Staying within your bounds...

Last weekend, I logged onto Battle.net and decided, as a change of pace, to check out various Custom Games.

What was first apparent was the fact that this particular neighborhood of Battle.net seemed very segregated and unfriendly. Game names such as "GO AWAY NOOBS!!!" and "D/L = PERMANENT BAN!@#!" would cause a generally fun loving player, such as myself, to keep far away from those games. Not that I consider myself a 'NOOB', as they put it, but, because someone who goes through the trouble of making a game name like that is someone who would go in and edit a map for a custom game to put themself in a win-win situation.

But I digress.... What I'm getting at is, I played a variety of RPG style maps, with varying degrees of satisfaction. During this time I noticed two things: One, that there are very few of these RPG maps out in circulation. Two, most of the current maps are too long to be very enjoyable.

I then propose, to all you map makers out there, that you go out and make some RPG maps, with this guideline: Keep it simple.

Use the in-game heroes. Use Thrall, Grom, Arthas and the others without modification. The game is balanced enough already. Don't spend time on cut-scenes, they take too much time anyway. Just focus on the map and the placement of creeps, doodads and treasures on the map.

Making these maps isn't hard, as long as you stay within your means. It is when you try to do something outrageously difficult that you'll get bogged down. So keep it simple. We just want a 30 minute, fun, RPG anyway.