=================================================================================== Running List of Common Mistakes, By Jason Otto 12/12/2004 =================================================================================== No Radius Lights: The majority of lights in Thief 2: The Metal Age do not come with a radius setting in the gamesys. When lights are created its a common mistake to forget to add a radius to the light. With dim lights its okay, with bright lights it erradicates shadows, a light very far away will be calculated for visibility and you can not hide in what appears to be a dark shadow. A radius ideally should be added to every light in the hierarchy if a custom gamesys is being used to avoid this problem. =================================================================================== Ambient Lighting Levels: Either they are too low and the level has completely black shadows or too high and none of the shadows look dark, ambient light from about 10 to 16 looks fine. =================================================================================== Short Notes with Art: A short note doesn't need book art, leave the book art off and the player can read the note faster. This is a big issue when many notes are nearby, such as on a bulletin board. =================================================================================== Book Art Doesn't Match: Books have art that match the type of book, be sure that the book art used is the type that matches the book, parchment shouldn't be the only writing material in the world. =================================================================================== Unlabeled Scrolls: If a scroll can be carried label it so that it is easy to pick out from other scrolls in inventory. =================================================================================== Every Scroll can be Picked Up: If a scroll has no relavance to a puzzle or isn't a clue to something make it so that it can't be picked up. This saves time and reduced clutter in inventory. =================================================================================== No Environmental Schema: Always use an environmental schema file. It adds some amount of natural noise to an area. Even if its just wind. Make transitions to new schema natural so that it isn't as noticable. =================================================================================== Missing Schema: Don't forget to add an appropriate schema to things like moving gears, generators and other objects that are missing them, its strange not to hear them. =================================================================================== Overused AI: Lots of undead are not scary, lots of Hammerites are not tough. Its common to use a particular AI a lot, often less is more. Its also common to only use one AI skin, there are many skins for some AI, use variations. =================================================================================== Unlabeled Keys: Label keys, it saves time when deciding if a key should be kept of dropped when cleaning out your inventory. =================================================================================== Key Hunts: A common feature of missions is finding a key or combination to a door. This can be annoying when the entire mission is finding keys or combinations. =================================================================================== Long Lockpicks: Its not challenging to make a particular lock very difficult, its not good gameplay to make every lock in a level tough to pick. Tough to pick locks are best used in places where picking them is risky to create danger and tension. =================================================================================== Locked Door or Crate Protecting Nothing: It makes no sense to lock a door or crate and have nothing in it. Its frustrating to pick a lock to recieve an apple as your reward. =================================================================================== Maces and Hammers in Crates: It just rude to put a mace or hammer in a crate with a contains link. Now you have to quietly drop this item that you don't want. Its also illogical to put such items in a crate if there are no Mechanists or Hammerites in the mission. =================================================================================== Tiny Buttons: It is annoying to look for a tiny button that opens a door that is essential for advancement of a mission. =================================================================================== Upside Down Switches: In some countries switches are considered off with the handle up and on with it down. I prefer switches to be down when off. Many others agree, in any case be consistent, if up is off make all switches the same. =================================================================================== Lift Without Support: Never build a lift that has no clear support, the tube lift that floats through space is an example of this. Likewise don't build hidden doors that translate through space without some kind of support. =================================================================================== Backwards Ladders: The rungs on the ladder should face the player not the wall. =================================================================================== Resized Physics: When building fences don't forget to adjust the physics model dimensions if you change the dimensions of the model, otherwise the fence does not good. =================================================================================== Nonphysical Barrels Barrels have a buggy physics model, always leave them above the ground so that they drop down, otherwise you will be able to walk through them. =================================================================================== Frobbable Tray: The trays that food are served on should be frob inert if food is on them, otherwise its possible to grab the tray and leave behind food. =================================================================================== Deathstage 12: If arrows are not being destroyed when used then they have the deathstage 12 property. This needs to be removed or the arrow will become indestructible. =================================================================================== Floating Objects: Sometimes an object isn't aligned properly with a wall, ceiling or floor, sometimes its not noticable, others it is. =================================================================================== Water Levels Don't Match: In a sewer or river system it is impossible for stagnant water to have two surface levels, water will flow to make all surfaces the same height. In a sewer different shafts leading down can not have different surface levels. =================================================================================== Amatuer Texturing: Misaligned textures, visible jorge (blue in game), inappopriate use of textures. Incorrect rotation or scaling. Repetitive textures. =================================================================================== Useless Sewers: Sewers serve a purpose, if a sewer is present it should be as well built as the rest of the mission, not just some flooded cylinders made of stone. =================================================================================== Visible World Edge: The world edge should be hidden from the player, seeing the edge of reality destroys the illusion that they level is part of a real world. =================================================================================== Missing Roombrushes: Never forget to roombrush, keep brushes relative centers out of other brushes. It breaks immersion entering a room without sound. =================================================================================== Poorly Drawn Maps: A poorly drawn map can be less helpful than no map at all. =================================================================================== Texture Index 0 Bugs: The first color on a 256 color palette for both .gif and .pcx files should not be used in the rest of the texture. This palette index is considered see through by the dark engine. Make sure that this color is bright pink and its easy to replace it. =================================================================================== Empty Equipment Store: If you can't buy anything don't use the equipment loadout option, an empty store is annoying. =================================================================================== Unaffordable Items in a Store: If using a loadout store don't put an items in that they player can't afford. If the player starts with 1000 don't put an 1800 value item in the store. =================================================================================== Goals Don't Work: Either the goals aren't set up correctly or the goal descriptions aren't set up correctly but the goals aren't working. Another common mistake is goals that don't check off when done and a return to start goal that wasn't set to final, so is checked when the mission starts. =================================================================================== City Missions: Just because you can build a city doesn't mean you should. Many think that the ultimate Thief mission is one with a large city where everything can be accessed. The best missions have guided plots. City missions only work when there are clear goals moving the player along, go to point A, then go to point B, then point C. Along the way the ability to access many buildings adds to the gameplay, but it shouldn't become the focus. =================================================================================== Find Your Missing Gear: There has to be a reason that some of your gear is missing. It doesn't make sense to break into a place and then find gear. Perhaps an item was lost at the start, or you are recovering a weapon, but you shouldn't find your gear neatly placed under a stairwell. ===================================================================================