Bad Mapmaking Cliche's

[Nineaxis]

Just thinking, I've been noticing a lot of extremely common but poor qualities in most custom maps. So why not start a list? Could help as a "Do not" resource. Not saying that all of these might be bad, some maps apply these well, but they seem overused in bad ways.

1. Huge open areas

2. In CTF maps, both bases need to be textured the same concrete and just change the trim color. (What happened to the Blu Industrial vs. Red Agricultural theme?)

3. To make a good inaccessible "prop" room, just put in a window and throw some computer props in there in an illogical way

Any more?

 

[Snipergen]

4. orange textures

5. annoying music in the map

6. unlogical constructions that couldn't exist in real life and do not behave following the laws of gravity

7. hidden rooms

8. breakable walls

9. restricting classes

 

[grazr]

10. Displacements not displaced enough.

11. Over use of the sign overlays; farm, mining, and other signs in the same map? A map should really follow one theme. Is it a farm? Is it a mine? Is it a factory?

12. See number 6 again.

 

[DasMatze]

13. Fullbright maps

14. Non-TF-style-textures

15. Letters, numbers, arrows and signs created with brushes and a solid color texture

16. Unexpecting clipmaps (open areas at the mapborders)

17. No cubemaps builit

 

[oxy]

18. Maps that are enclosed in a huge box.

19. Outdoor maps with no 3d skybox.

20. Poor naming conventions eg. ( coolmap_alpha , v2_coolmap )

21. Lack of direction and poor/confusing layout.

22. Maps which completely unbalance classes. (sniper-only maps, maps with all tight hallways for pyros)

 

[DJive]

23. Maps that have HUGE clan tags floating in the air.

24. Maps that have a total usage of under 400 brushes

 

[Ace]

24. Maps that have a total usage of under 400 brushes

You lie!!!

Take a look at this

Deluxe map
User rating 9
VWAR rating 9.26

Total brushes 4!!!


With that sorta quality floating around from only 4 brushes you must be wrong

 

[YM]

25. Surf maps

26. Invisible walls

27. Breakable glass

28. Walls or floors that are <8 units thick without a good reason

29. Diagonal beams where the 'grain' of the texture is horizontal or vertical

30. Excessivly vertical gameplay (like cp_tower type maps [not a direct jab at cp_tower, its just a generic name ])

 

[YM]

Take a look at this

Deluxe map
User rating 9
VWAR rating 9.26

Well I posted a honest approval (anonymously), if everyone else could please do the same it might get a propper rating.
Its now this:
User Rating - 7.7/10
VWAR Rating - 8.69/10

 

[Ace]

Wow, now the non-deluxe version (that has no skybox, less brushes(somehow), clipping errors, and the mappers name floating in big blocks is about equal to it (scorewise)

Maps like this, are the reason that people don'y play customs, and TBH, I can see now why Youme brands all first maps shit - (untill I release mine )

31: Texture misalignments.

32: Displacements that don't sew/match up.


Also this thread started as what not to do and is still not what to do...ummm....you know what I mean, first posts tell you to do what not to do, last few just say not what to do. I'm not sure if thats getting across, but I tried, if someone can word that better go ahead.

 

[DJive]

DO: Use, learn and master the vertex tool
DO: Strive to do your best and learn something each time you do so.
DO: take pride in your work. Why would you want to release something that is half assed?
DO: Listen to others Critique, even if its rough, there is meaning behind it.

DON'T: use carve tool.. EVER...
DON'T: go off grid
DON'T: Go lower then grid 4 *unless you are an experienced mapper*

 

[YM]

Rated that one fairly too, its now back in the beginner skill group like it should be, anyone else willing to spare a few moments to ensure it stays there would be good

 

[Spike]

25. Surf maps

I disagree, surf maps are made for fun, they aren't attempt to be well mapped but for having a good time.

I don't use to play them but you can't say it's a bad cliche if they are not attempted to look nice.

 

[Ida]

3. To make a good inaccessible "prop" room, just put in a window and throw some computer props in there in an illogical way

What would you define as a bad "prop room"? I've added a large rocket storage room in my map that is inaccessible, but it adds a lot of "back story" to the map. Do people generally think that's a bad thing?

 

[YM]

There is a key word in that:

in an illogical way

'prop rooms' that make sense are good. prop rooms that are out of character for the rest of the map, are bad.

 

[Nineaxis]

First thing that comes to mind is Mach4. It's a great map, but the "prop rooms" are glass boxes in the floor with a bunch of computers mashed together.

Any prop room which is appropriately placed and logical from the player's view would be good. You wouldn't be walking through a mine and see a window into an office where the only furniture inside is two computers and a table.

I'd say look at the 2fort basement. There are 6 "prop rooms" (I can think of) down there which just blend with the map... they don't distract from gameplay and make you go "What the hell is that?!"

36. Lack of signs at least pointing towards the CP/Intel.

 

[Ida]

Ah, of course. Illogical. I guess I didn't read properly.

I can't really come up with anything to add here. :S

 

[YM]

36. Lack of signs at least pointing towards the CP/Intel.

I personally feel that payload maps do not need signs for anything other than resupply (due to the simple fact if you follow the track you end up in the right place!)
I can't remember if goldrush has CP signs or not.

 

[Jimbomcb]

Has the A B C signs at the end of the stages and quite a few "control point" decals spread throughout

 

[Nineaxis]

I personally feel that payload maps do not need signs for anything other than resupply (due to the simple fact if you follow the track you end up in the right place!)
I can't remember if goldrush has CP signs or not.

I would agree. Payload maps don't need signs. But the majority of custom maps are CP/CTF and lack signs, leaving us confused. I wasn't sure how to best word that so payload maps were excluded. They don't have true capture points like cp_ maps, and don't have intel, so they don't need signs pointing to CP/Intel. Should I edit it to say "if applicable"?