how do your ideas start?

[ricefrog offline]

i'm curious how different people begin the process of mapping.

what is the idea that you get first?

is it a visual image of what the map would look like?
is it a gameplay idea?
is it that you just have an urge to create?

what kind of mental picture of your map do you have when you first open the editor?

[Hacker[SOW] offline]

Well.

At least for me, I'm a bit of the first and the thrid types that you mentioned.

I usually have an urge to create, this is my fuel.

I usually will come up with a concept, which is usually based on a map name, which in turn are triggered by things I hear in the world, like tv ads, or something that is said by someone.

The name was triggered my the name of the movie Ghosts of Mars. I thought that this was a neat idea, having ghosts attacking you, so I ade a map on it.

I have a sort of pack that I'm working on right now, Which is based around the word fear. (I'm not telling you more until they are out )

So really I just will take something and worp it to suit my needs, but on occasion I will be daydreaming, such as the one time I was looking at my pencil. I thought the it would be a nifty thing to have a battle areana on top of this cool gigantic pillar.

I have about 20 names built up on my comp, maps that are blank, but I remeber each idea in turn.

Sometimes I just like the name and build a map to suit it and sometimes I make a map and get a name after.

Well thats my life story what about everyone else?

[Dr. Pimento offline]

Start with an interesting, inventive idea. (Like a room that cloaks everyone entering it. )
Then build a map around that.
(this is just one idea, keep in mind)
Make terrain that forces people to make moderate use of that feature.
Figure out a name that relates to it.

Then playtest! Nothing reeks worse than downloading a map with the turrets named "10789" and the mapper not willing to change them.

Have fun, too.. sometimes the most interesting maps really aren't that great to play, as in a structured game.

>-~~-> dr. Pimento

[CleverClothe offline]

[Dr. Pimento offline]