How do you create a map?

[Noruen]

I created this topic to ask you about your methods and preferences about creating a map.

Points of interests:
1) Where do you get an inspiration? Dreams, real world, intensive thinking?
2) What is more important for you - graphic/gameplay/story and atmosphere?
3) What theme do you like more - technical/gothic (in Q3)

And if you have some secret tips for other creators of maps, put it here, please

[cityy]

1) dubtown.de and opacity.us; also stuff I see when I am travelling by car.
2) I think for me gameplay is always a bit more important than graphics; maybe because I enjoy creating layouts more than doing texturing/lighting and all that stuff.
3) I think every theme can be good if the map has good lighting, original geometry and if the texturing has a certain quality.

Secret tips!? Hm =) It's not a secret but important: Draw a scratch before starting in radiant...

[axbaby]

I created this topic to ask you about your methods and preferences about creating a map.

Points of interests:
1) Where do you get an inspiration? Dreams, real world, intensive thinking?
other peoples minor map areas that i really liked for gameplay value and that I base the rest of the map on
2) What is more important for you - graphic/gameplay/story and atmosphere?
gameplay first, nail that and graphics become less important
3) What theme do you like more - technical/gothic (in Q3)
And if you have some secret tips for other creators of maps, put it here, please
don't settle, if you dislike yoir map then i probably will too .. freinds lie for you so don't rely on them for map feedback.
all you get is false praise

[Pext]

Draw a scratch before starting in radiant...

ah... depends; but for the beginner: yes.

[Chretien]

1) Where do you get an inspiration? Dreams, real world, intensive thinking?
2) What is more important for you - graphic/gameplay/story and atmosphere?
3) What theme do you like more - technical/gothic (in Q3)
And if you have some secret tips for other creators of maps, put it here, please.

1) From all sorts of sources: when it comes to gameplay I mostly try to base it on my own expericence:
+ From the best maps. Ex. Ironworks in quake live.
+ What I would like to see in a map.

The architectual part comes from old games (final fantasy, metroid etc), books at the library on architecture, observations from the real world, imagination,
but also from fashion. Old school architecture and great fashion designers like Lanvin have excellent colour combinations and proportions.

2) Depends on genre I think.

3) I don't know if it's a limitation of the game engine or not, but both texture packs feel so outdated in terms of resolution.

I'm a noob so my tips are for noobs:
Draw concepts/layout on plain white paper.
Think in terms of rooms. Start with smaller ones. Go from big stuff to details. Create details in a seperate file and copy and paste.
Standard measures: 2, 8, 16, 64, 128, 256 (powers of 2).

[skinNCNmaster]

) Where do you get an inspiration? Dreams, real world, intensive thinking?

all of the below and above. also fractal organics. good ole geometry 101

2) What is more important for you - graphic/gameplay/story and atmosphere?

viewing it grow as it grows... being the proud as-it-goes-architect...maping as-it-were for q3, it a relatively um-dead.. niche... creating something new in q.. making the game run different without modding. Thats where im t.

3) What theme do you like more - technical/gothic (in Q3)

tech nickel. go thick.
knee there.

lol as 4 how im D signing am app.

dig it with a six sided figure for starts, and grow it always filling in all the spaces with a brush of another color. Flat shaded view, common shaders to start. Solids, and slews of slices a set of odd shapes on the sideline, pre cut to the various angles..

thEN!

select it all and cut away 5/6th of the entirety of it.

and texture 1/6th

copy paste boom one room.

[Anthem]

) Where do you get an inspiration? Dreams, real world, intensive thinking?

all of the below and above. also fractal organics. good ole geometry 101

2) What is more important for you - graphic/gameplay/story and atmosphere?

viewing it grow as it grows... being the proud as-it-goes-architect...maping as-it-were for q3, it a relatively um-dead.. niche... creating something new in q.. making the game run different without modding. Thats where im t.

3) What theme do you like more - technical/gothic (in Q3)

tech nickel. go thick.
knee there.

lol as 4 how im D signing am app.

dig it with a six sided figure for starts, and grow it always filling in all the spaces with a brush of another color. Flat shaded view, common shaders to start. Solids, and slews of slices a set of odd shapes on the sideline, pre cut to the various angles..

thEN!

select it all and cut away 5/6th of the entirety of it.

and texture 1/6th

copy paste boom one room.

Interesting.

[akm]

1) Where do you get an inspiration? Dreams, real world, intensive thinking?
2) What is more important for you - graphic/gameplay/story and atmosphere?
3) What theme do you like more - technical/gothic (in Q3)

1: other maps and random ideas that pop into my head.
2: Gameplay, then Graphics.
3: Gothic.

I find it helps a lot to jump into the map, take screenshots of each area, then
browse through them often. Ideas will usually come to me while thinking about
an area, then I edit the screenshot in paint.net and just draw in various ideas
to see how they might look. Can save a lot of time once you're working on a
complex map

[Anthem]

1) I get ideas through music, ideas in my head, influence from other artists in the mapping community, and other things (such as real-world architecture).

2) Game play is the most important thing to me. After that I try to develop some sort of atmosphere into the map to enhance immersion and game play. Creativity is key. I encourage myself and others to try new concepts. Just because some old concepts work, maybe a new concept would be just as good, if not better.

3) I prefer Gothic to Tech.

Creativity and innovation on older, more basic (or less innovative) structures that work brings a fresh perspective on mapping. Trial and error.

[Fjoggs]

I created this topic to ask you about your methods and preferences about creating a map.

Points of interests:
1) Where do you get an inspiration? Dreams, real world, intensive thinking?
2) What is more important for you - graphic/gameplay/story and atmosphere?
3) What theme do you like more - technical/gothic (in Q3)

And if you have some secret tips for other creators of maps, put it here, please

1) Usually during excercise. Especially running. That's when most of my creativity starts to flow. The place where my creativity stops to flow is in front of the computer.

2) Gameplay, hands down. Graphics can only suprise you so many times.

3) Either's fine, altho goth usually require more originality (sp). Base+organic is awesome.

My secret tip is to make friends with sock and force him to give you feedback.

[fKd]

1)life in general
2)gameplay
3)Tech

i find making spaces that are fun to run around in before you add weapons etc is a good way to start.

even tho its a pain, take ya time and do the grind. finishing details and engine stuff take time. but in the long run they are really good for gameplay and performance.

beta the crap out of ya levels. take on board everything ppl say, unless you feel it compromises ya vision.

but most of all, be sure you are having fun and not trying to force creativity.

gg

[skinNCNmaster]

heres a question...

define gothic: (googles "gothic architecture" results

from the freedictionary: Of or relating to an architectural style prevalent in western Europe from the 12th through the 15th century and characterized by pointed arches, rib vaulting, and a developing emphasis on verticality and the impression of height.

been looking at the gothic textures lately.. and wondering.. I've known quite a few goth people in my time.. and they had very interesting styles and lines and colors and symbols. Mainly the q3 goth set seems to rely on the arches/skulls theme to suggest gothic..

.. can anyone suggest to most impressive gothic maps/texture combinations youve seeing as how meanings and classifications change ovwer time to incorporate the extent of the evolution of its global impression.. gothic.. now is no longer the same as gothic.... then.