Official "How Do I Start Mapping" Thread!

[SuperSumo]

Please read through this thread before you ask questions about how to map. I would post a bunch of tutorials I have links to, but I'm at school, so I can't. :) Anyway, post any links to FAQs or tutorials you found helpful.

[Clank]

Tutorial Sites


Valve ERC (http://www.valve-erc.com/) -Base mapping site by valve.
Tf Mapped (http://tf.valve-erc.com/) -TFC Mapping site. Still valve I think
VERC Collective (http://collective.valve-erc.com/) -Huge mapping knolodge base by valve.
Info Design (http://www.brandyfire.com/info_design/) -Site with an intro to mapping tutorial. (I started on this)
Handy Vandals Almanac (http://www.karljones.com/halflife/almanac.asp) -GREAT Source of information and tutorials.


Usefull Sites


Remote Compile System (http://rcs.valve-erc.com/) -Allows remote compile of maps for people with slow computers.
Pixelmaps Review (http://www.pixelmaps.com/) -Reviews maps they playtest.
Game Edit (http://www.game-edit.org/) -Playtests Maps
Zoner's HLT (http://dev.valve-erc.com/index.php?go=zhlt) -Zoner's Half Life Compile Tools, a must.
WadFather (http://www.planethalflife.com/wadfather/index-new.htm) -Many Textures/Skymaps for maps.


I will keep this list updated so peeps don't have to scroll down too far.

[OoteR]

add www.vladitude.com or whatever, his tuts are great.

[Sci-Fi]

don't forget Handy Vandal's Almanac (http://www.karljones.com/halflife/almanac.asp) and The Wadfather (http://www.planethalflife.com/wadfather/index-new.htm) if you need some nice textures and skymaps

FryGuy's Old 'HDISM?' Thread:

Because there's been like 10 "how do i start mapping" threads, I'll post this one in attempts to get you to read it. In the future, if you post something that can be answered by looking here, I will delete the post.

What files do I need to start making leet-like maps
Valve Hammer Edition (http://www.valve-erc.com/files/?file=/files/hammer_v34.exe) (aka Worldcraft)
Zoner's Compile Tools (http://tf.valve-erc.com/dls.php?id=5) (mirror (http://dev.valve-erc.com/projects/zhlt/documents/103384412452325600/attached/zhlt253.exe))
TFC FGD (http://tf.valve-erc.com/dls.php?id=2)

How do I set up the new Hammer Edition for TFC?
http://tf.valve-erc.com/kbase.php?id=13

Do you have any advice for the starting mapper?
Yes, read lots and lots of tutorials before you even start to map for real. Trust me, they will help you in the end. Also, while reading those tutorials remember that there are two kinds of entities: brush (attached to an area of space bounded by the brush), and point (at a single point in space). And use textured lighting and never use point lighting except for in a small amount of places. Your first map will suck too. Period. Everyone's first map sucks. Period.

Tutorial Sites:
TFMapped (http://tf.valve-erc.com)
Valve ERC (http://valve-erc.com) (for more hl-generic stuff)
69'th Vlatitude (http://www.vlatitude.com/)
Handy Vandal's Almanac (http://www.karljones.com/halflife/almanac.asp) -- This has answers to just about everything. Scroll down on the left bar and find what you're looking for and it has details on it.

[[TDA]Virus]

But bunny my first map is being played in tfl. Well after I revised it once. See my bunny is smart

[ian.de]

www.thewavelength.net is back up and running, it was how i learned how to map

[trepid_jesse]

Not to just try and be shameless, but

http://www.trepid.net/tutorials

Gotten lots of e-mails thanking us for the help some of these tutorials provided.

[SuperSumo]

Here is a tutorial from the quake2 days on how to make good rocks, cliffs, caves, etc. It is probably the best tutorial on that subject that I have seen. It was originally a word document, so I turned it into HTML.

http://supersumo.hopto.org/rocks

[SuperSumo]

I found another GREAT tutorial site: The Snarkpit (http://www.snarkpit.com/editing.php?page=tutorials&game=HL)

It has some really good tutorials on all the aspects of mapping. They even have a tutorial on cellshading brushes. :eek:

[lb_]

I just found a pretty cool website with good textures and prefabs. http://www.planethalflife.com/crinity/index.htm

[Flyingcow]

im surprised this website isnt on the list. anyways, in my opinion, it is by far the best.

http://twhl.co.za/tutorialbrowse.php?tuttype=1

[ruker]

Wow, feels like 5 years ago! hehe, makes me want to start mapping again.

[MoonGuardian]

im surprised this website isnt on the list. anyways, in my opinion, it is by far the best.

http://twhl.co.za/tutorialbrowse.php?tuttype=1

omg, thank you. This helped me A LOT when I first switched over to source. which is this link
http://twhl.co.za/tutorialbrowse.php?tuttype=2

[Steve]

I've only used three sites to learn how to map for TF2:

Valve Dev Community -- http://developer.valvesoftware.com/wiki/Tf2
Interlopers.net -- http://www.interlopers.net/tutorials/General_Half-Life_2
TF2Maps.net -- http://forums.tf2maps.net/forumdisplay.php?f=3
TF2Maps.net Resources -- http://forums.tf2maps.net/showthread.php?t=807

If you wanted, you could copy the entire TF2Maps Resource post over here and make it a sticky. It has pretty much everything anyone could initially need.