Order/priority list for developing an area

[BixHD]

I've been thinking about this since I haven't been one to plan much when making projects, when you're starting to plan out a town, dungeon, etc., is there a certain order of making things that you follow?

For example:

1. Purpose/objectives of the area
2. Mapping
3. NPCs
4. Item/chest placement
5. Cutscenes/events

 

[Poryg]

Mine is
1. mapping
2. Cutscenes
3. Item/chest placement
4. NPCs
5. Finishing mapping and details

 

[Kes]

Mine always begins with the purpose and how that fits in with the story. I am likely to decide what type of enemy will be there at this stage too.

After that, it's pretty much as per the list in the OP except that I might very well switch between them a bit, just so that I don't get stale, especially if I'm having to edit/make tiles/sprites for that location.

 

[Adjorr]

Myself, i start by adding large details, walls, floors, buildings etc. Next i add theme items like rock formations, trees, rubble, whatever the scence calls for. Then i go through doing small details, little bits of rock, cracks in walls etc, bring the area to life. Then i will do lootables and other basic events, doors, beds, hidden treasures etc. Next up I'll do the scene lighting and/or weather and sound effects. Now that ive got the look down i do a walk through play test on the map to see if anything needs to be fixed. Assigning enemy troops is the next step, followed by setting up roaming or boss encounters if needed

 

[Kes]

@Adjorr That is the order for doing a map and the OP is asking about doing the order of an area. That includes more than just the physical mapping.

 

[esterk]

I plan out an area and it's purpose to figure out why the player is going to be there and how it will progress the story first. Then I start mapping, and will usually event as I go if it's a dungeon, or if it's a town I will wait until I have everything built before adding events/cutscenes, since they usually require more like NPCs, shops, etc. Then I work on items/chests, and then finally enemies/encounters if there need to be any.

Sometimes I stray from this, since I tend to jump around to different stuff when I work to ensure things don't get monotonous, but that's the general outline of how I work.

 

[bgillisp]

I usually go by the following:

1: Reason for the area. What do I want the area to do? Is it just a side area to explore, or is it for the plot? If it is for the plot, where will things happen? How will they happen?
2: Draw a rough map on paper. I focus on the main trails here for the zone. Side routes can be added in later.
3: Map the area. I add all transfer events here as well so I can test and make sure I don't have passability errors.
4: Place monsters and treasure drops.
5: Add the rest of the events. This includes plot events and such.
6: Test, test, test, test!

 

[Adjorr]

@Adjorr That is the order for doing a map and the OP is asking about doing the order of a game.

oh im sorry i thought the title of the thread was "
Order/priority list for developing an area" and the OP had asked " when you're starting to plan out a town, dungeon, etc., is there a certain order of making things that you follow?"

but hey, thanks for making me look foolish on my first ever post, totally appreciate it. I didnt know area meant game not map, and that town dungeon etc also meant game

 

[Kes]

@Adjorr As you will see, I have edited my post to make it clearer. I'm sorry that you feel put down, that was not the intention.

 

[bgillisp]

Err, I interpret area as a map, not as a game. Maybe this is a difference between US English and UK English here?

 

[Kes]

It might be, a bit, though not entirely. I was writing very quickly.
What I was implying is that an 'area' is more than just the map. It is, as it were, where the game happens. So it cannot be thought of separately from its purpose, its place in the story etc. The sort of thing the OP mentioned.

To make that clearer:
Its purpose might be to introduce a movement mechanic - "Oh look! I can jump across obstacles." That will influence how the map is designed.
Or it might be that the game is heavy on exploration, so this area is to teach the player that going off the main path is worth while; done with, at first, heavy hints (e.g. broken path) which become more subtle as the player discovers for themselves that it pays to wander around.
Or it is the place where a certain battle mechanic/skill/strategy is to the fore.
Or it could be pivotal to the story.
All of those things (plus anything else you can think of) need to be thought about before any mapping begins, imo. Otherwise it is very easy to end up with maps which are boring not because they lack eye candy, but because they feel like padding, or a bit pointless, just a way of getting from A to B.

 

[BixHD]

@Adjorr @Kes to clarify, I was using "area" to refer to a specific locale or collection of maps (towns and their buildings/a dungeon and it's floors with events).
thanks to everyone that has replied so far, I think I'll try to plan ahead a little and see what's more efficient for me.

 

[Failivrin]

It may be helpful to use your best talents first. If for example, you find mapping difficult, it should have later priority. This isn't procrastination necessarily; by working on other aspects first, you can get a better feeling for how a map should look, and then mapping will be less difficult.

I'm a writer, so after I've drafted ideas for the overall narrative, I then make lists of NPC lines, similar to those included in my resource page (shameless plug for Failivrin's Freesources). Having an idea why the area is important to the heroes and why it is importnat to ordinary citizens, I then create most of the NPC sprites. THEN I start planning actual maps, which involves making drafts on paper and carefully vetting tilesets to match the mood of the story and NPCs...