Tremulous Forum
Media => Mapping Center => Topic started by: ShadowNinjaDudeMan on July 27, 2009, 12:11:27 pm
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....ON MAKING A MAP by SNDM
After not mapping for ages (year or 2) I decided to get back to it.
I started off with small maps, but I planned the maps on paper in boxes, on GtkRadient I would then construct the walls and corridors, leaving a series of boxes and cuboids as corridors.
I realized the problems with this method were that:
- The map was destined to be a boxmap, all I could do from then on was fill in boxes, this could not be done convincingly.
- I was highly constrained, there could be no flashy bits like underfloor pipes that werent part of gameplay.
- Its depressing when you look back through your map and realise you just gave birth to an ugly baby.
- It all looks so unnatural.
So instead I drew out a typical box plan on paper, but I then took the map apart to its individual rooms, indicating the shape, where stairs were, any features. This was MUCH easier to make in GTK, because you already have a clear plan of what you are on about.
I would start by putting down something to give an indication of scale (e.g. reactor) and building the room around it, so I dont end up with a hopelessly small room (as I usually do) or a incredibly large and plain room (as I commonly see in new folk's maps).
After making the individual components (rooms, corridors etc) I then pieced them together, trimmed a bit to make them fit (not to much problem if you have your head screwed on the right way) and viola, a sufficiently interesting and detailed map, which has gameplay included!
Maybe this will answer the unasked question of HOW would one go about making a map.
Maybe we will see a few less boxmaps.
Maybe I will be spammed with tl;dr
[Maybe] I will e-bite their heads off.
Feedback welcome! (unless tl;dr)
Whats your mapping technique?
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Everyone has a different mapping technique.
See for me, i spend literally about 1 minute planning any map. I just use paint and and the box tool to give me a rough idea of what im doing. That doesnt turn it into a box map though.
Then i make the rooms, and start detailing it, one by one.
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Nice, don't e-bite my head off though :(
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Actually, quite interesting, seeing different mapping techniques.
So, whats your technique?
@amz181: I have done that technique a few times before, and managed to turn i into poorly disguised boxmaps, evidently you manage not to. I even tried to make the boxes bigger than they needed to be for the gameplay, to allow room for fancy bits and windows etc, but this just annoyed me :)
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I usually start with a caulk box/rectangle, then fill it in with the necessary details. I think of an idea, then quickly head mindlessly into mapping it, and after the idea is mapped out in radiant, I start connecting less mindless stuff to it, (I get a lot of my ideas from concept art, and most of it comes from deviantart, just adding my own style to it). Which is a lot of the time why I don't think of a map layout that often. :P
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I a ways start with grid paper and draw why draw boxes? you can do anything on grid paper that can be done in Gtk!
I have been studying architecture and been learning to draw but its not hard and comes in handy when theirs no computer around and you have an idea for a map! thats my way
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What is GTK+?
GTK+ is a highly usable, feature rich toolkit for creating graphical user interfaces which boasts cross platform compatibility and an easy to use API. GTK+ it is written in C, but has bindings to many other popular programming languages such as C++, Python and C# among others. GTK+ is licensed under the GNU LGPL 2.1 allowing development of both free and proprietary software with GTK+ without any license fees or royalties.
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of topic again!
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done in Gtk!
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you only took a small part of my words? well any way this is about mapping techniques not the programs.
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you only took a small part of my words? well any way this is about mapping techniques not the programs.
Oh shut up you, you're off topic.
back on topic: I used to draw out a basic layout on graph paper and then map it but right now I'm making it up as I go along. Whenever I get an idea I try and put it in.
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thats what i said!
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I like to draw a basic plan with lots of annotations (Eg Trigger here that makes floor collapse). Then put that together in Radiant, add some detail try it out. Fix up some stuff, then build up an insanely massive list (Often including poorly drawn diagrams (I'm no artist :P)) of things I want to add, then slowly add them.
When compared to the original plan things get so heavy changed that I'm somewhat intrigued that I actuallyed started from that and got to where I am...
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I usually start with a general idea of the layout of the map in my head.
Then I start with a corridor or a room: I always begin with details:
a door, a complicated floor, some pillars or some centerpiece.
Then I build my room around those details.
I finish the entire room (lighting/textures) before I start with the next one.
This way, I can easily do an intermediate compile to check out the map and
make sure it didn't break.
I never start with structural walls, they tend to get in the way.
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what ingar said
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also, to add. I never just sit down and decide to make a new map. I always start off with an idea in my head, and i develop that idea, and if it all makes sense and seems fun, i head boldly onwards to paint.
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Yes i always get my idea when weed-eating or mowing in yard! put on your mp3 player ad mow and i gruantee if you think of mapping you will get ideas fast!
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lmao i just make random shape in radiant and than think what can i use that for, than adding things thatll fit to this first element. not planning at all O.o :P