Guide to making great maps: Created 20 years ago2004-08-27 10:22:36 UTC by kol kol

Created 20 years ago2004-08-27 10:22:36 UTC by kol kol

Posted 20 years ago2004-08-27 10:22:36 UTC Post #54493
Theoretical Mapping:

What's in a great map? How do you make a great map?

Most mappers know that there's more to mapping than brushes, textures and entities. Some know more than others, and some think they know everything, but anyone who says they know everything there is to know, really knows Absolutely Nothing.

There are things in level design not yet comprehended by most - things that have not yet been discussed as much as they should be. One of these things is conceptual level design.

There is such a thing as "the perfect level". But due to the nature of any game at any given time, and the variety involved, its impossible to create this level.

There's just one thing that's preventing this: The mapper.
Everyone has different ideas and theories and tastes. The very thing that makes all maps unique in their own way is the thing that's stopping the creation of "the perfect level"
In reality, the perfect level is the one you make and enjoy playing. And since level design is progressive, you'll always be changing your map and improving it. Therefore the creation of this level is infinite, and what you consider to be perfect, is not perfect, since someone else may consider your perfection flawed.

But that's the fun of making levels, making them, playing them! Watching others play and enjoy your maps, spending insane amounts of time drawing brushes and moulding them into environments, seeing your map progress, just mapping and wondering where the next corridor or room will lead, what kind of things you'll come up with next...

At least, that's what mapping is supposed to be about, not releasing 15 maps in a week and looking at your stats, or releasing maps for the sake of good feedback.

Once you reach a level of experience in level design, maps take on a new form - they become an art form and a means of expression.

What most mappers need to realise is that there is more to great maps than tons of detail, good lighting and texturing, and overall appearance. There is more to level design than one may think. There's even more to great maps than aesthetics and game play put together. Ultimately, this thing leads to enjoyment. The thing that makes maps great is indefinable. In order to harness it, you must experience it, and then reach a level of experience, maturity and wisdom that will allow you to create it - or at least, try to create something that will be just as fun to play.

Sometimes, someone somewhere comes to a realisation and judging from map quality of the author, one may have a hard time figuring out how someone got so good so fast. This isn't common to everyone, but judging from examples of work published on the net, this is true for a number of people.

There is just one thing needed for this, and its experience. Simple as that, experience. Experience needs time, and this time needs to be spent thinking about mapping and mapping. In fact, all of your time needs to be spent doing this, unless you're really smart and can figure it out rather quickly, then all you have to do is learn the technicalities of mapping and you're off.

But for the majority of people level design needs to turn into a total obsession in order to evolve into a medium of artistic expression.

Once you reach that stage it's easy to follow on to the "holy grail" of level design: which is, like a great magician's trick, best left undisclosed.

Hopefully you got something out of reading this, I got a lot out of writing it ;)

And so this brings the whole thing full circle: The very thing that makes great maps is never seen, never fully harnessed, always just around the corner, always out of reach... It's the process of discovery that leads to great maps. Not something you read, hear or even experience. The experience is best left to the individual, after all, a map is only as good as its author.
''judge maps, not mappers''
Posted 20 years ago2004-08-27 10:40:14 UTC Post #54497
Once you reach a level of experience in level design, maps take on a new form - they become an art form and a means of expression.
Amen brother.

Though I disagree when you say there's such thing as a 'prefect level'. There will always be shortcomings, always. As Gabe Newell once said, he still can't play Half-Life without seeing things he would've changed if he had more time.

Except for that you wrote true words. I especially like the part that says mapping is more than just brushwork. A map is were it all comes together, like I've heard someone saying once, and that's true.
Posted 20 years ago2004-08-27 10:55:25 UTC Post #54499
Ah, but the point is, perfect level only exists in theory ;)
Posted 20 years ago2004-08-27 10:57:17 UTC Post #54500
Ah, yeah, I agree... ;)
Posted 20 years ago2004-08-27 15:28:39 UTC Post #54543
Inchrestin'.

Experience comes from practise. Practise comes from experimenting. Experimenting requires work, and maps that you should throw away and not release. Hint.
Seventh-Monkey Seventh-MonkeyPretty nifty
Posted 20 years ago2004-08-27 15:40:52 UTC Post #54549
If it wasnt so philosophical that'd be a good tut. Is that your mappers manifesto then kol? :P
Posted 20 years ago2004-08-27 16:15:38 UTC Post #54565
I am a mapper and this is my manifesto. You might denoob one of use, but you can't denoob us all.
Seventh-Monkey Seventh-MonkeyPretty nifty
Posted 20 years ago2004-08-27 18:09:20 UTC Post #54628
Never throw away a map. You never know if one day you come to realise that that shitty first map you made had the best idea on its base. You can always open it up and completely redesign it into a great map.
Posted 20 years ago2004-08-27 18:12:41 UTC Post #54633
best idea on its base? kill a headcrab, then kill an icky, then kill a grunt? with really bad water? its genius!
Posted 20 years ago2004-08-28 08:48:22 UTC Post #54748
heh
Posted 20 years ago2004-08-28 08:55:46 UTC Post #54753
It's true that your previous 'crap' maps can be very inspiring. Perhaps you had some idea's you couldn't work out right at that time, while now you have the experience required. Some idea's from the past can still be very good ones. Mix that with your experience and some other idea's and voila... inspiring, isn't it? ;)
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