Behind the Curtain: Mapmaker as Entertainer

by Charles Watkins

In this series, I am exploring ways for mapmakers to enhance Heroes players’ enjoyment by using some psychological factors in map design. Previously, we looked at DISCOVERY and saw the need to establish consistency in order to further the sense of expectation and surprise. We looked at SUCCESS and found a need to strike a balance between too easy and too

Behind the Curtain: Mapmaker as Entertainer

by Charles Watkins

Much has already been written about map ratings—what goes into them and what they mean. As a player I rarely enter ratings and as mapmaker I really pay them no attention. This is because map styles vary so much that there is little base for a fair comparison. And players gravitate to the kind of maps they like, so there’s never a representative sample.

Behind the Curtain: Mapmaker as Entertainer

by Charles Watkins

Part 1: Discovery

As a game begins, most of the map is shrouded in darkness and the player can only wonder what is out there to be discovered. Part of the fun is not knowing what lies in the great darkness--and later, what may be covered by the Fog of War. Success depends on finding resources,

Celestial Heavens: Hello, and thank you for agreeing to do this interview with Celestial Heavens.

David Botan: No problem.

CH: Ok, first up, what was your exact position at NWC and what did it entail?

DB: I was a Level

The Cartographer's Tower