A few "RULES" to help you if want to make the best scenarios and have the fans play them to the end. There are a few points that I noticed on the scenarios I received over the years and some remarks that had been made by the players. If you are planning to spend the next 30 or 40 hours on a scenario, make sure that it will appear in the best rated ones.

Send your ideas to the mapmakers and I will put them on the site.

CREATING FOR SINGLE PLAYER

1. A story :
A background to immerse yourself and a little reminder from time to time of our role in that story. Sometimes, the introduction is too long and there is no more guidelines when playing the scenarios. When you are in the middle of a large scenario that you had started two days before, you are not always sure of what you were supposed to do or why you choose this exact story. Beware to many messages are worst than none!

2. Events :
I like surprising events but they have to be related to the story. Someone mentioned that some scenarios have to many. Beware, to many are not appreciated and none make the scenario less lively.

3. Spawning :
This is new, it seems fun but be very careful about this. To many monsters of the same stack respawning every day will make you scenario boring after 10 turns. Let some space between the stacks, I got stuck a few times because the leaders could not even turn around. Look at how the game is reacting when you test your scenario. Is there a way out ? Will I need 3 leaders cleaning around those every day stacks to get out of this trap ? Respawning if to add difficulties and challenge, leave it to that!

4. Resources :
Equilibrate the resources. This game needs money and there is nothing that I hate more than ending up with 9999 mana of a kind and nothing of the other one. Reviving and healing potions are a must for scenarios that are not played with a warrior lord or by the Empire. Going back to a town 200 miles away and spending 4 turns on this to revive an unit is not what I call fun. Do not forget that waiting time for turns if longer in DDP.

5. Enemies :
Make sure that there are enough enemies or neutral troops at the beginning to upgrade the leader and the troops to at least the level 2 if the scenario is set for a new leader. A dragon at the door of the capital is not the best way to start an adventure. If your scenario is set for a higher leader, he may need troops and they are harder to upgrade if the neutral troops are of high level. Having a high level leader will make you less careful and running around with a high level leader and 5 death units as troops is not fun and they expensive to revive.

6. Make it nice to look at :
The design is important. Empty spaces look like the map is not finish and a crowded map makes it too hard to see what is going on with the dark look of DDP. I personally like maps where there is a space reserved for special races or units, like the lands of the orcs or the forest of the elves. I sometimes find it amazing to find a lost polar bear on a fire pit... unless there had been a volcanic explosion in Siberia. Do not put neutral troops everywhere without a purpose.

7. The end :
Are your monsters at the final scene so strong that nobody can win over them? Average players may not find it fun to find out that after spending 10 or 12 hours on your scenario, they will never make it. Make a second final easier version if you have to.

8. Equilibrate :
This is a key word : "equilibrate" and make sure that the scenario is playable. Players will be less interested of trying another of your scenario if they did not appreciate the first one.

9. DO NOT make % of the land unless... :
Do not make % of the lands scenario unless your capitals are on small islands or surrender by mountains with only a few % of the land. If players capture the capitals and they are on open lands, your scenario will be spoiled. SFI resolved a part of this problem by looting the capitals but the terrain is not changing to neutral...

10. Let us know that you are the author :
Put your name and email in the introduction text of your scenarios, so players will know who to write to if they have comments. Many players just download scenarios and have a hard time knowing where they got them and who made them after a while. Players will take your scenarios most seriously because they can reach you and this may keep others from using them under their name.