日本語原文はこちら：https://skipmore.fanbox.cc/posts/2282837
Translation: "Summarized what I thought about side view maps Part 2"
TRANSIRUBY #4
Start and Goal
This is not limited to exploration-type games, a start and goal factor must be determined when creating a map. The start is literally the point on the map, the goal is the end point on the map or the so-called boss room or the gate to the next area. Since TRANSIRUBY has about 200 screens of the map seamlessly connected, it was obvious that if this layout fails, the level design won't be able to follow through. By the way, this layout in FAIRUNE ORIGIN (originally a Flash version of FAIRUNE) failed even though it only had 12 screens. For those who are interested, the remake version is included in the FAIRUNE COLLECTION compilation, so if you can play it, you can see the path that was taken : "failure → improvement → overdoing". Based on those past experiences to an extent, this is why I decided to aim for alignment with the composition in TRANSIRUBY.
Map construction
In the case of side view games, many players move to the right. Hence, the safest starting point is on the left (1). Next is the base of the starting point. Its style is to return to the starting point every time you somehow clear an event, in many situations it's convenient to place the starting point & base (something like the protagonist's house or town) near the center of the map (2). This type of map is mainly divided into North, South, East, and West, so it feels more like a stage clear type than an exploration-type. In the case of TRANSIRUBY, I wanted to make a "search + move ahead map", so I placed the starting point in the upper left and made the surrounding area a tutorial stage. The tutorial stage is a type of map where you steadily move ahead, then you arrive at the base. After arriving at a base, continuing to explore around that base then aiming for the next base is this style (3).
Translation: ① Start at the left layout ② Start ＆ center base layout ③ TRANSIRUBY's layout スタート Start ゴール Goal ボス Boss イベント Event 拠点 Base
▲Varied from the actual map construction
As a matter of fact, the entire map in TRANSIRUBY is a square so it's difficult to make a map that goes to the right. Since the ratio of the game screens is 16:9, if you divide the map by the number of screens, it will roughly be 10 x 20 screens, 10 screens only in the horizontal direction, which is about (World) 1-1 of FAMICOM's SUPER MARIO. Now I wonder if it would have been sufficient to have 20 screens (20 x 10) on the side of the square, but there are also features created by making it square, so I can't say whether it's good or bad, such as a feeling.（By the way, the whole map of TRANSIRUBY is not 200 screens、its 200 screens × 4 Areas + α ！）
Be lost, or not be lost
One of the dilemmas of making an exploration-type game is to "be lost, or not be lost". In reference to my works, I made a choice in FAIRUNE to "be lost", in KAMIKO it was "not be lost"....Looking back at it now, "FAIRUNE was tiresome, KAMIKO was insufficient" are my honest impressions as someone who made them. When I was making them I thought "This is fun !", but everytime after their releases I reflect. That's why TRANSIRUBY has multifunctional radar in preparation !
▲Radar specifications are in development
All the items and gate locations are displayed on the radar. However, the terrain is not displayed, so please explore for the routes there….there's a way. I'm currently considering how useful this radar will be, maybe as a creator I think it could be convenient to an extent and (at the same time) be moderately inconvenient so I have to find the right feeling, I'll do my best to adjust it! Well, the reason why the terrain isn't displayed...its mainly a resolution issue. I'll continue to talk much more about maps !
《To be continued》