Please help me with detailing my map

[The Ottogirl]

i have been mapping for a year and most of my maps havent reached the beta stage. but my recent map, debarker has been gameplay tested and now is proven to be a fun map. now it is time to detail it. but detailing is a scary thing for me and i need someone to hold my hand

 

[Malachite Man]

Look towards maps that you enjoy visually and try to take note on what they do well, you can also take a look at official Valve VMF's and see what they do on their maps in the editor. Visual Reference is also a really good idea too & having a strong theme that you like and can stay consistent to is important. Detailing can be a really fun & creative part of the mapping process don't feel super scared by it, it's going to take longer than the actual layout part but if you do it slowly and surely you will get to where you want. Hope this helps

 

[Sae35™]

If you want inspiration regarding the map you mentioned, you can look towards Sawmill (duh), Thunder Mountain, Landfall, or even Hardwood.

 

[Miki]

Artpassing can be intimidating as it starts to "solidify" your blockout, as well as being your map's first impression. If you're looking for some initiative, I recommend looking at this thread: https://tf2maps.net/threads/art-pass-club.49495/ It contains small pre-built gameplay spaces that task you to artpass it.

I did a few myself and it feels great to let go and paint a room how you're imagining it without worrying about how it plays. I'd also recommend giving yourself limited time to do so (I've done an hour time limit, you could try a day or a week) , so you don't get hung up wanting it to look perfect. Give it a try, start small and work your way up to build confidence, the main thing is to have something to show for your efforts. If you want further hand-holding help with detailing, I can offer my personal tips on your project, feel free to ask.