Variety is the spice of life

When you first fire up the Aurora Toolset, and start to build your own areas there are a few things one should have in mind...


 * Just because an area is 10x10, does not mean you have to fill all 100 squares with walkable areas, water, cliffs, walls, allow you to break up the area and provide a different environment that otherwise produceable.


 * Again, just because the 10x10 area is square, doesnt mean the walkable area has to be, most things in nature are very random in appearance, so would that corridor follow a strict line. same goes for square rooms. In caves for example, you can easily get a nice view by simply creating a vertical-line room, rather than a perfect square/rextangle.


 * Variety is the spice of life, every area, for the best effect, should bring something to the module (sept houses of course, too many to produce to all be unique ). Just because you have 5 caves, doesnt mean they all gotta be dark, gloomy and wet, maybe one set of caves are actually reasonably light due to holes to the surface, whatever, spice up the colours, the looks, etc.

Try to make the areas seem to follow on from one another. If you transition to an area facing East, you should come out the other end facing East. This is more so for me, so i can tell which area links where from toolset.
 * If you only need 4x2 squares, dont leave the area at 8x8, its wasted space that does add to load times, and could easily be decreased. Check Edit, Resize Area. Be aware that it removes squares from the top and right, so you may need to rotate the area to get rid of the bottom row, etc.

Don't be afraid to add alot of placeables if it enhances the areas looks, and visual effectiveness. It doesnt add to lag, it adds to load time, and tbh, I would rather take 10 more seconds to open an area which is visually stunning, than a quick load to a drab, empty area. Be careful with the default placeables though, some of them have scripts on them. Stay away from the containers completely, as well as the 'Skeleton bones' and zombie corpse in battlefield options. As well as the gorgoyle statue. These all produce creatures or loot that we (i assume) want to keep under control. If you plan to use the crates alot, add them to pallet with them as unusable, plotted/static. That way you dont have to worry bout missing one.
 * Placeables allow you to do what is otherwise impossible to do with the tiles alone. Add them, add them now


 * Think about what creature is going to inhabit the area. If its say, those Ant creatures, chances are, its gunna be a catacomb, twists turns, areas where egg sacks can be seen (placeables). Multiple exits will probably exist. This is very different to a dwarfen cave, which would be well planned, not nessisarily square tho. Chances are they would use natural barriers such as cave walls, pits, and water to safe guard their home.


 * Sounds make the area, if it makes sound in real life, it should in game. That waterfall isnt silent, that lake still makes sound, even if its quiet. Caves are underground, occasionally rocks will fall, dont forget these sorts of sounds. Forests get more options, twigs, branches, grass movement, etc, all add to the feel of the area with the minimalist amount of effort. Also be aware that I have scripted the collection of water based on how close you are to the 'Water Pool Small' and 'Stream Soft'. So if it looks wet, be sure to add one of these sounds, unless one of the others seems more fitting, in which case i can add to the list it searches for.


 * Make areas work with its inhabitants. Elves are unlikely clear out large sections of forest to make way for their temple, or guard post, prefering more on natural settings which dont harm the forest. They are unlikely to wall off sections as it splits natures forests in two. Probably prefering a more natural blockade in the form of a large river or pit. Maybe they dont blockade things at all, an outpost doesnt have to be a walled off area, it could well be a few elves that camp there, hiding from visitors, waiting for them to get close before confrentation. As for humans however, they would rip up half the forest to slap down a city for their people. wall it up, and make use of the nearby materials.


 * All in all one could say that detail in an area is very important indeed :P


 * Post by Soulfiend
 * Headbuilder of The Untold Path.


 * Moved to it's own article by Klingon Mage 11:49, 30 Sep 2005 (PDT)