Hitting The Wall..

Try learning a different editor. Sometimes being exposed to new tools and different ways to create can inspire you to try new things in your standard editor of choice.

Get more exercise.

I'm totally serious. Sometimes I'd be mapping for weeks...and realize I'm running out of Steam (pun intended for those of you seeking puns). So when I feel that way, I'll go work out for 30 minutes or something, take a shower, come back to the computer and often I'm inspired. Things like running and biking, or even walking, work best for me.

I guess I started modelling and texturing.

Learn all aspects of leveldesign and\or modelling.

Even though its abit boring to start from scratch, its worth it!

I'd love to learn more editors, but I got no money for new games

But I guess UE is next up for me, I just need to get my hands on a few UE games.

I usually play some games if I feel depleted

I usually game, or mack some chicks.

Quote from Izuno

Get more exercise.I'm totally serious. Sometimes I'd be mapping for weeks...and realize I'm running out of Steam (pun intended for those of you seeking puns). So when I feel that way, I'll go work out for 30 minutes or something, take a shower, come back to the computer and often I'm inspired. Things like running and biking, or even walking, work best for me.

Exercise?

... D:

"Exercise"?

I start a new map, or just start messing around with a new idea. Sometimes I discover new architecture I like, or texture combinations that look nice (etc) and they can help me freshen up the part of the map I was having trouble with.

I just go do something else for the rest of the day, week, month or year untill i feel like mapping again

I also think, the 'try other shit'-way is a good one.

But don't overdo it.

I've hit the mapping-wall almost one year ago now and - oh fook! - texturing, modelling etc. is so much fun.

Be sure to return to your native area when you got some fresh ideas.

Accidently install a MMORPG.

Quote from Schmung

We've all been there (probably) you're mapping/modelling away and things are going well. There's a long way to go, but the end is definetly in sight and then.. then you just stop. You can't work anymore, opening hammer seems to drain you of any desire to work. Everything you try looks like shit and you can't progress beyond whats already there. Yes, you've hit the wall.But waht to do? There must be a way to overcome this menance..

I don't bloody know it, mayhaps you do?

Yep. Had a loooot of these periods.

For me they pass away after a while (sometimes it can take really long tho). Usually I regain inspiration from a movie, pics or something I see just or whatever. Yeah playing some games can get you back as well.

play some games, go out, exercise is good but i do that mostly every day, dosnt help my mapping but helps the body look good

I think a change in editors or learning something else for a change will help, im know ill be doing that once im finihsed up my map.

My advice is to do something COMPLETELY different.

When I hit an artists block, photoshop seems daunting, the pencils laugh at me, modo and zbrush are against me. I usually take up a LUA or some other programming/scripting book and do some programming. Frees you from creative thinking and gives you simple goals to achieve events that an artist might not get to do.

I also make something physical, I usually work in my lil' workshop, work on my models, or tinker with computer modifications, work on aluminium to come up with casemod stuff, and sculpture with clay.

Stop mapping for 4 years. Works wonders.

Quote

Yep. Had a loooot of these periods.For me they pass away after a while (sometimes it can take really long tho). Usually I regain inspiration from a movie, pics or something I see just or whatever. Yeah playing some games can get you back as well.

I usually play levels by other people, that gives me inspiration and switches the competitive side inside of me back on again.

Movies can be very inspiring as well!

What RD said, stop mapping completely then after awhile you'll eventually get the bug back to start your mapping again. Works for me.

Quote from Schmung

gah, I've tired most of those.I just feel burnt out. THe problem is, I've got stuff I pretty much have to have finished fairly soon. I've played games, not mapped form weeks on end, read tons of books, listened to all sorts of music. I fire up hammmer and just spend ages flying round the level looking at how bland chunks of it are and I have literally no clue what to do with those areas.

It's driving me nuts.

Sometimes these things happen.

I have had a long pause on modelling now. Almost a year or so.

I just don't have the drive anymore, and I just draw concepts for models that I can do when I get my drive back.

Maybe it is stress or something.

I have this and it's bugging the fuck out of me, I open Hammer and there's just no desire to work on anything properly. I still work on textures and produce test maps but I haven't worked on any proper levels for awhile now, I spend a lot of time either on the Internet, at work (obviously) or listening to music/reading and I still don't have any yearning to go and map. Please make it go away, I want to finish my project sometime before 2007