Starting a map

After reading such many posts about denied maps and comments of angry people I thought to make this post. This is handy for starting mappers and maybe for experienced ones.

Starting a map
There's lots of good mappers out there with good ideas and lot of spare time. When you start a new project how do you start it? Do you think out of the layout in your head? Do you draw it to a paper? Or just start making it?

Good common way to start a map is to decide theme. Is it something never seen before, a mushroom world? Or is it something little familiar like a huge mountain to conquer. And you somewhat know in your head what kind of textures to look.

After deciding the theme it's commonly pretty good idea to make a layout of the map. Grab a pencil and start drawing. It doesn't have to be anything supernatural, simple shapes, marks, notes here and there.

Layout

When you have a layout of the map, you know how long it will be and you have a goal. You don't get frustrated and submit a half-made map, which ofcourse gets denied and you ask yourself "Why they didnt accept it?"

So you have the layout build up and it's time for jumps! Oh the excitement! Most fun part of the map. There's lots of maps with dull, boring jumps. I quess you know atleast one! That's right. Kz_world. No offence but with good jumps it could be superawesome.

kz_world

One of my favorites is sx_goldrush. Why you ask? Cos' it has fun, non-repetitive jumps with some bhop-combos. And it has good atmosphere. Tho there is few parts where you can fall down if you'r not carefull which is frustrating.

When making jumps it's good to make them a challenge to player, was he a novice, or a pro. One pretty important thing is not to make a awful-hard-trick-jump to end of the room which makes you fall whole level to bottom. In that point 90% of players throws cup of coffee to wall, disconnects and changes map.

Now you have map with cool jumps. It's time for details. There's never too much of details. With good lighting it makes map really alive. But if you barely can't see because so many trees. You wen't little too far. But how can you make nice details?

Check this picture which is from http://www.egir.dk/

Ceiling

That ceiling looks awesome doesnt it?

Details

Moar details

And moar

Simple, working and beautiful
(pics taken from http://www.snarkpit.net/index.php?s=articles&article=83)

With little effort you can make huge difference in your map.
(Ttexture lights is the way to go)

Your map is about to be done but first you should make something. Betatest it!

Call friends and jump it through. Ask their honest opinion and they surely will give good feedback. Someone comment to some denied map that better to make one map and get feedback from it, than build 20 maps and get no feedback at all. Thats a very important thing. If you can't get anyone to to jump your map. Ask me (I'm average, so no hard maps! :D)

When you have betatested and people likes it, gogo submit! :)

Have fun mapping! :D

Well gj for the long post but whats the sense?
I mean even a non-skilled mapper willl do this! I dont see another way to start ^^

I mean who DOESNT think of a layout...
And i guess every mapper knows that there HAVE to be details but if you dunno how you just cant add some! (like not every mapper is capable of mapping with triangle method and so on)

This thread is good for someone whos not creative and has never mapped before but imo these things are obviously!