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Well, I have most of the units placed for my RPG and the shops set up etc...

But, I am not sure how to go about getting started on the engine.

I was wondering if people can tell me how they start their maps? That way, I can have a ballpark figure of how to get started. Previously I was doing the triggers town by town. But, onceI got about 25% into the map, things were just messy and didn't work. So, I am asking how do you set up your triggers?

So, BK, you're just syaing that he should start on a specific town? Just kind of move from one area to the other?

i usually start from where u begin to where u end so it all goes in order lol.

Here's how i do maps.

1) Mentally sketch what your map would be like
2) Create terrain
3) Name the units
4) Place the units
5) Do all the properties on the map
6) Make the locations
7) Make triggers
8) Complete briefing
9) Touch it up.

To me it seems like you are stuck on number 4. So do whatever properties are needed to be enabled/disabled or w/e and then start making the necessary locations for your map.

This is from Moogle. I was kind of having the same problem as you. So, well, here 'ya go.

[quote]
· · RPG ENGINE

· SHOP ENGINE
\\ Enter | Exit System
\\\ Buying | Selling System
\\\\ Talk to Owner

· LEVELING ENINE
\\ Required XP Level up
\\\ HP % Given per level
\\\\ Mana Given per level
\\\\\ Ups given per level
\\\\\\ Skills/spells given per level

· SKILLS/SPELL ENGINE
\\ Skills\Spells System; Dropship menu, gateway, burrow unit, build a scarab, lift of building, move unit to a location, charge system
\\\ Skills\Spells upgradeable spells
\\\\ Skills\Spells delays\times allocated on casting and being on field
\\\\\ Cost of Skills\Spells

· TOWN ENGINE
\\ Civilians standing still or roaming around
\\\ Do civilians talk when you touch them or dont
\\\\ When intown you get vision, when you leave you lose it or u keep vision even so not in it
\\\\\ Shop's place and have enter \ exit working
\\\\\\\ Quest for your hero too do

Hope this gives you basic idea. More too it then this but just a starting point and you can work off it and add more too it.

\\Moogle[/QUOT]

1. Name
2. Story
3. Terrain
4. Terrain touch-up (Finishing touches)
5. Forces
6. Units
7. Locations
8. Triggers
9. Major Testing
10. Sprites (If any)
11. Final Testing
12. Mission Breifings
13. Protection
14. Public Release

Well i went more indepth with it Dark, so here ya go shadow.

· · RPG ENGINE

· INTRODUCTION ENGINE
\\ Try be creative on your opening scene
\\\ Using different themes for way your hero enters
\\\\ Ways for hero enter is, boat, truck, crashlanded, spawned from egg + more
\\\\\ Try explain alittle about your hero path in start
\\\\\\\ Make sure that player understand where hero coming from

· ENDING ENGINE
\\ This final scene for your rpg
\\\ Dont just add text, that bit dull
\\\\ Try be creative, add SFX, heroes, Bosses
\\\\\\ Be very creative here, this is end has be smashing

· GRAMMAR\SPELLING
\\ Make sure your grammar\spelling is correct
\\\ Double check your grammar\spelling in word so that you know its right
\\\\ People rather see right grammar\spelling then stuff that isnt, if not correct people think its a shit rpg

· SHOP ENGINE
\\ Enter | Exit System
\\\ Buying | Selling System
\\\\ Talk to Owner

· LEVELING ENINE
\\ Required XP Level up
\\\ HP % Given per level
\\\\ Mana Given per level
\\\\\ Ups given per level
\\\\\\ Skills/spells given per level

· SKILLS/SPELL ENGINE
\\ Skills\Spells System; Dropship menu, gateway, burrow unit, build a scarab, lift of building, move unit to a location, charge system
\\\ Skills\Spells upgradeable spells
\\\\ Skills\Spells delays\times allocated on casting and being on field
\\\\\ Cost of Skills\Spells

· TOWN ENGINE
\\ Civilians standing still or roaming around
\\\ Do civilians talk when you touch them or dont
\\\\ When intown you get vision, when you leave you lose it or u keep vision even so not in it
\\\\\ Shop's place and have enter \ exit working
\\\\\\\ Quest for your hero too do

· HERO DEVELOMENT ENGINE
\\ Way hero acts and speaks
\\\ Will hero be same though whole game
\\\\ Will hero behaver change, have mood swings, act different in different events
\\\\\\ Will he/she fall in love with one casted heroes
\\\\\\\\ Does he/she act different in battle too when he just standing around talking
\\\\\\\\\\ Add drama and stuff too your heroes
[Hero must change and be different in game, just like a normal human he/she has different opinions and thoughts on tactics to others he/she may not be liked because mean, but in middle have change of heart and become friendly. Just keep this in mind so you dont have dull hero]

· BOSS ELEMENT ENGINE
\\ Bosses are much like heroes, both act different
\\\ Bosses also do randomized spells/skills
\\\\ Bosses also summon minions aid them in combat
\\\\\\ Be creative with your boss, because a boss doesnt do nothing is boring

· CUTSCENE ENGINE
\\ Cutscenes are good way for your hero develoment to evolve during game
\\\ Cutscenes also give you more info\details about heroes
\\\\ Also tells you what quest or tasks your doing sometimes
\\\\\\ Try not make them too long people do sometimes get bored in them

· SFX ENGINE
\\ Effects when casting skills\spells
\\\ Effects when boss casting skills\spells
\\\\ Try make SFX creative so not all dull
\\\\\ Have SFX in water, cliffs, towns, buring tree effects
\\\\\\\ SFX add extra effect too your map and people enjoy that

· TERRAIN ENGINE
\\ Try be different in your terrain style and not always doing same as others
\\\ Try a mix of isom and extended
\\\\ Add doodads for nice feel too your terrain
\\\\\\ Add sprites last when your finished, or showing friends

· RIDES ENGINE
\\ Can your players use airship/cars in your rpg
\\\ Add nice system where you can enter\exit and use ride
\\\\ try make a nice look for inside of it
\\\\\\ Add boundies where it cannot go

· BATTLE SYSTEM
\\ RTC Real Time Combat, TBS Turn Based System, TAM Touch a Monster are some of systems
\\\ When using one of these systems try keep same though game, cant add for intro a FF battling system and though out game all RTC
\\\\ Plan your battle system at start of your map so that you can do basic engine triggers in begining
\\\\\ Dont do a battling system that is too complex for yourself

· MISC
\\ Sometimes is good add small mini-games too your engine a nice way earn money
\\\ Also adds extra feel too your rpg and makes it more like a real one
\\\\ But remember make mini-games in the theme of your rpg

· STORYLINE\PLOT
\\ Make sure you have a well writen storyline and plot
\\\ Dont just say evil mage taken over lands and causing havoc, dull & boring
\\\\ Be creative, use your mind
\\\\\\ Try different things and you'll have awesome story and plot

· NAMES
\\ Always a hard part pick a heroes name
\\\ Try different things like; Fate, Random, Slash, Falgon
\\\\ Mix up words make a word, most heroes names are made up
\\\\\\ If you keep getting stuck then have look this fantasy list i made; http://www.staredit.net/index.php?showtopi...ndpost&p=157566

· BALANCING
\\ Make sure all your heroes and enemies are well balanced
\\\ Unbalaced map is unfair map

· HOW HARD
\\ A hard rpg is good one
\\\ You dont want your rpg too easy so people can finish it in 1 hour
\\\\ Want hard so long and hard journey for the hero

I may of left stuff out but this is basic idea works and stuff. Anywoot enjoy =)

\\Moogle

I think first you should get all the gameplay aspects in that don't directly relate to the actual plot as you play the game, such as entering shops and things like the engine.

After that trigger everything you would need to have the story run, starting in order from the beginning.

Just divide up your triggering into "sections" of different things and just make sure you get all the elements for the map in.

If you have to do everything "town by town" you probably have a design problem. Try to make your triggers generic and re-usable.