I'm thinking of creating a training level once 1.08 is released to the public, provided I can get the game_text entity working properly in multiplayer. A draft of the script is visible here. It's not finished, but the basic training section is. You'll have to just read through a lot of it though, because there's a lot of ideas in my head that I haven't managed to put down in text. What I want to know is, is it too long? Is it in-depth enough? Bear in mind that once it's in game the player will be more involved than just reading through it, so it won't be as boring in reality. So let me know what you think. The level won't be done for a long while, but it'd be nice to get this sorted out and ready. Try to read from the point of view of a total n00b.
A good start. A few small suggestions: In these instructions "The number of tickets you have. The number of resources you have. At the top right it shows who your current commander is." Replace "you have" and "your" with "your team has" and "your team's". This will make newbs think of teamwork right off the bat. Also, I'd avoid refering to the actual keys (like left-click to spawn and holding left shift to run) just in case they've customized this key bindings via Options. Use wording like "your fire key (left mouse button by default)" and "your run key (left shift by default)".
yeah good suggestions :D It would be cool if the game would pick up on key bindings automatically though (like in UT2004) btw. Chakh: whit text is annoying if you have set the vbullitin board to the "default" style
My god, this is vitally important. Just to be clear, completion of this map ISN'T required to actually play Empires, right? Because America's Army does that (forces you to train) and I freaking hate that, and I think it would REALLY drive players away from the mod. So, don't do that. Other then that, if you do what Chahk said, it should be good.
Why doesn't someone record themselves playing and demonstrating to the player like a tutorial with added voice over? The source engine can play videos. It would be better than nothing.
These were actually more like placeholders. I'm doing this on my laptop, so I don't have access to a copy of Empires. I have to check what the order of the indicators is from left to right before I really get this section sorted. The point about key bindings is taken too, I'll change that now.
Actually, hell, you could do this on youtube. Sourceforts has youtube videos demonstrating quite a few of the trickier techniques; a quick tutorial video would be easy.
The point is that it's supposed to be an interactive experience. Watching just isn't as much fun as doing. Here's a fun scale: Reading < Listening < Watching < Doing See, proof!
Me > Brocoli Wow, this is awesome :D jk mate :p If you don't know about it already, here is an awesome description of the entity / thingyschabab: http://developer.valvesoftware.com/wiki/Game_text
My god, he's right! Numbers don't lie! Yeah, yeah, I know, I'm just sayin'; worst case scenario, youtube it.
There's an entity that you can use that displays what key is bound to a certain command. Cant remember what it is though :p Edit: env_hudhint
The problem is that it's harder to make a tutorial map than to record yourself showing off the game. Hootie was working on a tutorial map, but I haven't heard anything about it in awhile.
I still have the draft ideas I wrote down a while ago for an SP/tutorial campaign. It assumes the basic join team/pick kit stuff, but then leads you through combat, leading a squad, and theoretically up through commanding. We'd need AI for it though. :p
Well, Hootie sucks, and 'hard' is my middle name :D I've thought through it, and I'm positive that I can do everything on the script so far with just what's available atm (bar game_text, which I'm assured works). As cool as AI would be leading you through it, I can appreciate the amount of work that would involve from everybody.
Third paragraph of Basic Training, might be good to mention that if you completely drain your stamina, there's a wait time before it starts regenerating. Might also be good to mention the rather simple tactic where you stop sprinting before you run out of stamina. EDIT: We should talk at some point. I think you may want a more active thing.