Have you ever wanted to map but just can't find a reason to?

[forgettable pyromaniac]

I've been in a huge mapping mood for seemingly zero reason recently, but I just cant see to start on anything, because it wouldn't be leading to anything.

Of course, DW is commonplace for single-level wads, but that just doesn't really feel rewarding, y'know? It's cool and all, to show off a map to people, but at the same time, it just feels anti-climactic, since you just kinda go to underhalls or whatever when the level is done.

I always wanna find something to make, or do, or whatever, but the inspiration just doesn't feel quite there unless I got something to work towards, y'know?

 

Guess that's why Community Projects are around, but I always feel like the odd one out in most of those, and I don't know why exactly. Maybe it's because I'd be surrounded by much talent when I'm a baby-mapper that still makes maps like it's the late 90's, slightly blocky and all, while the others make maps that look right out a modern-ish game (i.e. if id made an offical add-on in modern era).

Sorry if this feels a bit vent-y, just wanted to get my map-making woes off my chest rq

[gwain]

my whacked set im working on could use some maps  mabey inspiration will spark then

 

 

Edited February 8, 2022 by gwain

[StrangerRanger]

Personally, the reason why I map is because I have an inner need to create, express my love for DOOM, make something fun for its community, I'm just too much of a boomer-shooter freak to not take an opportunity of creating for other lovers of this amazing game. I haven't really shown much of my work yet, just 2 small maps, but I still work on few projects, trying to make them as perfect for me and the players as possible. This is the true fun of mapping, seeing others enjoy your work, getting to enjoy it yourself, and the proud feeling when you look at it and think "I made this!". Whenever my published-in-future projects will be considered good or bad, I'm willing to improve and learn, what to do and what to avoid. This is how I never lose reasons to map, they just sometimes get overshadowed by procrastination and the lack of time.

[DannyMan]

At first, I wanted to map for HacX 2.0 because it's so inactive, but the final results weren't great.

[MoreMending]

For me, I usually just map because why not, y'know? Like if you're thinking why map, but you really want to, think why NOT map?

This probably wasn't helpful at all but at least I tried.

[Mr. Freeze]

I'm a musician first, everything else second. Mapping for me isn't like music where I can think my way around a problem I'm having, most of the time when I map and run into an issue I just feel that I'm beating my head into a wall searching for an answer. 

[Astronomical]

8 minutes ago, Mr. Freeze said:

I'm a musician first, everything else second. Mapping for me isn't like music where I can think my way around a problem I'm having, most of the time when I map and run into an issue I just feel that I'm beating my head into a wall searching for an answer.  

That's kind of what you need to do.  You bash your head redrawing rooms until you have created something that you aren't outright embarrassed of, or for everyone else, good. 

[Artsmen]

To be honest, Yeah alot of times, I may get a great idea for a map or want to map but once I open UDB I just go "Wait how do I map?", I never really released much maps because I always gave up on them and just deleted the file or left it to rot.

[BaileyTW]

Maybe if I had more of a focus the map I'm making right now would be more...well focused and not take an actual hour to beat so far, but I didn't come in with it with focus. I saw Jimmy Paddock's "anyone can make a doom map" video and though damn I want to do that, so I got the programs for it, opened it up, looked at some tutorials, tested stuff in a test map, then started on a map with just a single idea for a room and not much of an idea how to do stuff. Here I am a month later, the map is nearing an hour of run time I'm very nearly done and I have just not been able to put the mapping process down. I've played like one wad this month cause I just really like doing stuff in doombuilder and then seeing it as an actual map and thinking "this looks like fucking horseshit but it's my horseshit". So right now really my reason is it is fun and I got little other reason than that, cause this map is nearing an hour and 1200 monsters, that reason is definitely not "release a fun map people will actually play".

[Thelokk]

7 hours ago, forgettable pyromaniac said:

I've been in a huge mapping mood for seemingly zero reason recently, but I just cant see to start on anything, because it wouldn't be leading to anything.

Of course, DW is commonplace for single-level wads, but that just doesn't really feel rewarding, y'know? It's cool and all, to show off a map to people, but at the same time, it just feels anti-climactic, since you just kinda go to underhalls or whatever when the level is done.

I always wanna find something to make, or do, or whatever, but the inspiration just doesn't feel quite there unless I got something to work towards, y'know?

 

Guess that's why Community Projects are around, but I always feel like the odd one out in most of those, and I don't know why exactly. Maybe it's because I'd be surrounded by much talent when I'm a baby-mapper that still makes maps like it's the late 90's, slightly blocky and all, while the others make maps that look right out a modern-ish game (i.e. if id made an offical add-on in modern era).

Sorry if this feels a bit vent-y, just wanted to get my map-making woes off my chest rq

 

Sorry if this might come across as self-promotion (as if I got paid for this, heh) but you might find something of interest in the OuLiDoom project I started just a few weeks ago. Why not join me, or even try and match me even just for a few weeks? might turn into a long term project and lead you to interesting results.

[Sneezy McGlassFace]

I guess you need to ask yourself why you map in the first place. 

Because for me, it's the simple joy of mapping. Making something out of nothing. Possibly making something cool. An experience for other people. Getting them to feel something. I think that's pretty cool. I map because it's fun. Plain and simple. I won't deny that I also crave the appreciation for what I make but that's kinda secondary. 

[Nefelibeta]

I found lots of tracks to make maps with but I just can't motivate myself to do so.

[thiccyosh]

Yes, but my reason is that I do not have the time to make one as I am adult and have responsibilities. And even then I would only be able to release one map a year as I'm a lazy sock.

[DarkIceCyclone]

Usuallly if I want to map, I just do it under my "thinking ground" set. It usually ends up producing something I can use in another map or mapset later on. Knowledge is also worth doing the mapping, just to learn something.

[forgettable pyromaniac]

3 hours ago, HrnekBezucha said:

I guess you need to ask yourself why you map in the first place. 

gives me something to do- flex my creative muscles because my drawings suck ass lmao

[CBM]

I have the opposite problem... lots of reasons to map but no ability to get it done... I just stare at the blank map editor

[Sneezy McGlassFace]

1 hour ago, forgettable pyromaniac said:

gives me something to do- flex my creative muscles because my drawings suck ass lmao

Sounds cool. Now lower your expectations and just create stuff. For the joy of bringing it to completion. 

[roadworx]

something i've been thinking of doing is maybe trying to make a short 5-6 map episode; it's a goal to work towards, and even if i don't finish it, i'll still have something to show for it. perhaps you could try something similar?

[The_SloVinator]

Try to think of the ideas first? The direction the wad is going?

You know. Plan ahead.

 

That, I think could help you tremendously.