I'm unsure how to get an actual map.

[bonzo_official]

I'm new to tf2 mapping. i want to try to get a simple map out there, my end goal for the week being a small halloween map with a few ghosts sprinkled within. How would i get a simple, balanced map out there? (p.s at this time i can only make a room.)

 

[The Asylum]

One thing to really help you out, do yourself a huuuuuuuuuge favor and don't go detail crazy in pre alpha. Just simple shapes and plain textures. Says the guy who is famous for going absurd detail crazy in pre alpha, of course, but I'm an idiot so don't be like me.

The first thing you want to do is NOT open up Hammer right away. Get a sketchbook or old papers or whatever you can draw on, and draw. Sketch the top-view layout first. As you sketch, you'll see things like long sightlines, and you can decide where to break them up. It's a lot easier to erase a pencil line than it is to rearrange geometry in Hammer.

Remember: Practice safe design. Use a concept.

 

[SuperLuxDeluxe]

If you haven't watched Crash's mapping tutorial series, go ahead and give that a look.

Also, consider joining our Discord server. We have a lot of people who are more than willing to help you out with your map. It's also the only way to get your map tested on our servers. The playtesting will help you make iterative changes to your map based on feedback to get your map into a good state.