How to plan a map on paper

[40oz]

Just about anything you do in life can be made better when planned for in advance. Considering how advanced computers are today, designing maps for Doom can be done so quickly and painlessly that the idea of planning them on paper in advance seems needlessly archaic. Nevertheless, my best and favorite maps I've made were always planned on paper before transcrbing them to the editor. There are many different ways to plan maps out in advance, and the one I'm describing below is one that works for me, and it may not work for you. But in my experience, this particular process I use detailed below keeps me focused, motivated, and confident during the entire map design process. Below is a speedmap I created in 3 hours. It may not be my best work but I was also sidetracked with documenting my work for this tutorial as I went along. Still, the process worked very well for me and I think it can work for you. (sorry for the potato camera)

 

First Draft

 

 

Planning my maps on paper usually involves a two-stage process. The first stage of this process is to draft some diagrams of a map layout. The diagram consists of rooms, which are generally these amorphous blobby/oval shapes that are roughly proportionate to the size of the rooms they will represent. These rooms are strung together with lines that may indicated ways in and out of the rooms. I draw an arrow in and out of the layout to indicate start room and exit rooms on the layout. At this particular point in the process, I haven't decided on a theme or any specific events in the map. I just take the time to draft out some potential layouts until I come up with one that uses a progression I feel I want to move forward with. Sometimes the maps are linear, sometimes the maps are more arena based, sometimes they go all over the place. Here I've drafted 9 different potential layouts, and I picked the one on the top right that seemed simple enough for me to move forward with for this tutorial. This process took me about 15 minutes.

 

Second Draft

 

After picking a draft I like, I begin the second draft on a second sheet of paper, first by redrawing the map diagram I selected off to the corner of the page. The second draft involves two separate parts. The first part is listing off some fun memorable events that might make the map fun, unique, or special. I get these idea either from stealing ideas from maps I've, or watching videos of doom gameplay. Here are some that I listed for this map.

 

• build stairs to a central platform
• crusher that you use to kill monsters
• 3 archviles while riding a lift
• raise a bridge over a pit
• cyberdemon vs. mancubus stampede
• outrun a horde of pinkies
• platform jump across crushing pillars
• lost soul swarm /w rocket launcher
• chainsaw /w invulnerability
• catwalk with sniping arachnatrons

 

After the list is made, I begin drafting a more detailed version of the map diagram I selected, which has a bit more detailed account of the shapes of the rooms, the structure of the map, and some scribbly notes of some events I want to use in the map. For this particular map I selected the stairbuilding to central platform, and crusher used to kill monsters. The drawing gives a reference to the size and complete layout of the map. I've seen people draw maps on paper where they use graph paper and draw the maps where specific measurements are used. I prefer a more lazy approach where I just get a quick visual of what the map looks like, and then leave the precise measurements to when I'm working on Doombuilder. Depending on how the map plays, the size and shapes of the rooms are subject to change, anyway. This process took me about another 15 minutes

 

 

Doombuilder

 

Now that the layout of the map is drafted on paper, this is used as a reference for the rest of the map building process. this keeps me from getting distracted or confused about how the map should play and look like. I begin the map drawing the basic shapes of the rooms. For starters, the map is almost entirely textured the same way, and I prefer to use either a 64 or 32 width grid for everything except doors, switchpanels, windows, and steps. The rooms are mostly rectangles, octagons, and squares, connected with corridors.

 

 

Layout

 

I continue drawing the rooms and stringing them together with corridors, using the map drawing as a reference until the layout of the map is complete from start to finish. The map in question is very bare-bones looking, but the idea is to get the basic structure set up, then continue building the map in more and more detail it looks the way you want it to look. Once the rooms are all connected together, I then begin drawing stairs, windows and focusing on the changes in height, so the player can see the things I want the player to see. At this point the player should be able to casually walk from the start to the exit room in a few minutes.

 

Functionality

 

Once the layout is complete, I begin working on the linedef actions of the map. I draw doors seperating rooms, and switch plates that activate certain events I want to happen in the map. The idea is make the map feel a little more interactive. The player should be pressing switches to cause something in the map to change, or accidentally triggering traps. I use the notes I scribbled on my paper as a reference. I wanted a massive crusher at one point in the map to use as a weapon against monsters. I also wanted some stairbuilding sequences. Since these are integral to the maps design, it's important to me that these particular functions are working before decorating the map further. It's important to test the map during this phase. While playing the map, I found the map was a little too short so I added some additional snares and minor puzzle solving elements to extend the map out a little without having to improvise some extra mapping to my already drafted layout.

Thing Placement

I frequently move the player start around to places I want to test on the map, since the start room of the map is already designated. I also start the player on top of some weapons and ammunition for a quick monster-killing kit to test specific traps. I often start monster placement by putting monsters in traps only, and leaving the rest of the building empty. Its important to me that the traps are as effective as possible. Incidental combat monsters are added later in areas that seem a little too sterile. Once the traps have been effectively tested, I move the player start back to the beginning and break up the monster killing kit by spreading it out throughout the map. Often I indicate where specific weapons on the map will be located, but on this particular map drawing I did not.

 

Detail/Lighting

 

The last step of the map building process comes after the map is functionally complete and playable from start to finish. The idea here is to take what I've created and make it look pretty. So I add little light fixtures in places, computer panels, support beams, light gradients and shadows in ways that don't compromise the functionality or playability of the map, so the map can be a little more pretty. This part is pretty relieving because the map looks pretty shitty up until this point, but it's important that this part is saved for last because any drastic changes that need to be made during the map building process is made significantly harder when you are also dragging/deleting detail sectors along with it.

 

 

This tutorial isn't really as clean as my usual tutorials, but for those who may be uncertain about how to go about the mapping process, this is how I do it. I've tried many different techniques and methods and this one is the one most effective for me. It works best at keeping me focused, the objectives clear, and process efficient. Refer to some of my other tutorials such as "Five Steps on how to start a map" and "How to get rid of Mapper's Block" for some other useful tips that will also contribute positively to this map design process. Thanks for reading!

 

Link to the map below (Doom 2, MAP01, Limit Removing, no skill levels implemented, tested in prboom-plus cl2)

 

https://www.dropbox.com/s/5vlgs35ys2uzq7a/dwtutorial_40oz.wad?dl=1

[Megalyth]

I think I'm going to start doing this more often so I can jot down ideas quickly before I even open the editor. The last map I actually did this with was my Plutinya 1024 submission. The final version changed quite a bit from the original draft, but it gave me a starting point to work from.

[40oz]

Summary Notes

The above is the complete map-building process, which will vary from person to person. Essentially, the part that takes place on paper is the following:

 

1. Sketch out some map layout diagrams, involving various sized circles/ovals/amorphousblobs as "rooms" connected with lines, or "paths" in and out of each one. Since these don't take very long to make, it's best to spitball a variety of differently sized and shaped diagrams. I usually make ~10 of them and pick which one works best for me.

 

2. Make a short written list of fun events that can take place in Doom. I watch doom videos and lets plays for ideas, or steal ideas from maps I've played that I can make better. It's probably smart to keep the events specific and within the scope of Doom's toolset. So things like "cacodemon swarm" or "teleport ambush from 5 angles" will probably make more sense than "castle on fire" or "commandos rappelling from a helicopter"

 

3. Begin drawing a more detailed draft of the chosen diagram, where the actual shapes and structures of the rooms are a little clearer. I keep them pretty scribbly and basic, as these things are likely to change during map testing. The idea is to have a layout as a visual reference of the complete map to refer to during the map building process to keep your mind on track. Write some quick notes pointing out specific events from your list to use as a reference, and designate other important details like locations of keycards and the doors they operate, where certain guns are acquired, and where traps and puzzles are located.

 

4. Try to avoid being too specific about measurements and drawing details on the map layout, as doombuilder (with the grid, and line lengths displayed on screen) is a much better tool for that kind of stuff vs. using a ruler and graph paper. It might be fun to do for practice drawing cool shapes for rooms, but generally I find it makes the layout too stiff and difficult to manipulate when transcribing it to the editor which isn't very useful for making a complete map.

[SOSU]

I like mapping on paper because of 2 reasons:
1.I get a lot more ideas on paper,if i open up doombuilder right now i wouldn't have any idea what to make on it whereas on a piece of paper my cretivity flows like "insert something that flows a lot here".

2.It feels much faster compared to the usual way.

[scifista42]

6 hours ago, SOSU said:

if i open up doombuilder right now i wouldn't have any idea what to make on it whereas on a piece of paper my cretivity flows like "insert something that flows a lot here".

2.It feels much faster compared to the usual way.

To me it's the opposite, as my creative process largely consists of adjusting/redoing what I've drawn (either just now or at any point before), and this is easier to do directly by moving or deleting geometry in a map editor, as opposed to using a rubber eraser on paper that doesn't even work 100% effectively and the paper soon becomes dirty of badly erased pencil and hardly usable for further drawing. Also 3D mode and convenient testing. :)

[Traysandor]

I remember doing something like this back in high school... Once upon a time in a galaxy far, far away.

 

Though that was the pre 9-11 era, so let's just say it's better if the "Maps" I drew back then never see the light of day. It was more something to pass time when I was bored in school.

[Skeletonpatch]

A little late to this thread, but I did do something similar to this when I first started mapping. Except the maps that resulted from those drawings were all shit. Without exception. I mostly made those drawings before I had Doom Builder, and stopped after I started actually mapping for some reason. I should dig them out of wherever it is they ended up, assuming they weren't thrown out. But, as a neat side note, I drew them on old printer paper! (the stuff that's all connected into a single, long sheet that's easy to tear with holes punched down both sides)

 

Also planning out the maps beforehand would probably have helped immensely with some of my more recent unreleased works, my most recent Doom map is pretty good in my opinion, except for one part that just sucks ass because I didn't have a solid idea for it when I was making it.

[DU0]

Hm, this is an interesting thread. I actively avoid using paper when designing levels, though I do take notes. Actually, my first step is to open Notepad and start writing ideas for stuff I'd like to see done in the level. I leave it open while I work and check it periodically, changing it as I go - taking out stuff that turns out to be bad, adding new ideas, etc.

 

On the editor, I just do sectors and corridors where I want stuff to go. Once this gets boring, I start refining, reverting back to blocking when it gets too tiresome, then back to set dressing. Lastly, I add functionality and monsters, keys, etc.

 

I used to use paper, like, when I was in school, but translating it all to the editor always got boring and frustrating really fast .

[ETTiNGRiNDER]

I hear the recommendation a lot over the years, it usually doesn't work too well for me, although Chaos in Bloom was designed based on a blueprint I'd sketched out on paper at one point.  I suppose it came out well enough!  But it was also the only blueprint out of several I had in my binder that I thought might actually make a good level, all the others I'd sketched out were either symmetrical garbage or too vague...

 

I'm kind of realizing recently that what I consider my best maps (Valley of Saints and Mountain King's Domain) were more based on a notion of an adventure in a verbal outline (To use MTNKING as an example, okay, you're lost in the caves... there's a giant fortress ahead but the gates are locked and the fortifications are swarming with monsters... you can hunt for the key in the supply depot by the underground river or maybe you could sneak in by a secret entrance... you might want to raid the armory in the guardhouse for supplies on the way in... now you've found the village inside the castle walls and it's time to break into the keep, there's the throne room, key's so close... once you've got it it's time to fight your way back out of this place, take a daring leap from the walls!  Now you're heading up, this must be the way out... oops, looks like you stumbled across the haunted graveyard, one more fight!  Phew... finally a light at the end of the tunnel, yep that's the exit...)  Basically coming up with a vague sort of story of the place and what the player's character is doing there and considering what sort of areas might be traversed in the course of that story.  The rest is mostly messing around in the editor directly and seeing what works (to use MTNKING as an example again, the whole thing first started as just building a gigantic set of stairs that ended up becoming the approach to the front gate of the castle).