Hello developers,
For the past month or so I have been building up “Speedrun World,” a modern take on the classic game Speedrun 4. I’ve done a lot over the past month and now the map is starting to feel… lacking. The platforms are spaced out too little or too far, some of the elements are inconsistent, and it doesn’t fit well anymore with the direction the game is going. So today, I’ll be posting my process for redesigning the map.
I will only be doing ONE level in this post, because… you’ll see how long they take.
Please note that I am NOT a builder and have no building / modeling skill. If any builders out there know a more efficient way to create maps, please feel free to let me know.
1. Empty Baseplate
Everyone has to start out with an empty baseplate.
Estimated Build Time: 0 Minutes
2. Insert Assets
I am not a builder, so I use Roblox's "Synty Nature Pack" and some free mesh terrain to make the map. It does take some time though, as I have to go through and pick out what to use and what to delete.
Estimated Build Time: 5 Minutes
3. Creating the Background
I'm not going for a realistic style here (not a cartoony one either, mind you), so I made the background out of some basic parts. The map is meant to be a gorge, so it has high walls on two sides and a valley in the middle.
Estimated Build Time: 5 Minutes
4. Basic Layout
This is where it gets hacky. I use a free plugin called "Brushtool." For those who aren't familiar, it allows you to "paint" assets into the world. It's useful for things like forests. For the maps, I crank the spacing up to the maximum, add in my mesh terrain, and paint it. The plugin allows me to set a "wobble" or tilt, spacing, orientation, etc. This allows me to get MUCH more random results than if I were doing it by hand. I typically set the wobble to a maximum of 10°. I also turn off the random orientation, as I can manually set that later. The result is this:
Estimated Build Time: 5 Minutes
5. Level Refinement
This is the most tedious and time-consuming part. You may notice that, just using Brushtool, all of the parts are flat. Some jumps are also impossible, the orientation is all the same, and generally there are a lot of issues. This is where what I call "refinement" comes in. Basically, move and resize EACH mesh INDIVIDUALLY, orient them all correctly, and then play test. Make note of what jumps are too small, too large, or impossible. Re-adjust. Play test. Repeat around 10-20 times until you like it. That is why this is the most tedious part.
Estimated Build Time: 30-45 Minutes
6. Environment
This is a nice break from the last part. Just going through with, again, Brushtool (as a non-builder, this plugin is my saving grace) and adding trees, bushes, rocks, etc. This is the final result:
Estimated Build Time: 5-10 Minutes
Total Build Time: ~ 60 Minutes per Level
Conclusion
As you can see, with my current workflow, one level takes about an hour to complete, all things considered. Keep in mind, this is one level out of the around 6 I want to make for this world alone. You can see why updates take so long... Again, if any of you are builders, please share your tips with me. I'm open to criticism and suggestions. This update will probably release this weekend or the next, depending on school.If you want to play or support the game, check the links to the game and my development group!
You can also check out the Alpha Release thread here:
If this gets enough support, I’m considering making devlogs on the game. Would that be something you’re interested in?
- Yes, make devlogs of this game!
- No, I wouldn’t be interested in that.
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