Need Some Map-Making Tips

Svode

Take a Chance on Me
aa
Jul 31, 2016
166
471
So, I just recently started taking interest in map designing, and am planning on making a map based off of Ctf_Landfall, but as a Control-Point map. I would appreciate any and all advice/tips/help/etc that I can get.
 

Svode

Take a Chance on Me
aa
Jul 31, 2016
166
471

dryerlint

L5: Dapper Member
Mar 28, 2016
204
190
Total newbie here, but screw it, I'll try and think of some tips anyways. Take these with a grain of salt.

1) Your job when mapping is to create an interesting and fun experience for players. Try and imagine the different ways that they will flow through areas and combat each other. Make combat interesting (with height variation, cover, etc), don't just put your players on a flat empty plane.

2) Don't overscale or underscale your map. Walk through it with an average-speed class like Soldier to get a sense of its scale.

3) Playtest often. Don't do any detailing/art before your first playtest, or else it will be hard to change the layout. I made this mistake.

4) Put layout/gameplay before aesthetics. You should never give up a good layout just because of your map aesthetics.

5) Don't except your first map to be great. 99% of people, including myself, start out with shit-maps. There's nothing wrong with shit-maps as long as you learn from them.

6) Read the tutorials and things on this website. Personally I like grazr's in particular, especially this one: https://tf2maps.net/threads/guide-scale-and-your-map.12605/

7) Don't use any big gimmicks for your first few maps. Things like water maps, vertical maps, etc. It's hard to pull off gimmicks, and it's much easier to just stick to the normal TF2 theme.

8) Look at Valve maps and see how they do things. Look at their layout, the ways that players flow into areas, the ways that they can fight each other. Look at their aesthetics and details.

9) Don't lose hope. If you receive negative feedback, don't worry, you'll learn from it. In mapping you learn from your mistakes very quickly. I'm still a newbie, but I already feel like I've learned a lot!

10) Constantly shitpost on the steamchat
 

Svode

Take a Chance on Me
aa
Jul 31, 2016
166
471
Total newbie here, but screw it, I'll try and think of some tips anyways. Take these with a grain of salt.

1) Your job when mapping is to create an interesting and fun experience for players. Try and imagine the different ways that they will flow through areas and combat each other. Make combat interesting (with height variation, cover, etc), don't just put your players on a flat empty plane.

2) Don't overscale or underscale your map. Walk through it with an average-speed class like Soldier to get a sense of its scale.

3) Playtest often. Don't do any detailing/art before your first playtest, or else it will be hard to change the layout. I made this mistake.

4) Put layout/gameplay before aesthetics. You should never give up a good layout just because of your map aesthetics.

5) Don't except your first map to be great. 99% of people, including myself, start out with shit-maps. There's nothing wrong with shit-maps as long as you learn from them.

6) Read the tutorials and things on this website. Personally I like grazr's in particular, especially this one: https://tf2maps.net/threads/guide-scale-and-your-map.12605/

7) Don't use any big gimmicks for your first few maps. Things like water maps, vertical maps, etc. It's hard to pull off gimmicks, and it's much easier to just stick to the normal TF2 theme.

8) Look at Valve maps and see how they do things. Look at their layout, the ways that players flow into areas, the ways that they can fight each other. Look at their aesthetics and details.

9) Don't lose hope. If you receive negative feedback, don't worry, you'll learn from it. In mapping you learn from your mistakes very quickly. I'm still a newbie, but I already feel like I've learned a lot!

10) Constantly shitpost on the steamchat

Already a master at Number 10, so this has got to be easy!
 

nickybakes

You should've played Rumbleverse
aa
Jul 28, 2015
911
1,739
Height variation is one of the keys to making an interesting layout. Don't make your entire map on one brush.
 

Malachite Man

L6: Sharp Member
Oct 16, 2015
345
198
Hear are a few tips that I know of here they are

1:I don't suggest you use custom content on the first few versions of your map but you could just remember PACK IT CORRECTLY

2:Check your compile log for anything funky if it says errror then you should it somewhere on tf2 maps there will 99% be the solution to your problem

3: here is the most important tip am going to give you DON'T CARVE EVER JUST DO IT