Corwin

Hey all,
Because my busy life doesn't allow much time for side projects and thus doesn't satisfy the urge of doing something constructive, I wrote a multi-parts article about guiding players through environments (a subject that fascinates me greatly.) 

Push & Pull - The art of guiding players through an environment
1. Introduction 2. Facilitate mental mapping 3. Influence via composition 4. Lure with affordance 5. Drive with goals & narrative 6. Communicate through a language 7. Direct with restrictions & cameras 8. Show with UI elements & cut-scenes 9. Conclusion I intend to tweak and improve the article if needed so I'd be very interested to hear your thoughts, criticism and feedback!
Hope you like it!

Yesterday we offered a first look at the procedural cities we are building on top of some the planets. It is basically handcrafted gameplay spaces + surroundings built with a new editor that allows you to quickly plot down streets, high buildings, industrial buildings, trenches etc. + object scattering. There is a quick look at the city editor plus procedural layouts for e.g. space stations during the QT travel in the middle if you are interested in the tech. I was sitting in the audience biting my nails and praying for no crashes. It has been a couple of stressful weeks but it is nice to see everything come together in the end (even though there is still work left to do)  Gameplay starts at 11:30:
 

I love quake =D I really do... it's strange, very.
 
These has sounds in them, so you know.
 
 

Promoted this thread again since it deserves all the exposure it can get, really a great read.

Hey all,
Because my busy life doesn't allow much time for side projects and thus doesn't satisfy the urge of doing something constructive, I wrote a multi-parts article about guiding players through environments (a subject that fascinates me greatly.) 

Push & Pull - The art of guiding players through an environment
1. Introduction 2. Facilitate mental mapping 3. Influence via composition 4. Lure with affordance 5. Drive with goals & narrative 6. Communicate through a language 7. Direct with restrictions & cameras 8. Show with UI elements & cut-scenes 9. Conclusion I intend to tweak and improve the article if needed so I'd be very interested to hear your thoughts, criticism and feedback!
Hope you like it!

Hey all,
Because my busy life doesn't allow much time for side projects and thus doesn't satisfy the urge of doing something constructive, I wrote a multi-parts article about guiding players through environments (a subject that fascinates me greatly.) 

Push & Pull - The art of guiding players through an environment
1. Introduction 2. Facilitate mental mapping 3. Influence via composition 4. Lure with affordance 5. Drive with goals & narrative 6. Communicate through a language 7. Direct with restrictions & cameras 8. Show with UI elements & cut-scenes 9. Conclusion I intend to tweak and improve the article if needed so I'd be very interested to hear your thoughts, criticism and feedback!
Hope you like it!

Hey all,
Because my busy life doesn't allow much time for side projects and thus doesn't satisfy the urge of doing something constructive, I wrote a multi-parts article about guiding players through environments (a subject that fascinates me greatly.) 

Push & Pull - The art of guiding players through an environment
1. Introduction 2. Facilitate mental mapping 3. Influence via composition 4. Lure with affordance 5. Drive with goals & narrative 6. Communicate through a language 7. Direct with restrictions & cameras 8. Show with UI elements & cut-scenes 9. Conclusion I intend to tweak and improve the article if needed so I'd be very interested to hear your thoughts, criticism and feedback!
Hope you like it!

Girlfriend was in Las Vegas in the street near the hotel 3 hours before the shooting. A guy hit on her at a bar who was going to the country festival that evening. Selfishly, that feels a bit too close for comfort.
EDIT: Still didn't finish renovating my apartment because it's been a crazy year and I've almost not been around. Dating an amazing, creative woman who lives in the US and makes me happy. Started the year with joining an indie venture that collapsed a few months later when a couple artists left during the crunch for an important demo. Been in the US twice, first ever for me. Traveling a bunch. Rode up to San Jose and San Francisco for business and meeting my new team. Working on the tech side of creating interactive fictions using chatbots and simulated characters. Life is exciting, been a pretty intense year full of ups and downs, but mostly ups, and I'm eager to see what comes next. I'm going to work in New York for two months soon, then be back for christmas and intend on finishing my long-due renovations in January. Only the unfinished shower prevents me from living there.

Started a new job this week. I'm now a IT Infrastructure and Data manager for a £40m Medical Imaging Facility. Massive information overload every day, They have Geiger–Müller tubes on the wall to detect radioactive patients and can mention 'halflifes' without getting all teary eyed..
Winging it surprisingly well considering everyone there has multiple PHDs and I have a highscore in PacMan.

Girlfriend was in Las Vegas in the street near the hotel 3 hours before the shooting. A guy hit on her at a bar who was going to the country festival that evening. Selfishly, that feels a bit too close for comfort.
EDIT: Still didn't finish renovating my apartment because it's been a crazy year and I've almost not been around. Dating an amazing, creative woman who lives in the US and makes me happy. Started the year with joining an indie venture that collapsed a few months later when a couple artists left during the crunch for an important demo. Been in the US twice, first ever for me. Traveling a bunch. Rode up to San Jose and San Francisco for business and meeting my new team. Working on the tech side of creating interactive fictions using chatbots and simulated characters. Life is exciting, been a pretty intense year full of ups and downs, but mostly ups, and I'm eager to see what comes next. I'm going to work in New York for two months soon, then be back for christmas and intend on finishing my long-due renovations in January. Only the unfinished shower prevents me from living there.

Girlfriend was in Las Vegas in the street near the hotel 3 hours before the shooting. A guy hit on her at a bar who was going to the country festival that evening. Selfishly, that feels a bit too close for comfort.
EDIT: Still didn't finish renovating my apartment because it's been a crazy year and I've almost not been around. Dating an amazing, creative woman who lives in the US and makes me happy. Started the year with joining an indie venture that collapsed a few months later when a couple artists left during the crunch for an important demo. Been in the US twice, first ever for me. Traveling a bunch. Rode up to San Jose and San Francisco for business and meeting my new team. Working on the tech side of creating interactive fictions using chatbots and simulated characters. Life is exciting, been a pretty intense year full of ups and downs, but mostly ups, and I'm eager to see what comes next. I'm going to work in New York for two months soon, then be back for christmas and intend on finishing my long-due renovations in January. Only the unfinished shower prevents me from living there.

Girlfriend was in Las Vegas in the street near the hotel 3 hours before the shooting. A guy hit on her at a bar who was going to the country festival that evening. Selfishly, that feels a bit too close for comfort.
EDIT: Still didn't finish renovating my apartment because it's been a crazy year and I've almost not been around. Dating an amazing, creative woman who lives in the US and makes me happy. Started the year with joining an indie venture that collapsed a few months later when a couple artists left during the crunch for an important demo. Been in the US twice, first ever for me. Traveling a bunch. Rode up to San Jose and San Francisco for business and meeting my new team. Working on the tech side of creating interactive fictions using chatbots and simulated characters. Life is exciting, been a pretty intense year full of ups and downs, but mostly ups, and I'm eager to see what comes next. I'm going to work in New York for two months soon, then be back for christmas and intend on finishing my long-due renovations in January. Only the unfinished shower prevents me from living there.

Girlfriend was in Las Vegas in the street near the hotel 3 hours before the shooting. A guy hit on her at a bar who was going to the country festival that evening. Selfishly, that feels a bit too close for comfort.
EDIT: Still didn't finish renovating my apartment because it's been a crazy year and I've almost not been around. Dating an amazing, creative woman who lives in the US and makes me happy. Started the year with joining an indie venture that collapsed a few months later when a couple artists left during the crunch for an important demo. Been in the US twice, first ever for me. Traveling a bunch. Rode up to San Jose and San Francisco for business and meeting my new team. Working on the tech side of creating interactive fictions using chatbots and simulated characters. Life is exciting, been a pretty intense year full of ups and downs, but mostly ups, and I'm eager to see what comes next. I'm going to work in New York for two months soon, then be back for christmas and intend on finishing my long-due renovations in January. Only the unfinished shower prevents me from living there.

Can change me to lead level designer at Splash Damage

Girlfriend was in Las Vegas in the street near the hotel 3 hours before the shooting. A guy hit on her at a bar who was going to the country festival that evening. Selfishly, that feels a bit too close for comfort.
EDIT: Still didn't finish renovating my apartment because it's been a crazy year and I've almost not been around. Dating an amazing, creative woman who lives in the US and makes me happy. Started the year with joining an indie venture that collapsed a few months later when a couple artists left during the crunch for an important demo. Been in the US twice, first ever for me. Traveling a bunch. Rode up to San Jose and San Francisco for business and meeting my new team. Working on the tech side of creating interactive fictions using chatbots and simulated characters. Life is exciting, been a pretty intense year full of ups and downs, but mostly ups, and I'm eager to see what comes next. I'm going to work in New York for two months soon, then be back for christmas and intend on finishing my long-due renovations in January. Only the unfinished shower prevents me from living there.

Girlfriend was in Las Vegas in the street near the hotel 3 hours before the shooting. A guy hit on her at a bar who was going to the country festival that evening. Selfishly, that feels a bit too close for comfort.
EDIT: Still didn't finish renovating my apartment because it's been a crazy year and I've almost not been around. Dating an amazing, creative woman who lives in the US and makes me happy. Started the year with joining an indie venture that collapsed a few months later when a couple artists left during the crunch for an important demo. Been in the US twice, first ever for me. Traveling a bunch. Rode up to San Jose and San Francisco for business and meeting my new team. Working on the tech side of creating interactive fictions using chatbots and simulated characters. Life is exciting, been a pretty intense year full of ups and downs, but mostly ups, and I'm eager to see what comes next. I'm going to work in New York for two months soon, then be back for christmas and intend on finishing my long-due renovations in January. Only the unfinished shower prevents me from living there.

Girlfriend was in Las Vegas in the street near the hotel 3 hours before the shooting. A guy hit on her at a bar who was going to the country festival that evening. Selfishly, that feels a bit too close for comfort.
EDIT: Still didn't finish renovating my apartment because it's been a crazy year and I've almost not been around. Dating an amazing, creative woman who lives in the US and makes me happy. Started the year with joining an indie venture that collapsed a few months later when a couple artists left during the crunch for an important demo. Been in the US twice, first ever for me. Traveling a bunch. Rode up to San Jose and San Francisco for business and meeting my new team. Working on the tech side of creating interactive fictions using chatbots and simulated characters. Life is exciting, been a pretty intense year full of ups and downs, but mostly ups, and I'm eager to see what comes next. I'm going to work in New York for two months soon, then be back for christmas and intend on finishing my long-due renovations in January. Only the unfinished shower prevents me from living there.

Girlfriend was in Las Vegas in the street near the hotel 3 hours before the shooting. A guy hit on her at a bar who was going to the country festival that evening. Selfishly, that feels a bit too close for comfort.
EDIT: Still didn't finish renovating my apartment because it's been a crazy year and I've almost not been around. Dating an amazing, creative woman who lives in the US and makes me happy. Started the year with joining an indie venture that collapsed a few months later when a couple artists left during the crunch for an important demo. Been in the US twice, first ever for me. Traveling a bunch. Rode up to San Jose and San Francisco for business and meeting my new team. Working on the tech side of creating interactive fictions using chatbots and simulated characters. Life is exciting, been a pretty intense year full of ups and downs, but mostly ups, and I'm eager to see what comes next. I'm going to work in New York for two months soon, then be back for christmas and intend on finishing my long-due renovations in January. Only the unfinished shower prevents me from living there.

Girlfriend was in Las Vegas in the street near the hotel 3 hours before the shooting. A guy hit on her at a bar who was going to the country festival that evening. Selfishly, that feels a bit too close for comfort.
EDIT: Still didn't finish renovating my apartment because it's been a crazy year and I've almost not been around. Dating an amazing, creative woman who lives in the US and makes me happy. Started the year with joining an indie venture that collapsed a few months later when a couple artists left during the crunch for an important demo. Been in the US twice, first ever for me. Traveling a bunch. Rode up to San Jose and San Francisco for business and meeting my new team. Working on the tech side of creating interactive fictions using chatbots and simulated characters. Life is exciting, been a pretty intense year full of ups and downs, but mostly ups, and I'm eager to see what comes next. I'm going to work in New York for two months soon, then be back for christmas and intend on finishing my long-due renovations in January. Only the unfinished shower prevents me from living there.

Hey all,
Because my busy life doesn't allow much time for side projects and thus doesn't satisfy the urge of doing something constructive, I wrote a multi-parts article about guiding players through environments (a subject that fascinates me greatly.) 

Push & Pull - The art of guiding players through an environment
1. Introduction 2. Facilitate mental mapping 3. Influence via composition 4. Lure with affordance 5. Drive with goals & narrative 6. Communicate through a language 7. Direct with restrictions & cameras 8. Show with UI elements & cut-scenes 9. Conclusion I intend to tweak and improve the article if needed so I'd be very interested to hear your thoughts, criticism and feedback!
Hope you like it!

Make maps for Doom or Quake then? Some of those old games still have big communities, recent source ports compatible with modern OS, better level editors than back in the days, and levels are generally made of simple geometry, no fancy assets to import from a modeling package.
If you want to get into Level Design as a career, you'll need the basics of at least whiteboxing a space anyway, so using at least one of tools like Sketchup, 3DSMax or internal tools from your engine of choice is kinda required. 
I wouldn't recommend asset stores, I'm not super familiar with Unreal's one but at least when it comes to Unity you'll have better luck finding good tools, shaders and scripting packages than cheap modular assets. And you still wouldn't have fun game mechanics to design your level for.
If you're limited by your computer's power and money, then I don't think there's much we can help you with. Pick a game that runs well on your computer and check out its editor. It'd probably be faster to install and toy with than to wait for us to tell you what your computer can handle. Most of all, pick a game that you want to make levels for. 
Also check out indie games with level editors. I think Hammerwatch had one for instance. Don't know if you're picky in what types of games you want to map for though. Just start making stuff with editors and see what runs on your computer and what you like.

Make maps for Doom or Quake then? Some of those old games still have big communities, recent source ports compatible with modern OS, better level editors than back in the days, and levels are generally made of simple geometry, no fancy assets to import from a modeling package.
If you want to get into Level Design as a career, you'll need the basics of at least whiteboxing a space anyway, so using at least one of tools like Sketchup, 3DSMax or internal tools from your engine of choice is kinda required. 
I wouldn't recommend asset stores, I'm not super familiar with Unreal's one but at least when it comes to Unity you'll have better luck finding good tools, shaders and scripting packages than cheap modular assets. And you still wouldn't have fun game mechanics to design your level for.
If you're limited by your computer's power and money, then I don't think there's much we can help you with. Pick a game that runs well on your computer and check out its editor. It'd probably be faster to install and toy with than to wait for us to tell you what your computer can handle. Most of all, pick a game that you want to make levels for. 
Also check out indie games with level editors. I think Hammerwatch had one for instance. Don't know if you're picky in what types of games you want to map for though. Just start making stuff with editors and see what runs on your computer and what you like.

Make maps for Doom or Quake then? Some of those old games still have big communities, recent source ports compatible with modern OS, better level editors than back in the days, and levels are generally made of simple geometry, no fancy assets to import from a modeling package.
If you want to get into Level Design as a career, you'll need the basics of at least whiteboxing a space anyway, so using at least one of tools like Sketchup, 3DSMax or internal tools from your engine of choice is kinda required. 
I wouldn't recommend asset stores, I'm not super familiar with Unreal's one but at least when it comes to Unity you'll have better luck finding good tools, shaders and scripting packages than cheap modular assets. And you still wouldn't have fun game mechanics to design your level for.
If you're limited by your computer's power and money, then I don't think there's much we can help you with. Pick a game that runs well on your computer and check out its editor. It'd probably be faster to install and toy with than to wait for us to tell you what your computer can handle. Most of all, pick a game that you want to make levels for. 
Also check out indie games with level editors. I think Hammerwatch had one for instance. Don't know if you're picky in what types of games you want to map for though. Just start making stuff with editors and see what runs on your computer and what you like.

Make maps for Doom or Quake then? Some of those old games still have big communities, recent source ports compatible with modern OS, better level editors than back in the days, and levels are generally made of simple geometry, no fancy assets to import from a modeling package.
If you want to get into Level Design as a career, you'll need the basics of at least whiteboxing a space anyway, so using at least one of tools like Sketchup, 3DSMax or internal tools from your engine of choice is kinda required. 
I wouldn't recommend asset stores, I'm not super familiar with Unreal's one but at least when it comes to Unity you'll have better luck finding good tools, shaders and scripting packages than cheap modular assets. And you still wouldn't have fun game mechanics to design your level for.
If you're limited by your computer's power and money, then I don't think there's much we can help you with. Pick a game that runs well on your computer and check out its editor. It'd probably be faster to install and toy with than to wait for us to tell you what your computer can handle. Most of all, pick a game that you want to make levels for. 
Also check out indie games with level editors. I think Hammerwatch had one for instance. Don't know if you're picky in what types of games you want to map for though. Just start making stuff with editors and see what runs on your computer and what you like.

You go to Steam and check the requirements section - it is listed there. I sincerely hope hd space is not what going to hold you back from getting into modding though.