How do you map?

Discuss N mapping theory, N maps, and other aspects of map-making.

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Postby Yoshimo » 2009.09.24 (00:52)

Title says it all. Give four or more steps for clarity.


Basic tile idea / formation.


Add some objects as a main gameplay mechanic.


Add secondary mechanic.


Add goal to the map; playtest.


Add extra flare to the looks. Final step.
spoiler

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Postby Tunco » 2009.09.24 (17:53)

I start off with building tiles. Where I build tiles is important, I like to focus on a single enemy, so as the tileset should provide the gameplay for it.
In this map, I will make the tileset to top of the map, and the focused enemy is on rockets.
First, I basically make a -not random- shape from E tiles.

Then, I place my ninja and some enemies.

I make tiles better.

I add gold to map and fix parts that is not good.

Adding mines and some more stuff that I see it's missing.

More changes and playtest.

Done!
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Postby lord_day » 2009.09.24 (18:33)

I really dislike the idea of making maps from random E-tile shapes. It gives your maps no purpose.
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Postby PALEMOON » 2009.09.24 (18:49)

lord_day wrote:I really dislike the idea of making maps from random E-tile shapes. It gives your maps no purpose.
why?

also...


draw a great big circle....


add the eyes....




make a great big smile....




and suprise!


IT'S KIRBY!

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Postby Leaff » 2009.10.01 (23:44)

These are my steps, although sometimes it varies a /lot/.

1. CONCEPTAGENESS.
It always starts with the idea. I'll get then from anything: some random photo, something I found lying on the side of the road, a random line from IRC, a song, whatever.

2. TILESETAGENESS BEGINNINGAGENESS.
I just fool around until I make some interesting tile shape, then I usually end up only using half of it or copy pasting it all weird and then editing that or whatever.

3. OBJECTAGENESS.
I do this more over the full course of the map, but it starts around here. I generally start by messing around with just a few enemies and a ninja until I find something I like. I'll usually make a few tileset edits for gameplay purposes, but nothing huge.

4. EXPANDINGAGENESS
I usually just start with a small section of the tiles and find some nice gameplay on it, so from here on is when I start expandin' some stuff and yeah. It just winds out of control from here, and that's how I like it. :3

5. Tab + Q
FUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU-
This actually happens really often. ._.

If it does happen, I generally just try to rebuild it from memory, and usually end up having it changed a lot then making it around a whole different concept or something major like that. Some other time I'll try to rebuild something similar from the original concept, and that spins in to it's own map. :3
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Postby SkyPanda » 2009.10.04 (01:02)

I do all my maps differently! Here's one:

step 1 - lay out a vague sort of idea thing


step 2 - completely abandon that idea because it sucks, and play around with tiles for a while


step 3 - lay down some objects with a general idea of how the gameplay is gonna turn out


step 4 - this is when i'd normally refine the objects and gameplay, make the tileset all prettylike, and try and come up with a name. But this map is unfinished

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Postby Ampersand » 2009.10.04 (01:13)

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mintnut wrote:Oh my life, STRAP ON A PAIR! Get over it, make better maps, innit?
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Postby Radium » 2009.10.04 (01:55)

spoiler


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Postby Pheidippides » 2009.10.04 (03:46)

One of two ways.

1: Translate an idea into Ned, tweak when necessary.
2: Doodle in Ned, see if anything cool happens. If yes, proceed to map.

This is actually a wider spectrum than you might think, depending on how clear an idea I have going into mapping. Sometimes I just think of a title and make a map loosely based on that idea, and other times I've got mechanics thought out and just need to make them work. Doodling is never just E-tiles. I doodle pretty intricately.

Tiles always come first, but I usually build a map in several sessions of adding tiles and then objects, playtesting along the way. This is why mapping is often a painfully slow process for me.

To give the obligatory smart-ass answer, I make maps with Ned. I think it would be a bit hard to do it any other way, unless you learn Python, but this is deep magic.
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Postby Ampersand » 2009.10.04 (03:53)

Pheidippides wrote:One of two ways.

1: Translate an idea into Ned, tweak when necessary.
2: Doodle in Ned, see if anything cool happens. If yes, proceed to map.

This is actually a wider spectrum than you might think, depending on how clear an idea I have going into mapping. Sometimes I just think of a title and make a map loosely based on that idea, and other times I've got mechanics thought out and just need to make them work. Doodling is never just E-tiles. I doodle pretty intricately.

Tiles always come first, but I usually build a map in several sessions of adding tiles and then objects, playtesting along the way. This is why mapping is often a painfully slow process for me.
This one.
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Postby T3chno » 2009.10.04 (04:15)

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Postby Yoshimo » 2009.10.04 (18:37)

Pheidippides wrote:unless you learn Python, but this is deep magic.
I made one or two badass tilesets in Python.
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Postby Winter_Red_Snow » 2009.12.23 (00:49)

How I map

I just go with what goes out onto the map. the style creates itself.
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Postby Rhekatou » 2009.12.23 (16:39)

Pheidippides wrote:One of two ways.

1: Translate an idea into Ned, tweak when necessary.
2: Doodle in Ned, see if anything cool happens. If yes, proceed to map.

This is actually a wider spectrum than you might think, depending on how clear an idea I have going into mapping. Sometimes I just think of a title and make a map loosely based on that idea, and other times I've got mechanics thought out and just need to make them work. Doodling is never just E-tiles. I doodle pretty intricately.

Tiles always come first, but I usually build a map in several sessions of adding tiles and then objects, playtesting along the way. This is why mapping is often a painfully slow process for me.

To give the obligatory smart-ass answer, I make maps with Ned. I think it would be a bit hard to do it any other way, unless you learn Python, but this is deep magic.
Same.
And radium, your music gave me a headache :|
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Postby Nexx » 2009.12.23 (23:02)

Pheidippides wrote:One of two ways.

1: Translate an idea into Ned, tweak when necessary.
2: Doodle in Ned, see if anything cool happens. If yes, proceed to map.

This is actually a wider spectrum than you might think, depending on how clear an idea I have going into mapping. Sometimes I just think of a title and make a map loosely based on that idea, and other times I've got mechanics thought out and just need to make them work. Doodling is never just E-tiles. I doodle pretty intricately.

Tiles always come first, but I usually build a map in several sessions of adding tiles and then objects, playtesting along the way. This is why mapping is often a painfully slow process for me.
Same for me, but emphasis on the bolded text.

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Postby Radium » 2009.12.24 (03:20)

Avarin wrote:
Pheidippides wrote:One of two ways.



Tiles always come first, but I usually build a map in several sessions of adding tiles and then objects, playtesting along the way. This is why mapping is often a painfully slow process for me.
Same for me, but emphasis on the bolded text.
HMM. I basically never do that. I do all my tiles. Add objects. Playtest. Drastically change tiles. Tweak objects. Playtest. Done.
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