Who else makes storyboards for their Duke3D levels?

[Guest]

Ever since bobsp1, to help remind myself where the level should go and what things should happen in which order I draw sort of a storyboard, a mini comic, accompanied with text, to direct the action that happens within. I find it VERY useful, because it eliminates that parto f mapping where you're confused as to what to make next. You simply look at the storyboard this way.

[Megazoid.com]

That's a bit full-on bobaverill, however I can see the logic of it. When I did levels many moons ago, I usually just has 2 or 3 sketches with some tiny notes. The effects / eyecandy, I usually kept in my head.

[Phoenix]

I do. It’s a team effort so, where the game concept and play is discussed between two members in detail, drawn out, sketched out and than build.
You are not alone in thinking things through before doing them. smilies/images/icons/cool.gif

[Guest]

Everything comes from my head. Everything.

Also, many times I don't have a direct idea of what my map will look like. I'll just tell myself to have one or two key rooms and let the rest form itself impromptu.

[j.h]

the most i do is an overhead line drawing of the shape of the level i make,sometimes i dont even do that,most comes from my head.

[Duckman]

Well, the way I do it is just to think about a map theme for a week or so, and when I get ideas I draw the room with little arrows in and notes. After I have lots of rooms drawn, I connect them all up, imagine the rooms together to see if it looks good, then start building. If it ends up crap, I scrap it and start all over. It's a weird way of doing it, but it works for me.

[Mblackwell]

Well, in Metroid AXL we have a set story, and a few concept sketches, but other than that we're purposely building levels half-hazard (due to the story). Lately (when doing other mapping) I just plan out the basics in my head and then go, but b4 I've drawn out entirely what a map would look like in 2D mode (sprites, tags and all), and b4 that I would even draw out representations or various objects and stuff and make it like a wireframe or cad or something (I found out that took a looooong time).

[Kef Nukem]

I just build from my HEAD images/icons/smile.gif. Not always though. I always put "visual pictures" of cool places where I have been in my head. Many of these pictures will get back in my maps again (ofcourse I little improved or changed) and that's cool I think. Still it's hard to re-build real buildings in BUILD because of the not-that-much-options in build.

[Kevin9er]

I usually imagine certain cool parts first, but it never turns out the way I imagined it due to enine lititations, FPS, etc.

[Theseus314]

I don't see the point in wasting time on a story board. Normally I use a single photo source and build the entire map from there. Gameplay is planned out and I work to a strict 350 sector limit. Multiple people play the maps till distruction.

Mapping for me goes though three stages:

Planning, this involves a sketch pad and some pencils, nifty looking areas are drawn out and flow is decided upon. This takes about 15% of my time.
Sector creation, this involves getting from paper to engine, this is a super quick stage, usually a map is roughed out in a day or two. This takes about 15% of my time.
Tweaking, this is the best part. Making the level fun whilst still keeping to the sector limit. Only on the last day of work are items and monsters added.


Some oddness in 2001 mapping I do. I use a real sector limit, the same one used for the Duke3d maps. This is twofold. I make maps in the Duke3d style as I like the fixed rules the level form takes and the lighting styles used. Few people can master this. Also it encourages good practice. I went though this awful stage of UT mapping when I made super detailed maps that ran at about 30fps on my 1.2 gig Tbird. This wasn't good, now I work to a 160 poly limit including as much detail with as little a hit on framerate.

Each level I make, whatever the engine, takes about 140hours in total to complete.

[MetallicAman_91]

Man i want the plotonium pack then i can use the 1.5 patch,get the original duke3dmapfaq and install eduke.and i want max payne.lol

[CDC Mainframe]

I find that each time I have not drawn out and planned my Duke level, I never seem to complete the level.
For this reason, I have many unfinished cool levels, and no published ones.

I have since decided to preplan all projects I am involved in. That includes web development projects, application projects, etc.

If you can't write what you want, and how you are going to get/finish what you want, how do you really expect to finish it or produce a good product?

Try designing a web site without consulting the vendor first!

[Roger]

I just write down how the levels are gonna be.