In the development of the Time Forge map system, the aim is to create not just a visually appealing map but something that allows for a strategic and interactive environment that emphasizes depth and engagement. One of the most exciting milestones in this journey is the implementation of region selection and the underpinning that good maps are never just a single layer.
Designing Region Selection
Region selection is an integral feature in strategy games, allowing players to interact directly with the map and make decisions. The goal was to ensure region selection felt intuitive, responsive, and integrated seamlessly with the visual and functional design of the game world.
- Initial Concept
The idea was simple, to give players the ability to click on specific regions to trigger actions such as highlighting, displaying information, or initiating gameplay events. This required dividing the map into distinct regions, each with defined boundaries and unique identifiers. This is especially important given the goal of implementing factions. - Challenges
The first hurdle was to accurately define and highlight regions without overloading the player’s screen with visual clutter. I wanted the regions to stand out without breaking immersion. Some maps just present way too much initially. - Implementation
By leveraging Unity’s World Map Strategy Kit (WMSK), we were able to drastically accelerate our development, enabling us to concentrate on other crucial features of the game. Here’s how WMSK made a significant impact:
- Polygonal Region Shapes
Utilizing WMSK allowed us to import comprehensive geographic data and create custom polygons to represent our regions effortlessly. Instead of spending endless hours building region boundaries from scratch, WMSK provided precise boundary detection right out of the box. - Highlighting
Implementing dynamic region highlighting became a streamlined process with WMSK’s built-in capabilities. The asset provides ready-made shader effects that subtly overlay color on selected regions, preserving the natural aesthetic of the map. - Event Triggers
WMSK simplified the process of handling user interactions by allowing us to assign event listeners directly to each region. This makes detecting player clicks and triggering context-sensitive actions—such as zooming into a region or displaying tooltips—simple.
By not having to reinvent the wheel and build an entire map system from the ground up, we can focus more on gameplay. Utilizing WMSK didn’t just speed up one part of our development—it elevated the entire project’s progress. Thank you Kronnect for such an amazing product!
Next Steps
Moving forward, we plan to begin populating the map:
- Strategic Points: Strategic points for staking NFTs.
- Resource Nodes: Because every strategy game needs resources.
- Ticker Notifications: Utilize WMSK built in Tickers to present game information.
- NFT staking interactions: Begin development of NFT interactions with the map.
Stay tuned as we continue to build and bring new depth to strategic gameplay!
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