User blog:Tecku/TT: Fan Content Creation 101

During my stay here at the PvZ wiki, I've seen a lot of stuff. The Dark Ages and Big Wave Beach have come and gone, Frostbite Caves part 2 is almost complete, and I've started my own blog about the game. Meanwhile, the sister wiki, PvZ Character Creator, has also been busy. Since I've been here, I've created a few plants and zombies, both for my own fan levels, and for the nonexistent game 'Strike of Wicked Dave'.

However, during my creation experience, I've noticed that the PvZCC wiki suffers from a LOT of bloat. Tons of ideas get poured in, and many of them.... aren't so good. Now, that's not to say that there aren't some real gems in there, but there's a lot more rough than diamonds. Today, I want to talk about what seperates the two. Stay with me fellas, cuz this is gonna be a LONG one.

Tecku Talks About: How to create a fan made plant or zombie

First, let's talk about where to begin. Depending on your style, you're probably going to have one of two starting positions:

1) Mechanic Start

Mechanic Start is where you have the mechanic and balance solved before you come up with a name, or determine what kind of plant it will be based on. Mechanic Start is best for players who are designed a set counter to a zombie, are attempting to fix a broken plant, or are attempting to incorporate the mechanic into a level or strategy.

2) Name Start

Name Start is where the player has come up with a pun or image first, and attempts to create a mechanic around it. While many scoff this idea as "backwards", it does carry some benefits. Name Start can lead people to think outside the box. For example, suppose I came up with an avacado pun- Lavacado. Now I begin to think "what would a plant based on a volcano or lava do?". This is a great system for people who are dead for ideas.

So, you know where to start. Now what? Now we enter the cycle of refinement. This cycle is made up of four parts:

1) Write up the latest version

2) Check the Quality Questions

3) Imagination Test

4) Evaluation/Branstorm

This cycle is our version of quality control. The first stage, write-up, has us put our ideas down on paper, helping us to organize our thoughts. By acutally writing our concept down, we sometimes notice things that we missed in our head. It also provides reference for stages two and three. (NOTE: do this on the PvZCC until you've gone though this cycle a couple of times. Go through the first few cycles on paper, or in MicroSoft Word.)

Stages two has us compare whether or not our idea is balanced on a techical level. The quality questions (listed below) have us check on whether the mechanics balanced against other in-game options. These questions help assure whether the fan content is feasible. Make sure to check with them!

Stage three, imagination test, has us pretend our item is in game. In other words, we want to try to get as close to a beta test as we can, even if it's just in our heads. This is important becuase while stage two provides general feedback, it doesn't cover every in and out of the testing stage. Pretending to use a fan-plant in the Pirate Seas or a faring a fan zombie against a Garlic/Starfruit defense helps give us new lokos on our concepts. 'Test' them in as many different situations as you can!

Stage four has us evaluate on what we learned, and whether to finalize, adjust, or scrap the idea. Do not be afraid to scrap an idea and start over. Popcap went through plenty of plants and zombies that never made it to the final cut. On the other hand, if an idea can be saved, don't be afraid to come back to it. Some ideas take several different approaches before they work.

The Balance Questions

Coming In A Few Minutes