Just a couple generic tips for the design process. I've studied lots of progamming theory here at school, and a lot of the problems I am seeing directly correlate.

1) PLAN.
Always the first step, we're doing baby steps here. This the MOST important. All the great programmers spend about HALF their time off the computer.
i.e. Things get done faster since you don't have a pretty game to look at (just think how tempting that "return to main menu/sp/randomn map" looks). Also, read up, read all the editorials on editing, the stickies in the forum are great quick resources, tho to fully understand all of them refer to 5).

2) Break it into chunks.
i.e. sit and plan it, break into chunks that are doable in one sitting. Each time you get up to do laundry or something for an hour you are derailing your train of thought. (good pun, eh)

3) Modularize.
i.e. Separate disjoint sets of units to keep things straight in your mind. Keep group A here, group B there. Make all the triggers 'doing a specific thing' or 'effecting a particular aspect or group' together. I hate naming triggers, especially set techs (cause there are TONS usually). If you rigourously follow these, you should be able to get something working in a small range of auto-named triggers so you don't have them scattered about (then test it, make sure it works and come back to 3).

4) Test often often often.
i.e. Don't test after every trigger. Test after every 5 (main) triggers. If you do 20 'set techs', then a move, then a quick spin kick, test it. Don't make an entire cinematic and just expect it to automagically work. These things are like houses, you have to test integrity at each key point.

5) Play.
Play the game, play other ppls scenarios to gather ideas for yours. Remember the one who makes the money is 99% of the time not the originator of the idea, but who can implement it the best. Play it drunk, play it stoned. Anything to give you different perspectives, for this is the limiting factor in designing anything (besides money and time). Also, play with the editor, play with triggers to gain more familiarity with them and KNOW WHAT YOU CAN DO with the resources (triggers) available to you. This is the only way to fully utilize the editor.

Feel Free to add on to this, or critique.

typical order: 55555555512343455555553434 then again, i play WAY too much.

This was prompted by many ppl saying "I worked on X for X hours and it didn't work". Or, "I made X triggers (usually a LOT) and none of them work". Or "How do I do X".

Have fun, hope this helps
Joseph

**edited for cohesiveness

[This message has been edited by JosephV (edited 12-03-2002 @ 06:00 PM).]