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Phendrena

How do you design your map?

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Out of idle curiosity how do you design your map?
Do you have an idea before you start?
A theme, perhaps?

I, on occasion, have a general idea what I want to do although generally I just start mapping and let it take on its own flow and form. This leads to some highly erratic maps.

So what do you do?

Oh, I tend to map for Doom or Doom 2 even though I use ZDoom as my front end .exe (so no flashy slopes or other stuff).

Dave

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Despite having guidelines, the only map I've made was at least roughly planned before I started working on it.

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Phendrena said:

Do you have an idea before you start? A theme, perhaps?

Having at least a general idea of the theme you're going for helps greatly in the design of your map. If you want a strictly base-themed map, you'll be able to get away with rectangular (or straight-walled) rooms, whereas if you're going for an outdoor, terrain-type map you'll need (at least some) irregular shaped walls. A base map will require you to use a certain texture "set", while a hellish-themed map will require a different set of textures. [Of course, you could develop a map that is primarily base-themed, but has hellish elements to show the effects of demonic infestation. But you get the idea.]

Once you have a theme, you should probably consider developing the "logic" of the map. For example:

    1. Player starts at point A and travels to point B.
    2. Door at point B is locked, and needs a blue key.
    3. Player must back-track to a door that is now open.
    4. Player must go through door to find blue key.
    5. Player is able to loop around, using a new-found path, and return to blue-key door.
    6. Exit is through blue-key door.
Once you have the basic logic down, you can figure out how to embellish each section. For example, while requiring the player to travel from point A to B, you can create a few side paths that will always require/allow the player to get back onto the main path. This permits optional exploration without making things too confusing (unless that's what you're going for).

At this point you can start your actual map creation in an editor. You'll find that having at least a general sense for the map's progression will reduce the chance of reaching dead ends or getting mapper's block. You'll also likely find that you'll get more ideas once you start your mapping, which will sometimes require you to fine-tune (or, in some instances, completely change) your map design and logic.

The trick, if you're new to mapping, is to start with small maps. It will give you a feel for the tools available to you, while allowing you to complete what you started. This is turn will give you a sense of satisfaction that will motivate you to move to more ambitious projects. Striving for a giant map or a megawad before understanding the limits of your abilities or the tools at hand will cause frustration.

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ReX said:

The trick, if you're new to mapping, is to start with small maps


And that's why I picked map07 of the Doom 2 in name only project :P

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Outdoor areas bug me. I am never happy.
I wanted to open my wad with a map that had you trying to locate an entrance. You'd need to navigate around a canyon/river. Try as I might (and again and again...) I can never get the right feel - it always looks wrong - no matter how jagged or interesting I make it. I suppose that my general disliking of the rather naff rock/outdoors textures doesn't help!!

I'll keep plugging away at it but for now I'm sticking with inside areas! Even small 'lets pop outside' stuff doesn't get the juices flowing!


Ho Hum!

Dave

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Phendrena said:

Outdoor areas bug me. I am never happy.

Outdoor areas are generally more challenging, as you're probably trying to go for some realism. DooM's stock textures are not best for real outdoor environments. Plus, areas with, say, rocky surfaces require much more work to get looking right. Still, with some creativity you can make your outdoor areas look good.

If you don't limit yourself to vanilla DooM, you can aspire for larger and more open areas that look grand. [The inherent limitations of doom.exe prevent a mapper from making large, complex, open areas, although nice-looking canyons can be created in vanilla DooM.] If you want more natural-looking terrain, then consider using a source port that supports slopes.

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Thanks for the advice!
I wouldn't say I was going for realism in outdoor areas, but just something that looks good. Like you said though the stock textures are a bit on the rubbish side. I'll have to just sit down and play around with the stock textures to see what I can do.

Slopes in ZDoom seem easy enough to do, the tutorial video makes them look rather simple to do, but i might try and avoid 3D bridges for now!

Dave

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Phendrena said:

....but i might try and avoid 3D bridges for now!

Creating a 3D bridge/floor in ZDooM or GZDooM is actually very easy. Just ask if you need help.

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Phendrena said:

Thanks for the advice!
I wouldn't say I was going for realism in outdoor areas, but just something that looks good. Like you said though the stock textures are a bit on the rubbish side. I'll have to just sit down and play around with the stock textures to see what I can do.

Slopes in ZDoom seem easy enough to do, the tutorial video makes them look rather simple to do, but i might try and avoid 3D bridges for now!

Dave


I'm new to doom editing, but I can assure you that Zdoom 3D bridges are a walk over: plus once you've learned them, you'll start thinking up all manner of interesting ideas.

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I've been looking on the zdoom site and browsing various tutorials on there, some very interesting effects such as phased lighting and patrol routes. I'm setup my own examples in DB2 - very easy to do along with slopes. Some good things there!!!

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