Requesting Inspiration
Sycophant
Join Date: 2002-11-05 Member: 7092Members
Join Date: 2002-11-05 Member: 7092Members
<div class="IPBDescription">...for those 'blah' days</div> How, exactly, does one get inspired to map? <b>Especially</b> when starting over?
I was working on my map up until a week or so ago, and was basically finishing up the 'rough cut' stage. In other words: rooms with necessary objects put in, quick texturing, essential entities (lifts/doors), major architecture mostly finished, etc. I was considering scrapping it because the scale seemed wrong (<i>ie: rooms were huge</i>). I figured now was a good time to just start over since there's really not a whole lot of time put into it yet (<i>< 3 weeks</i>). However, I kept at the old map and took a few days to resize the rooms and hallways so they were more realistic in size. From then on, I was planning on keeping the original design and working with that. Things were looking up!
Then my hard drive crashed. <!--emo&:(--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/sad.gif' border='0' valign='absmiddle' alt='sad.gif'><!--endemo--> ( <i>damn you Murphy and your damn law!</i> <!--emo&:angry:--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/mad.gif' border='0' valign='absmiddle' alt='mad.gif'><!--endemo--> )
It was my second hard drive, which held my mp3's, games, work, and so on. Work is backed up on cd's regularly, so I was only set back a day or two. Most of my mp3's are on (data) cd's as well, so they were mostly saved. Games can be easily reinstalled.
My map and all the design notes I had done up (8+ weeks worth) were lost. What's left is whatever's in my head. I really wasn't far into development, but I simply can't seem to be able to force myself to sit down and start over. I was almost willing to do it at one point anyways, but at least then I had the choice of starting over or continuing on. My options now are to start over or scrap the idea entirely.
I know I could sit down and do at least that much work in maybe 2 weeks or so, but I'm simply not inspired anymore. I had what I thought was a nice, clean, and playable map layout, an interesting theme, and lots of decent ideas spread all over the map. It was something I was enthused about, and was enjoying doing. It almost seems a waste to simply give up on it before it even has the opportunity to reach a point where I could be proud of what I've accomplished.
As cheesy as this sounds, does anyone have any encouraging quotes or words of wisdom to share? I'm usually the one that my friends and family come to for encouragement, relevant quotes, and uplifting anecdotes in just about anything, but I find that I can't really go to those same friends for encouragement in this because many of them haven't even heard of Half-Life. <!--emo&:)--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/smile.gif' border='0' valign='absmiddle' alt='smile.gif'><!--endemo-->
I guess this could sorta be considered mapper's block, but in my case, it seems there's a mountain sitting on that block that needs to be moved first. It's one thing to lose the desire to win when half-way through the race. It's something else entirely to lose that desire when still at the starting line.
Hehe, sorry for this long rant, especially when only the top line of the post would have been acceptable as the whole message. <!--emo&:)--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/smile.gif' border='0' valign='absmiddle' alt='smile.gif'><!--endemo-->
I was working on my map up until a week or so ago, and was basically finishing up the 'rough cut' stage. In other words: rooms with necessary objects put in, quick texturing, essential entities (lifts/doors), major architecture mostly finished, etc. I was considering scrapping it because the scale seemed wrong (<i>ie: rooms were huge</i>). I figured now was a good time to just start over since there's really not a whole lot of time put into it yet (<i>< 3 weeks</i>). However, I kept at the old map and took a few days to resize the rooms and hallways so they were more realistic in size. From then on, I was planning on keeping the original design and working with that. Things were looking up!
Then my hard drive crashed. <!--emo&:(--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/sad.gif' border='0' valign='absmiddle' alt='sad.gif'><!--endemo--> ( <i>damn you Murphy and your damn law!</i> <!--emo&:angry:--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/mad.gif' border='0' valign='absmiddle' alt='mad.gif'><!--endemo--> )
It was my second hard drive, which held my mp3's, games, work, and so on. Work is backed up on cd's regularly, so I was only set back a day or two. Most of my mp3's are on (data) cd's as well, so they were mostly saved. Games can be easily reinstalled.
My map and all the design notes I had done up (8+ weeks worth) were lost. What's left is whatever's in my head. I really wasn't far into development, but I simply can't seem to be able to force myself to sit down and start over. I was almost willing to do it at one point anyways, but at least then I had the choice of starting over or continuing on. My options now are to start over or scrap the idea entirely.
I know I could sit down and do at least that much work in maybe 2 weeks or so, but I'm simply not inspired anymore. I had what I thought was a nice, clean, and playable map layout, an interesting theme, and lots of decent ideas spread all over the map. It was something I was enthused about, and was enjoying doing. It almost seems a waste to simply give up on it before it even has the opportunity to reach a point where I could be proud of what I've accomplished.
As cheesy as this sounds, does anyone have any encouraging quotes or words of wisdom to share? I'm usually the one that my friends and family come to for encouragement, relevant quotes, and uplifting anecdotes in just about anything, but I find that I can't really go to those same friends for encouragement in this because many of them haven't even heard of Half-Life. <!--emo&:)--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/smile.gif' border='0' valign='absmiddle' alt='smile.gif'><!--endemo-->
I guess this could sorta be considered mapper's block, but in my case, it seems there's a mountain sitting on that block that needs to be moved first. It's one thing to lose the desire to win when half-way through the race. It's something else entirely to lose that desire when still at the starting line.
Hehe, sorry for this long rant, especially when only the top line of the post would have been acceptable as the whole message. <!--emo&:)--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/smile.gif' border='0' valign='absmiddle' alt='smile.gif'><!--endemo-->
Comments
and, for inspiration, a thread like this <a href='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/index.php?act=ST&f=4&t=17668' target='_blank'>more weldable ideas</a> inspires me to try things out.
About inspiration? Just look at other maps, watch movies, play other games, look at pictures, and generally rip off every good idea you can find <!--emo&:)--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/smile.gif' border='0' valign='absmiddle' alt='smile.gif'><!--endemo-->.