Uhh... Help please?

Q1: You should first of all get an idea. Look around the house for something. Watch TV and hope to find something cool. Make sure it's realistic though. Don't be too ambitious. That's the word right? I don't have the best grasp on some words....

Q2: Start in a unique place. I'm using tempest right now and I barely see people use tempest.
Anyway don't use something too plain either. The collosieum and Quarry may not be good in most cases. Aesthetics can be just as important as gameplay. Who wants to fight in a gray box anyway?

Q3: Take a good look at everything. Turn it upside down too. Items turned in certain positions can look like completly different things. On a map I'm working on I'm using an antenna as a shooter for the laser thing (indoor map. Want to utilize laser for aesthetics) and some other stuff.

Q4: It all depends on the map you're making. Big maps usually go in the island and canyon. Small maps can go in montana, alaska or even the rock (Pillar)!!!

Q5: If it's all from the top of your head it usually won't be as good as if it was planned. Plan it out. Make a simple diagram detailing weapon spawns and initial spawns and geometry. To make sure it's balanced of course.

If you have a hard time making maps don't go for a game-type yet. Go for a simple, symmetrical slayer map and work in other game-types once you get the hang of it.

 

I get a random idea, draw a sketch (to remember and help me think)
modify idea on paper
go to forge and take a very long time to make things, but be very precise

 

Usually it begins in the real world for me. I look around and see an interesting piece of architecture that could work well in a map. I use that as a central piece, and the rest of the map is filled with new ideas that I haven't seen before.

 

Its starts with an idea, you have to have some idea of where your going or you'll end up standing in a puddle in the canyon the whole time. With me, I'm usually building a mini-game map, for instance right now I'm working on an invasion map. So because I usually build invasion or infection maps, first I figure out where the humans will spawn. It's sorta like acting, first you have to figure out where you are, then what time is it, then who you are. After I get the humans spawn figured out, then I usually decide where they will end up at the end of the game hopefully. Once I know where I'm at and where I'm going then I "find out" whats in between the two. When it's a big map in forge world its a good idea to see what kind of terrain there is for you to work with. But usually I get inspired by working from a starting point to the end point.

 

it seems like you are too worried about making something amazing,
when you should just build whatever and see what happens. have fun with it.
over time, ideas will start to flow. ****, you may scrap the first twenty things you make,
but maybe in each of those twenty things, you had one great idea you wanted to keep and re-use.

if you dont like having too many options,
try limiting yourself to a certain geometric shape for the theme of the map.

for example,
2 squares and a circle in the center, walled in map.
then go from there.

 

^ agreed. A good thing to take away from that is that if you're having trouble coming up with something you like, start simple. Like TCD said, a simple diagram can work wonders in encouraging and focusing your creativity. When I actually did anything forge-wise, I'd always come up with a simple concept for a map layout (like once I thought it'd be kinda cool to do something similar to Construct in terms of having a flat base and a floating area above it with an empty centre), then play around with that idea in your head and sketch anything that comes to mind. Just keep sketching ideas until something comes together in a way you think you like, then you can go from there expanding or compiling it in to a map. Tbh I barely forge at all, but I'm still a great supporter of the idea of planning before starting, however you basic you make that plan. If you don't set off with at least a rough direction in mind then where you end up probably won't be that great.

Above I mentioned my long since abandoned idea for a map similar to the basic principle of Construct, and on that note you could consider looking for a gameplay aspect you like in an existing map (whether it's Bungie or forged, though if it's a community map you may want to consider asking the creator if they'd be ok with you using their map as inspiration, just to be courteous), and expand on that basic principle to make your own design. It could be a small section of a map which you then expand to your own full design, or a basic overall design principle (like the floating ring/lower base level principle in Construct) that you rework to your own ends. There's a lot of inspiration to be found in existing maps, especially the really good Bungie ones, and it can also help you understand what brings good gameplay when you start to pick apart a successful map design. This route isn't for everyone, however, and it's just one option amongst many.

Of course this all relates pretty much to competitive maps, mini-games/casual maps are a whole different deal. Those really require a unique premise for gameplay before you even start to think about the map itself. Mini-games generally revolve around a unique gametype idea, then the map is built to support that, so unless you've already got an idea for a mini-game and how you would work it in to one of the available gametypes then you're probably best off trying something else. That isn't to say that you shouldn't try and think of a gameplay concept for a mini-game, but in this case the idea really does come first and the map follows, a good mini-game requires that flash of inspiration for something that will be really fun and possible within the current gametype frameworks.