MagnaGuard
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Creating a decent Hero
Chapters
I. Introduction
II. Hero Creation Simulation
III. Abilities
IV. Synergy
V. Balancing
VI. Final Note
I. Introduction
It almost every map, it's important to have a hero or some kind of main character. Not everyone can design the heroes so that their properly skilled or balanced with the rest of the game. With the help of this guide, you should be able to make more fun and unique heroes to add to your maps.
II. Hero Creation Simulation
When starting to make your hero, you obviously need the model which is probably the most important tool in making a good hero. Once you picked out a fun model for whatever you want, look at the model intently, and notice what makes the model unique.
Look at these screen shots below. Notice what makes them unique.
Lets start with the Blademaster. First notice his sword, a nice 2hander if you ask me. Maybe we should give him a nice bonus to attacks or some special attack. Also, he has green skin like all other orcs, and orcs are usually all very tough and not afraid to get dirty. We should use that to our advantage. Let's see, he has a banner behind him, perhaps to support his troops? or for moral? His face gives us the impression he is an experienced war hero and has fought many battles, we could use that as well.
There is also the Keeper of the Grove. He has four legs!? He should definitely have some mega stop or charge skill. He has antlers as well, with a bit of research, we now know that fully grown antlers show age which in fantasy land means intelligence and wisdom. Obviously he seems like a nature guy who probably loves the outdoors. Thus, he most likely has some special connections with it that he can use it in battle.
Each model has unique physical features that can give us help in developing skills for said hero. This will make the heroes easier to make and more unique with a variety of different skills.
III. Abilities
The abilities basically define the hero. Using the unique features we discovered while examining the hero, we make abilities based around it. Lets use the Blademaster, we noticed his nice weapon. We could make a skill that is basically cleaving attack that each have a chance to crit. We cant stop there though, people like heroes that are the most fun to play. That being said, we should add a special effect when he cleaves. One of the possibilities is adding the phoenix fire as an attachment to make a nice red arc when he swings. Don't forget to add some nice big, red crit marks when he crit's!
One of the most important things to keep in mind while making an ability is what animation this will fit with. It's important to make the abilities based on the model but you need a balance between. No one will want to use a hero such as Keeper of the Grove while he throws a hammer using his spell animation. The ability should seem smooth so a spell the Keeper of the Grove casts with his animation could be something like a spell that launches thorns or shoots out a vine to rap up an enemy.
IV. Synergy
To make your game more fun, you need synergy between heroes. Would anyone like a game with all melee brutes? No, that would make the fight completely boring and one sided. If we add some casters in, it already makes the game a bit more interesting because now you have to worry about big nukes coming your way. To make the game with the best potential, you generally need:
Melee
Casters
Healers
Ranged
Each of those "classes" add something different to the game. Without synergy though, those classes are pointless. If two friends are playing, their going to want to pick classes that work well together, making a powerful combo.
When making a map, make the heroes flow nicely together. One example is to make a melee that has lots of lockdown abilities, while having a ranger at a safe distance sniping the enemy. Thus, the game is already fun for the two people because they feel a sense of overpowerness which makes people want to play the game. They want to feel powerful.
There is another thing to consider that isn't just for the team. More for the individual hero, meaning, make the hero to have abilities that flow well together. A Blademaster with an ability to blink and then one to go invisible doesn't work at all. He already has one escape ability, why not make him have an ability to gather all the enemies in a circle, then bladestorm and BAM. One dead crowd.
V. Balancing
Balancing. Thou heartless-bitch. This should be the second most challenging part in making your heroes. All the heroes should have an equal chance against each other and not one should completely dominate unless he outgears the other. There's only one thing I can emphasize here, TEST. You must press the test button every time you make a change to a hero. It may be tedious but it will make sure that your heroes are equal in strength and the more skillful player should win.
However, you don't have to if you don't want to. Make the game how you like it because thats why you wanted to become a map maker. Don't let anyone tell you your game sucks because so and so does so much more damage then the melee guy up in the front taking all the damage. There are, of course, ways to make your map successful to entertain others if that is your goal. Don't forget thought..
Have fun!
Chapters
I. Introduction
II. Hero Creation Simulation
III. Abilities
IV. Synergy
V. Balancing
VI. Final Note
I. Introduction
It almost every map, it's important to have a hero or some kind of main character. Not everyone can design the heroes so that their properly skilled or balanced with the rest of the game. With the help of this guide, you should be able to make more fun and unique heroes to add to your maps.
II. Hero Creation Simulation
When starting to make your hero, you obviously need the model which is probably the most important tool in making a good hero. Once you picked out a fun model for whatever you want, look at the model intently, and notice what makes the model unique.
Look at these screen shots below. Notice what makes them unique.
Lets start with the Blademaster. First notice his sword, a nice 2hander if you ask me. Maybe we should give him a nice bonus to attacks or some special attack. Also, he has green skin like all other orcs, and orcs are usually all very tough and not afraid to get dirty. We should use that to our advantage. Let's see, he has a banner behind him, perhaps to support his troops? or for moral? His face gives us the impression he is an experienced war hero and has fought many battles, we could use that as well.
There is also the Keeper of the Grove. He has four legs!? He should definitely have some mega stop or charge skill. He has antlers as well, with a bit of research, we now know that fully grown antlers show age which in fantasy land means intelligence and wisdom. Obviously he seems like a nature guy who probably loves the outdoors. Thus, he most likely has some special connections with it that he can use it in battle.
Each model has unique physical features that can give us help in developing skills for said hero. This will make the heroes easier to make and more unique with a variety of different skills.
III. Abilities
The abilities basically define the hero. Using the unique features we discovered while examining the hero, we make abilities based around it. Lets use the Blademaster, we noticed his nice weapon. We could make a skill that is basically cleaving attack that each have a chance to crit. We cant stop there though, people like heroes that are the most fun to play. That being said, we should add a special effect when he cleaves. One of the possibilities is adding the phoenix fire as an attachment to make a nice red arc when he swings. Don't forget to add some nice big, red crit marks when he crit's!
One of the most important things to keep in mind while making an ability is what animation this will fit with. It's important to make the abilities based on the model but you need a balance between. No one will want to use a hero such as Keeper of the Grove while he throws a hammer using his spell animation. The ability should seem smooth so a spell the Keeper of the Grove casts with his animation could be something like a spell that launches thorns or shoots out a vine to rap up an enemy.
IV. Synergy
To make your game more fun, you need synergy between heroes. Would anyone like a game with all melee brutes? No, that would make the fight completely boring and one sided. If we add some casters in, it already makes the game a bit more interesting because now you have to worry about big nukes coming your way. To make the game with the best potential, you generally need:
Melee
Casters
Healers
Ranged
Each of those "classes" add something different to the game. Without synergy though, those classes are pointless. If two friends are playing, their going to want to pick classes that work well together, making a powerful combo.
When making a map, make the heroes flow nicely together. One example is to make a melee that has lots of lockdown abilities, while having a ranger at a safe distance sniping the enemy. Thus, the game is already fun for the two people because they feel a sense of overpowerness which makes people want to play the game. They want to feel powerful.
There is another thing to consider that isn't just for the team. More for the individual hero, meaning, make the hero to have abilities that flow well together. A Blademaster with an ability to blink and then one to go invisible doesn't work at all. He already has one escape ability, why not make him have an ability to gather all the enemies in a circle, then bladestorm and BAM. One dead crowd.
V. Balancing
Balancing. Thou heartless-bitch. This should be the second most challenging part in making your heroes. All the heroes should have an equal chance against each other and not one should completely dominate unless he outgears the other. There's only one thing I can emphasize here, TEST. You must press the test button every time you make a change to a hero. It may be tedious but it will make sure that your heroes are equal in strength and the more skillful player should win.
However, you don't have to if you don't want to. Make the game how you like it because thats why you wanted to become a map maker. Don't let anyone tell you your game sucks because so and so does so much more damage then the melee guy up in the front taking all the damage. There are, of course, ways to make your map successful to entertain others if that is your goal. Don't forget thought..
Have fun!