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VileSlay

new guy wants to build a wad.

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as the title says I'm starting to build a wad. I dl'd wadauthor and built a simple three room test wad. my imagination is running wild with ideas but I still don't know what I'm doing yet. some of the things I want to try are hidden enemies that teleport and walls that open when you cross a linedef. if anyone out there can give me pointers I'd appreciate it.

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First things first. Once you get an idea for a trap or something like that, get some paper AND WRITE IT DOWN. Or draw it. I had a few ideas and forgot about them after a night of drinking...stupid me.

Also, if possible, map out your levels on graph paper...that way, you can look at it and say "Oh yeah that is how I ment to do it"...etc etc...

Try to stick to a theme for each level, and use textures that suit it. Such as a 'base' style or a 'hell' theme...

Um...what else...oh yeah. Look in here. I know there is alot of stuff there, but read as much as possible, it will help with your levels...

Enough of me crapping on...go ahead and start mapping.

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Or you can just be like me and post stupid questions in the editing forum or bug the hell out of people on AIM if you need help :P

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VileSlay said:

if anyone out there can give me pointers I'd appreciate it.

Welcome to the club, man. DooM editing is an incredible outlet for creative energy, limited only by your imagination. Here are a few things I've learned along the way; perhaps they'll be of some use to you.

1. Start small, but stay ambitious. Think of your first few levels as a training ground, where you learn the basics and become familiar with the tools. Beginners sometimes get carried away and bite off more than they can chew -- going for a 32-level megawad TC with new graphics, sounds, music, etc. is best left for a team, or for someone that's been around the editing block a few times.

2. As mmnpsrsoskl says, write down your ideas and draw out sections (or all) of your map. This will give you a sense of your scale. Avoid large areas or rooms, as they often give rise to visplane errors (that cause DooM to crash). Also, large areas that are plain tend to look ordinary and boring. Detailing large areas takes a lot of work, and can often lead to visplane errors.

3. Add angles, recesses, and beams to your rooms so that they'll be visually interesting. Playing in square or rectangular rooms is all right, but adding these variations makes for a nicer looking map.

4. Incorporate height variations. Have a section of a map that is one or two levels up from the main level, and a section that is one or two levels down. Elevators and stairways make for interesting gameplay while providing a nice look and feel to a map.

5. Incorporate lighting variations. For outdoor areas in daylight and reasonably well-lit indoor areas use a light value of 160 and up, for indoor areas not under direct light use 128 to 144, for unlit corridors, etc. use light value of 96 to 128. Avoid excessive use of very dark areas, as it gets old after a while.

6. Use a balanced approach to gameplay. Always provide the player with a fair chance at finishing the level or an area. Sometimes you may want to make a particular area very tough, forcing a player to find an alternative way in or to get better weapons, etc. But make sure that the player has a way of beating the area, one way or another.

7. Pay attention to the general look of the level. As mmnpsrsoskl says, define a theme and generally stick to it. Try to use texture variations to provide visual relief to your areas. For example, use Stargr1 as the main texture in a room, but occasionally insert a Stargr2. If you have a plain wall that's more than 256 units long, add a wall-bracket or "support" that uses a different and contrasting texture -- e.g., Stargr1 as wall texture, Metal1 as support or pillar texture.

8. If it's consistent with your theme and level design, incorporate outdoor areas into your map. A good mix of indoor and outdoor areas lends appeal to a level.

Good luck.

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Crap, Rex just gave you all the advice i was gonna offer.
ah well... oh, hang on...
By all means, take people's advice and suggestions, but above all make sure that YOU are happy with what you've created.
p.s. - a good sign of a difficult level is when even YOU have problems getting thru it, despite knowing where every secret and demon is...
I still get slaughtered on my River Phlegethon map on the Underworld WADS... murr...

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ReX said:

going for a 32-level megawad TC with new graphics, sounds, music, etc. is best left for a team, or for someone that's been around the editing block a few times.

Erm...heh =)

2. As mmnpsrsoskl says, write down your ideas and draw out sections (or all) of your map. This will give you a sense of your scale. Avoid large areas or rooms, as they often give rise to visplane errors (that cause DooM to crash). Also, large areas that are plain tend to look ordinary and boring. Detailing large areas takes a lot of work, and can often lead to visplane errors.

Source ports were created for a reason, you know :P

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Archvile64 said:

Erm...heh =)

I agree.

Archvile64 said:

Source ports were created for a reason, you know :P

No they weren't. The people who created them had way too much free time on their hands :P

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Get doomcad, its good for beginners. Its on doomworld somewhere. You may also want wintex, so you can add new music and sounds. New sounds make it more interesting.

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I want to thank everyone who responded. everything suggested has been noted and will be applied. I'm work on this sucker room by room, trying to get a handle on little tricks and errors. its gonna be a while till this is done. one of the rooms I'm trying to make is a security room and I can't figure out how to make computer consoles, like a mission control style kinda thing. if anybody knows what I'm talking about and can help post reply or pm me. thank again guys, you rule.

p.s. jsut a little side thing (should go in poll sec) how long did it take to build your wad and what did you editor did you use.

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Check out my new map "No Quarter", it's in Newstuff Chronicles right now. There's a room in there that is sort of a "mission control" type place.

Heh, I get to help a guy and throw in a shameless plug while I'm at it =)

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Archvile64 said:

Heh, I get to help a guy and throw in a shameless plug while I'm at it =)



lol. I'll check it bro.

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