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lupinx-Kassman

What is hardest part about making a level...

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What do you think the hardest part about making a wad is? For me its making the starting area. I never exactly know what to do for a starting area. Detail and monster\item placement isnt so difficult as you progress through making your level, but starting in the first place is a pain.

So what do YOU think is the hardest part?

(Btw im not sure which topic this belongs under so Ill just put it in General).

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Making something that hasn't been done before, especially after this many years. Action Doom's the last well done and original idea "for Doom" I can recall in quite awhile. I know there's still gotta be so much that can be done too.

That or editor's block. Being all in the mapping mood with zero ideas to go on. Sucks. :p

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I find it can be making a kind of "Final battle" style thing, for in a big map just before the exit, But to be honest i find making the starting location the easyest part of a map :)

- sausage -

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I think the hardest things is placing the monsters and items, especially on different difficulty skills. For instance, it's very hard to make the level hard, but not so hard that it's impossible to complete. :D
And it's difficult to test your level by yourself, because you know all the things in it.

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i agree about the testing problem, but i use MSN And give the map to a few people who have doom :)

- sausage -

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the one thing that makes mapping hard for me is staying interested and actually completeing it. it is fun, but around the tenth time that you've been through your level, it starts getting...old. a feeling that you could just go insane if you had to look at your own level one more time.

i suppose discipline is the thing that makes mapping, in itself, difficult at times.

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I'm a perfectionist when it comes to mapping these days, so getting a layout and architecture that fits perfectly with the textures.
Also texture choice and transitions are hard for me. I tend to use only 2 or 3 main textures throughout the whole map, while some people can blend up to 5 or 6 styles with ease. I am strongly against using support textures to separate texture styles, which is not a good transition in most cases, imo.
If we're talking about single-player or coop maps, then monster placement tends to be a bit difficult, especially "free-standing" monsters.

EDIT: Yeah I should mention that I have about 40 wads that I've started, but not finished (yet still want to finish!) So I should definitely add that finishing a wad is difficult as well.

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To me the most difficult things...

1.Making and completing the FIRST map of a large project (my main problem). Fo some reason i can start making and completing maps AFTER the first map BEFORE completing the initial start map...cause IMO the intro map tells the end user how your mapping style is and how the gameplay will flow ibn a basic sence.

2. I have a serious OCD issue with proper texturing, flats trims..etc..etc everything has t be perfect in a room before i can go on and that can take DAYS AND DAYS...so time and patience is an issue.

3. Keeping to your original plans..be it a basic set of had drawings for maps, written ideas..etc..etc...because in large projects..keeping the player interested and not seeign the same thing is VERY vexing.

4. Actually deciding on a port...i have this problem as we speak. All ports have their shining glory and serious lacks. It sux when you get a week or 2 into a project and realize that the limitations of your understanding of a port limits your design ideas. In my case doomsday is VERY beautiful but VERY VERY limited in teh archetectual design area..though you can make great atmosphere with particles and the best lighting engine...the lack of sector over sector and other additives limits your imagination a tad. Gzdoom, has graet qualities BUT the hirestex shit is a pain in the ass. EDGE great port all around...but lack of multiplayer, 3d models kinda kills the eyecandy, but teh EASE of the DDF format makes it VERY flexable and the 3d sector support is great...so in that...port choice is a bitch :P

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Dark_Shadow4002 said:
To me the most difficult things...

In my case doomsday is VERY beautiful but VERY VERY limited in teh archetectual design area..though you can make great atmosphere with particles and the best lighting engine...the lack of sector over sector and other additives limits your imagination a tad.


Why don't you use Risen3d?

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Shadow Dweller said:
well, i suppose it would be how well you know the team. so probably the difficulty there would be organizing it, getting these people together to do this.


I hear that, I was trying to get people to join the Mega Man X project, but I mostly got "good luck, i'm leaving" kinda of stuff, at least their interested :P.

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I've only been using the map editors for a few months and from my view point, the hardest part is planning the position of the monsters in such a way that it actually scares the player. Which is hard to do with an old game like this... Hard but definantly not impossible.

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For me, I reckon the hardest part of making a map is the item and monster placement, since it's so hard to choose what should go where without making the game too easy or too difficult.

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For me it is:

1. Keeping the levels clean

2. Texture allignment

3. Making a level come together themewise

4. Designing the music for the level.

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jobro said:
1. Keeping the levels clean

Ah, yes, and those Imps in maid outfits come in quite handy for this!

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dutch devil said:

I think making an map with an interesting layout and good gameplay is the hardest part for me.

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