Guide to Making Scenarios II

Guide to Making Wolfenstein 3D Scenarios

This guide assumes you own the full version of both Wolfenstein 3D and WolfEdit 2.0.3. Also, this guide assumes you have reasonably good knowledge of how WolfEdit 2.0 works. If you don't have them, you can get both from me at copperfield@worldnet.att.net.

Introduction
This guide is desgined to give you pointers on how to create Wolfenstein levels so they are of the highest quality. I've created fine scenarios such as Temple of Doom and Castle Wolfenstein, so I know what I'm doing. Also, since Wolfenstein is so flexible, and you can make levels of just about any kind, this guide tries to be as general as possible. Anything you read here can be applied to most scenarios you create.

Getting Ideas
1. Look at other fine scenarios, such as Castle Wolfenstein and The Haunted Castle. They serve as role models and examples of what good Wolfenstein scenarios are like.
2. Decide what kind of scenario it is going to be. Brainstorm a plot. This determines what the scenario will be like. For example, in Castle Wolfenstein, you are to defeat a heavily guarded Hitler. Things start out rather easy and get harder as you go along.
3. Decide how long the scenario is going to be. 5-10 levels is the average, but some people create long scenarios.
4. Devote much time and effort to creating levels. It takes time to make good levels.

Level Design
1. Put in a reasonable amount of enemies. For the first level, I start with about 70 enemies. I build my way up each level until I reach the max, 127.
2. Put in many, many objects. It makes the scenario look much more realistic.
3. Set reasonable Par times.
4. Vary the background music. (Title, Grunge, Doom, and so on)
5. Use a variety of walls.
6. Most of the time, you'll want to have the player start a level in an elevator, where they left off. This makes it more realistic.
7. Use objects to bar the player from getting to a certain destination, forcing him to find another way out.
8. Long levels are fun. Short levels are dull.
9. Put in a REASONABLE amount of ammo and first aid. REASONABLE. Not too many.

Enemies
1. Don't put in too many enemies. Look at "Level Status" under the Edit menu regularly to keep track on how many enemies you have.
2. There are basically four categories of enemies: Soldiers, which are easy to kill, Bosses, which require a flame thrower or a missle to kill, Hitler, who should only be used at the end of a scenario, and, my favorite, Ghosts, which you can not kill. The majority of your enemies should be Soldiers.
3. Exactly how many enemies you put in is completely up to you.

Bosses
1. I love using bosses. They're hard to kill. However, in boss levels, give the player enough ammo and enough space (even if it's barely enough) to fight. I love using MANY bosses.
2. How many bosses you use depends on how hard you want the scenario to be. 

Custom Graphics
1. I find it rather difficult to create custom graphics. Instead, I just steal some from other scenarios. Everybody who created scenarios with custom graphics has moved on to other things. They won't care. Just don't say YOU created the custom graphics.
2. If you can make Wolfenstein graphics, go for it! You'll have to use a special template which is explained in the Readme included with WolfEdit 2.0.3.
3. Custom graphics should be intricate and realistic. Cartoonish graphics just don't look good in Wolfenstein.

Dirty Tricks
1. Make the player have find a secret door in order to complete the level. Better yet, MANY secret doors.
2. Force the player to choose between many doors. One way it could work is that all but one door (the door leading to the next section of the level) conceal ghosts.
3. Be creative in your tricks and traps. Don't put in so many traps that it renders the level unplayable.
4. Use ghosts with your tricks. You can't kill them, but they can kill YOU!
5. Put in false exits. That always frustrates the player.

Testing Your Level
1. I usually make one or two levels and then test them. Then I make one or two more levels and test them. I do this over and over until I'm finished with the scenario.

Naming Your Scenario
1. I name my scenarios just about anything. It doesn't really matter what you name your scenario. It just can't be pornographic. I use names like "Garbanzo Beans" and "Pants." Try using the name "George Clooney Eats a Carrot." Be creative!
2. Don't name a scenario the same name as an existing scenario. It'll create confusion.

Distributing Your Scenario
My primary source for distributing scenarios is Info-Mac. Here's what you do to post your files in the Info-Mac archives:
1. Put the scenario in its own folder. Create a readme for it if you want to.
2. Stuff and BinHex the file with Stuffit. (providing you have Stuffit Deluxe or DropStuff)
3. E-mail your file to macgifts@info-mac.org with:
  (a) The name of the scenario in the subject line.
  (b) At the top of the body, the text "Please place in game/com/wolf" to make sure it ends up           
       in the Wolfenstein directory.
  (c) Under that, a brief description of the scenario.
4. It will be about 2 weeks before your file surfaces in the Info-Mac archives.
5. You can also send your scenario to me at copperfield@worldnet.att.net, where it will be included with one of my packages of Wolfenstein scenarios I send out to Info-Mac every now and then.

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For any questions regarding this guide, e-mail me at copperfield@worldnet.att.net
Updated 12/20/98