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How you map

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So, how you do your mapping? This is thread to give your advices to those who need help/tips on mapping.

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I draw stuff on paper first, then create it in Doom Builder, and delete it when its finished. I'm never satisfied enough with my stuff.

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I create a "sample room" before I map anything, usually to help me focus on a consistent visual theme. From there, I look at any reference drawings, layouts, or whatever in order to create a basic map layout. From there, its all about the detailing.

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I've been playing Doom since it was released in '93 actually, but I only started mapping yesterday... So I'm kinda new to this, and so far I assume I've been creating crap. :p

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I would advise against drawing stuff on paper. Why draw stuff twice? Unless of course you find it particularly helpful. It's actually how I started way back in '95, come to think of it. So if you're just starting out maybe it's not such a bad idea.

Anyway just getting used to the editor, learning about all the textures and how they fit together, how to balance monsters with health and ammo intuitively without extensive playtesting -- these are all good things to learn without worrying about creating a masterpiece. By the you get really familiar with DoomBuilder you will already have a good idea how to construct a map, just intuitively.

Anyway the main thing is just to map what you like.

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Abyssalstudios1 said:

Actually, drawing on paper is a very good thing. It's difficult to visualize the complete, finished product and retain it all in your head.


Well if that's your style, to create it all at once and then do the actual work. Me, I just plop down the vertices as I go.

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Super Jamie said:

Thanks for the tip. Hopefully one day we'll all make maps as good as yours.


Hey man, I do what I can. Gimme a break!

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I have 2 different ways of mapping depending on what I'm mapping.

when I'm making a dm map I start with a central area then add other areas that loop from one side of the central area. then I repeat (not always using the central sector) until I get the size I want. Then throw some player starts and items. Then play test and fix the problems I find. Then after the game play is good I go back and finish the detailing.

When I make SP/coop maps I make the starting area and detail it so I get the theme I want to use. Then make a quick out line of the layout. Then lose interest in the map. Then after a month or so start working on getting the gameplay and detail finished.

and the only map I drew the layout by hand turned out really bad :P.

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I used to do this a few years ago, before I joined here (way before that :P). I had Deepsea and what I did was just open the editor, and think up something. Then think of something that went along with it, and then just keep adding stuff. If I got stuck, I would open up Deepsea again and look at the map layouts of maps I was playing a lot and that I really liked. Then I would say to myself, Self, this section looks good in the editor. Maybe you should or could do something like that in your map you're working on. It seemed to work for me, at least.
I am a very slow mapper. I average like five sectors an hour or something and even small maps take me forever :P

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Typically, I make a room, think about what type of battle I'm going to use it for, and build around that. You know, is it going to be a straight-forward battle, a teleport-trap, a sudden opening of a monster closet, etc. This allows me to do a bit o' detail as I go, and work around the type of gameplay I'm aiming for. I found out early on that just making a layout and then detailing does not work for me... Don't ask me why, I don't know. Sometimes I'll put a ledge in a room just so I can find a way to bring the level back to that spot... Just something I like to do, I guess.

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Krispavera said:

I start a map, get it half way finished, take a break, never see it again.



I do that from time to time

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inb4 Doom Marine's "while sucking cock".

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I started out with drawing maps on paper way before I got my hands on an level editor. Back then it was playing Doom and drawing map layouts.

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EvilNed said:

I've been playing Doom since it was released in '93 actually, but I only started mapping yesterday... So I'm kinda new to this, and so far I assume I've been creating crap. :p



Keep doing it, and get crappy reviews, and then make better maps. It's fun.

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Viewtiful-Chris said:

If anything, it's one of the nicer parking lots I've seen in the DOOM engine.


Cybie 2 also has a well made, if smaller parking lot. With PUNCHABLE CARS AND MOTORCYCLES that EXPLODE!!!

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I also used to draw doom maps on paper just for fun, way before I started actually making them on computer (starting at age 13 or something) and kids at school would often ask me what it was.

Still, I always come up with an idea first, then flesh out the basics on paper, then make it on the computer (which, unfortunately, is something I rarely actually get around to anymore). Being a mild perfectionist also has its problems - I often re-vamp my maps a few times then stop halfway through either out of boredom or because it's way too different from the original idea. But I am still confident that I could make kickass maps if I had the means and willingness to do so (even my old/semi-crappy one got decent reviews).

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I'd picture rooms with a certain purpose in my mind, design a rough replica in the level editor then I'd apply Doom E1 mapping idioms to it (like SUPPORT3 linking different textures and the like).

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