Wondering Eyes

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DJive

Cake or Death?
aa
Dec 20, 2007
1,465
741
:bored:

This is the problem im having resently.. I've been working on a map now for close to 3 weeks. I do maybe 2 hours a night or more. I'm starting to lose focus. Infact worse... I'm starting to make different themed maps!.

I'll start a new map and work on a cool looking tunnel or area where as it could never fit the theme of what im mainly focused on.

How do you keep your focus? How do you work on one map to the end?

Being side tracked is killing me :blushing:
 

YM

LVL100 YM
aa
Dec 5, 2007
7,135
6,056
slap your self every time you realise you are working on another map.

what I do, is embrace the need for a change and work on something else for a few days then go back to it. I've currently got 2 TF2 maps on the go and a HUGE portal project. if at any point I get tired of the same thing I swap to the other.
 
S

Squirrelly

Yeah i was the same way when i started mapping. Whenever id see a cool texture or area i would be fixed on using it or making it & build around it.

Yeah working on a couple things at a time can help shift your energy to keep mapping, but be careful not to get too lazy with them because its better to finish 1 good map, then never finish multiple ones.

Also just not doing it for awhile, mapping gets very boring after awhile, so take a break, or just wait to do it another day when your in the mood.

But even if u never totally finish them its okay, i almost never totally finished or released my early work, even to this day i don't sometimes. As long as you learn and get better each time, then when you get good enough you'll want to make sure u finish & release your best work.

Just work on it in small bursts, for a few hours a day or a week or something, focus on a different area and don't worry about the big picture, that always helps me.

Also try making focusing on a good map idea and build the textures or theme around it instead of the other way around, which can constrict you.
 

Crimson

L3: Member
Nov 25, 2007
119
1
I'm glad I dont have that problem, I have been working on my map 3 months for probably 30-40 hours a week. It is my first map though so a lot of the time is spent trying to figure things out. Goes a lot faster now, but the first month was slow as hell. I spend hours a week just searching through the models listing.
 
S

Squirrelly

holy hell, thats like a full time job! haha

Im sure the hard work put in will pay off in the end product. Yea i always try to plan things out as best as possible to keep things moving quickly or i'll get stuck searching through models, sounds, materials or other stuff forever.
 

YM

LVL100 YM
aa
Dec 5, 2007
7,135
6,056
Oh yes, someone wise once said: "If you want to be good at something do it untill you are sick of it. Then go do it some more"

I must spend roughly 40 hours a week mapping as well, My future goal is to be employed by valve and work on TF3 :D