i looked through the mapping forum and searched for this, and didn't find anything that really answered my question, so please shoot me if i missed it. here goes..

how do you generally design your map? do you add roads in, then put "blocks" for where the buildings will be, carve the buildings and work your way across the map, or do you just make individual buildings, then make some road sections and peice them all together?

im asking because when i made my first map i made the roads, and general layout with "block" houses, then as i worked across the map i just carved them out and started making them look more like houses. i've also heard that people dont like to use the carve tool to make houses, how else would you do it?

just wondering about the different ways people go about designing their map to give me some ideas about how to properly start mine.

I do one spawn point, then lay down the roads properly, pavements, curves, inclines etc. Then the other routes such as fields and back alleys, then the buildings. Doing the sky as I go around, allowing me to compile bits to see how it looks. Then lastly add the entities.

Edit: Dont carve from blocks. Use seperate blocks, one for floor, 4 for walls, 1 for ceiling. Then clip out door frames/windows. Or build them in as you go.

thanks for the quick reply :)

yeah, it kinda irritated me how when you carve it messes it up (it does make 4 walls, 1 floor, and 1 roof, but they are aligned weird, like in a spiral sort of, if you know what i mean..)

on my first map i worked from one spawn to the other, i think this time i will try just working on different parts of the map not one side to the other.

I think the best way is to make your paths, fill in with "lego" buildings (just blocks) and then once you get the layout right go back and spend the time necessary to clean it up and get it looking good. At that point make one building at a time and replace your lego blocks with them (or use them...Jagd and Falaise are filled w/Lego-block buildings right now). After each replacement go check r_speeds and whatnot and move on. That's my take.

always appreciate your input fuzzdad, thats the method i will try this time :)

Me? I'm the insanely picky and detail-bent mapper. I make a building, of insane detail, and build the rest of the map around it as I go, like my dod_carentan map.

Originally posted by Leper Messiah
Me? I'm the insanely picky and detail-bent mapper. I make a building, of insane detail, and build the rest of the map around it as I go, like my dod_carentan map.
Thus the reason you're never gonna release a map for the original half life engine.

one more semi-stupid question, whats a good size for a door?

How would I build my map? Well, I would break out my old legos and build a map using those. Then I would take that basic layout and make it into a dod map.

Yep. I rule.

lol. legos rule, but you have way to much time on your hands :P

Originally posted by ender
Thus the reason you're never gonna release a map for the original half life engine.

My mappin' takes skill. DoD Source will be my time to shine. Lego blocks with textures are stupid.

A good door height/width is 96 units high 64 units wide, i think this is what most people use anyway.

As for designing my maps, I generally think up what kind of area i want the map set in then think of a layout thats going to be equal for both sides ie same distance to middle flag etc and start going from there.

I've actually made a few maps that are exactly the same on either side for a start then made them 'different' from each other by adding little bits here and there to make it seem different.

Why not carving if its just a block...?? The carving tool will cut it in no more than 4 pieces... so it's okay. (But I don't use the tool..btw)
- - - - - - -
How I map:

I draw the layout on a sheet of paper and then map the roads and add some "lego"-Houses ... Then I check the proportions (they are always pretty bad...everything is too big). after that I play the map with some friends to check the gameplay (to check the distance of the spawnpoints and look if the chokepoint is really the chokepoint ..etc)
yeah and then...I add details till the HL-Engine says it's enough..


In the beginning of my mapping experience I mapped a small area and filled it up with details...but...don't do it that way!! your r_speeds will kill you :D

I have not touched the carve tool for years, seriously. Its bad. It creates errors, is unpredictable and the clip tool is so much more versatile and well made. Same for vertex. Vertex + Clip tools = gods tools.

:P

actually, i screwed up, i mean the hollow tool not the carve tool.. i dont think i've ever used carve..

hollow-tool is a hellish thing....


I only use it to create a sky-brush to test the map...

Originally posted by Leper Messiah
My mappin' takes skill. DoD Source will be my time to shine. Lego blocks with textures are stupid.

I agree and disagree with this statement. It also takes a lot of skill to do the most with limitations. To truly make a wonderful environment with what you have to use. Not everyone has a gift to do great scale and detail, but to combine both your knowledge of game engines with artistic skill is something I admire over sheer look.

I use the somewhat lego block method where all large buildings, routes and areas are plunked down in their basic form as blocks and then I go over the map again to fill those areas with detail. With trial and error you find where the appropriate balance is.

Also note that the new engine won't excuse poor mapping, again it's a balance of engine and look. The tools for "VIS" for the next versions might not work the same way, but you won't be able to have a map with a bazillion polies and have it run smooth. It's an improvement in a lot of areas, but it is not bullet-proof. I'm not jabbing at you Leper or anything, but just saying as a general statement to the community. It's the same idea with HINT and other stuff that some people say they'll use later to reduce polies in areas and such...it just doesn't work like that, you have to wake up to some more sound mapping practices.