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Campaign & Scenario
Reviewing Tutorial

  
Random Map Script Reviewing
Tutorial
by Cherub Thurdl01

This document originated in the Age of Kings Heaven forums, and it is a marvel it got this far. This is designed to be a recomendation of how to review Random Map Scripts.

Thanks go out to Matei and Angel Spineman, who were voices of reason in the creation of this document. If not for their additions, this might have just stopped at the forum with a post that slowly sank to the bottom. Also, it bears noting that this recommendation is meant for use by all, and was created for the simple reason to make reviews of Random Map Scripts more common.

Up until now, Random Map Script reviews lacked any formal structure and the few reviews that existed were completely free form with a single overall scoring category.  This lack of structure was causing reviewers to not know what to focus on when reviewing and as a result, the reviews and ratings were not as helpful for the authors as they could have been.  The remainder of this document will present the new reviewing system which has three categories.  It took us awhile to arrive at these categories but we settled on them since they are easy for anyone to understand and they cover all the important aspects of a quality random map script.  The three categories are Theme, Playability and Visual Appeal.  Each category will be covered in detail but before we get started with the categories, it's important to note that although the file type is different and the categories are new, the basic concepts laid out in the Campaign & Scenario Reviewing Tutorial still hold true here.  Please be sure to read that tutorial first as we will not repeat advice given there, but focus only on the new aspects of Random Map Script reviewing categories.

From this point on, the phrase "ES Script" will refer to the prepackaged scripts that come with Age of Kings, and the Conquerors expansion pack, and not the additions ES@ scripts that have been made available.

Theme

The purpose of the Theme category is to judge the amount of work, creativity, and care that went into the creation of a script. Many script authors will provide some statement of Theme in their Blacksmith description, but other scripts require examining the title of the script to judge the intended Theme. This category also covers the execution of the Theme, as the nobelest of ideas can be killed by sloppy scripting.  Bascially, what we are looking for here is whether or not the author came up with a new and fresh idea and was able to execute the idea successfully.   Rehashing old ideas or using a boring concept results in bland random maps and poor ratings.  However, new ideas that are fleshed out with a short story or desciption of the intended random map environment can score very highly if executed properly.

Here are some key questions to ask when considering Theme:

--Is there any unifying theme that underlies the script?  What is that theme?
--Is there a compelling story or description that gives more depth to the theme?
--Is the idea original or is this something we've seen before?
--Does the scripter make the idea work?  Can you look at the maps resulting from the script and feel the theme?
--Is there enough variety and randomness to make the script unpredictable without jepordizing the theme?

Score Breakdown:

These are not hard and fast rules, but do provide some guidelines as to how to arrive at a score.  Scores are always a bit subjective and the situation may not fit the descriptions presented so just use your best judgement.

1 - Very Poor:  No underlying theme, or no feel of any underlying theme. This can include inconsistancies in terrain without adequate explination or reason. This can also express a feeling by the reviewer that no creativity has been put into this RMS. The idea is not only unoriginal, but poorly executed.

2 - Poor:  There might be a theme, but it is poorly executed. This design shows little creativity, and might just be the result of taking a generically generated file from an RMS scripter and slapping a name on it with no other alterations. Little or no evidence of play testing.

3 - Average:  More or less a rehashing of an ES script's theme and idea without presenting any original idea. At least this should be executed with some skill, even if there was little original thought in the idea. This might also express a good theme that is too over-scripted for it's own good, especially a theme that has been killed by over-use of randomization.

4 - Good:  Either a marked improvement to an ES script that requires some thought, or a new theme that is well thought out. The terrain matches any proffered explanation to the nature of the script, and presents an intriguing layout for a game. There may be some randomization of terrain or units within the bounds of the theme.

5 - Excellent: A completely new idea that is not only well thought out, but perfectly executed. This represents an outstanding effort and lots of playtesting.

Playability and Visual Appeal