--Since map-editors were around players have custimized the feel of multi and single-player gaming.Not everybody has the patience, or the skills to jump forward and create a detailed map, thats unique and really fun to play.Numerous campaigns/scenarios have been created, and lost attention because they werent outstanding. Well Im here to give you some tips on how to create that "outstanding" scenario/campaign.

First of all, plan your scenario/campaign

I dont know about you, but I cant dive into the editor and work magic, simply because I dont know what to base my creation on, and where the story leads to in a campaign.It has been proven that pre-planning can have positive results, a very effective way to making sure your designs stick out from the rest.
Here are some tips on how to plan your maps:

• Write your ideas on a piece of paper, list causes and effects for ideal triggers and build an interesting story line (campaign)
  
• Brainstorm on great ideas that would make a unique multiplayer map
  
• Create lists of the events that will occour in your scenario
  

Putting Your plans to Work

For some, this part is frustrating, for others its enjoyable.Whichever category you fall into, the best part of making something is finishing it.This is where you take your ideas and mold them into the form of a .scn.If you want to make something special thats sticks out from the croud, patience must be one of your virtues.The maps from the workers at Microsoft & ES have lots of work put into them, therefor the campaign is detailed and very interesting, let alone its also historical.Which brings the process of research into mind.If you are going to base your map/campaign historically, research all you can on it.

Making an Interesting Map
An interesting map sticks out.You know why? Its layout was previously and thouroghly planned.Lets face it, we love eye candy.With all of AoM's objects (i.e bushes, flowers) at your disposal this should be easily done.Each part of the map is covered with lush eye candy, and each part should be unique.In mission's try to make things unusual, do something fresh or your campaign will become one of the unnoticed ones.Dont just make it so that you build an army, conquer your opponant and the missions over, try something differant because we can just do that in single/multi-player.Make objectives tough, with obstacles placed.A good map ensures that you cannot just walk to one side through one path.Mountains/Cliffs/Rivers and Forests are great, natural obstacles.Walls, buildings are great artificial blockings.If you are making a multi-mission campaign, let the story (which is the campaigns general lure) unreviel itself in a good pace among the campaign.Strectch it out according to how many missions total your campaign is.Each end of a campaign should be great, it is what the player has been waiting for.This is where your idea brain-storming comes into place.Have a great way to finish the campaign, such as the princess that was kidnapped that you rescued is a traitor, and has let the army waiting outside your gates into your town, catching you off-gaurd is just one example.Although the end may be the most appealing thing in a campaign, dont rush into to fastly.Everything has to come onto an non-understanding player at a understandable rate.

Tips on creating a nicely detailed map

• Take your time, work on your creation for hours, even days
  
• Dont rush it, go at a slow pace and make sure things get done right
  
• After completing every map, make sure it is bug free and the triggers and cinematics play out smoothly
  

My Philosophy on A Map

Eye candy is the thing that sticks out the most, your maps should have lots of it.Underestimating a great story, and a smooth pace of missions has left numerious campaign's doomed to the allies of the net.Take your maps seriously, plan them, build them accordingly.Always de-bug your maps before their release.Inspect each and every trigger also.The interface of AoM's map editor is simple and easy to use, even for unexpierenced map creators.All said, So What are you waiting for! Get out there and impress the AoM community with a jaw-dropping scenario/campaign!