Mapping technique?

DanDaMan

Hey, I'm just wondering what kind of mapping technique do you guys use for small indoor mapping.  Most of my mapping experience is in making larger terrain based outdoor maps or semi-outdoor maps.  I'm having trouble getting started with an all indoors map.  So what methods do you use to make indoor maps.  Do you start with just the floors?  Just the walls?  Do you plan out everything and block it in roughly first or do you make it one perfect room at a time and just go on connecting them? or do you do something else?

Relic25

I do one room at a time - fully textured, detailed, full lighting and most sounds, but that's probably not the best way to work. <!--emo&;)--><img src="http://www.natural-selection.org/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/wink.gif" border="0" valign="absmiddle" alt=';)'><!--endemo-->  Seriously, it's better practice to build rooms/halls 1 at a time, but don't fully detail them first.  You may have to go back and change a lot, and you want to lose as little work as possible.

Elowind

me, well im not the greatest but from suggestions and wut i think i should do, i draw the map out, then i put in all the blocks about the size and width and hight that i want then i hallow them one at a time making sure each part lines up, once i have every room hallowed and connected i start textureing the ploors walls and that, then i add scenery and probably the last things i do are lights and buttons and all those nifty things

realityisdead

I guess I'm going to have to diagree with the popular method of fleshing out an undetailed, rough build of the map first... and then adding the detail.

I used to always go the same way as relic, and fully complete a room one by one... but following the trend and some advice, I opted to "do the layout first" (in WC that is... planning on paper is always important, and really does help) with my current map, and now I'm paying for it. All my areas look the same after doing this, and making each area unuqie is really getting to me.

So right now, the better option for me at least, is to fully detail the rooms as I go. Just to mix things up a bit. I'll never to a total layout again, without doing some proper detailing first... it just doesn't work out for me.

Though a pretty big problem with detailing as you go is the fact that you may sooner or later run out of planes/entities/etc before the map is finished if you aren't careful. Doing to rought layout first is a good way to get around this, but my opinion still stands on that issue.

(Note: Don't confuse my use of the term "Doing the layout" with drawing out on paper. Drawing it out on paper beforehand -while not essential- does wonders for you later down the road. Trust me. It is definitely something you should at least try out. What I was refering to with this term was placing generic temporary hallways and gradually adding detail to them. Yuck to that if you ask me.)



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Killtoy

Well, I don't have much experience to speak on, but you all know that doesn't stop me! <!--emo&;)--><img src="http://www.natural-selection.org/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/wink.gif" border="0" valign="absmiddle" alt=';)'><!--endemo-->

My current map project involved me visualizing a rough layout, fundamental mechanics (dynamic or static gameplay, etc.), and a few key features. From there, I literally started in one corner and built my way out.

As I create the map, I build each room to a medium level, and then build up each adjacent room. As the adjacent rooms become moderately complete, I take another look at the preceeding room and add what seems lacking. Once I get to the last few rooms, I plan to start a more detailed pass over the map.

Now, I'm finding I spend a lot of time reworking things, and that is something I'd like to reduce.

ChromeAngel

I find that starting with the floors, then adding walls and ceilings works for me.

doctopepa

Walls or ceilings first? I begin with what the good idea in my head is. For example, if I have an idea on a cool wall with nifty holes in it, i begin with that wall. Then i get new ideas from flying around in the 3d view.

Cremator

I also build each room, one at a time.  I generally go short on the entities, though.  At the end, I go back, place hints, skips, entities, and tweak whatever looks bad.  I find that walls and floors tend to have the most focus, so I start at those points.  If you are used to big outdoor areas, keep in mind that small spaces fit a lot more detail (ironic, eh).

Yamazaki

I make a rough layout on paper first, just so I have an idea where everything will be, then I start making one room after another and linking them together. As time passes I revisit the rooms and add in more detail as appropriate.

Merkaba

I'm not sure if I'm in a position to say, as I've only even finished one map before...but I tend to build, detail, as I go. I didn't even have a premade layout for ns_hera (And I suffered along the way), but I've gotten there in the end.

I too fidn that if I lay out my map rougly in WC beforehand, it makes it extremely hard to put detail in afterwards. I think the ideal solution would be to build teh basic skeleton of the map, whilst ALSO keeping in mind what the room should look like once its done. Basically, you should strike a balance between detail and simplicity.

nrby

Depending on the map and the game its for, i tend to build the map room by room, or in the case of NS i had no idea on layouts or its limits so i built the map floorplan first, then built up around that.

Do whichever you feel most comfortable with.