ITT: Post maps/scenes that never saw the light of the day.

    All these maps aren't finished, this is just some bits of maps that I started to detail but where I lost the motivation because "it didn't looked that good anyway". I lost everything so I can't finish/give them, but yeah that's the main issue with me when I try to map, it's never good looking enough, and after a moment I hate everything I made.


    I actually learned from that, and now I try to create my maps by using some well defined steps, and this way I don't loose my motivation so quickly.

    I have this problem as well. At first I'm always really motivated, but after a time I just hate everything about it. Would you mind sharing what steps you take now to help prevent you from loosing your motivation?

    Quote from Setin

    I have this problem as well. At first I'm always really motivated, but after a time I just hate everything about it. Would you mind sharing what steps you take now to help prevent you from loosing your motivation?


    1 - Find a good idea/theme wich I really want to work out.

    2 - Gather a huge amount of references and elaborate the layout of your map from that.

    3 - Create a solid layout on paper.

    4 - Do a really fast block out part with only dev textures and work on a 124/64 units grid.

    5 - Test it and do the changes you need for a perfect gameplay.

    6 - Work on your geometry and create some good looking brushwork.

    7 - Texturing + brushwork details.

    8 - Prop/overlay pass.

    Quote from Setin

    I have this problem as well. At first I'm always really motivated, but after a time I just hate everything about it. Would you mind sharing what steps you take now to help prevent you from loosing your motivation?


    Losing motivation with what? maps as a whole? Or just detailing? Greyboxing?

    Quote from JeanPaul

    Losing motivation with what? maps as a whole? Or just detailing? Greyboxing?

    It's mostly with the beginning stages. Trying to get a good layout. I understand that it takes a lot of playtesting to get a layout to be good, but for some reason I sometimes get this feeling that if I don't get it right the first time that it may be unable to be salvaged. I might also just be lost on how the end product should look so i wouldn't know what to do.


    I follow those same procedures for the most part. I just need to be able to get past these mental issues and work. Once I get into detailing with my map I am fine, I usually have a lot of motivation. I just get stuck in the start.

    Quote from Setin


    Losing motivation with what? maps as a whole? Or just detailing? Greyboxing?


    It's mostly with the beginning stages. Trying to get a good layout. I understand that it takes a lot of playtesting to get a layout to be good, but for some reason I sometimes get this feeling that if I don't get it right the first time that it may be unable to be salvaged. I might also just be lost on how the end product should look so i wouldn't know what to do.


    I follow those same procedures for the most part. I just need to be able to get past these mental issues and work. Once I get into detailing with my map I am fine, I usually have a lot of motivation. I just get stuck in the start.


    Ya, you cant think that way. Id wager to say its damn near impossible to get it right on the first try, no matter the map. You need to just get something playable and see how players react to it before you can make any decisions on whether or not its fun/whatever. Hell, the DE map I just posted for play testing WILL have problems in certain areas. I could go on for months changing and "fixing" things in the map based on an assumption oh how it plays when in reality, I have only a very basic idea. For the first playable versions of a map you need to just design your basic idea and get it playtested immediately, even if you arent super keen on it. Who knows, you might have some accidental gold on your hands


    This may sound vague but, for me personally, I find it is best to limit myself in some way. Give yourself a mental or map related limitation that you cannot break so when you are designing and stumble upon a problem you dont have a limitless amount of solutions presented in your head. This can go hand in hand with another thing I like to do - make the first version of the map without going below a 64/32 unit grid. (besides obvious things like door frames or stairs etc etc) It can force you to make clear and simple design choices while avoiding over complicating things or pigeon holing yourself into a map that has funky shit going on evrywhuuurrr.


    Also be sure to get a get a simple design on paper first, even if its just scribbles or an incomplete idea. Having a base to start with when you open hammer/unreal/whatever is insanely useful because it gets you into the editor with a basic concept and you can just map for days. Dont force the drawing too much though as I find iterating IN EDITOR is just as important as the drawing.

    A map i have been working on during 2 years : oms_corroder. I have learnt an incredible amount of stuff doing this map (before, i made maps like this ...)


    [Blocked Image: http://img83.xooimage.com/files/c/7/1/oms_1-33f94cc.jpg]


    [Blocked Image: http://img71.xooimage.com/files/4/5/0/image2_sdz-2f7ef4a.jpg]


    [Blocked Image: http://img98.xooimage.com/files/2/1/f/1-40f1349.jpg]


    [Blocked Image: http://img99.xooimage.com/files/3/6/4/4-40f134f.jpg]


    [Blocked Image: http://img96.xooimage.com/files/c/8/3/5-40f1351.jpg]


    [Blocked Image: http://img85.xooimage.com/files/8/6/9/oms_4-33f94d4.jpg]


    It's a Counter-Strike : Source map, a very very big map :


    [Blocked Image: http://img95.xooimage.com/files/2/8/8/2013-09-17_00001-40f1366.jpg]


    It finally stayed at a beta version, because i managed to port it on CS:GO but it's not doable at all (9/10 of the textures and models are missing, HL2 and CSS content). Since then i started other projects so i guess today it's abandoned ... :(


    There were a moddb page : http://www.moddb.com/mods/oms

    Because actually, it was a new gamemod for CS:S, entirely made from logic entities in hammer. It's kind of a conquest mod from a classic battlefield, a bit complicated.


    If you want to test it, i still have the beta version on my ftp : http://www.citrowagon.fr/leplubodeslapi…rroder_beta.bsp


    I hope you'll like these screenshots.

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