What (for you) is the most important aspect of a map?

Gameplay is the first and foremost thing you've gotta worry about, IMO. A map can look totally awesome, but if it doesn't play good, what's the point of even downloading it?

Lüt said:

I'm the explorer type, really.

Me too!
It's just impossible for me to exit a map when I know I haven't checked every corner and every door yet.

What I appreciate in a map is when it has some sort of landmark: a piece of architecture that's truely unique and makes you remember the map. An example is the crane in one of the Phobos:AR maps.

I also enjoy it when a map contains tons of secret places (and possibly an easteregg).

I largely agree with Lüt, architecture is the most important.

It's about architecture in the right way though. A map should be consitently themed, and it should powerfully evoke the place it is supposed to resemble, so that you can imagine yourself there.

For instance, if it is a masnion level, it achieves its goal when you WANT to be the one who lives there, heh.

I however feel that the monsters shouldn't interfere with this appreciation, but rather that they should finish the level off well, with an appropriate challenge. Good monster choice and placement is important there.

Trasher][ said:
A friend of mine once made a Duke3d map. The visuals were somewhat poor, with misaligned textures, bright lighting, and Korn posters everywhere. But you know what? The map played like an absolute dream, and the 3-player lan-sessions on that map were dreamlike.

Oh man, that brings me back. Back in the day, we had a 2-computer LAN set up (my dad was actualy testing out some new system made by Intel), and I made Duke Nukem maps. Originaly, I was going to make single-player maps out of them, but I decided to put deathmatch starts in them, so my friends and I could play one-on-one games. It was fun to play on my own map, and I also added a room or so every week to each map, so it was a sligtly new experience every time we played. Too bad those got deleted. :/

Heh...I'd put interesting details in them whenever I could. For instance, on my city map I had a video store. Inside, there was a big Duke Nukem poster on the wall and a few enemy/duke spites to represent movie cut-outs. There was also a cash register or two, and a bothroom off to the side. I also put a porn video room in the back with a video playing inside and red lighting. :P Outside, I had a dumpster and I put a weapon in it (I think the freeze gun). Then there was an arcade next door and I made all the arcade machines realistic (ended up looking like the one on level on, cept without the gaping hole). Heh...I also put in a back alley with a whorehouse connected to it. It was only accesable via secret doors in the arcade and video store porn room.

I'm surprised that gameplay is leading architecture at the moment, given that putting detail before anything else is the fashionable thing to do when making maps....

purd1ness

Make it pretty; make it fun.
If it's not, I will take none. :)

Without a doubt, for me, Gameplay first and foremost. I only require decent architecture, not frame stopping detail.

I believe that level design/layout is the most important aspect of a map.
this is coming from a guy whose favourite maps include tenements, the catacombs, slough of despair and hell beneath. An interesting layout is the basis of an interesting map, and when combined with smart item/monster placement, good architecture and a theme - you get the perfect map. You can have excellent maps without an interesting floorpan, but all my favourite maps do.
I reckon that good level layout is the one thing which can compliment and greatly improve all the other elements of a map.

All maps should be updated versions of yakworld.wad PERIOD

Oh yeah, I deeply enjoy running through the map without caring for actual gameplay; come to think of it, I don't remember killing anything at all in most speedmapping packs that were released...

I love gameplay maps. I really hate overdetailed maps. I also hate maps which are only one texture, especially SHAWN2 and STARTAN2.

Despite that they could be SUPPORT2 all over, for all I care.

nobbjob said:

I reckon that good level layout is the one thing which can compliment and greatly improve all the other elements of a map.

Yes, I've seen that on some of your maps which I've played; they had intricate interconnected areas that played well (kind of like in E1M7 or MAP14.) For this reason I was looking a bit askance at people saying that architecture is about "detail" and "looks" when actually it plays a very important role in the gereneral flow and playability of a map, in both the micro and macro scale.

To me mapping is creating a board for a game, and if the result is not functional to an exciting and repeatable playing experience, it's next to worthless.