Need a new map to start making?

[Softie2]

Well I've not mapped in quite some time now, and well I wanna start again, so anyone got any ideas on what I can make please suggest/request.

[Major Banter]

Depends on what you specialise in.

I'm good at advanced geometry, Soviet Bloc, natural/realistic and industrial/concrete.

I can't do shit with abstract or 100% natural.

So just chucking you a theme would be counter-productive. You must have some general idea of what you'd like to map. If in doubt, scout around in google for inspiring stuff.

[Softie2]

I'm alright at mostly indoor areas, would like to get onto outdoors like forrests and landscapes like that.

[Major Banter]

Try to fuse those indoor areas that you're good at with some outside stuff. For example, build a pretty awesome building of whatever style; coastal cottage, industrial warehouse, modern tower block, suburban home, caravan; whatever. Just put it on a displacement.

Then once you've finished that craft an epic landscape.

An alternate approach is to incorporate nature straight into the design. Try fusing nature and physical stuff. Train tunnels, bunkers and decrepidt buildings fit this description nicely. I'd throw you a few examples but it seems my girlfriend has nicked them. Bugger.

Stuff.

http://www.tibetheritagefund.org/media/projects/ladakh/leh%20old%20town/stagopil_areacons05.jpg
http://simon.butcher.name/uploads/2008/10/25/Pripyat_-_Apartments.jpeg
http://travel.saga.co.uk/holidays/mediaLibraryImages/Saga/Phoenix/Hotels/UK/The%20Royal%20Hotel/H_D29767.ashx
http://imageseu.holiday-rentals.co.uk/vd2/files/HR/320x240/x-6/x-20447/x_1250926637035.jpg
http://i243.photobucket.com/albums/ff283/gilding_the_lily/Ruins/6-2.jpg

I'm not going to find you something. Get inspired.

[Softie2]

What should I map with, which game?, I recently baught L4D2 so I could use that, any ideas which is best?

[Major Banter]

Jesus fucking Christ, just use an engine! Only L4D2 and TF2 work in Orange Box at the moment; I dunno, I'm not your bloody map-sitter.

[srredfire]

What Banter MEANT to say was, you can choose whichever you want, it depends on what you're going for.

If you want to make a single-player adventure, you should go with the OB engine, mapping for Episode 2 or Portal. Episode 2 would probably be your best place to start as there are way less limits and you can make whatever you want. Portal you're a bit restricted to it's game-play, TF2 would obviously have to be a multiplayer map, which, good look on that, that's a big bite to take, and L4D, if you feel like making a single small map to begin with, say, a survival map. Only problem is, is all the noding and such.

Really it depends on your inspiration and how you get it. Go outside, look around where you live. Watch some movies. Hell, listen to some music. I get a lot of ideas from music and put the music to a scene in my head.

It's all on your preference, and what you want to do. You're not limited when it comes to what kind of game really, just what you feel like making.

If you have any other questions, I can always be your map bloody map-sitter.

[Softie2]

So i've started on a map, of an area that's near me, called nutbrook trail, search on google if you wanna see what it is basicaly a path way with a load of trees around and at some parts you're in kinda like a mini valley, just a hill on the left and the right and at like every dunno what the measurments are there's a bridge that goes across it, theres a lake in one part of it, and well there's no problems so far just I'm mapping for L4D2 what's with the spawn points/info_survivor dancing while i'm mapping ? any ideas.