How do i get inspiration to make a map?

Shoomonger

L4: Comfortable Member
Jul 8, 2009
185
55
I've tried everything even crazy stuff like, remakes, orange maps, mirrored maps, and etc. but i can never finish a tf2 mapping project. is there any project i should try. anything that could inspire me. what should i do?
 

Terr

Cranky Coder
aa
Jul 31, 2009
1,590
410
A) Flickr pictures are handy sources of inspiration.
B) Find out what pisses you off about existing maps, and make the anti-problem map.
C) Choose something you think you can finish. Completing it makes it easier to do larger projects next time.
 

RedWatch

L1: Registered
Sep 8, 2009
18
2
Go for a long walk.
You could see something that could strike you as interesting.
Worked for me.
 

Shaar

L3: Junior Member<BR>toboruin
Aug 7, 2008
231
206
try and find someone to help work with you? thats what I'm doing with caldera, and it's gotten a hell of alot further than other maps I've done
 

Scotland Tom

L6: Sharp Member
Jan 19, 2008
332
64
I tried making both a multi-stage CP and a Payload map before. Both attempts failed miserably and ended in burnout for one major reason:

Both were more complicated than other gameplay modes and thus were larger and more time-consuming to complete.

Being a beginning mapper I had to contend with not only learning how to do things, but struggling through the learning process knowing that I had a long way to go on each map. The task was just too daunting and I couldn't continue. I never even got a playable alpha out for either map.

However, more recently I decided to give things another go and I discovered that, with a single idea, I could more easily accomplish a smaller map such as an arena or koth or ctf. These map types basically revolve around a single central area and really only require one inspirational idea to hold them together. Once I realized that I started work on a koth map a few weeks ago and am looking forward to my second gameday playtest this evening.

I may have a lot of work yet to do, but it doesn't seem so overwhelming because the map is smaller and I've already gotten myself into playtesting.

tl;dr - Bigger, more complicated maps are tough, especially when you're starting. Try a smaller map type like arena, koth or ctf and see if the smaller size helps you move along and stay motivated.
 

Remix

L69: Deviant Member
Feb 27, 2008
69
15
I get inspiration by drawing out my layouts. I know a lot of people don't like to do this because it "restricts" them from mapping or changing things, but you can be more open-minded about it, then it can be very useful. It is so much faster to draw a map on paper than it is to start on a blank canvas in Hammer.

The hardest part in mapping is easily making the first playable alpha. After you get past this stage, you can pretty much detail, balance, and texture the entire map because you owe it to yourself. I feel committed to my map because it has come along so far.

I also recommend getting your good non-mapping friends into the map and let them see it. I found that once I have shown people what I have been working on, I get some feedback and I can fix it early. Also their constant nagging about when can they see the next version is more than enough to push anybody over the hill.
 

Waif

L7: Fancy Member
Mar 22, 2009
412
125
Aren't we supposed to be encouraging people?

I agree, lack of inspiration doesn't neccessarily mean someone shouldn't be mapping. Anyone is allowed to map, whether they take it seriously or just for the enjoyment.

I'm kinda confused as to why four people thanked youme for this post.
Maybe I'm missing the point?
 

drp

aa
Oct 25, 2007
2,273
2,628
im like you. i will start something, but i wont finish it. the last map i finished was a day of defeat map that I made for a small team i was playing in.

im currently messing around with the koth mode, and im taking a lot of inspiration from existing maps like viaduct, well and turbine.
 

Balloonsfor600

L1: Registered
Sep 7, 2009
45
18
I had a problem pushing maps to completion. I made a UT2004 map once based off the 3dbuzz tutorials. I also made a UT99 map as well without a whole lot of help - just some tinkering. The first didn't look that great, but I was proud of it from a gameplay standpoint minus a few things about it (namely some deadends), but the point was that I was experimenting. I never released either map, but I learned a lot from making them. My point is that it's not that you are uninspired, but that you need to open up an editor and just play. If you have fun doing it - mapping is for you and you will learn a lot.

Three to four years after my first foray into mapping and finding it enjoyable, I am pushing myself to actually finish a map. There are two reasons it took so long: One was that looking at my old maps and concepts for maps, I thought that I wasn't good enough and two was just a lack of time.

It's not so much that I have more time now, but that I am overcoming the first obstacle and am finding that the time is there - I just wasn't letting myself see it. So, my recommendation is to doodle on a sheet of paper. Get an idea from photos or just your imagination and commit to it. This may sound hokey, but it's working for me. Set a schedule for yourself - it pushes you to work hard on your map and then convince yourself to release it and give project updates to the community. Listen to their comments, ask for their help and commit yourself to build a map that you can share with these people who have given you their time to help you complete it.

I plan to put up the alpha release (just basic geometry) of my ctf map this weekend/early next week depending on how fast I can get a coding project done for a class. Pushing myself to sit down and commit to a general schedule has inspired me to start and complete my map. Thus far, it's worked.

Sorry for the lengthy response.
 

Dr. ROCKZO

L8: Fancy Shmancy Member
Jul 25, 2009
580
159
Necro but it saves me making another thread for the sake or posting something like this..

I usually have one golden Idea, it may be mediocre but it gives you something to work off. Most recently, my Idea is a spiral descent into Reds base for the Final Stage, then I work off that, I find the problems in that, fix them, then fix those fixes too. I just add a lot and take away what doesn't work. Constant Evolution is my inspiration..
 

Blue552

L3: Member
Sep 16, 2009
137
18
#No.1 Rule:

DO NOT sit in front of you computer all day.

You have to get outside and discover interesting architectures and environments. At the same time always have TF2 mapping in mind.

I might be walking the dog and see a cliff overseeing a small pond and think "hey that be would a cool center piece for a map" or I'll be riding the train to uni and see a section of a building which I think would make for an interesting battleground.

Other times I'll think of completely random things that have nothing to do with TF2. At the moment I am making a TF2 surf map and randomly thought "Wouldn't it be cool if each team had a massive cannon that shot them out of their base".

Now I'm in the process of creating a rotating cannon with a count down thats HUGE and you are the projectile and it shall be called the "Noob Tube"

- Except Func_Brushes seem to render in every game BUT TF2...