Designing maps
4 Posts
Posted Oct 27, 2007
So, how does everybody design and plan out their portal maps? Does anybody use special software, or just paint? or maybe sketch it out on paper? Lets hear it!
goes back to waiting for SDK release
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396 Posts
Posted Oct 28, 2007
Replied
10 minutes
later
Normally i'll just get an idea in my head which will put a picture of the map infront of my eyes which i'll work on until i have worked that out then i'll wait for my brain to give me another picture.... NO JOKE!
Thats with portal but with some maps recently i've been planning them out on paper such as my movie that i'm working on.
226 Posts
Posted Oct 28, 2007
Replied
6 hours
later
Not that I've released any maps yet... but as I work out my ideas, it really helps me to sketch it out physically on paper. (Maybe this is because I'm not yet comfortable in Hammer.) I bought a pad of graph paper just for this; felt really geeky, in a good way.
135 Posts
Posted Oct 28, 2007
Replied
37 minutes
later
Sketch it out on paper for me. either side-on, top-down or isometric view depending on the nature of the puzzle.
59 Posts
Posted Oct 28, 2007
Replied
25 minutes
later
307 Posts
Posted Oct 28, 2007
Replied
11 minutes
later
ebola wrote:
I can see the resembalance!
I start with paper too.
937 Posts
Posted Oct 28, 2007
Replied
15 minutes
later
paper, top down, then if it requires multiple levels in the same area i go to side on or iso depending, then straight into hammer with the dev textures as rough as possible making the gameplay elements, then when a level plays well I 'beautify' it, textures first, then lights
22 Posts
Posted Oct 28, 2007
Replied
47 minutes
later
This is how I planned vLuxuria map (there is no the last chamber, I've got it on separated paper)
307 Posts
Posted Oct 28, 2007
Replied
57 minutes
later
i usually make a legend.
22 Posts
Posted Oct 28, 2007
Replied
31 minutes
later
I don't 
. I always remember what I drawed.
. I always remember what I drawed.
937 Posts
Posted Oct 28, 2007
Replied
12 minutes
later
I use symbols and fill the place with bazillions of arrows pointing out details. most plans fit on a post-it note, because thats what's handy. They end up very crampt
4 Posts
Posted Oct 28, 2007
Replied
1 hour
later
I tend to just sketch something on paper usually just a top view once I have that I go to Hammer and I can work out the rest.
192 Posts
Posted Oct 28, 2007
Replied
1 hour
later
ebola wrote:
Reminds me of how sloppy mine are when I make sketches hehe
361 Posts
Posted Oct 28, 2007
Replied
5 hours
later
my skicc for http://heroes.hardwired.hu/-/portal/portmap.html
I hope I can add all 7-8 room till mapcontest ends.
Started from the top right.
too bad I cant post in any of the map threads, no permission to open topic in WIP.
I hope I can add all 7-8 room till mapcontest ends.
Started from the top right.
too bad I cant post in any of the map threads, no permission to open topic in WIP.
192 Posts
Posted Oct 28, 2007
Replied
15 minutes
later
This is probably some evil diabolic plan to steal peoples map designs 
135 Posts
Posted Oct 28, 2007
Replied
2 minutes
later
Good luck to him if he does, I can't comprehend a single one of these sketches
192 Posts
Posted Oct 28, 2007
Replied
2 minutes
later
Wroth wrote:
Good luck to him if he does, I can't comprehend a single one of these sketches
lol
396 Posts
Posted Oct 28, 2007
Replied
53 minutes
later
I can't really read them but i could look at one of them and go "that looks like a good idea, i might steal that".
But nah, i liek thinking up my own ideas at this time.
4,136 Posts
Posted Oct 28, 2007
Replied
16 minutes
later
@ thread
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226 Posts
Posted Oct 28, 2007
Replied
13 minutes
later
Who needs to steal ideas? What with all the gameplay possibilities they opened up in Portal, I have more map ideas that I will ever possibly have time to execute. Hey kids, it's time to play favorites!