Tips on Coming up with Map layouts?

[GlebyGlobster]

Hi, i'm fairly new to mapping. i'm working on a wad of my own after a ton of practice and tutorials, and after two maps i just don't know what other maps i could add. is there a creative process or something y'all use to come up with ideas?

[Ravendesk]

Play existing maps a lot and pay attention to how they approach their layout, what you like about the map flow and what you don't. Try to see how (and if) the map addresses vericality and achieves interconnectedness. You will get ideas from it. It's ok to study other games as well, not just doom, but you would need to be careful with what's possible and what's not.

[Somniac]

Something you could try, if you haven't already, is building a map from the end backwards, or the middle outwards. A while ago, I tried making a map from the end backwards and it came out really well, IMO.

(this map isn't released yet as it is meant to be MAP01 of an episode)

 

 

I started with the northern area with the cliffs, thinking that would be the exit. It turned out to actually be more like the midpoint, as by designing that area first I gave myself plenty of scope and a frame of reference to build forwards (to the actual exit), and backwards to what became the start point -  the southern area with cliffs. 

 

My point here is that by not starting the map with "this is the first room, player start goes here" it made me think totally differently about how the map would go. The result is IMO the best map I have ever made. Something to consider if you're having trouble getting a layout started!

 

FWIW, I'm currently unsatisfied with the WIP MAP02, because.....I started from the start :p 

[Al-Faris M]

boris on a 2019 thread about asking help for making interconnected maps made this excellent post on designing a looping-kind-of layout:
https://www.doomworld.com/forum/post/1968178

[Naarok0fkor]

K(eep)

I(t)

S(imple)

S(tupid)

[SpaceTrash]

• Play lots of maps
• Start simple and watch out for scope creep 
• Practice, practice, practice
• Your ideas are probably better than you think they are
• Most maps are quite simple once you break them down, it's all the dressing that makes them look complicated 
• Read various tutorials
• Make notes on things you learn and like
• Finish your maps; an okay idea that is finished is always better than a great idea that no one ever gets to play 

Edited June 24, 2023 by OrbitalSpaceGarbage