[TIP] Things To Avoid When Designing Your First TF2 Map

[Tarry H Sruman]

Quote:

Originally Posted by What Is Schwa

...uglier than Rexy's butt.

That isn't saying much.

[Monsterclip]

Awesome post, Schwa

[Fr0Z3n]

I shed a tear.

It was beautiful.

I agree with Schwa really. Just think that doing it right in the first place is better.

[A Boojum Snark]

On the contrary, there is no better way to learn than experience. People can read about how/what to do, but unless you've done something it won't stick nearly as good. Despite the fact that everyone thinks I have all the answers, there has been many a time people have come to me with a problem I had a very hard time figuring out (or couldn't) just because it is something I "skipped over" by not doing things wrong. Granted technical troubleshooting is a bit of a different thing than the general design theory in this thread... but "doing it right first" reminded me of that and I felt like mentioning.

[Rexy]

This thread has me butthurt.

[Tarry H Sruman]

I don't think anyone wants you to hurt your butt.

[ForbiddenDonut]

I'm pretty unknown around here, so people may take my advice with a grain a salt. However, I spent years mapping for HL, Portal and Portal 2 (Portal 2 being my all-time favorite mapping experience).

I absolutely agree with Schwa - experimentation is essential for developing mapping experience. Whenever I have a kooky or presumably "stupid" idea, I'll jump into hammer and give it a test. As any mapper knows, especially ones like me who spend a lot of time sketching and drawing their designs, what the design looks in your head or on paper rarely equates to how it turns out in Hammer or compiled.

That said, my biggest advice for anyone getting into mapping - a lesson that I have learned and still continue to learn - is to put your ambitions into reality. While it would be so cool to have that four stage payload that whirls around an erupting volcano or the cp_steel influenced map that is floating by giant air balloons in the sky, you will have a horrific time trying to execute it.

Start small, and conquer each obstacle as you go. You'll run into bugs, problems and difficulties almost as soon as you start. So many new mappers are trying to reinvent the wheel when they forget why we have a wheel in the first place. When you the skills and the experience, then try to make that awesome amazing 6-month-in-the-making map. Don't forget your ideas. As Schwa said, you don't want to become jaded and boring, but you also don't want to get frustrated and keep restarting projects over and over because you get stuck on how to tackle a gargantuan workload.

Pick your battles intelligently. One of my favorite architects was once quoted saying: "It's better to be good than to be original." I agree, but I want to take that a bit further:

Be good. And then, be original.

[Moose]

Quote:

Originally Posted by ForbiddenDonut

Pick your battles intelligently.

this is pretty much what my advice would be. Just realize that you have a lot to learn and tackle things with that in mind. hell, your first map doesn't even necessarily have to be terrible if you get a bunch of practice first, read up on a bunch of design theory, and think really hard about how map layout effects gameplay.

Although most likely you'd still want to jump in and force people to play a bad map, which is fine as long as you're planning to listen to the people who yell at you for your mistakes.

[Fr0Z3n]

The one thing I like to keep in mind is that you're building and designing an environment, not a map. That has helped me make things feel more natural and not so "square with stuff in it"

Admittedly. I still do it from time to time.