KaRzY6 Posted December 28, 2011 Share Posted December 28, 2011 (edited) Okay, so this is just a quick guide/tutorial on how to make the best mission-pack/storyline possible. Basic Knowledge 1. Title First off in a storyline, you need a title. A title is very important thing. It has to do with the missions you create, and also be interesting. A storyline with the name "CJ In Los Santos" isn't going to attract as much people as say "The Runaway" (Jimmy_Leppard). So the title plays a very important part whether people will play your missions, or not. 2. Storyline The storyline is very important. It has to sound interesting in order for people to play it. To do so, you must add things like twists. Twists, most of the time, keep people hooked to your mission. Make sure the twist has to do with the storyline. If you make a twist that is just going overboard and not following the storyline, then people will not play. The story line is set into three bits... The beginning----->The problem-----> The resolution a) The beginning is just introducing the player to the story. b) The problem is a massive twist. This is the bit that has alot of action. c) The resolution is when the problem is solved. This happens around the final couple of missions. Sometimes it's like a final battle between the protagonist and the antagonist. 3. Characters Characters are a very important in the missions. First you need to do is choose the 'major characters', that are featured in most of the missions. Choose a skin and a name for each character. Because the major character play a big role in the storyline, you need to get the background history and their relationship with the protagonist. For the 'minor characters', it isn't as important. Just choose a skin and name, and maybe the background history and relationship. But you don't have to be as detailed in the minor characters because they only play a small role in the storyline. Another thing about the characters, is make sure you choose the appropriate skin for the characters. (Etc. If your character is a banker, you would choose a man in a suit not a gangster.) 4. Realism (Doesn't apply to zombie and unreal storylines) Realism is a key fact in the storyline. But it doesn't apply to zombie and other unreal storylines. Cops, army, gang, mafia, detective etc need to be real. I won't go into detail, because you's all know what is and isn't real. If you want help, search it on google or wikipedia. Realism doesn't have to be 100%, just a bit believable (Etc. Stealing a jetpack from Area 69. This would not really happen. But it's more believable than say something like flying cars.) About Different Types 1. Gang/Gangster Information will be added soon. 2. Mafia Information will be added soon. 3. Police Information will be added soon. 4. Detective Information will be added soon. 5. Army Information will be added soon. 6. Zombie/Unreal Information will be added soon. Tell me some types if you know others... This guide is still a 'work in progress'. If you think anything should be added, let me know. Thank you Thanks to Nitesh aka AAAAA, Doublepulse, guib and Jimmy_Leppard for help with this guide. Edited December 31, 2011 by KaRzY6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shiva. Posted December 28, 2011 Share Posted December 28, 2011 Realism Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ArijeshM_97 Posted December 28, 2011 Share Posted December 28, 2011 Nice work so far. This will help people sure. And it's resolution not resilusion. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KaRzY6 Posted December 28, 2011 Author Share Posted December 28, 2011 Realism Not really. Because people make great zombie mission-packs, they aren't real. So no, realism isn't part of making a good mission-pack/storyline. @ArijeshM_97 Thanks. I didn't know how to spelling it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shiva. Posted December 28, 2011 Share Posted December 28, 2011 Realism Not really. Because people make great zombie mission-packs, they aren't real. So no, realism isn't part of making a good mission-pack/storyline. @ArijeshM_97 Thanks. I didn't know how to spelling it. When it comes to zombies , realism can be switched off. But, what about Gangstas, mafia, cops, detective. Type RIPAZHA and fly in the car to the crime scene? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KaRzY6 Posted December 28, 2011 Author Share Posted December 28, 2011 (edited) Realism Not really. Because people make great zombie mission-packs, they aren't real. So no, realism isn't part of making a good mission-pack/storyline. @ArijeshM_97 Thanks. I didn't know how to spelling it. When it comes to zombies , realism can be switched off. But, what about Gangstas, mafia, cops, detective. Type RIPAZHA and fly in the car to the crime scene? Yes, okay, I'll add it I added some stuff. Check out the main post. Edited December 28, 2011 by KaRzY6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
john12 Posted December 28, 2011 Share Posted December 28, 2011 ... I guess these days anyone I see, starts to help the Forum. I don't know but Dutchy3010 and PatrickW will not be shocked by this topic. Anyways, I guess insted of making 10 topics - Shiva S, DP and You, it is better to merge them and add them in this topic... Link: http://www.gtaforums.com/index.php?showtopic=466416 The timeline... But this topic has it's own quality. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KaRzY6 Posted December 28, 2011 Author Share Posted December 28, 2011 ... I guess these days anyone I see, starts to help the Forum. I don't know but Dutchy3010 and PatrickW will not be shocked by this topic. Anyways, I guess insted of making 10 topics - Shiva S, DP and You, it is better to merge them and add them in this topic... Link: http://www.gtaforums.com/index.php?showtopic=466416 The timeline... But this topic has it's own quality. Thanks john Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jimmy_Leppard Posted December 28, 2011 Share Posted December 28, 2011 (edited) Realism Not really. Because people make great zombie mission-packs, they aren't real. So no, realism isn't part of making a good mission-pack/storyline. I will have to partially agree and partially disagree with this. I agree that people do make good zombie missions and that by itself, it isn't required a lot of realism. I don't make them, but in zombie mission packs I believe the main role of the storyline is the concept and that concept does pretty much 90% of the work. Also, if you're good at zombie mission packs, I guess that everybody should give you credit on the ''horror'' level aswell. For me, there is no zombie mission packs without horror theme present But, I think realism is very important in almost every other mission pack genre, especially in gangster/mafia/action mission packs. I have to disagree that realism isn't part of making a good mission-pack/storyline. For me, it is. I think Kratos and Secronom President will agree with this aswell as I know they want realism in missions too. For me, realism is one of the most important parts of making a good mission-pack/storyline. I give more credit to people who explain in their missions how things got to the point they are now or to the point they have been. For example, I downloaded a storyline of some DYOM member (he didn't make a topic in the Missions subforums, so I think he's new) and some of his missions were very good. But, I got to one of the missions' dialogues which were something like this: ''A'': Where did you get this plane? ''B'': I stole it from the army base. You know, that's not real at all, you gotta admit. The main character is some kind of a low-ranked robber or something. Now, how could walk into the army base and steal a plane? I'm talking about this kind of stuff. It's a major turn down for me. But if he came with a car or a truck and said he stole it at a Burger Shot parking lot or a gas station, that would've been more realistic for sure. Well, this is only my opinion and I respect other people's opinions, but I just like to see as high level of realism as possible in the missions. That is a big + from me. I like things to be explained. That's why I found that ''Truth'' character from the original story quite strange and unnecessary for the story cause he knew about some things that a regular hippy just can't know about So, just to be clear. KaRzY6, I respect your opinion, but in this case my interests just don't conform with my interests, that's all. Everybody's got a different taste for things and there is no need to mess with that. Edited December 28, 2011 by Jimmy_Leppard Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nitesh002 Posted December 28, 2011 Share Posted December 28, 2011 Another great topic by KaRzY6. I can't to a lot of quoting because it's really hard to do that using a mobile phone, but I hope whatever I say will be understandable. @Karzy You said characters are not very important. I think characters play a very important role in a story, even during the planning stage. Without characters there is no story. Even you said later on the the paragraph that they play a big role. Something else i would like to add about the characters is that you have to choose an appropriate skin for them. For example it is strange to see a construction worker with caps playing the role of guards (like the way I did in Hitman). The skin of the characters makes a big difference to the missions. It brings about realism. Talking about realism, I kind of disagree with Jimmy. Well, there should be realism up to a certain level like the example he gave about the stealing of planes by a low time robber. But if you give the missions absolute realism, then I believe the missions are really going to be very boring. I mean, missions are meant to be interesting and for that creativity is necessary. Anyone who plays missions are looking for something new. If too much of realism is used, you will likely end up making something that is already made a hundred times before. So I think, to make the missions interesting, it should not be too realistic. @john I don't know what you mean by shocking PatrickW or Dutchy3010, because these topics are only meant to help the designers and not to shock anyone. Sorry for any typos, I will not be able to edit them because the post has become too long, and it's difficult to scroll using a phone. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jimmy_Leppard Posted December 28, 2011 Share Posted December 28, 2011 Well, there should be realism up to a certain level like the example he gave about the stealing of planes by a low time robber. But if you give the missions absolute realism, then I believe the missions are really going to be very boring. I mean, missions are meant to be interesting and for that creativity is necessary. Anyone who plays missions are looking for something new. If too much of realism is used, you will likely end up making something that is already made a hundred times before. So I think, to make the missions interesting, it should not be too realistic. Exactly what I was aiming for. I didn't mean 100% realism when I said ''as high level as possible''. With that I meant as high level as possible inside the certain rates of realism that can be accomplished in a certain mission genre Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doublepulse Posted December 28, 2011 Share Posted December 28, 2011 For me, it is not about making the story realistic or the gameplay realistic, it is about what makes sense in the story and gameplay. If the player likes what the designer is doing, he is not going to really care too much about realism. But for what Jimmy and Nitesh are talking about realism up to a level, it is based on whether it seems acceptable or normal. There is some standards the designer needs to set in the first few missions. If he goes past his standards too early,bit is going to feel awkward. You can easily build up your standards and expectations of realism as the story advances, but you must have a hell of a reason why it is this way. Now about characters and the skin, I agree they play a HUGE part in the story, skins are semi important, even though we do not have a completely free choice with them, we do have good options. But more importantly, Dialouge makes the story and characters more. I even told Karzy this in a pm. Out of everything, you should try to make Dialouge your biggest concern in story. The choice of words really makes the character. I see alot of missions that just create the "objective" dialogue, it tells the player what they are doing for the mission, but there is nothing in the conversation that feels like a real conversation. Nothing casual. Nothing to create the feeling of the characters. One of the suggestions I gave Karzy was to create some sort of struggle or conflict between the main character and the mission giver. Slowly get to the point of what you will be doing in the mission, but do not make it too long or slow. Example of casual talk can easily be seen in the real GTA story. Good one is in Ryder's mission 'Weekend Soldier'. Ryder talks about being so intelligent for high school and how he is the 'real deal'. It creates little backstory and makes the scene interesting. It would of been little unrealistic and boring if he just said 'let's go to the warehouse and steal some weapon crates'. So yea, dialogue plays a part in realism, for DYOM's sake there should be no expectations to go over the top, but keeping it reasonable..after all cutscenes can take alot of objectives. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
guib Posted December 28, 2011 Share Posted December 28, 2011 (edited) Well, there should be realism up to a certain level like the example he gave about the stealing of planes by a low time robber. But if you give the missions absolute realism, then I believe the missions are really going to be very boring. I mean, missions are meant to be interesting and for that creativity is necessary. Anyone who plays missions are looking for something new. If too much of realism is used, you will likely end up making something that is already made a hundred times before. So I think, to make the missions interesting, it should not be too realistic. Exactly what I was aiming for. I didn't mean 100% realism when I said ''as high level as possible''. With that I meant as high level as possible inside the certain rates of realism that can be accomplished in a certain mission genre Yes, exactly, I have made missions but never uploaded them, just because I thought with myself: "Hey, how did you get that, and how can he be alive" I just want to say that realism isn't something that should hold your mission designing back And that isn't how the original GTA storyline is... characters like the Truth and Toreno are proof of that, and if I remember correctly, the Truth did make you break in a armybase and steal a jetpack... How realistic is that? And if I remember correctly, LCJ had once made a mission where you had to swim underwater in a strange tube, made of garage doors , that wasn't very realistic either, but still that was one big and cool mission... Oh, and also, one guy who can kill 100 guys who are shooting at him isn't very realistic either, but like 80% of all missions has that... Edited December 28, 2011 by guib Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jimmy_Leppard Posted December 28, 2011 Share Posted December 28, 2011 And if I remember correctly, you (Jimmy) had once made a mission where you had to swim underwater in a strange tube, made of garage doors , that wasn't very realistic either, but still that was one big and cool mission... I believe that's LCJ's mission Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
guib Posted December 28, 2011 Share Posted December 28, 2011 (edited) And if I remember correctly, you (Jimmy) had once made a mission where you had to swim underwater in a strange tube, made of garage doors , that wasn't very realistic either, but still that was one big and cool mission... I believe that's LCJ's mission Oh, well, details... Edited December 28, 2011 by guib Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MadMarshMallow Posted December 28, 2011 Share Posted December 28, 2011 Thanks for this KaRzY6! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KaRzY6 Posted December 31, 2011 Author Share Posted December 31, 2011 Thanks for this KaRzY6! Thanks Arejai Also thanks to DP, Jimmy, Nitesh and Guib for the nice feedback. Will add use to credits for helping me out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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