How do you guys go about designing maps?

I used to build with Lego, I had the rough budget laid out and everything, but that was back in the times of Halo 3. It would be much less feasible now. Sadly this tactic never really worked out because I always ran out of 3x1s when I was building other things, and as those were my staircase stand-ins I could never actually build anything unless it was designed the same day.

 

I voted for just forging, but that's only because I have no hope in drawing a map.

Regarding your issue, it kind of depends on what kind of maps you make (I'm assuming you build maps for Slayer, CTF, etc). But if it's possible, I would use 90 degree angles to make drawing easier as well as making the map in forge easier (and cleaner). As for scaling, graph paper would help very much, unless you are attempting a more-so round design.

Again, idk what kind of maps you make (1v1, 2v2, 4v4, BTB). But designing with 90 degree angles only should help regardless.

 

I search through hundreds of maps on the lvlworld website, until I get a spark of inspiration. Then I draw a rough sketch on paper to show rooms/connections. If everything works out, I draw the geomtry in each room. Then I list the weapon spawns.

Of course...I stick to 1v1 and 2v2 maps mostly, so I have a lot more freedom to create complex designs without running into forge limitations constantly.

 

I have a weird way of making my maps. I don't design my maps before they were made, but after. How you ask? Make a simple map, and then constantly improve on it. Here's an example of how I would do it. This is for most maps I make though, which are room based. Make a main room. Create your theme for the rest of the map out of this room. Pick a set of doors, floors and roofs in this room. Then, you can make other rooms branching off the entrances that you made for your theme. Now you have a set of pieces, a basic layout and a direction you want your map to go in. Once your done your map, your not done. Think of ways in making it better while keeping the theme. Think of ways to make it bigger while saving pieces. Think of spots in the walls that should be opened up. Invite someone, ask what they wanna see. Improving on a basic map is how I usually do it. Its technically backwards, in terms of map design. But I thought since it works for me, it can work for others.

 

I do 90% of map forging in my head.

 

I usually make a sketch on paper, model it in sketchup because I can get a better feel for the map, than forge it. I've been skipping the first two steps recently though.

 

I get a general idea in my head, then go into forge and experiment ways to do it until I find the way that works

 

IMAGINATION

I usually already have a concept inside of my head I try to replicate. All I do then is find the most synonymous location, and look at the pieces from a different perspective, but try to preserve a signature style.

 

I do alot of thinking in my head, then I start drawing it out (not detailed). Then I go on to forge and work on the map. I am good at drawing so there really is no problem for me, but when I started doing this method, I sucked.

 

I think of an idea, look at maps that have a similar concept, see what they did was good and what could have been made different. That version then goes down into the paper and is then modified. I than make a rushed attempt in forge using regular blocks with no aethsetics in mind. Modify some more. If I'm remotely still interested I'll pull up a blank canvas and recreate what I did before. Sadly I either end up ditching the map in the final phase, or just lose interest entirely.

 

Yeah, forge kinda blows, so it's important to be able to improvise during the forging process.

 

I just cannot visualize a three dimensional map in a two dimensional plane.

 

You get used to it. If you look at each map by its tiers, it's much easier to visualize it from bird's eye view.

Of course non 90 degree angles, extreme overlap, and overall complexity would be difficult, but forge would never allow a map like that without that friendly reminder that your map is too good aka "framerate".

My drawing of Worthy was very easy, because it's all 90 degrees and minimal overlap. Just go for something simple. That map you were making for the Enhanced broken had too many technical connections. The more simplified and organized the layout is, the easier it is to sketch and forge.

 

I rememver I tried skecthing a map. The sketch turned out really well but the forging didn't. So yea I just Forge.

 

I usually make maps based on what I've seen in life or on the computer. I draw them out on a piece of graph paper, note what's flawed, and then draw up the weapons scheme and the aesthetic scheme. Then I go into Forge and start building. Once I get my creative juices flowing, I have an easier time thinking of ways to fix the problems.

Generally, when I try to forge a map right away, I end up changing my mind about things over and over again until I go crazy.

 

When forging a BTB map you have to take into account for pre-planning whether you are using terrain or not. If not using terrain using Graph paper is very useful, but remember to be in forge while you are drawing it to check your scale.

For example, if you have drawn a road and you wonder if it will be too long/ too wide/ skinny build a crappy working model of it in forge to see if it looks right. Then you can modify the design on paper to whatever worked in forge.

This is even more important when working with terrain on a BTB map. Getting the scale right when drawing a terrain based map is tough, so most of the time you can get the basic idea out on paper with more designing going on in forge than on paper. One tactic here is to take a straight down photo of the area you are using then drawing on top of it. Putting a Coliseum Wall in the picture at the level of your terrain may also help with scale, but a lot of times it is good to have both this picture out when looking at it in forge. This way, you can try ideas on paper then test to see if they work with the area.

And of course, whatever you make will be a version one: it is always subject to change and you should expect it to change a lot. The process of revising your map is as important as the original building of it, as this takes the design from good on paper to good to play.

 

Personally I sketch on post-it notes before I forge unless I'm using a lot of natural terrain. I find the smaller piece of paper restricts my level of detail to something Forge can handle. Of course it's only really useful for designing the basic layout.