Mappers block

[Farrowlesparrow]

Anyone else have/had it?

Ive got it right now...or i should say, ive got it with Hl mapping. With all this hype over Hl2, ive been thinking a lot about the maps im going to be creating for Hl2. Unfortunately, since Hl2 is delayed, that means i cant really do anything with those ideas apart from refine them. I cant really make them in the Hl engine because of the scale of them.

Oh well.

What do you do when you get "mappers block"?

Normally i would just look through other peoples maps to get inspiration, or even better i would actually look at photos or go out and see if i could get inspired but at the moment it doesnt seem to be working

 

[clay_9]

What I would suggest, try your hand at modelling. For HL2 the 'mappers' job is not going to be confined to just mapping. He will have a range of abilities, mapping, modelling and texturing.

You've got plenty of time now that HL2 is delayed

 

[Farrowlesparrow]

Thats true.

I dont know a lot about modelling...i mean, i can make stuff in map editors which isnt massively different, but i dont really know the tools. For instance, my brother uses 3d studio, i tried my hand at that but i never got into because i started mapping.

Any suggestions for what i should do? What modeling tools should i get hold of?

 

[IchI]

ye, I am inspired by everything. I like the wild world of japan and its hole culture. Its totally inspiring. You can spend weeks in japan and not say a word of speach. Just look. Japanese anime is amazing and I love anything that is very creative. Nothing has to make sense. Just be inspiring. If you ever wanted to be inspired in anyway I would sujest watching some good anime.

 

[Farrowlesparrow]

Anime...Ive not really watched much of that lately. Its good but, and this will sound weird, i enjoy thinking up my own things if you get me. This isnt to do with maps now, but for some reason, when iw atch anime it feels like the person who made it has taken the odeas from my head and put them to screen. normally that would be cool, for instance in a film or something. But for some reason when i see that in anime, it freaks me out.

 

[IchI]

lol. I like anime so much because there are no possibilitys. I like how nearly all japanese directors of even real times films don't give a shit about laws. They push boardrys on violance and sex and don't care to much about weather it makes sense or not. Nothing much from japan makes sense. They have such a good culture. I swear I am sooooo adicted I WANNA BE JAPANESE!

IchI = one/winner in japanese

 

[Dux]

Originally posted by Farrowlesparrow
What do you do when you get "mappers block"?

I get rid of it by playing AvP 1 and 2 followed by the Doom 3 alpha. Enough insipiration there to sink a boat.

 

[Jhahn2k4]

Well after expirimenting with modeling, texturing etc., maybe you could design a blueprint, or just think up cool things your map could do! It would be more fun if you didn't check back if it is possible or not, so you could be more creative, and just take out what can't work when you start mapping.

 

[Farrowlesparrow]

Yeah i know what you mean.

One thing that is quite exciting, is thinking of how im going to blend all the maps together. Especially because of the way the mod will be layed out.

 

[Shinobi]

take a long walk,, really helps for mapping ideas

 

[Jhahn2k4]

What mod are you doing Farrowlesparrow?

 

[Farrowlesparrow]

Operation Everlasting shadow.

Click on the www thing under my posts to see the site

(The maps on the site arent mine by the way.)

 

[Jhahn2k4]

You should make tactical-friendly maps, not confusing. Make them fun to play, sort of like de_dust. I noticed in mod info that you will be having tactics and such. Make more corners and doors and stuff that makes the tactical combat flowwww...

 

[Farrowlesparrow]

Thanks for the ideas..but thats not really what the thread was about


De_dust is a well made map...but i dont like playing it (In fact i dont play CS anymore but thats besides the point)

 

[Jhahn2k4]

Oops, what I meant was you should design not make.. I just think designing tactical maps would be time consuming, and well, you do have a long time till HL2.

 

[Farrowlesparrow]

Oh yeah...yeah you're right. Although, im designing maps for the mod (even though i dont have all the details about locations and stuff *cough* MrBadger needs to tell me *cough*, then again i suppose its all early stages.)

 

[Jhahn2k4]

Well I am thinking of mapping for HL2, yet I have zilch experience.. Should I just wait for HL2 or start on HL1?

 

[Farrowlesparrow]

Well, i dont think mapping in Hl1 could do any harm. it will certainly teach you the basics of mapping, as well as the layout of Hammer (which will be very similar in Hl2)