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The Rating Categories

Most of the five categories are subjective, but this might give you ideas of what to look for:

PLAYABILITY

Playability = fun. The more fun you had playing the scenario, the higher the score will be. But remember that one person’s fun is another person’s boredom or impossibility.

Useful questions to ask yourself:

  • Is it fun to play?
  • Did you find yourself wanting to keep playing all night?
  • Are there any bugs? Do all events run properly?
  • Is there enough to do? Are the objectives reasonable?
  • Would you like to play this mission again after finishing it?

BALANCE

Balance depends on the player’s level of skill. A scenario may be impossible to one but easy for another so you must take into account your own skill level and whether the designer has rated it Easy, Medium or Hard.

A perfectly balanced scenario is hard but not impossible.

CREATIVITY

This category is probably the most difficult to score. Creativity covers all aspects of a scenario; map design, story, objectives, etc

A few questions to ask yourself:

  • Is there something truly unique about this scenario?
  • Does the author make good use of the design tools provided?
  • Does the scenario stand out in your memory because it features something not found in other scenarios?
  • Are the ideas on this map original?

MAP DESIGN

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, but consider:

  • Is the map beautiful to look at? Does it look "natural?"
  • Does it seem to have been well planned?
  • Does it allow for placement of necessary buildings or monuments?
  • Does the landscape look interesting?
  • Is the use of elevation (hills and mountains) realistically implemented and do they blend in?
  • Do rivers or creeks seem natural?
  • Does the map seem too sparse or too cramped?

STORY/INSTRUCTIONS

This is a straight-forward one. You should judge the background story and instructions. This is where the designer is trying to engage your attention and persuading you to download his/her scenario.

There should be a reasonable sized story explaining the background to the scenario; enough to make you interested and draw you in. It should increase the depth and feel of the scenario. Any instructions should be clear and not misleading or confusing. A minimap or images of the map are good additions. Don’t mark down if they’re not there, but give extra marks if they’re included.

Grammar and spelling should be as correct as possible although allowances can be made when English isn’t the designer’s first language.

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