Are making TF2 maps worth it?

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Wkay

L1: Registered
Feb 6, 2016
41
7
So, this is just a quick question I have.
Are making TF2 maps worth it? TF2 is a huge game and we all know that, it has a large community and it has a lot of maps, but are the large number of maps worth it? I don't think anybody will ever actually actively play your maps, and nobody will pay attention to the detail you put in.
The only gamemodes I feel like are worth mapping for is VSH (Versus Saxton Hale), FF2 (Freak Fortress 2), and DR (Deathrun), and the bad part about that is that they're all custom gamemodes that aren't official in any way.

I repeat; Are making TF2 maps worth it? If anybody has an opinion on this or an answer, let me know ASAP.
Thanks! ~Wkay
 

Yrr

An Actual Deer
aa
Sep 20, 2015
1,308
2,743
theres communities that play custom maps and valve looks for custom maps to add in updates

but most of us map because we enjoy it



also lmao @ "the only gamemodes [you] feel like are worth mapping for"
 

LeSwordfish

semi-trained quasi-professional
aa
Aug 8, 2010
4,102
6,597
So, this is just a quick question I have.
Are making TF2 maps worth it? TF2 is a huge game and we all know that, it has a large community and it has a lot of maps, but are the large number of maps worth it? I don't think anybody will ever actually actively play your maps, and nobody will pay attention to the detail you put in.
The only gamemodes I feel like are worth mapping for is VSH (Versus Saxton Hale), FF2 (Freak Fortress 2), and DR (Deathrun), and the bad part about that is that they're all custom gamemodes that aren't official in any way.

I repeat; Are making TF2 maps worth it? If anybody has an opinion on this or an answer, let me know ASAP.
Thanks! ~Wkay

The only reason to do anything like this as a leisure activity is because you enjoy it. If you enjoy it, its a worthwhile use of your time - if not, then you can find something better. (We won't begrudge you for doing something else!)

If you're interested in Deathrun, @worMatty is our local deathrun guru - I'm sure he can point you at the tutorials to get a first map going. Welcome to the site!
 

worMatty

Repacking Evangelist
aa
Jul 22, 2014
1,257
999
Hi, Frisky. Welcome to the community. Nice avatar.

I'm quite fortunate to have some people who added me on Steam just to tell me they really liked my Deathrun work. Every DR mapper I've spoken and worked with has been friendly, creative and supportive. The reason I got in to mapping was because I liked DR so much, I wanted to help it by improving some old maps, and providing some new experiences. It was a perfect workbench for me to experiment with logic, budgets and aesthetics, and I now feel like I could do any kind of map I wanted. There are some DR maps which I dislike due to the design choices, replay value, aesthetics and so on, but many server operators don't share my opinion and put maps that I would consider to be poor into their rotation. If you can make something the same level as those, you needn't worry about promoting it, as it will find its way onto many servers.

TF2 mapping is a great gateway to level design in general. The skills you will gain are transferrable to other games and development environments, as well as other areas of game development, and even real-world skills like interior design, photography, set decoration and architecture! My two biggest pieces of advice are to find some aspect of TF2 mapping that interests you, that you could become passionate about given time and focus, and to learn now to appreciate all feedback, even the stuff that sounds overly-critical, negative or harsh. Desensitize yourself to criticism, adopt a welcoming and inquisitive approach, and you will be able to make better choices that will benefit your end users, because you are making maps for them to play, not you.

If you would like to know more, push the button.
0x37sas.png

(By which I mean, the button in your mind. Oooaaooohhhh!)
 

MegapiemanPHD

Doctorate in Deliciousness
aa
Mar 31, 2012
1,937
1,280
Just like any hobby you gotta do it for yourself first. Sure, people playing your map on servers or it becoming part of an official update is great and most if not all of us hope to see that some day, but, if you want to make maps you gotta make em cause you want to make em. Everything else is a plus.
 

Yrr

An Actual Deer
aa
Sep 20, 2015
1,308
2,743
community servers used to be more visible

its why for many years my exposure to tf2 was ad-filled saigns.de servers with mods and "premium"

it took me several years to determine that level 3 dispensers shooting homing rockets was not standard tf2 fare