Elusive Creativity

[Oweniyo]

Hello!

 

This is a question to all mappers, if they could share their experience, or perhaps even shed some light into how to handle the issue I like to call "Creative Elusiveness".

 

Basically when your mind is determined to make such and such map, with such and such design in your head, does the time come when you feel so creative that you sometimes forget your original ideas and instead build big, brave areas? And were you ever left with the conundrum of empty rooms/spaces with no idea how to fill them or make them mean something?

 

Now there are some people that plan everything out of course and that's that, but to some of us, we tend to get carried away every once in a while.

So, how do you solve this? How do you figure it out so that you fill that empty void of a room?

 

I am currently struggling with this, mapping and writing a book, and I am turning to you, fellow creators, for ideas and discussions about a great many things imaginative.

Edited August 20, 2023 by Oweniyo

[OceanMadman]

14 hours ago, Oweniyo said:

with no idea how to fill them or make them mean something?

They don't have to mean anything at all! Just draw random stuff on your doom builder copy and make it look good with random details and stuff. Think of surreal art, or even the original doom for example, even the techbase maps are abstract levels that wouldn't make sense in real life, so unless you want to go for a more realistic style, you don't have to think too much about it :)

Edited August 20, 2023 by OceanMadman

[kdoom]

I have never planned anything in any map I've made for any game. My first thought is a texture motif, and even that can change half way through a map. The shapes and sizes of the maps are completely unknown to me, when I start adding sectors. I never try to add meaning, or storylines to a doom map. If I cannot think of a meaning for a room to exist. I'll just put some random objects...computer console, etc.

 

Also, I don't force myself to map....if I can't think of an idea, I just close the editor and go to my backyard. I might take an hour off, or a decade. It's supposed to be enjoyable ( that's my opinion ) to create maps. If you're trying to get recognized by the gaming industry, and you have a block on creativity, you might be barking up the wrong tree.

Edited August 20, 2023 by kdoom
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[Oweniyo]

52 minutes ago, kdoom said:

I have never planned anything in any map I've made for any game. My first thought is a texture motif, and even that can change half way through a map. The shapes and sizes of the maps are completely unknown to me, when I start adding sectors. I never try to add meaning, or storylines to a doom map. If I cannot think of a meaning for a room to exist. I'll just put some random objects...computer console, etc.

 

Also, I don't force myself to map....if I can't think of an idea, I just close the editor and go to my backyard. I might take an hour off, or a decade. It's supposed to be enjoyable ( that's my opinion ) to create maps. If you're trying to get recognized by the gaming industry, and you have a block on creativity, you might be barking up the wrong tree.

Oh, yes, I completely agree. As is with all things creative wise, isn't it? You just have to feel it, that's it. It does feel like I've made much and now I just need to ponder a bit and not question everything that already stands. Of course, this is all for fun, it's a passion for us that have been playing this game for years, and instead of just playing, we're giving a little back with our own imagination to contribute; which is amazing!. 

Thanks so much for your share!

[Oweniyo]

4 hours ago, OceanMadman said:

They don't have to mean anything at all! Just draw random stuff on your doom builder copy and make it luck good with random details and stuff. Think of surreal art, or even the original doom for example, even the techbase maps are abstract levels that wouldn't make sense in real life, so unless you want to go for a more realistic style, you don't have to think too much about it :)

Yeah, it can get a bit critical if you're really really trying hard instead of just taking it easy when you feel a bit lost. I do need that every once in a while as I'm sure everyone does when they feel a bit burned out. But coming back to it, freshly again, is quite exciting.

Thanks so much for your answer!

 

[rita remton]

On 8/20/2023 at 3:14 AM, Oweniyo said:

Hello!

 

This is a question to all mappers, if they could share their experience, or perhaps even shed some light into how to handle the issue I like to call "Creative Elusiveness".

 

Basically when your mind is determined to make such and such map, with such and such design in your head, does the time come when you feel so creative that you sometimes forget your original ideas and instead build big, brave areas? And were you ever left with the conundrum of empty rooms/spaces with no idea how to fill them or make them mean something?

 

Now there are some people that plan everything out of course and that's that, but to some of us, we tend to get carried away every once in a while.

So, how do you solve this? How do you figure it out so that you fill that empty void of a room?

 

I am currently struggling with this, mapping and writing a book, and I am turning to you, fellow creators, for ideas and discussions about a great many things imaginative.

from my very short experience as a very newbie mapper:

• never start big. always start small and build, map section by map section. that way, if a mapper has an idea, it could easily be implemented in the map section.
• use lots of windows. that way, other rooms become the decoration for the immediate room.
• make each map section as compact as possible. 2 main reasons: 1) battles are more intense in smaller spaces. eg. player has a ssg with enough ammo, no health pickups, to face off 4 hellknights in a 900x900mu closed room, then the same setup in a 600x600mu room, then lastly in a 300x300mu room. the smaller the room, the more intense the battles, but not too small to the point the player could not evade attacks from the monsters. 2) the smaller the room, the lesser a mapper needs to embellish the room later ;)

just my 2 cents. please take with a grain of salt since i'm still a very newbie mapper. tq.