Recomendation to start a new map??

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blesser

L1: Registered
Sep 18, 2009
38
0
Hi im new with hammer editor , and i wanna creat my own tf2 map , i already know the basic of hammer like how creat the brush , apply the textures , create some triggers etc. But im wondering what the best way to start my map , i watch many videos on youtube but im not to sure, should i start creating room by room and add paths etc or creat a big surface and after creat building and paths over it. Im really up for any suggestions and any help =) thanks forward. :rolleyes:
 
Feb 17, 2009
1,165
376
First take a sheet of paper, a pencil and some imagination. Than try to sketch your map, think about the class balance: is the map too sniper friendly? Isn't that route too long for heavy?
When you are done with sketching, make the map in hammer. Don't use the real textures, use developer textures at the beginning. After you have blocked out the map, and made sure it works, and fixed some bugs, submit it to gameday. Than while you go through your alphas and betas, fix bugs, add textures, some detail and etc. :)
 

Stormcaller3801

L5: Dapper Member
Jul 5, 2009
249
28
Generally speaking you're going to do best by thinking of a map as being akin to an old D&D map- rooms connected by doors and corridors. Even open areas should just be a box with one or more walls looking like sky. If you try to set up a map by creating a large flat area and then putting buildings in it, you'll end up with extra areas you don't need, which will in turn make your map too large and by extension, slow.

Personally I favor figuring out the major path(s) of travel I want, then adding points along that path, then figuring out alternative paths and wrapping boxes around all of it to get the desired layout. Once that's done, then going back in and worrying about details.
 

Garner

L4: Comfortable Member
Aug 16, 2009
154
38
First take a sheet of paper, a pencil and some imagination. Than try to sketch your map, think about the class balance: is the map too sniper friendly? Isn't that route too long for heavy?
When you are done with sketching, make the map in hammer. Don't use the real textures, use developer textures at the beginning. After you have blocked out the map, and made sure it works, and fixed some bugs, submit it to gameday. Than while you go through your alphas and betas, fix bugs, add textures, some detail and etc. :)

+1million

This is exactly what you need to do :)
 

Shoomonger

L4: Comfortable Member
Jul 8, 2009
185
55
First take a sheet of paper, a pencil and some imagination. Than try to sketch your map, think about the class balance: is the map too sniper friendly? Isn't that route too long for heavy?
When you are done with sketching, make the map in hammer. Don't use the real textures, use developer textures at the beginning. After you have blocked out the map, and made sure it works, and fixed some bugs, submit it to gameday. Than while you go through your alphas and betas, fix bugs, add textures, some detail and etc. :)

Did you steal that from the site founder? Because I watched a podcast where he had a cameo appearance and he said that it's important to first write your ideas down on paper.
 
Feb 17, 2009
1,165
376
To shoomonger:

No i didnt, but actually while i was writing the text, i had a feeling that i have heard or read the stuff i just wrote :D
Sorry if its somehow stolen :(
 

Stormcaller3801

L5: Dapper Member
Jul 5, 2009
249
28
I think that's been suggested in at least 80% of all inspiration/map design question threads. Where to get information, how to plan a map, how to follow through on a map until it's done, how to create better maps, and so on.
 

Dr. ROCKZO

L8: Fancy Shmancy Member
Jul 25, 2009
580
159
[ame="http://forums.tf2maps.net/showthread.php?t=807"]TF2 Mapping-Link Resources - TF2Maps.net[/ame]

I found that thread really useful during my ventures into TF2 Mapping, I'd recommend bookmarking that and referencing to it often.
 

ParanoidDrone

L3: Member
Feb 19, 2009
147
11
First take a sheet of paper, a pencil and some imagination. Than try to sketch your map, think about the class balance: is the map too sniper friendly? Isn't that route too long for heavy?
When you are done with sketching, make the map in hammer. Don't use the real textures, use developer textures at the beginning. After you have blocked out the map, and made sure it works, and fixed some bugs, submit it to gameday. Than while you go through your alphas and betas, fix bugs, add textures, some detail and etc. :)

Bolded part is what I still need to get around to doing. :p

Also, if my own experience is any indication, your first few maps will no doubt fail hard, even if you don't realize it at the time. I guess I was lucky enough to be a perfectionist that saw the flaws before I got around to making them public, but still.

If you want, you could even make a test map of sorts in order to see what exactly you can do in Hammer. I made one for displacements that helped me understand them a lot more.