I started being interested in map making by the age of 10. I can't remember for sure which game it was on, probably Lode Runner on Game Boy... My maps were kind of lame most of the time, I was sort of playing in a sandbox without any real goal except having fun with my own maps.
At the age of 12 I started making more interesting maps, like scenarios and minigames with specific rules... I started learning the Unreal Engine and more complicated editors (like SC1) at that time.
Around 15-16 I tried modding, especially in NeverWinter Nights. I knew way better how to build interesting maps, so I started making my own campaign in NWN1... I even made a trailer but let's be honest, if I were to play this mod now I think I woudn't enjoy it. It's also at 15 that I decided to become a pro level designer.
At 19, I started studies to become pro, which helped me to know what you can and can't do (you don't think much about that when you do maps for your own pleasure, do you?). I already had lots of maps, projects, and campaigns made on my own at that time. Most of them were on WarCraft 3, NWN1, or the Unreal Engine. I had to drop my most advanced mod when NWN2 came out though... :(
At 21, well... I knew the Unreal Engine well enough to give lessons to my classmates... And I did. A few years ago, I also did my first TD map in Frozen Throne. It isn't at all like the usual load of crappy TD maps we can find, I wanted to make a real map, following TD rules, but with some sort of storyline. Actually, now that I think about it, I really should have made this map public. Sumo's TD kind of reminds me of it... Aaaah, good times... I also started another TD map last year, following the same idea, but it was only a few weeks before SC2 came out so... I kind of dropped it. :)
During all these years, I used (at least once) the following games and editors:
- Warcraft 1, 2, 3 (+ Frozen Throne)
- Starcraft 1 (+Brood War), SC2
- Battle for the Middle-Earth (whole serie)
- Duke Nukem 3D, Hexen 1 & 2, Shadow Warrior, Redneck Rampage
- Wolfenstein 3D, Doom 1 & 2
- Commander Keen (can't remember which one, there were so many!)
- Unreal 1, 2, Unreal Tournament, UT 2003, UT 2004, UT3
- NeverWinter Nights 1 & 2
- Fallout 2 (not sure about this one, I think it was an amateur unofficial editor) & Fallout 3
- Half-Life 1 & 2, Gunman (HL1 mod)
- Daggerfall, Morrowind & Oblivion
- Line Rider (flash game) & LR2
- Get Medieval (Gauntlet look-alike)
- The Incredible Machine 1, 2, 3 & Sid and Al's Incredible Toons
- Fury of the Furries
- Descent 2 (not sure about this one)
- Lode Runner (Game Boy)
- Skynet (Terminator thingy)
- Titan Quest
- Farcry 1 & 2, Crysis
- Worms Armaggeddon & Worms 3D
...That's a lot and I'm pretty sure I forgot about a few. Anyway, it was just to show that you should really be curious about the various game engines and editing tools if you plan on improving your skills, even amateur ones. It also helps you understand that you can't become a map maker in a day. Even though you obviously can't master all those, you still can learn the basics and it will help you understand a lot. Now go, mapper wannabes! :)
Custom (EU): Ikari Warriors v2.0 | Sand Worm Survival v1.0 | The Last Hour (alpha)
Melee (EU): Flooded Slums | Rooftop Gardens
Feedback is welcome!
grenegg Regular Shmoe@StatusQ3: Go
Like Java!
Good day sir!