curious on everyone level making stages

[Falidell]

i would like to know everyone methods and stages for making a level to see if their is a better way of doing things.

my current method is this:
it's in stages.
Alpha Stages-

 i do a modified form of  shelling. i make a few halls rooms or what-
have-you and detail them to a certain concept then i'll group up all those 
details and such and hide them then detail the areas again with something 
else, after i get the 2 conceptual looks i like in there i'll unhide all the groups 
and copy paste all the segments and stuff kind of like lego blocks to make a 
layout. after thats done i'll test each conceptual look in game to see if i like it 
or not the one i like i keep the other gets deleted. like wise for the layout i'll 
change it around and stuff till i like the general layout. once i like it i'll make 
necessary changes and stuff so the areas aren't all copy paste and repetitive. 
after all that crap i'll place the gameplay stuff and minor details to test out if i 
like the gameplay at all in the level. if i like it i'll move up to beta 
stages

Beta Stages-

in this stage i'll work on the more refined stuff like more detail or area 
landmarking, destruction, better shadow play, main exploits, performance 
stuff, etc. this is my fav stage because it'll start too look really good usually. 
after I've gotten to a point where i'm pretty happy with how it's turned out 
and i haven't had a need to update it in a bit i'll send it over to whitelisting. if 
it gets denied it'll make the necessary changes, unless i don't like the required 
changes in which case i'll ignore it and it won't get whitelisted. then i'll sit for 
a while, if i havn't had to update it for anything i'll move to the Charlie Stage 
the final stage.

Charlie Stage-

this is what i consider final, i won't use "final" because everyonce in a 
while i'll feel like updating it or fixing an exploit, but for the most part this 
stage can be considered final

edit: i also decided to add something to the beta stage, after i like the over all looks and feel i'll be blanketing the entire level in blocking volumes for smooth gameplay
and i kinda work with this as a guide a lot link

so thats my process whats yours?

[slavek]

My stages to level editing and release.

1.Editor stage
2.Build map
3.No its not good enough, editor stage
4.Wow it look awesome now, but it this [feature] would be cool, I'll add it
5.Editor stage.
6.Lighting needs tweaking
7.Editor stage
8.This texture would look better than this other texture
9.Editor stage
10. Crap, something isn't working right in test play
11.Editor stage
12.YES! Everything is coming together, time to release.
13.Nooo I forgot to add something *Remove DL link before anyone notices*
14.Editor Stage
15.!!!!!! I just thought of something rreeallllyy mind blowing but it will require half of the map to be redone. But its worth it.
16.EDITOR STAGE.

[ro_sauce]

yeah that's about the same i do it to.
pre-alpha=basic idea, main layout, placeholders for meshes (not playable)
alpha= geometry/main static meshes/pathing/scripted stuff/blocking volumes (kind of playable)
beta=fine detailing/pathing fixing/scripting tweaks/blocking volumes for exploits (playable but not finished)
and it usually stays in beta for quite a while until final, but really, are these ever final?

[Falidell]

lol nice very nice =D
and see thats why i goto Charlie stage instead of final because no maps are never final

[Fel]

Originally Posted by Falidell

lol nice very nice =D
and see thats why i goto Charlie stage instead of final because no maps are never final

Maps are donw when you are sick of them

lol i just sit down and create masterpieces, dont really have a process anymore sry lol. When you have been mapping for 15+ years, you just sit down and create, in no certain order. But I guess when I am trying to create something with some sort of reason, I have a little bit of order to my madness.

Ummmmm I usually do 1 room at a time, not in any order, just w/e i decide i want to make.

1: Brush
2: Mesh
3a:Movers and special scripts
3:Sounds

4:Next room

5:Once wave 1 area is done (cause all i do is mission maps now) I will path, and add gameplay.

6: repete steps 1-4 until wave 2 is done

Doing these processes produce this. (my New mission map)

[slavek]

1: Brush
2: Mesh
3a:Movers and special scripts
3:Sounds

4:Next room

That's pretty much how I do it too lol. Have your basic idea of what you want to make and build it step by step. Many people will say its best to sit down and draw your ideas out on paper but the way I see it is by time I sit down and open the editor, I have a basic idea and I just want to dive in and make something. Plus, your final product is Never the same. You always think of new things that will make the map better so you sorta have to keep your mind open to be flexible.

[Fel]

Originally Posted by slavek

Many people will say its best to sit down and draw your ideas out on paper

That is the best way to map. all my levels i have drawn out 1st, (with the exception to this new one) Alot of big mappers (such as people working on Halo and other good projects) have said they draw out their maps 1st. This way you can get the EXACT idea you want down on paper before you make the level.

Back in the day, i would go on blogs with mappers who worked on projects such as Thief, Thief II, Return to Castle Wolfenstine, and chat with them. They too say that drawing out your map is the way to go. it helps gets your storyline down as well as basic map idea. Also on detailed area They/I will even draw them in 3D, this way, you know exactly what you want.

Drawing out is the best way to start your map off.

AspenManor Was drawn out

CandleSmoke Was Drawn out

Damnation Was Drawn out

i can keep going with previous maps i have made for other games, that i drew out as well.


So, what I am trying to say is Drawing out your map gives you a basic idea of how you want it. Then you add the detail. When you draw out your map, dont put everything in there, just basic ideas. that way when you go to map, it is soooo much easier to map, cause its like your following a blueprint.

Oh and I am drawing out kinda each room for this new mission map, just doing it in my head. a room at a time. So Im drawing out the room in my head, then ill make it.

FYI I would love to pull out my Books and books full of the maps i have drawn out and mostly made lol, but Its at least 1000+ maps lol

[slavek]

Then I'm drawing in my head . I can't do the drawing my ideas on paper. I know what I want, how it must look and how it will be but If I try to draw on paper, it turns out like a ugly toddler drawing. My artistic hand skills are not so great . (Anyone who has not taken art classes/practice, do you realize how f***ng hard it is to draw a perfect circle/curve without a protractor? RAGE! Pure RAGE induced stress that causes you to rage quit when you can't just get that circle/curve correctly.)

I do my "drawing" in my head and in the editor. Since I save often, I'll sometimes use a backup copy to delete and redo sections of a map to try new things even if the layout is the same, just to see different things, sometimes it turns out better. Also, sometimes its good to go for a walk. I walk downtown in my city or go to a different city and just pay attention to architecture and it can sometimes give you ideas.

[Sandcrawler]

1. Come up with an idea, I usually have some idea what I want the map to look like even before I sketch.

2. Draw the map out :P I've taken art classes, but I don't take the time to get the lines straight, or circles round. All I'm after is a quick outline, I can see where the players are going to go, where choke points will be, and a good place to stuff a trader.

3. BSP, and terrain building, I put the basic stuff in. Then I texture, do lighting, and add a few props if they are important for the gameplay. If I don't get bored of the map at this stage then I move on...if I get bored, then its never sees the light of day. I've started alot of maps, only to be bored of them before long.

4. Beta, I'm interested in how the map plays, bugs, and whatever else people have to say about the map. I refine it until I'm happy with it, in the past I'll have a map nearly finished, after a beta play I'll decide to add a new section, that completely changes the map and then it starts all over again. At some point in the beta I will start doing detail work (my least favorite thing to do)

5. Final release... I'll fix bugs and glitches at this point, but I don't add new areas to the map.


As someone already mentioned the map you make, won't be what you sketched out. It will be better :P But sketching out an idea gives you a idea to follow, just don't be keen on sticking to your sketch if you have an idea when you can see the 3D map go with it.

Remember that Killing Floor is a whole different kind of beast, always be thinking about the Zed's where they are going to spawn, as well as blocking off areas that could be inaccessible to the Zed's.

With Pathing I have found it useful especially on large terrains to just put down a quick path that leads to the highlights of your map, this way if you decide to tweak a terrain feature you can do so without having a bunch of path nodes to replace. Then before you get to beta add the billion other path nodes in so the Zed's can get to every playable corner of the map.