Do you remember your first mapping attempt for for Doom2/Doom1 ?

[SaladBadger]

I recall much of my first maps, for some reason. my very first map was some wolf3d inspired thing made in zeth because hey making a bunch of blocky rooms seemed like a good use of the doom engine. later on i played around with wadauthor but never got too far beyond a map that looked like a dogbone (actually I think that was the map demonstrated in the official tutorial). then later I got Doom Builder after seeing that name pop up a zillion times in the ZDCMP1 credits, and made a bunch of silly maps. Many of them tested various zdoom features that were present in the zdoom tutorials section at the time, with little regard to actually being a playable map.

So now I had the technology, I was fully convinced I could make my own wonderful huge map for zdoom. So I began. I figured at the time that replacing stuff and making everything "my own" would make the map even better, so I started ripping stuff from duke3d and other sources and replacing doom content with that. clearly the shotgun's best when it sounds like the duke shotgun without a cocking sound, since I didn't know how to edit sounds at the time. Ok, so we have our assets, but now we need a map.

I hadn't played strife at the time, but I had saw things like dialog and the like, so I figured, if they could do it, I could do it too. I'd have all these really cool NPCs that you can talk to, with choices that mattered, spread over an epic adventure that spanned several hours. So I made a bunch of rooms with doors, and then in one of the rooms, I added two dormant ZDoom marines. if you stood in front of them and hit use, you'd get a script that prints a bunch of dialog to screen slowly, with absolutely no choices at all. Alright, so my NPCs were done, and I never added any more. What next?

Well in the spirit of making new things, I drew a giant stick figure as a monster, with basic animations and a plasma gun. New monster! They are the first guy you encountered. As for them not fitting in, I could explain it away as hell magic going wrong, with the wrong influences. Whatever. It worked and I had some cool new monsters. (I also eventually tossed in a bunch of modified versions of vanilla monsters, including the entirety of the DECORATE sample file that came with ZDoom 2.0.63a). Later on, I needed a boss, so I made a variant that shoots a baron projectile, two plasma balls, and then another baron projectile. I decided this challenge was too hard, so you get an invulnerability sphere going into it, except on uv.

As time went on, I just added more and more rooms to the map. When something stopped fitting together, I stopped, added a teleport, and started again with something completely different. Platforming sections were added in, an area in some valley with a river and some wooden buildings, with a door leading to a spaceship with windows showing space and no terrain below, a cityscape with MS Paint floor textures, and the grand finale was a ripoff of the hotel area from Wolfendoom Operation Rheingold EP1.

Then something happened and I thought I lost this map, and started work on another one that took everything wrong with this, and multiplied it by 10. At that point, I was convinced my barons with 400 hp shooting revenant missiles, pain elementals with basic cacodemon projectiles (they were punished pain elementals, you see), more stick figures, a chaingunner variant that was literally inspired from the Driller in Descent, and the "King of Hell" clones, a bad mspaint sprite edit of the cyberdemon in the vein of the Afrit, that had multiple different variants you fought throughout the level, were better than the stock monsters of Doom II, and I used very little vanilla monsters as a result. It was blocky, terrible, and the map was full of all sorts of ripoffs of maps and other games I had been playing at the time, including some parts with other doom maps copied and pasted right into it.

I still have both of these maps, and I've given the first to a few people, but I don't want to release the second, mostly due to the fact that I did literally copy other maps into it.

ED: Worth noting that my maps after this weren't all that great, either. There was a high amount of torm detail guide shit in them, used very poorly, poor gameplay, etc. I realized this fairly early on, and I started advising that people never play z2m2 of zpack on IRC (no seriously, don't play z2m2, it is the worst embodiment of torm detail guide shit and I severely regret making it, though thankfully I never got too defensive over it. thank god, I would have regretted that immensely in the future) I think Moonsong, released earlier this year, is my first map I'm truly proud of, though its far from a perfect map.

[LogicDeLuxe]

A friend gave me a floppy disk with an early version of WadEd on it. I didn't know what a nodebuilder was, and WadEd couldn't build them at that time. Thus, an attempt is indeed all it was, as it didn't let me do anything useful without completely breaking the map. Nowadays, some ports would just build them themself, I guess, but at the time, I was still playing Doom 1.1.

[Deadwing]

My first attempt was with Doom Builder, I guess in 2005~2006. It became an earlier version of eclpseii that I've released on doomworld archives (which sucks btw lol), unfornutaly I don't have it anymore.

[Xyzzу]

What will eventually become MAP01 of Confinement 256...

[scifista42]

I've checked the oldest files in my old mapping folder, and apparently, my first mapping attempt resulted in a "map" consisting of 2 small square rooms, separated by a door that could only be opened from the other side that the one the player was on, containing several midtextures that seemed solid but could be walked through, several imps, and no exit.

My first more serious mapping attempt was this. I remember that map well, I also remember planning it out on paper before I even had a Doom map editor installed on my computer. As I've been playing only with Skulltag at the time, the map only works properly in ZDoom-based ports and jumping and crouching is required. There is even one secret that can only be reached by jumping on top of enemy's heads before killing them - I used to think it was a good idea.

[PseudoGold]

I think I'd just started getting into Doom and I'd tried to make a map from watching guides on youtube. The result was never actually finished, but it was supposed to be a linear cavern using roughly random lines. It's lost completely thankfully.

After a few other attempts at the same concept I thought of making a 9 level WAD for Doom 2 which never really came to fruition. The first level alone was just too broken up rather than open for monsters to move around, I dropped the level count to 7 and just gave up completely eventually.

[ETTiNGRiNDER]

Vaguely, as it was years ago and long since lost. It was '94-ish tech style for Doom I with a lot of the TEKWALL sort of textures, had a baron trapped in a circle of barrels so that he'd blow himself up, and a secret that was behind an illusionary wall. Some spectres in really dark places too. That's about all I remember.

Pretty sure it was made with this old obscure thing.

[Breezeep]

When I joined back in 2014, I had several failed attempts at making maps for Half Life 2 and Quake, so decided to try my hand at making a doom map. My very first custom map release, Monolith was finished. I didn't know much about doom mapping back then (because I was obviously new to the doom modding scene). To be fair, looking back at it now, I realized that my posts back then were pretty damn cringe inducing.

[Jayextee]

Aw hell yeah I remember my first mapping attempt. Doom 1, and not even Ultimate Doom either.

Back around 2000 or so, yet to get my own computer and using a girlfriend's I'd play a lot of Quake when her parents were around and we couldn't do 'stuff' (I was 19, go figure). I sorely wanted a Quake level editor. I got Doom and WadEd.

You hope for M&Ms, settle for Skittles. - Stephen King (Monkey Bone)

I attempted a Quake-esque map with the Doom marbles and stone textures. Basically made a linear affair that started the player in a prison (with a thin horizontal window because I couldn't figure out bleeding midtextures) where you had to sneak out via a secret (but subtly-mistextured) wall into the mess hall, through the throne room; dungeon; eventually a lift to a moat and stuff.

It had doors. Lifts would crash the engine, and I could only have one teleporter (used for a secret) because I didn't figure out how to tag anything.

No linedefs were aligned at all. Level ended with a HUGE drop into total darkness (to obscure the moire effect bug from such verticality), passing via a window into a Cyberdemon room which would be the next map theme; a chase, of sorts. I never got around to that.

Map was shit. But hey, I very quickly made some funky ones after that, which I wish I still had...

Oh, and I never ended up with that Quake editor. I'm still here, ain't I? Turns out, playing E1M2 after my own map started an addiction I didn't expect...

[jerk-o]

My first mapping attempt was moving the things around in e1m1. More specifically, moving all of the monsters to the secret tunnel behind the imp platform.

[Avoozl]

GoatLord said:

Nowadays I can make great maps, but still struggle with adding new graphics. Hopefully I'll release a damn map next year!

Whatever happened to those maps of yours with the nice shadows usage a few years ago?

[Agentbromsnor]

I just remembered that Blue, the guy who developed the Unloved mod and game also played through an early map of mine some four years ago.

I also found out that the download-link for my map still works! Neato. This was actually one of my earlier Doom mapping attempts that I lost over time.

[Swine & Roses]

Well, I picked up some basic mapping skills when I first registered here half a year ago. So yes, I remember.
No releases yet, maybe someday.

[AkiraZXE]

The very first time I opened Doom Builder, I hadn't read any tutorial or had any experience with how maps worked on a technical level in Doom (or any game). I drew a few sectors, then proceeded to put the player start and a few decorative things outside the sectors I had just drawn, not knowing what sectors even were. I thought they would be solid objects in a big featureless plain.

I do still have the map I actually learned how to use Doom Builder with. Like learning what "sector" meant in sidedefs, seeing what happens when you delete individual lines instead of sectors, having lines on top of lines, and using random textures I thought looked interesting so I could look back later if I forgot what they were called.

The first time I actually tried to make a proper map, it was an awful big square deathmatch map, complete with crate areas, nonsensical ammo placement, seemingly random lighting, and a MIDI from Super Mario Sunshine. I then had the bright idea to release it on an unsuspecting community. Everyone involved probably would have agreed that it was a mistake.

I don't have any of those early attempts anymore, though there's a couple really terrible maps floating around in an old megawad some friends and I put together on Doom Connector, but otherwise they're all lost to time.

[purist]

It was made around 13 years ago with WADED. It was called Courtyard and was a small outdoor map. You started near the foot of some steps that lead to a bridge that split the courtyard. You had to cross the bridge to get to one side where you can then lower the middle of the bridge to get to the other side where the exit was. It was mostly populated by chaingunners.

For a first attempt it was pretty well thought through. It became MAP01 of a vanilla Doom II episode called Cult of Doom that never got released

I went on to use WADED to make my first IDGAMES upload Helevator and another Doom II episode Canary Squadron. I think I migrated to Doom builder after that.

[Quagsire]

It was this one map I made (it was awful) and I decided to never publish it. I used SLADE3 and DeepSea to make it.

[Fuzzball]

Oh boy do I...
May not be THE first but it was certain one of them...but all I have remaining is a lonely screenshot waaaaaaaay back in the years old depths of Photobucket.

Aptly named "loldoom.jpg"

[Yugiboy85]

Doom builder 1

I remember adding an ugly room on an equinox map...

Heh, the good old days :D

[VeeTHis]

This is my first level:
https://www.doomworld.com/idgames/levels/doom2/Ports/a-c/bldtunls

It technically isn't my first level, but my actual first level didn't get accepted onto IDgames.

If you play it... ugh... just don't... (keep in mind, this was made with NO Doom map-making knowledge)

I'm training myself too make MUCH better WADs now.

[Coopersville]

Yeah. It was worse than Build Editor, so I quit. Only gave it one more try since.

[riderr3]

VeeTHis said:

This is my first level:
https://www.doomworld.com/idgames/levels/doom2/Ports/a-c/bldtunls

It technically isn't my first level, but my actual first level didn't get accepted onto IDgames.

If you play it... ugh... just don't... (keep in mind, this was made with NO Doom map-making knowledge)

I'm training myself too make MUCH better WADs now.

I like see amateur WADs for knowledge, how NOT to do WADs. And I recommend it to other WAD authors.

[JustAthel]

Actually, I started doom mapping because of the Doomworld Mega Project 2016. It's half finished, not sure if I should complete it, considering the work i put into it...

[Lizardcommando]

The first time I ever tried making a map for Doom 2 was with DeepSea. I really had no idea how to use it. I don't think I ever actually played the map. The first time I ever made a playable map was with WadAuthor. It was really easy to use. My map was still crappy but I was really happy being able to run around in my own map for the very first time.

[LordShadowZ]

I made my first level just about a year ago. It was a crappy boxy tech base level with an annoying crate maze and a failed attempt to tell a story through the level design and environment. I had also prototyped some concepts and rooms at the time, some of which have made it into my current levels. I've learned a lot since then.

[Battle_Korbi]

Story time!

-----

So first time I tried mapping, i dunno, two years ago, I opened up Doombuilder. I did some hijinks, experimenting, trying to figure out stuff. The map was never saved, altough if you mean first map by that, its pro'lly that.

But my first official map was a recreation of my high school. I literally went around the halls in my school, taking down notes on corners and rooms, took several photos, and took two photos of the "evacuation plan" which was in every floor near the stairs. The evacuation plans were a top down representation of the school, but I still needed to check ceilings heights and window heights. I didn't used a tape or something, just dotted down on a piece of paper.

So I got home, loaded up Doom builder, and started building up. Made walls, made doors, even made the outside area, complete with nearby buildings and all. I had in mind to make three levels (like three school floors nyeh nyeh so original). I mean, it was hard, but I say I was impressed by the level of detail that went into it. Altough tables looked like cubes, I did my best to retexture and fiddle with every desk height (because every single desk in my school is diffrent than the other) and chairs were just copy-pasted.

Eventually after I finished putting up desks and writing boards, closets, windows etc. (because I make way too detailed maps in general, thats why no one has ever seen them but me), I placed up enemies.

The plot I wanted to include involved a kid who was in detention and had to write 100 lines of "I won't beat up my classmates again" (apparently he had beaten up a bully, where had we heard about that one eh?), until demons invaded, and the kid passed out. He wakes up in a room with a single zombie gunman blocking the entrance, finds a pistol and a shotgun, handful of shells and a pistol clip. Then he would have to save the school. He would even get allies, more guns and more bloodshed. Of course, I would just steal Brutal Doom's mechanics to make that possible.

And so, I recreated a entire school floor, 1:1, with enemies strategically placed at corners or somewhere hidden in classrooms, and the main hero had to fight a baron of hell at the stairs with a chaingun.

I was really proud of myself, made a recording of me playing the level, shown it to guys at school, I was all psyched up because I made a very good doom level!

But then, when I wanted to ship it to my friend so he can test it on his PC, he complained that alot of textures were gone. Just grey white checkers all over the place, with a occasional exclamation point.

Of course, at this point I slammed my head against the desk because I loaded up at least 70 other wads to take a texture or two from them. If my friend wanted to play the map, he would have to find those wads first and load them up at the same time. I anbandoned the project, deleted the map, deleted the photos, deleted the gameplay video, and forgot about it.

And that was the first time I heard of compiling.

If anything, in my last mappack, I made a recreation of the recreation, sort of like "in memoriam to first map". Much simpler, way less details, uses vanilla doom stuff, and the buildings outside are scattered at random and looked the same (copy+paste, best function in the world). The new map looked terrible because it wasn't a faithful recreation like my first official map, it was unrealistic (girl's bathroom had three pinkies and two barrels :D, and that was just one of many things ), and it reminded me of Wolfenstein 3D with same looking doors and corridors. Hey, at least its playable.

The end.

[Cupboard]

There were several different attempts
a) Using dv.wad base resources to create awful dark square maps that tried to be like Doom 3.
b) Then creating my own resource wad with over a thousand textures, hundreds of flats, a bunch of DECORATE actors from the ZDoom Monster Resource Wad
c) Then trying to create hyper detailed maps with poor architecture and boring fights, again focusing on the "boo" scares and horror theme.

Every time I was biting off way more than I could chew. It took a long time before I had enough ideas to make a "full level" that had enough content. My imagination was always so much larger than my skill when I discovered how to use Doombuilder 1

[Walter confetti]

CapnClever said:

What I mostly remember was using Doom Construction Kit and Heretic deathmatch levels. Also, that it was about drawing boxes and then deciding on the wallpaper and then putting stuff in those boxes. That was close to 20 years, a good three quarters of my life, ago.

DCK for life. What a great editor.

My first mapping experience (in 1997) was with that editor and a single room made with DEU and filled with bigdoor3 and nukage pit with some lava sectors that spells "HELL", filled with a cyberdemon and some other monsters...

Also the rooms are disconnected from each other, so I needed to idclip for enter in the nukage room... Great.

Also i remember to found some scribbled map layouts a pair of years ago, maybe 3, dated 1996 and to post them in the old doom picture thread... But I didn't find it back...

[nxGangrel]

Dear god yes. It was a disaster. I had no idea how to use the damn thing. I started "mapping" in 2009 the first time I downloaded DoomBuilder, I didn't know how to zoom in, or move around the grid and what not. So I made small flat maps (I didn't change floor heights) with a lot of sharp edges, and I put all thing placements on "multiplayer".

I hated it cause I was stupid, and couldn't figure it out. But I still made "maps" every now and then. I don't remember my very first map attempt, but they all looked the same.

[Megalyth]

Sorry for the bump, but I thought this might be fun.

I couldn't find my first "real" map in my files, so I must have forgotten to save it when I got my current system and migrated all my files over. Instead, I tried to recreate it from memory as faithfully as I could. Note that this isn't my very first map, which was probably a big box full of monsters as most people tend to start with. This was my first functional map with something resembling gameplay and decent architecture. I was using Doom Construction Kit at that time, probably version 2.2, which seemed the nicest after trying a bunch of editors that came on one of those compilation discs.

There are certain things about it that I vividly remember, such as the shape and texturing of the walkway in the nukage, the little skull bumps designating door colors, the exit room, and the entirety of the general layout. Some of the other details such as monster and item placement and the exact texturing in some places were a bit more fuzzy. Where I couldn't remember, I tried to make it look like the basic level of mapping I was capable of at that point. I had figured out basic door mechanics and how to change light levels, but nothing really about unpegging, alignment, or tags. I sure as hell had no idea how to change the music, so it was D_RUNNIN all the way.

It's such a small map that screenshots are pretty pointless. Runs on Doom2 map01.

Have a enjoy!

[Use]

I sort of wish I had my earlier levels, the ones I saved are rejects from my megawad project. Those are the oldest remaining maps, from 96-97.
Let me present pools.wad from a post on a similar topic back in 2003:

Use3D said:

It was useless. It was two rooms, 128 tall, Bronze1 on every wall. It was shaped almost like map32 of Doom2 with the evenly spaced columns, and yes it had two cyberdemons. I made the mistake of using Sw1exit texture on a huge linedef, so it looked horrible.
Oh yeah and the switch didn't do anything. Later I made some pools of water in it for no reason. It was also really dark. I built three or so more maps like it trying to get teleporters and doors to work. Doors took the longest. Wondering why the flat on the teleporter looked like ass in the game took a while too (hello? grid? duuuhhh). Another really annyoing thing was I didn't know you could flip linedefs. Most of my early specials would've worked had I simply flipped the line around :P
I was learning on the 'ol Renegade DoomED back in '95 or so. I still use that editor, it's buggy but very user friendly...prolly cause all the years I've put into it :)

It wasn't until after Community Chest 1 that I finally retired that editor once and for all.