Map Ideas Created 19 years ago2005-05-05 19:52:33 UTC by Snpbond

I have been wanting to make a map for awhile, I know how and everything, but my imagination is lacking, any ideas of what I should do for a map would be greatfully appreciated, and for what game, css, hl2, hl2dm, not hl1. Thanks Guys!

Make a HL1 horror map.

Its always fun to experiment with horror.

We have an old thread on this I believe.

Captain P has some very wise words within it.

I always thought it might be interesting to map a rather large, dark forest in source. You could make a horror map for Source. Fast zombies would be interesting to have, jumping out from behind trees and such.

See some movies, read a book etc. That's how I do it.

yeah, Ive decided to experiment with some physics first, so im making a single player level with a bunch of physics things, like ropes, machines, ect.. based off of black mesa, then I might try a css map of some sort, or expand on the hl2 sp map and make a mini saga out of it...

http://countermap.counter-strike.net/mapgen.php this will help for thinking of map ideas, its kind of funny too

We have an old thread on this I believe.

Captain P has some very wise words within it.

I assume you meant this thread?
In fact, there's a lot of threads like this, or at least a lot of search results...

Anyway, I might as well go and detail that long-ago post with some examples:

• I got the idea for my map 'Detention' after having seen an early Nova Prospekt screenshot. After some mapping and a few tried out layouts later, I wanted to break up the prison theme with something different. I then remembered some articles about indoor/outdoor balances, so I decided to do a rooftops part. Turned out to be great for vertical combat and a nice breakup from the prison theme. All in all, I think the two styles fitted together quite well.

• 'The Playtest' is another map I've actually finished. I got the idea while delivering newspapers. It was just before my exams when I suddenly got that idea. I had a texture set already, done for another map that I didn't finish, so that gave me some direction as well.

• 'Sector Gamma', a map I never finished, was based on the Chernobyl reactor. I got interested in the game Stalker and that brought me to the Chernobyl setting.

'Mudanchee', another map I never finished (but that's still inspiring me), was loosely based on the game 'Abe's Oddyseus'. It's fantastic still backgrounds had such athmosphere, I just had to do a level about it. The cave-styled level turned out to be a bit too much for the HL engine, but still, a nice experience and up to this day, a source of inspiration.

• There's several other maps I never released. I got some ideas from cartoons (drifting damaged spaceship), other ideas from books (gloomy elven forest), others from talking to fellow mappers (old steam-century factory).

And yeah, experimenting with entities, lighting, textures and such might not give you a map instantly, but it's valuable later on. It gives you knowledge but also a source of inspiration and reference material.

Hmm, perhaps I could do an article about this?

Map something you know.

As with writing, it's much easier to 'build' something you know about, and have/have had direct experience with imo.

Even mapping something you would consider 'boring' but know every detail of, could turn out to be a pretty decent level, because you know all the nooks and crannys about it that others don't.

Basically, your point is: familiarize yourself with the chosen theme(s). It's an important thing, as it's the next step after getting an idea.

For example, once I got this idea for 'Sector Gamma', I started looking at photo's of Chernobyl and screenshots of Stalker. These helped me to create a consistent texture set and define the outline of the map. If only I had done some layout tests before... but that's again another aspect of the process.

Yeah that's definitely the point.

It's just way easier to map something you have firsthand experience with imo.

If only I had done some layout tests before

Omg so true, so true!

10 minutes spent on a legal pad, or even microsoft paint, drawing a top-view and concepts pics of your level, will save you ages in implimentation!!

10 minutes spent on a legal pad, or even microsoft paint, drawing a top-view and concepts pics of your level, will save you ages in implimentation!!

Laying down the basic layout with rough brushwork is a fine method as well. Depends on what works for you personally, I've found it a good method so far.

Quite true. No matter how you do it, the important thing is to have the layout in your mind before mapping. Otherwise you usually end up with the difficult task of having to join parts of the map which have little to do with each other.
Another important aspect to consider when you are mapping, is thinking about something that will make your map unique, something players will remember about the map and prevent it from being "just another one".
Some examples would be the huge vertical areas in The Playtest, the amazing pipework in dm_petrol or even the strange looking bridge I made in Filtered.
The amazing thing about mapping, is that all maps are made with the same elements, but the possibilities are infinite.