Designing maps
So, how does everybody design and plan out their portal maps? Does anybody use special software, or just paint? or maybe sketch it out on paper? Lets hear it!
*goes back to waiting for SDK release*
Normally i'll just get an idea in my head which will put a picture of the map infront of my eyes which i'll work on until i have worked that out then i'll wait for my brain to give me another picture.... NO JOKE!
Thats with portal but with some maps recently i've been planning them out on paper such as my movie that i'm working on.
Not that I've released any maps yet... but as I work out my ideas, it really helps me to sketch it out physically on paper. (Maybe this is because I'm not yet comfortable in Hammer.) I bought a pad of graph paper just for this; felt really geeky, in a good way.
Sketch it out on paper for me. either side-on, top-down or isometric view depending on the nature of the puzzle.
Story: 22.22222% Design: 33.33333%
Levels: 4.44444% Cake: 0.00000%
Voices: 0.0^3% in base 4
New models & Textures: ((e^28/pi*7)/0 - 42)%
Grief counseling: 111.11111%
[img]http://www.fujiwaratofu.com/lostchambers/sketches/lostchmb_00_draft.jpg[/img]
I can see the resembalance!
I start with paper too.
paper, top down, then if it requires multiple levels in the same area i go to side on or iso depending, then straight into hammer with the dev textures as rough as possible making the gameplay elements, then when a level plays well I 'beautify' it, textures first, then lights
This is how I planned vLuxuria map (there is no the last chamber, I've got it on separated paper)
i usually make a legend.
I don't 
. I always remember what I drawed.