What's your "mapping style"?

[rescue86k]

Design it with purpose, open everything as explorable. Lock it up. Then open multiple pathways. Edge in flavor as go. Give options to player to achieve goal. And purpose .Current strat

["JL" was too short]

This is a neat question, but I'm not sure how to answer it for myself.  As DMPhobos said on the previous page, I'm not sure I can effectively answer what my mapping style is because I'm, as it were, on the inside of it looking out.  It would be really interesting to have someone else play my maps and analyze my style, but unfortunately I don't currently have a lot of finished maps out there for someone to go on even if they were willing.

 

A few things I can probably say:

 

-I dislike making base maps and like making hell maps, although they don't need to be flesh-and-fire hell.  In fact, something I like—especially with expanded texture sets like OTEX— is making hell maps that are slightly offbeat in their texturing, passing over the low-hanging fruit of red and black marble.

-I like neatly aligning textures, both horizontally and vertically, and feel bad when I can't.  As a result I usually shy away from textures like vanilla SP_HOT that are harder to align.

-Combat-wise, I prefer to give the player plenty of resources and provide them with plenty of monsters to use them on.  "Plenty of monsters" doesn't mean slaughter, though.

-I often make maps where the player crisscrosses through the same area multiple times, or maps that just plain have no linear series of objectives.

-I tend to avoid large open areas, both indoors and outdoors, because I find them hard to make look good. Not in the sense of "fill them with interesting stuff," but just making the big walls and such not look hideous, without getting myself into a massive detailing timesink.

 

 

 

[Pechudin]

My style is in flux ATM, as I am working on a MegaWad, and fully intend it to be a learning experience where I do find my own style.

 

So far my maps have been rather small, usually linear with some optional areas. Highly representative, inspired by Mouldy, 25 Years on Earth and TNT. I like detailing, but am learning how to make maps better looking without laying on the vertices too much. Gameplay wise, my maps tend to have continuous action with sporadic higher-intensity fights. I like drawing the player in naturally without blocking the way out in an obvious way (lock-ins). I like the Rocket Launcher as a weapon, as well as Berserk/Chainsaw play.

[Pechudin]

1 hour ago, jerrysheppy said:

-I tend to avoid large open areas, both indoors and outdoors, because I find them hard to make look good. Not in the sense of "fill them with interesting stuff," but just making the big walls and such not look hideous, without getting myself into a massive detailing timesink.

 

This is something I am going through right now, as I would want to make big maps. Experiment with it until you find textures that work.

[KubaloBlackMT]

Generally how it goes is that I come up with a theme for a map and never stick to it. I also tend to use a lot of brown and hate that the metal lights are the only floor texture they've made, meaning I have to use one of the brown base textures that don't really match in color perfectly.

 

On the contrary, whenever I try to make a base map, I always use a lot of blue textures.

 

I tend to want to add pretty tough monster encounters, but I keep having to spam more ammo everywhere, and so balancing is usually the biggest thing I have to look into.

Edited June 13, 2021 by KubaloBlackMT
I keep not fully answering the question

[Pistoolkip]

On top of Romero's rules, I've got a couple of my own:

 

• Hallways are boring. Avoid hallways
• 90° angles make rooms look boxey. Use them sparingly
• Use textures, lighting and items to draw the player's attention to important stuff
• Secrets promote exploration, but can't be vital to finishing a level
• Use combinations of textures to create new aesthetics
• Textures like wood, brick, and metal are great but also generic: use at least one 'colourful' texture on each room to make them look more unique
   

And finally, on a more personal note: A map can never have too many metal girders

[Cacofish]

Clean, somewhat realistic environments, which are short and fast paced, and typically utilizes some sort of landmark

[CorianderCastor]

Looking at what I have done, it's clear that I do abstract levels with a story. But, not having consumed the classics, my environmental storytelling could use a lot of work.

 

People are widely variable, so some of these responses pooh-poohing this sort of introspection seems like a mild egocentric bias. Something I've noticed, if you're a pantser, you can still outline by the seat of your pants. Also, the benefit can be merely the journey, i.e. you can still get a lot of use if you immediately throw it away. Likewise I found that "writing the map" can be a great first step. For some, of course, it's better to find someone to talk the idea out, tape it if you'll need it later.

[1Destro3456]

I draw linedefs, make sectors, put enemies, put ammo/weapons, and an ending linedef, that’s my mapping style