Starting a map? ( Need tips! )

I was just wondering: What is the best way to approach working on a new map?

I find that most of the time I'll jump into Doombuilder, start randomly creating rooms, and just kind of add things that come to mind. However, I also find that this is fairly inefficient and leaves my maps looking fairly mediocre.

Do you:
- Sketch it out before entering Doombuilder?
- Have something in mind before starting Doombuilder?
*OR*
- Add to the map as you go?

I'd like to hear from some of you! :)

No
Yes
Yes

You should have overall idea (my 1st priority) of the whole map or have an idea about map layout/part of the layout (my 2nd priority). And you should have also some idea about the gameplay (monster situations/traps and so on). Those map results the best IMO.
I really don't like those maps they looks like the author was making them room by room without any overall idea at all, and then just added plenty of details to make those rooms looking nicely.

As Gusta says, it's a good idea to have a general idea of the layout before starting. However, you are likely to find that you're making changes on the fly as you progress, until your final product could look quite different from what you originally envisioned.

Here are some precepts that I tend to use when building maps:

1. Allow gameplay to dictate map design whenever possible. In other words, think of what you want the player to experience when entering and moving through a section of the map, then create your areas to match. Do you want the player to be spooked by low lighting and occasionally flickering lights? Do you want the player to be awed by the grandeur of an open area? Do you want the player to be in the midst of teleporting enemies in the fight of his/her life?
2. Draw out complex areas before beginning to map them. It helps to have an actual image to work from instead of simply a virtual image in your head. The more complex an area, the better off you are drawing it out first, either as an isometric (3-D) sketch or as the actual plan (2-D) layout.
3. Think about what you would like the player to do before competing the objective (e.g., finding the exit) - finding a key, opening a door, killing a specific enemy, negotiating hazards. Then put in a fair amount of variety, so that the player has some variation in gameplay.

When I make a map i jus make what comes to my head. That is best way to do maps

BTW if your maps are boring, you are a boring person.

Well firstly I try to picture areas of a level in my head... I find the better I become at using Doombuilder, the better I can imagine rooms/areas in any detail.

I then take these mental images and ideas and scetch a layout on paper.

Then I start building it, the layout is just a rough guide, it always looks a little different when finished and the rooms that I had an idea about before then look totally different... So it's best not to stick to the scetch 100%... because the scetch is only a 5 minute drawing together of vague ideas... when roaming the editor for hours on end you get new ideas.

I pick a theme firstly, then depending on the complexity of it I will either sketch it all down first (or atleast ideas for certain areas, so I can make sure I save space for it while building) or if I'm really in the Doom mood I can just sit down and go at 'er. Either really work for me :D

usually i make things up as i go, keeping mind the overall setting of the map; space, earth, etc, and go on according to that.

The last time I began a map was like this:

1. I started by imagining a room with its specific items (*no balance work, only intuition*).
2. I tested the map
3. After I killed all the possible monsters, I imagined on-the-run what to see afterwards, behind a new door or entryway.
4. I designed that new place, according to my imagination (*again only based on intuition*).
5. I tested it again, inspecting each place and fulfilling my ideas once more.

BTW I'm only proficient with classic vanilla Doom. Also I think map editing is incredibly brain-washing (to me), so I'm not that productive; I usually get fed-up when dealing with the "burdens" of real duties.

Oh and one more thing: When I place monsters health ammo and weapons into a map I everytime imagine how could a good maxdemo for the map look like, that helps alot for good gameplay.

No (tryed it and its a waste of time)
yes
yes

Gusta said:

Oh and one more thing: When I place monsters health ammo and weapons into a map I everytime imagine how could a good maxdemo for the map look like, that helps alot for good gameplay.

Definitely the best piece of advice in this thread.

chubz said:

- Sketch it out before entering Doombuilder?
- Have something in mind before starting Doombuilder?
- Add to the map as you go?

I do all these things when im working on an map.

Sounds good, thank you for the tips and replies!

I tend to use Wad Author for making, shaping and joining the sectors, like a floor plan, simply because i prefer it's method of doing that, and then setting heights, light levels and texturing in Doom Builder's 3D mode, where i can see what i'm making, and make tiny style adjustments that usually end up giving me further inspiration, or accidentally doing things that end up looking better than what i originally planned