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Mission Statement (Aug 22, 2005)

It occurred to me how the mapping world is very different to how it was when I started out 10 years ago (when I was, err, 12). Back then, all we had to teach ourselves were big manuals and some dodgy software that would only occasionally crash and not take all your work with it.

One of the things that annoyed me though, while I was mapping for Quake and Quake 2, was the divide between mappers working in industry and those doing it in their bedroom. There was no insight into how real maps in real, commercial games were made, or the strategies and issues tackled during their creation. As far as I could tell, games came with maps, very casually, and that was that. There was never any insight into the thinking behind the maps, why certain choices were made over others. At the same time, the mappers were fairly faceless.

A few years ago (at the peak of CS 1.0, when e-mail addresses of mappers were shown at the start of every game), I got e-mail by the dozen a day from people asking how to do A, B and C, or why I did this, or if I'd do that, or asking for money, hints, tips, advice and all sorts of stuff. I got some utterly bizarre requests and e-mail from very very confused people. I once told someone I wasn't going to make a snow version of Dust, so they e-mailed me back a torrent of abuse including threats to my family and suggestions that I owe a snowy Dust because CS players like him had helped me make a fortune. Other people casually made remarks suggesting that I could retire on the fortune Dust had made me.

That's not how it works. At the time I was student, living in a dingy house, collecting my student loan every few months. Dust did not make anyone a fortune.

So, that's kind of what this blog is about. Firstly, it's about some of the background thinking that goes into my maps, some of the logic that I've learnt or made up as I went along. It's about some of the problems and issues I've had with my maps, why I chose to do one thing rather than another. And, to an extent, it's to point out that making a successful map is not the key to stardom and wealth. Anyone could create a map as popular as Dust. They could also create one far far better than Dust, just not anywhere near as well-played. The clever bit is using what you have got (be it Dust or something you've called 'Dirt') to take you further.

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user comments

boubou at 21:05 on Aug 22, 2005

Aha! So you do remember those emails I sent you...

pyropowered at 23:51 on Aug 22, 2005

People actually think you made a fortune on dust? lol...IT is amazing that dust got extremely popular, becuase im 99% sure the same map released in source(with better textures, models, lighting, etc) would of failed misserably. Well thats my opinion(and no offense to dave).

Andrew at 02:09 on Aug 23, 2005

Dave, it still amazes me each time I read your blog, that someone who has produced work that I am continuously impressed by, takes time out to acctually talk about things that I can relate to. It kind of brings that rift between the industry/professionals and amatures/modders a little closer together.

It's a shame you aren't rolling around in cash, since I was banking on you to spot me for my Uni fees due soon... oh well, I'll just have to look up Carmacks' email address again :D :P :P :D

Peter at 04:21 on Aug 23, 2005

Mapping ten years ago, wow.
That would of been a serious task. Imagine the tools, the lack of tutorials, the few forums.
I am glad much has changed.

Tom at 09:17 on Aug 23, 2005

"im 99% sure the same map released in source(with better textures, models, lighting, etc) would of failed misserably."

Funny you should say that, Pyro - it was released in Source, with better textures and models and lighting. And it was hugely popular again.

boubou at 16:08 on Aug 23, 2005

Except I think in source, DustII is more popular then the original.

uNsaiN at 21:27 on Aug 23, 2005

"Funny you should say that, Pyro - it was released in Source, with better textures and models and lighting. And it was hugely popular again."

I think he means if it was a custom map.

Slackiller at 04:23 on Aug 25, 2005

Good Stuff Dave, as usual.
I heard it was around 1500 dollars for a map,of course once valve snatched up the mod.

pyropowered at 01:19 on Aug 26, 2005

sry if I wasnt clear on that