Finishing Your First Map

[magic646]

I have made many half-finished maps, but i have never gotten around to finishing one. This is usually because I think of a new idea before the first one is done, and start a new map based around the new idea instead. The cycle continues.

I am starting a new ctf map and I was wondering if anyone had any advice for finishing a map for tf2. (maybe I'm the only one with this problem)

Thanks.

 

[Fruity Snacks]

I might be the only person to recommend this, and it probably isn't the best idea, but what I do is just trying to block out and get a running version of my map as fast as possible. I usually call this a0, because it will have simple mistakes. Then, when thats done, its best to go through it again, slower this time and comb through the map, makes the brush work look nicer, etc.

Really, I'm the only person I know who does this, because if i'm not 100% into a map idea, and I take my time to block it out, then usually it doesn't finish it. This is common though for people, I know a few people who have 10's or 20's of maps that they started or didn't finish.

But really, what I do seems not to be the best ffor the norm of people. BUT it works for me, so I do it about 75% of the time when messing around with map ideas. The best thing is just to find your own motivation to finish a map.

 

[Mr. Happy]

I don't think your the only one who does that. That's a good way to do things, block out as fast as possible, though I would suggest putting a decent amount of time into your paper plan as that goes faster anyway.

 

[Fruity Snacks]

I don't think your the only one who does that. That's a good way to do things, block out as fast as possible, though I would suggest putting a decent amount of time into your paper plan as that goes faster anyway.

Good point, though, a lot of what I do is in my head, I'll draw out a very very rough layout so i have a quick reference guide, but besides that, its mostly mental.

 

[Sgt Frag]

I've got 6 ALMOST finished maps, lol. I tend to get bored or get a new idea I HAVE to try too. Sometimes it's good to have another project going so you can bounce around, try different stuff, not get bored.

But in the end you just have to dedicate to finishing one.

 

[REEJ]

I always finish, even shitty maps.
You end up learning something new, everytime.

 

[grazr]

As you get further through your maps development cycle its progress often gets slower, feedback becomes more eratic and far between, as do/will play tests. It's absolutely fine to have another project on the go so that when you lose interest (Which you will do after working on something as long and dedicatedly as a map takes to produce), but you need to make sure you go back to that original project and confine your inspiration to the development of on going work, or record for later so that you can continue your current work.

The hardest part is keeping the interest in your map up over the whole time of it's development so that you have the motivation to finish the beta stage. I think this is where most of us fail. Right now i've very almost put 1 of my maps into release candidate phase and another into it's beta. Finishing one of my maps for once is something that'll be a relief and this is what i'm working towards. Concerning myself less with only the fun parts and more with the whole process of releasing a complete map.