Mapper tips

[Guest]

So, like, there are lotsa newbies these days and stuff... So why not everyone post their best build tip here? I'm sure everyone has these tips and uses them whilst mapping.. images/icons/shocked.gif

soooo.. reply or die graemlins/love.gif !

here's mine: try to mask the fact that you are using build, use lotsa sloped floors that look like walls, and i mean lotsa! images/icons/tongue.gif

bye! images/icons/smile.gif

[alejandro]

There are some older topics with this...

I'll always say the same: Imagine how should it look and build it.

[Bruce Hamilton]

Originally posted by fakirbaba:
try to mask the fact that you are using build<font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial">heh heh... graemlins/dopefish.gif

[NutWrench]

Don't upload the first thing you build to the Internet. You'll thank yourself later. images/icons/smile.gif

[Rott King]

Hmmm, save VERY OFTEN, and save the current map as a different file name, whenever you are going to add on something big, or something that could screw up easily.Also, keep in your head a full list of details you can add to any kind of surface, lights on floors/ceilings, sprite work structures, slopped stuff, etc.

[Roger]

Use all that is available. If you think you can't do something, try to simulate it by pulling something else. For example:

Level-over-level cannot be built, but a simulation can be. I have made a simulation of a ceiling window where the player can drop in and be inside the building.

I also suggest that when you make a water sector, make the surface and the underwater overlap so they seem to be in the same place when the player pulls up his/her map.

[Ding Bat]

Originally posted by NutWrench:
Don't upload the first thing you build to the Internet. You'll thank yourself later. images/icons/smile.gif <font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial">For the most part you are right.

However my first map got some good reviews.

But i did spend probably 300 to 400 hours on it. Included learning build ,looking at other maps and when i would make a change or addition, i would play the level to check for any errors.

And very important, after i made a zip file , i would open the zip file and play the level to make sure nothing was wrong. then i would upload. . Because i've played many levels that were obviously not checked and a few that the starting position (of aplayer) for single player was not in the right position.

[Bruce Hamilton]

Originally posted by Rott King:
Hmmm, save VERY OFTEN...<font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial">Also, TEST very often... Like any time you add any type of effect... Nothing will kill a level quicker than an SE sprite left untagged.

[Carger2000]

Try to BUILD things you see in real-life and use lots of (tiny) details.

[Guest]

What's wrong with ' try to mask the fact that you are using build ' images/icons/rolleyes.gif ? Help this Dutch graemlins/tinyted.gif out a little !

Also: shading is king! never make 2 walls in a corner or something EXACTLY the same, make everything just a little bit brighter/darker

And look 4 fbsp002 real soon images/icons/tongue.gif
i'm not really old graemlins/tinyted.gif

[NutWrench]

>My first map got reviews of 92% and 88% when it was released ( ), but I think that Nutwrench means the map where you was testing how do you make sectors, or how do you change textures, etc. because you could probably finish a level from it but it will suck

I was thinking of some of the early maps I made. I'm glad I decided to sit on them for awhile instead of uploading them right away.

[Jim]

Originally posted by alejandro:
My first map got reviews of 92% and 88% when it was released ( images/icons/grin.gif ), but I think that Nutwrench means the map where you was testing how do you make sectors, or how do you change textures, etc. because you could probably finish a level from it but it will suck images/icons/smile.gif <font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial">Didn't you tell in another topic that you've made a lot of maps some years ago that had the quality of 3DRealms levels? images/icons/rolleyes.gif
Anyways, I for one also join all great ideas and effects by the best mappers out there in my maps. But that's just for me, I don't distribute them.

[alejandro]

Originally posted by Jim:
Didn't you tell in another topic that you've made a lot of maps some years ago that had the quality of 3DRealms levels?<font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial">I've made maps some years ago but with the post in this topic I mean the very first maps that you do when you install Build for first time.

[alejandro]

My first map got reviews of 92% and 88% when it was released ( images/icons/grin.gif ), but I think that Nutwrench means the map where you was testing how do you make sectors, or how do you change textures, etc. because you could probably finish a level from it but it will suck images/icons/smile.gif

[Jim]

Originally posted by alejandro:
I've made maps some years ago but with the post in this topic I mean the very first maps that you do when you install Build for first time.<font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial">I was talking about NutWrench's suggestion. Your map that got 92/88 was not your first map, if it's true that you already did some before.

[alejandro]

Jim, read my post again. I said my first RELEASED map, so please pay attention to it before replying.

i did and i p***** pascal off<font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial">Fakir, I know that guy gets easily pissed off

[Guest]

No dude it is a good idea to launch your first map! i did and i p***** pascal off graemlins/love.gif !

[sangluss]

Originally posted by fakirbaba:
So, like, there are lotsa newbies these days and stuff... So why not everyone post their best build tip here? I'm sure everyone has these tips and uses them whilst mapping.. images/icons/shocked.gif

soooo.. reply or die graemlins/love.gif !

here's mine: try to mask the fact that you are using build, use lotsa sloped floors that look like walls, and i mean lotsa! images/icons/tongue.gif

bye! images/icons/smile.gif <font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial">Well, in my country their is a city called "Doel"close to "Antwerpen" and the rumors go that "doel" (let's say goal) must dissapear in 2007. The streets are quite abbandoned so, I thaught to build the city in Build, with a little scary theme. But their will be less enemies.

Why? Because the streets are abandonned! Anyway, I think I'm coming to create it. Would take a time, I'm more playing Age Of Empires at the moment.

[Guest]

screens images/icons/smile.gif

[Jim]

Originally posted by alejandro:
Jim, read my post again. I said my first RELEASED map, so please pay attention to it before replying.<font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial">Sorry man, I'm reading your post again:

My first map got reviews of 92% and 88% when it was released ( images/icons/grin.gif ), but I think that Nutwrench.....<font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial">You're clearly replying to NutWrench that the first full map you DID got 92 and 88%:
".....but I think that Nutwrench means the map where you was testing how do you make sectors, or how do you change textures, etc.".<font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial">Ok, but what about all your 3DR quality maps before your first RELEASED map?

Ok now? images/icons/wink.gif

[alejandro]

Thewe maps were unfinished (lazyness I think), so why release them? is it clever now?

[sangluss]

Originally posted by fakirbaba:
screens images/icons/smile.gif <font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial">Eh...sorry, but I haven't start building the map yet. Be patient...I'll start when I played my game with the Huns. Nevermind!

[Kef Nukem]

Originally posted by fakirbaba:
No dude it is a good idea to launch your first map! i did and i p***** pascal off graemlins/love.gif !<font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial">Well the fact that Pascal got pissed was that I gave it a score of 100%. images/icons/smile.gif

[Kef Nukem]

Here's a few more tips:

- Watch out with "joining sectors" since you can't "unjoin" them.
- Make alot of backups while building. When I used to make maps for DN3D I saved them like 200 times on different names.
- NEVER delete a sector by dragging each point on eachother.
- NEVER make a huge square in which you are going to make your map, you will regret it (like I did in my GoD map). :S
- Play games such as Half-Life for inspiration. Of course I don't mean "steal their style" but mix it with your own imagination and you can BUILD something really neat out of that.
- Don't build too much on one day.
- Always start building a thing that you can't make in Duke (you'll find out you can!).
- Take your time to do huge spriteworks.
- Keep on building till your maps has 1024 sectors images/icons/smile.gif
- Use alot of sounds for a better atmosphere.
- Always take a drink or snack while BUILDing images/icons/smile.gif

[martyd]

Boys, boys, lets not get touchy.

Tell em, Kef. You laid the ground for a great advice column here. Here's some comments of my own (as if that matters!):

Fakirbaba try to mask the fact that you are using build, use lotsa sloped floors that look like walls, and i mean lotsa! <font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial">Well, I don't try to mask build, what's the point? Just show that you can be creative like no other with build and try your damndest to impress the rest of 'em.

Bruce Hamilton
Also, TEST very often... Like any time you add any type of effect... Nothing will kill a level quicker than an SE sprite left untagged.
<font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial">Who do you know wants to play through something that you haven't done your darndest to make it your best?

Rott King Hmmm, save VERY OFTEN, and save the current map as a different file name, whenever you are going to add on something big, or something that could screw up easily <font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial">I never want to go back and start the damn thing all over again just because I didn't save a previous version under a different (as far as the machine is concerned) file name. When I save a new "version" I give my file a 5 letter "name" and that gives me 3 characters to number them. Hell, that's as many as a thousand versions!

Carger2000 Try to BUILD things you see in real-life and use lots of (tiny) details.
<font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial">I think fantasy is great, but the only great fantasy is that you which feel you are actually living in! Base it on reality.

(and my favorite)

Alejandro I'll always say the same: Imagine how should it look and build it.
<font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial">Just a little reminder, Alejandro, not everybody learned to see the world as well as you. But the advice still stands. I say it this way, learn what it is you are trying to represent, what it looks like, how it feels, works, sounds, hell, even smells like! Then try to learn all that you have at your disposal to accomlish it.

My advise? Be original! I think everybody's sick of levels that, once played, you can't remember the name of it or if it looked too much like forty others you played last year. Experiment! Play with build like it was a toy, nobody's got to see your flops, or the cooky ideas you decided to through away. And Have Fun! I sometimes wonder if some of us make too much out of it, like it was a job or something. Heck, look at Kef, I'm sure he's got to eat, so I'm sure he goes to work and that's probably part of why he's putting Duke3d away. If you want to map you will, but it's not a job so really enjoy it. Believe me, it will show!

The knucklehead of building has spoken!

[NutWrench]

More helpful hints:

Make HUGE meandering maps that go nowhere and have hundreds of RPG launchers.

Make a map with miles of tiny, twisty mazes. Everybody likes mazes, right? images/icons/smile.gif

Never EVER shade a map and be sure to reduce the visibility down to about 10 feet everywhere.

Never align textures over exploding walls.

Use animated textures for all your floors, walls and ceilings because it looks cool.

Heck, don't even bother to TEXTURE the map. You're too cool for that. Stick with the ugly grey stone texture for everything.

[Guest]

Here's my best tip:

Try to make a map that looks like a pokémon when u use the map mode! people dig that!
images/icons/tongue.gif

[Mortuus47]

I once made a map that was all vents. So tip #1: Don't do that.

I also once made a map that looked like the Windows logo when you zoomed out in the map. I still feel silly.

[Eduard]

Hee Fakirbaba,

Waar kan ik je (nieuwe) level downloaden? (waar je een 97 had gescoord bij een of andere site of zo) images/icons/confused.gif images/icons/confused.gif images/icons/confused.gif images/icons/mad.gif images/icons/mad.gif images/icons/mad.gif graemlins/doh.gif graemlins/wid.gif

[Kef Nukem]

Eduard, you need to speak English here, not Dutch. Anyway, you can get it here:

http://www.fileplanet.com/dl/dl.asp?/planetduke/kef/fbsp001.zip

You mean FBSP001, right?

[martyd]

Cool! I think maybe I learned a little Dutch! images/icons/tongue.gif

[Guest]

graemlins/doh.gif

Why am i so unfamiliar images/icons/confused.gif You would think with a nickname like this ... images/icons/grin.gif

[sangluss]

Potverdekke, it is great to be a Belgian....Uh..Nevermind! Hey, Fakir-baby images/icons/smile.gif , have you created other maps then bsp0001 thingey? If you do, don't gimme a direct link to tha zippie, but gimme a link to tha site (if not fileplanet) graemlins/tinyted.gif O yeah, expect supa# soon!

[Guest]

Hey! Don't speak Dutch in here! Ya filthy scum! I mean it! I AM coming to get you! Now RUN! That's right... RUN!
* pheow * , i even scared meself there images/icons/tongue.gif

Yeah i made this crappy death match map ( that even works with 1.3! WOW! ) , that's 4 download at msdn.. but it ain't great. If you want by best maps then ya better play BN.

[sangluss]

No, thats not what I meant paalski... images/icons/grin.gif .

I mean after that russian basisov (fbsp001) you would have made fbsp002 eh? Well where are the FBsp### for download :S?

[Guest]

Oh no don't get me wrong, the are there, they are just invisible . Find some infra-red goggles in level 3 and then try again. images/icons/smile.gif

images/icons/confused.gif

[sangluss]

Don't be stupid mister Fakir! You're telling me that fbsp001 is the first (duh) map from the fbsp series and that you haven't created the rest?

[Guest]

yup graemlins/doh.gif

[sangluss]

Noooooooooooooooooooooo!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Well, I like your map Fakirbaba...And even, their is humor in it images/icons/smile.gif . graemlins/doh.gif DOH!

[Guest]

I got fed up of reading all your Bullshit posts
but this is my advice to n00bs.

>If your levels is not over 500kb, it sucks!
(Someones going to Quote me on this!)

Shoot me 50 times and i will still coming back at ya!....huh?

[Phoenix]

Originally posted by Wizard Of Woo:
(something not worth repeating)
<font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial">Hey W o Woo!
None of the original maps are over 500.
Go figure why Duke 3D was game of the year, I guess you couldn't vote then. LOL images/icons/grin.gif

[Guest]

HEY!

just hop to MSDN and stop this satanic posting!

[Guest]

NO!
Because your levels are meant to be better than there one's if not...you DIE!

Patrick Bateman - I walked into Paul Allens Arpartment *Stops in horror as he looks out the window*

Patrick Bateman - Pauls Arpartment looked over the park which means its proberbly more Expensive than mine!

[Kef Nukem]

500Kb, when I try to make a f*cking detailed map, and believe me I do I mostly end up with 1024 sectors - 8191 walls and around 3000 sprites. Then you're not even over 450kb yet! And mostly I don't even make it to 1024 sectors since I'm out of walls or the opposit (out of sectors).. What do you think of the BobSp maps then eh? They are not bigger than 400kb. Rating a map on size is stupid. Of course the more detailed the better but you can't say oh it's 430Kb then it sucks, it should have been 500Kb. Right.. :S Some maps don't even need spriteworks and stuff and are around 300Kb, fine. Sometimes small maps are good too, but yeah I like bigger maps too. I don't rate them on size though. I think I know what you mean but what you're saying is a bit too exaggerated.

[Guest]

No, No NO!

You have all missed the point, It doesent have to be Big to be Good, and by that i mean you could have a Medium Sized city level, but put loads of detail, and Sector Effectors about, Its all about DETAIL ladys. images/icons/smile.gif

The Smallest Map i ever made was Neon City 300Kb- 500KB including New Textures.

Oh yeah and Borg Nukem, Thats pretty cool, you got a lot of Textures from Half-Life and Shadow Warrior Though. images/icons/frown.gif

But its great! I dont like Star Trek, but its good you did well for about 2 years work! images/icons/smile.gif

9/10

[ 06-29-2002, 10:52 AM: Message edited by: Wizard Of Woo ]

[Kef Nukem]

Thats pretty cool, you got a lot of Textures from Half-Life and Shadow Warrior Though. <font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial">Textures from HL??? Wtf, we haven't ripped anything from Half-life. And Shadow Warrior neither, I really don't get why you think that. Maybe the trees are from SW? Well I don't know I got permission from Duke Trek to use some textures and all I needed from their textures were the trees. I don't know if they are from SW. There are a few textures from Redneck Rampage that I know of though (when BN started it was all ripped art.. well 90%, later I changed that because it sucks and stuff but I left some textures in since they were already used in some great maps and they just rocked).

[Guest]

Look dude, i have got Duke Res, i looked in your .GRP file and i like alot of the Tex's there good, i just noticed one look Familiar...look closer Oh look! Its the HL Out_Cliff04 Texture.

Also there is a Skeliton Sprite you have, that is from SW.

I like the Way you made the Fire look 3D by making a star Shaped load of Fire Sprites , very clever. You Should Be proud of Yourself. images/icons/smile.gif

Its quite hard aswell i D/L'ed it 3 Days ago. I havent Completed it yet. You cant Jump very high (You done this for a reason i know) but, its cool!

I want to send you my Neon City Map, With New Tex's some time. images/icons/smile.gif

[Kef Nukem]

Oh yeah sorry I forgot those, that are two textures one rock and one ground, right? I got those from an art file years ago, not directly from HL, I didn't even have HL at that time but yeah you're right those two are from HL, but saying it's "much" thats nonsense.

And sure yeah send me ur maps, I'll check em out and review them.

[ 06-29-2002, 03:58 PM: Message edited by: Kef Nukem ]

[Guest]

See i have a Good eye on games!
Mwhahahhhahahaahha!

Ummm...i dont know Kef your pretty cool, i will send you some Maps Tommorow, i just need to Over look it and Bug Test it ETC.

PS: When i give it to you do you want it with a new Texture file. Which has Weapons and a new enemy Etc.? Oh and i hope you dont mind i stole One of your Textures images/icons/smile.gif Sorry.

Go to my W/S for your Violence Fix!

[Kef Nukem]

^Sure just send it as long as it's not bigger than umm well an MB. Hmm one texture stolen, no problem just give me credit for it aiight images/icons/wink.gif But let's make this an exception before everyone starts ripping lol.

Oh btw, believe it or not people but I'm actually working on a new map. Don't ask me about progress because it goes like 0.00000001% per day but that doens't matter.

[Guest]

Wizard of Woo; is your name in any way related to shadow warrior? ( i mean with the Lo Wang picture and all... )

images/icons/grin.gif roflol

[Guest]

No my name is not related to SW, Its Just cool, there is not a lot of People with that Avator is there...

Oh, and Kef, I decided to send you a Whole EPISODE i made, Problem is it's 3MB, i will still E-Mail it to you though!

[Mblackwell]

My tip: Build with sprite structures and shadows an such in mind. Floor sprites don't like to cross sectors. Also, continuity is important. If you put a high level of detail in one part of the map, you must now put it in EVERY part. So if you know you are going to be lazy... be lazy the whole way through... then at least your map will look fluid.

[sangluss]

Wel wizard of woooooooooooooo!!!!!!!!!!!

I havent read all your posts so maybe you already explained it but if you look at Cranium....a map of 128kb or something and you just say it is bad??? Uh no...FE2: lol I don't have a second example...

Now stop lullen over levels over 500kb. And if you don't then I'll steek you in de oven like a pizze. images/icons/tongue.gif images/icons/smile.gif graemlins/doh.gif

[sangluss]

-"Trap"-(deur ingetrapt images/icons/smile.gif ) I'm Back! Ehum...I'm using this trut toe seej that my niew meejladress cedric.haegeman@skynet.be is images/icons/smile.gif .

Sooooo don't send your mail to cedric.haegeman@wol.be.

newt update for DSS, monthday

[Guest]

here's my piece of advice.
When ever using bigorbit or moonsky, Give the texture of 3 and you don't explode when you enter the sector

[martyd]

Give it a Lotag (Hitag?) of 3?

[WhyteTyger]

He means a spritepal of 3... otherwise, the game thinks you're in outer space and kills you.

[sangluss]

Games Games Games, Games can't think, lol al they can do is being played images/icons/tongue.gif

[martyd]

Ach, me dopey! graemlins/doh.gif But what about any other pal# (other than 1, 4 and those above 23? graemlins/dopefish.gif I'll have to try. images/icons/cool.gif

[sangluss]

Lolz if you give it a pal it must not be 3, it can be 1, 2,4 ,5,6,7 etc....but if you don't take 3 the colors will change!

[Kef Nukem]

Then 9 should do the trick as well images/icons/smile.gif

[sangluss]

yup everything...even the pal that the colors get screwed up...