What is your best tip for beginners?

[Raith138]

What is the best tip you can give to new mappers? Be it a common mistake you see or just an easy tip to make your maps look better. I will start.

 

When you are changing floor textures in your map either use some kind of border texture if you have one or try to raise or lower the ground, it makes the map look a lot better.

Edited September 17, 2023 by Raith138

[coderamen]

I would say this: align your textures. Doing so creates a real difference in the perceived quality of the map. It might not seem worth it, but it really is.

[Stabbey]

My best tip is to at least skim the tutorials to get a grasp on the basics, it'll save a lot of time and headaches.

 

 

[NightRiding Doom]

1) Google is your enemy. Youtube is your friend. Doomworld/ZDoom search is even better friend, but can sometimes troll you. Pretty much search, watch and keep improving. Unless you get stuck on something, never post your first map unless it feels like a level straight out of a doom wad.

[RataUnderground]

Dont use UDMF, that format will confuse and distract you. Learn the basics first in Doom2 format or Boom.

[wumbo]

please, for the love of john romero, change your MIDI file to anything but running from evil. Trust me.

[ramon.dexter]

My best tip? Avoid vanilla and go straight for udmf. You'll save yourself lot of headache and avoid lots of vanilla shenenigans.

[Tangra]

The easiest way to get started, is to find yourself a nice tutorial playlist of Youtube. The videos should be chronological, starting from the basics on how to set up your editor, mapping format, and how to make a starting room. As you watch along, you have the editor open and ready, and you apply the knowledge as you go, onto your first map (or a test one), in small steps. Don't do the mistake of watching hours and hours of tutorials, before even installing a Doom editor for the first time. Too much information at once will only complicate things. Also, start simple, your first map should have just a few rooms, monsters and basic actions, a few doors, maybe a locket door, a monster closet and a working exit.

 

Starting in UDMF this way is not hard and i got into it fast, but it would have been way easier if i started in vanilla. Except i didn't know it at the time and i got a little deceived. The limited compatibility of UDMF makes it harder to find playtesting (way harder for a newbie), and also you end up limited on the possible community projects you can join, because 99% of the CPs here are not UDMF. So what's the point? It's ironic that the format with the least limitations, ends up being the most limited when you look at it from this angle.

[boris]

DO NOT MAKE WALLS FROM ZERO-HEIGHT SECTORS ^{(unless you know what you're doing)}

 

If you want solid walls just delete the sector. Using zero-height sectors for walls is the number one cause for the "my door moves down instead of up" problem that pops up twice a week.

[Zulk RS]

1. Align your textures because yes.

 

2. If you get stuck or encounter a problem or don't know how to do a thing, search Doomworld and YouTube. If you can't find a solution to your problem, make a post on Doom Editing.

 

3. Do not lose sight of what makes mapping and playing maps fun for you. Your map may be shit and you should try to improve but in that process of improving your map and mapping skills, do not lose what makes your map fun for you and gets you excited to map.

[thiccyosh]

Practice is key. Don't be stumped when your first maps aren't as great as those from more popular mappers. Even smaller maps can be fun if you put effort into them!

[Wo0p]

Like a writer reads a lot of books to explore how language can be used for inspiration, so too ought the Doom Mapper play a bunch of WADs to be inspired and learn from.

That's my best tip. The old addage "Watch and learn" is a powerful tool, not just casual bravado blurted from the mouths of insecure middle-aged men.

[Doomy__Doom]

Not just relevant to beginners, but still - if you come here with an editing question of "I'm doing stuff and it doesn't work variety" - ATTACH YOUR WAD PLEASE. It's the single easiest way for anyone to help you without prying the details from you.

Edited September 17, 2023 by Doomy__Doom
clarity

[Jayextee]

4 hours ago, RataUnderground said:

Dont use UDMF, that format will confuse and distract you. Learn the basics first in Doom2 format or Boom.

Came here to say something similar. With a bit more.

Beginners - start with LIMIT-REMOVING.
This is to get a hang of how to make basic DOOM maps, without the limitations of mapping for vanilla to worry about. BOOM format may offer more options, but a fair amount of its specials require dummy sectors; let's not try to run before we can walk.

 

Beginners - make ONE MAP.

For now, at least. I know it seems like it's going to be the coolest thing to make an entire megaWAD yourself, having made a whole game's worth of content is an AMAZING boast and so many cool mappers have done this. But 9/10 times they'll have worked up to that, and not burned themselves out before they can even get started.

 

Beginners - USE THE STOCK TEXTURES.

Again, for now. I get it, DOOM looks like DOOM looks like DOOM and your dream project shouldn't. But seriously, before adding new textures to your WAD (which is a whole new set of new things to learn on top of mapping), get a feel for how the textures are used and how they work. This covers custom enemies/weapons to a lesser degree, but isn't as universally-good advice because some modders don't map and do actually make new weapons and enemies and whatnot; it's not my area, I don't know where is a good place to start.

Beginners - HAVE FUN!
Okay, yeah, if you're not enjoying the process then your work is going to be shit. No two ways about that. If you're not enjoying where a map is going or you've designed yourself 'into a corner', you can scrap it (but keep the scrap on your HDD somewhere - you never know!) and work on something else. Learn to love and trust the process.

[ViolentBeetle]

Don't have textures that end abruptly: this is a principle outlined by John Romero. Some textures have strong borders, like tiles and others do not.

Don't build forward if you can loop back: Reusing space is fun. You can also punish those who try to skip ahead more easily. If you can give every wall in a room unique purpose, the room becomes more interesting.

[MFG38]

Don't bite off more than you can chew.

 

When I say this, I'm mostly talking to the "I'm making a full 32-level megawad as my first project" types, but it also applies to choice of format (going for UDMF right off the bat), general overambition (wanting to make a TC or standalone game or code a complex gameplay feature without knowing ZScript et al.) and almost any other common beginner thing you can think of.

[RataUnderground]

Ah yes, the three genders of advice for the beginner mapper.

Edited September 17, 2023 by RataUnderground

[Naarok0fkor]

Work in UDMF at all times, go to https://zdoom.org/ for a lot of answers, get some help in Doomworld, study other creator's WADs & above all, always remember that...

 

 

                               ...Shotguns are stupid.

[Matthias]

Step 1 - make a map

Step 2 - realize that you'll never be as good as BridgeBurner or Jaska

Step 3 - cry

[ramon.dexter]

Hey, I'm just saying my beginner experience. Started straight with UDMF and have no problems, while having big cake of options in hand.

[BeachThunder]

Study other maps. Obviously a good place to start is checking out Cacowards winners. Also, there's this list. And, of course, the WAD Releases & Development forum.

 

Don't just play other maps. Open them up in Ultimate Doom Builder or SLADE and study them. See how they're made, dig in & see how they pulled off that weird effect that you didn't even realise was possible. Think about maps you enjoy and ask yourself "why do I like this map?", "what does it do well?", etc... Same goes for maps you dislike - what exactly is it that you dislike about it?

[Solmyr]

Draw your map's layout in graph paper before using the editor, to minimize mapper's block.

[DerBlanca]

1 hour ago, Matthias (LiquidDoom) said:

Step 1 - make a map

Step 2 - realize that you'll never be as good as BridgeBurner or Jaska

Step 3 - cry

 

Some very strange paragons to take. Some people enjoy actual meaningful combat.

 

Anyway, I'd say the basic beginner advice is the same as with other art form: make sure you learn all the rules before breaking them. Make a few nice looking techbases where everything is perfectly aligned, combat is serviceable and pleasant, geometry is mostly orthogonal, and so on. Then, once you can make stuff like that with both eyes closed, decide on your own which rules are worth keeping, and which worth breaking, with a slant on the latter if appropriate. 

[RataUnderground]

1 hour ago, ramon.dexter said:

Hey, I'm just saying my beginner experience. Started straight with UDMF and have no problems, while having big cake of options in hand.

 

Dont worry, It has pros too. Its a subjective matter after all. 

[OceanMadman]

I think it's better to go for limit-removing or boom in your first wads. When I tried to make a project using for gzdoom on udmf I spent waaay to much time trying to make decorate and scripting and all that fancy stuff instead of focusing on finishing the maps. So yeah, unless you're good at not underestimating the amount of work that complex stuff can take you, start with something simple. 

[baja blast rd.]

25 minutes ago, DerBlanca said:

Anyway, I'd say the basic beginner advice is the same as with other art form: make sure you learn all the rules before breaking them. Make a few nice looking techbases where everything is perfectly aligned, combat is serviceable and pleasant, geometry is mostly orthogonal, and so on.

 

This needs the heavy caveat that every mapping paradigm has its own rules and you should learn the basic rules of the paradigms you care about. There's no central 'generic' mapping approach that one must learn the basic rules of.

 

If you want to do modern run 'n' gun maps, learn the principles that seem to govern those. If you want to do weirdo Benjogami-style maps with lots of stilt platforming, learn the principles that seem to govern those before setting out purely on your own. If you want to do small maps around striking aesthetic vignettes, or BFG spam maps, or '90s style puzzle maps, etc. etc. etc. 

 

While quickly making a few small inoffensive mostly-orthogonal techbases might be a serviceable way of learning the basic capabilities of the editor (a lot of people's first maps are just sets of STARTAN boxes that serve as "I know how to operate the editor and make doors/lifts/exits" test demos), that is definitely not a central mapping style that you have to learn the rules of before deviating to other paradigms. Rather, each paradigm is its own center and there are dozens of those. 

 

Doom mapping is not a singular art form. It's the medium and all the approaches that are possible are different (but more or less related) forms. 

[Cutman 999]

My tip is experiment with different shapes for your rooms. I saw many beginner mappers just being comfortable doing basic squares, thinking doom is just that. Even the iwads show you that is not the case, now with modern editors, you can do the shape you want, if it is blocky it doesn't matter, just try to not just rely on that, you are making your layout worse by sheer laziness, not lack of creativity.

[rita remton]

my tip as a newbie mapper myself: never start big; always start small then expand your map, section by section. much easier to manage, and have a better chance of finishing the maps. good luck :)

Edited September 17, 2023 by rita remton

[Zulk RS]

4 hours ago, Jayextee said:

Came here to say something similar. With a bit more.

Beginners - start with LIMIT-REMOVING.
This is to get a hang of how to make basic DOOM maps, without the limitations of mapping for vanilla to worry about. BOOM format may offer more options, but a fair amount of its specials require dummy sectors; let's not try to run before we can walk.

 

Beginners - make ONE MAP.

For now, at least. I know it seems like it's going to be the coolest thing to make an entire megaWAD yourself, having made a whole game's worth of content is an AMAZING boast and so many cool mappers have done this. But 9/10 times they'll have worked up to that, and not burned themselves out before they can even get started.

 

Beginners - USE THE STOCK TEXTURES.

Again, for now. I get it, DOOM looks like DOOM looks like DOOM and your dream project shouldn't. But seriously, before adding new textures to your WAD (which is a whole new set of new things to learn on top of mapping), get a feel for how the textures are used and how they work. This covers custom enemies/weapons to a lesser degree, but isn't as universally-good advice because some modders don't map and do actually make new weapons and enemies and whatnot; it's not my area, I don't know where is a good place to start.

Beginners - HAVE FUN!
Okay, yeah, if you're not enjoying the process then your work is going to be shit. No two ways about that. If you're not enjoying where a map is going or you've designed yourself 'into a corner', you can scrap it (but keep the scrap on your HDD somewhere - you never know!) and work on something else. Learn to love and trust the process.

 

As someone who has not done ANY of the above, I agree. Except for the "Don't start with UDMF" one. I mean I don't recommend new mappers start with UDMF because it's a lot but... it's really not the end of the world if you do start. I'm still working on my "First official release" over 10 years later because I started with a 32-33 map megawad. SO yeah, make ONE maps to start out.

[Doomy__Doom]

34 minutes ago, baja blast rd. said:

While quickly making a few small inoffensive mostly-orthogonal techbases might be a serviceable way of learning the basic capabilities of the editor (a lot of people's first maps are just sets of STARTAN boxes that serve as "I know how to operate the editor and make doors/lifts/exits" test demos), that is definitely not a central mapping style that you have to learn the rules of before deviating to other paradigms. Rather, each paradigm is its own center and there are dozens of those. 

Very much this. I've neither started with nor made to date a "traditional techbase" thing. And I feel this caveat applies to the mapping target ("start in X format") debate - by the time you feel like picking up mapping you probably have reasonably well-defined taste, you know what kind of maps you play most, what tech they're built on (at least a vague idea of "this stuff can be done with X tools because Y did it in Z") as well as what style you want to [try and fail to :)] express or imitate. So pick the tools that let you do so and where you can reference others' work.

 

And another thing that seems to cause a lot of implicit assumptions - "beginner Doom mapper" =/= "beginner at videogame modding" =/= "beginner at figuring out a tech stack". Plenty of people can efficiently learn using more complex things, whether it's UDMF option bonanza, a massive texture pack, scripting or how to dehacked, without going through "figure out which vanilla actions can substitute the precisely missing one" phase. This is very much a "know yourself" moment to me.