What are your favorite shortcuts and tricks for map making?

[EraserheadBaby]

You might want to mention what port and map editor you use. 

 

I use GZDOOM with Ultimate DOOM Builder. 

 

I'm a bit of a noob, so I don't know a lot, but my current favorite shortcut is ctrl+F9 to play test my map from anywhere in the map.  This makes play testing so much easier.  I use it all the time.

 

 

 

[Sonikkumania]

Copy paste helps a lot.

While in 3D mode, you can also paste textures and flats in real time. The default key is Mouse scroll I recall. 

[Li'l devil]

Randomly putting an exit switch and calling the map finished

[Shakariki Heisenberg]

fn + f9 (starts the game in the position where ur mouse is)
also auto texture align, texture alignment reset and floodfill texture

[Shakariki Heisenberg]

..

 

Edited October 15, 2023 by Shakariki Heisenberg

[Cutman 999]

maybe the "+++" parameter to not make stairs manually. That or shift + click to texture an entire room with whatever the fuck as a placeholder instead of using fucking startan...

[DoomGappy]

Everybody here should check my thread, I made sure to include a lot of tips and tricks. My recent favorite discovery is shift + L in UDB to make enemies look in a specific direction, or ctrl + shift + l to make them look away from it.

Edited October 15, 2023 by jo2ukegappy

[volleyvalley]

Seconding @Sonikkumania here, copypasting helps alot, especially in places where you want to repeat the same visual detail, like for example ceiling lights, windows or stairs.

[EraserheadBaby]

23 hours ago, Cutman 999 said:

maybe the "+++" parameter to not make stairs manually.

IDK what that is.  I'll have to look into it.  I've been using the stair tool or doing it manually. 

[Cutman 999]

11 minutes ago, EraserheadBaby said:

IDK what that is.  I'll have to look into it.  I've been using the stair tool or doing it manually. 

 

[EraserheadBaby]

22 hours ago, jo2ukegappy said:

Everybody here should check my thread, I made sure to include a lot of tips and tricks. My recent favorite discovery is shift + L in UDB to make enemies look in a specific direction, or ctrl + shift + l to make them look away from it.

I checked it out.  I wish I had a year ago, it laid out a lot of the basics that just get glossed over in the youtube tutorials I found.  Also, setting things up so I don't have to set the wad every time and what some of the lingo means. 

Thanks

[EraserheadBaby]

9 minutes ago, Cutman 999 said:

 

How did you join the sectors together when you made that cool staircase? 

I didn't know fake floors were a thing.  I use 3d floors a lot but had no idea about that.  There is so much stuff to learn. 

Thanks for the tutorial

Edited October 16, 2023 by EraserheadBaby

[BeachThunder]

Not specifically a map-making thing; but for testing, if you have a keyboard that supports macros, having one set to type 'iddqd' is pretty handy.

[DoomGappy]

4 hours ago, EraserheadBaby said:

I checked it out.  I wish I had a year ago, it laid out a lot of the basics that just get glossed over in the youtube tutorials I found.  Also, setting things up so I don't have to set the wad every time and what some of the lingo means. 

Thanks

 

Yes, I've felt like those tutorials tend to skip over the most basic steps, so I wrote this to be used completely from the ground up. Thank you for checking it out!

[DoomGappy]

Just now, BeachThunder said:

Not specifically a map-making thing; but for testing, if you have a keyboard that supports macros, having one set to type 'iddqd' is pretty handy.

 

I bind some commands to some keys using the autoexec.cfg. Also incredibly handy.

[pcorf]

15 years ago = Whispers of CTRL+V.

Today = Imagination on the spot.

[CravenCoyote]

F4 for being able to check and potentially resolve map issues

[EduardoAndFriends]

Magic “A is for auto align”.

[Klear]

31 minutes ago, EduardoAndFriends said:

Magic “A is for auto align”.

Had to get rid of that, as I kept hitting it on accident. Some things are meant to stay unaligned.

[TheMightyWhoosh]

Shift + A + Y for the ultimate texture alignment shortcut!  

[LouigiVerona]

Do people still use Doom Builder 2? I am on Linux and running DB2 in a VM is possible

[Shakariki Heisenberg]

40 minutes ago, LouigiVerona said:

Do people still use Doom Builder 2? I am on Linux and running DB2 in a VM is possible

i used to use DBX but i dont think anyone uses db2 anymore since UDB exists

[Fonze]

My favorite shortcuts (may not be this buttom combo for some editors) are in the ctrl+shift+mouse wheel area to adjust sector floor/ceiling heights in sector mode. Is much faster than going into properties or 3d mode.

 

I also have a bad habit while using other games' map editors to always instinctively hit "c" whenever I finish doing any action... lol.

[magicsofa]

Getting rid of the CTRL and other supporting keys in actions that I do a lot such as copy and paste. Why break your pinkie?

 

I have C bound to both copy texture, and clear selection

V is paste texture

B and N increase or decrease brightness

R and F raise and lower sector heights

 

I do use CTRL+ for copying/pasting all properties of a line/sector since that is something I don't do as often, and SHIFT+V for flood fill

Edited October 17, 2023 by magicsofa

[spineapple tea]

I had to change the grid size shortcuts from [whatever they were before] to '<' and '>' because 1., the original keys are backwards for some reason (left increases and right decreases) and 2., the original keys were uncomfortably high up on the keyboard. Since this change I've saved entire SECONDS of my life not having to select the drop-down every time and I'd highly recommend this change to any mapper.

[LouigiVerona]

I actually installed Ultimate DB under WINE on Linux - and it just works out of the box with no problem. Impressed!

 

The only thing I found so far to be problematic is that if I try to type a texture in linedef properties, it crashes, but I don't have to type it there.

[LoatharMDPhD]

looking for any hotkey advice for linux slade 3.2.1.

[EduardoAndFriends]

12 hours ago, LouigiVerona said:

Do people still use Doom Builder 2? I am on Linux and running DB2 in a VM is possible

I still use it on my work laptop if I get an idea and want to get it down. Its simplicity is actually helpful sometimes.

[MundyC]

 

This little guy from Doom Builder's Edit menu is a godsend, especially if you're like me and sketch out top-down outlines of your maps before actually blocking them out. You will need to adjust the size and location multiple times, but once you get it right, oh boy...

 

(It's also great for making automap art!)

[EraserheadBaby]

On 10/15/2023 at 5:00 PM, DoomGappy said:

My recent favorite discovery is shift + L in UDB to make enemies look in a specific direction, or ctrl + shift + l to make them look away from it.

 

Thanks.  I've been using this constantly.