definitions of terminology used in World Builder, ➤ Glossary on p. 82.