First post, new mapper.

[fps_vandal]

Hey guys, this is my first post here, I've been reading through for a few days and used the search button and provided tutorials extensivly. I've never used hammer before in my life until yesterday, and followed that wonderful video tutorial in the sticky, made myself a little box map. So since I had the day off today, I thought I'd start simple and work on a really basic de_ map.

I've finished the concept, the layout and the basic flow of the map (I got it pretty good on my first try.) What's left is the gameplay elements: Spawns, (at the moment I only have a CT spawn so I can check out the map in first person during testing.) Buy zones, and bomb zones.

Here's the layout: http://www.fragspersecond.net/csmaps/de_claustro_over.jpg

In concept, it's quite dust like. 2 Bombsites, 1 at CT spawn, 1 a stone's throw away from CT spawn, lots of action in the middle with room for T's to sneak back around to CT spawn for a bomb plant if the CT's aren't on their toes.

It's a sort of tunnel/sewer system. Terrorists are trying to complete one of two objectives:

1) Destroy the pump room. (site a) which controls all water and heating for the area.

2) Destroy the Counter-Terrorists' entry point (site b) to delay further attempts to stop the terrorist plan.

It's extremley basic, very square and as of right now very unfinished. Here's some of the shots of what I've gotten done so far:

CT Spawn:
http://www.fragspersecond.net/csmaps/de_claustro_test10000

CT Route to Bomb A:
http://www.fragspersecond.net/csmaps/de_claustro_test10001

Some of the first detail work I've done on the map. Metal framing.
http://www.fragspersecond.net/csmaps/de_claustro_test10002

More detail work near the CT's back route, a light source on either side of the doorway between halls. It will look awesome when the lighting is added to the map!
http://www.fragspersecond.net/csmaps/de_claustro_test10003
http://www.fragspersecond.net/csmaps/de_claustro_test10004

Any crits, advice ect would be helpful. Also, once the whole map is done and textured, I'll be adding my world models...I tried to do this on an earlier test map and had alot of problems (They showed up on the hammer preview, but not on the map...lighting and textures were fubar.) So if anybody had a link to a good explanation on how to use world models (physics and otherwise) + bomb/buy/spawn zones I'd worship you.

Depending on how long it takes to add world models and the spawn/buy/bomb zones, this map could be done as early as next week.

 

[Dead-Inside]

Well, uh...
I usually go about it (I'm a fairly new mapper myself) in steps;
First you do your base geometry. To easy off the clutter and remove and stress later on, try to use dev textures (Filter for dev and you'll see what I mean).

When your geometry is done, either by free hand or after your scetches you did prior to entering hammer, you can move on to texturing.

This leaves room for altering your geometrics to fit the player/gameplay/looks better as you go around texturing and, unless you clottered with textures when doing geometry, will allow you to easily express your artistic visions through some nice texturework.

Next up when that's done (Not a small job, mind you) is models, such as barrels, monitors, lights (<-- Important. While testing geometry I usually go with a light_environment, and that only) and other small details, not to mention brush boxes and other minor brushwork that you might not have done yet. Remember not to clutter your map with models because "They make my map look better". Indeed they can but they can totally ruin it too. Make sure everything fits, don't have a generator in a cofferoom... and never ever place Barney in an open area, he can resort to shooting exercises, or something.

Anyway, when all of your models and lights are in, it's time to polish stuff up. Once you're happy with your map you should concider a 3D skybox to go around it. It's often best to save it until the end. There's lots of 3D skyboxtutorials to go around (Not to mention the official, Valve, one) so there's no need to worry.

I hope I didn't miss anything. Also, read the tutorial on cubemaps at www.h l2 world.com minus the spaces.

Good luck. (Note; Buyzones and spawns, and bombsites for that matter, only take 5 minutes of your time, save for aligning issues with spawns [Rotating them and such]).