Details

Emoo

Hi i was wondering how good mappers decide what details to put in and where. Be cause try as i might i can't seem to make good looking maps, so please share your tips and tricks on how to make a map look good.

Thxs in advance <!--emo&:D--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html//emoticons/biggrin.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='biggrin.gif' /><!--endemo-->

Thaldarin

I don't really think anyone can say anything to this except influence. From movies, pictures, official maps and oh their own mapping talent.

Trojan

Imagination, staring at your screen/the ns textures till you think 'hey, that will look cool', and images popping into your head. Draw those ones as soon as the come, otherwise its just not worth it (you lose them). Also, around your local city, just look at things, listen to the sounds, and take in details. If you get your influences from lots of sources, it tends to be a rather unique one.

Remember, the chances of you coming up with something new are next to impossible, but if you take a number of things and come up with some form of hybrid idea, then that is well worth it, because it is somewhat 'unique'.


Yeah, I started rambaling on there, but you should get my point <!--emo&:)--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html//emoticons/smile.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='smile.gif' /><!--endemo-->

SamR

Everything they just said. It comes with experience I suppose, and perserverance.
Just take your time over something until you get it looking just how you wanted, you'll very rewarded once you've done it, and the more you practice, the faster you'll get at making good looking things.

Just keep in mind that looks aren't everything <!--emo&:D--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html//emoticons/biggrin.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='biggrin.gif' /><!--endemo--> (something I always forget)

Wurmspawn

i find working with a theme really helps. and endless amounts of concept sketches
e.g. if you want to make a map that has a very grimy feel and is set in a mine.
from there you can start to sketch what you would typically find in such a mine:
rock walls and supporting beams, ore-processing rooms/machinery, digging machines, control rooms, rail tracks a/o elevator shafts for moving ores, low points that would have puddles, broken pipes over over a corridor, etc...
generally you will always be able to sketch an area with more detail than it is feasible to map, but in the process of translation from paper to digital, you may also discover some new things to do.
the actual places you can put details will be affected by your r-speeds, building layouts that you can walk around in and build up in detail as you go could help with this process.

SamR

I remember when I first started mapping, I used to try and mimic real life places that I visited, be it on holiday, or just local places around my town.

I'd find places which though were cool, and then take loads of digital photos of it all. Of the walls, doors, roofs (if I could), signs, and any other details which I thought were cool, and then I'd make them into seamless textures and then put them into wads.

Then I'd load up Worldcraft and try and remake what I'd seen as accurately as I could within the limits of the Half-Life engine, and I usually had pretty good results.

I once did my local church for a DOD level that I did:

<img src='http://www.planethalflife.com/afterlife/Parish8.JPG' border='0' alt='user posted image' />

<img src='http://www.planethalflife.com/afterlife/Parish0.JPG' border='0' alt='user posted image' />

I think it worked rather well at the time. It is slightly harder however, for making NS maps, since you want to make something unique and believable that it's a futuristic space ship/station. Nowadays, I look at films and books to help inspire me.

I also love looking at 'Art of' books for films, since they're always full of conceptual art and photos for set designs. I have this fantastic book called Giger's Alien, which documents the production of all the sets and the alien costume from day 1.