Just wondering....

[Infernis]

I'm curious as to how mappers select the textures for their maps. Let's say you aren't using custom textures. Do you use a certain program to go through the game directories? Do you rip everything to make it easier to view? Do you use the editor to select your textures?

I'm sure you get the point. Everybody is probably using a different method and since this isn't a subject I've seen before, it might be usefull to get some insight.

I myself rip everything from the game and then I use Adobe Bridge to view them. What about you?

[Magnus]

I get a vision for a map and what it should look like.
After some blocking in caulk I then go through the textures in the Radiant tex window opening each file seeing what is in there to be used.
If I find a texture that looks the way I saw it in the map I use that if I don't I either find something simmilar and change it in photoshop or make it from scratch.

Going through each texture file one by one gets boring and takes a while, but I usually end up happy with the results so it is a trade off.

[Shallow]

It's worth extracting textures somewhere for easier browsing with an external app, although it's harder with modern games where even a diffuse map may bear little resemblance to a complete material. Plus gits like Valve using crazy formats that nobody except them is ever going to properly support.

I used to use ACDSee version 2.something to browse textures (bought a license, back before they screwed it up with irrelevant features - avoid current versions like the plague). Nowadays I use XnView which is free, supports relevant file formats like DDS, and can be made to behave almost exactly like classic ACDSee. I have XnView's shell helper thingy installed as well so I can get a thumbnail on right-click (for formats windows doesn't natively support) without needing to wait for the full app to open.

I don't use Adobe Bridge 'cause it has always seemed painfully slow whenever I've tried it, and takes a lot longer to start than a lightweight standalone program. Even if PS is already open, files are still going to get dragged in from XnView.

These days it's more like browse the source photo folders and then make a texture usually. At work, and even for my current personal project, I don't normally have any pre-made textures waiting for me to use!

[Foo]

I'm more about form than detail in truth.

Having said that, the beginnings of a level usually start with messing about with a few shaders and figuring out something cool that fits together...

[pjw]

Do you use the editor to select your textures?

This.

I'm more about form than detail in truth.

And that.

To be quite honest, I'm much better at layout and gameplay than I am at general aesthetics. I'll generally make something look good (I think), but, at least in my amateur stuff, it's always secondary, and any preliminary "vision" I have for a map is always more about functionality and flow. Although I'm getting better.

I'll usually use maybe 4 or 5 basic textures when blocking out a map (e.g. a couple of floors, a couple of walls, ceiling, sky) and then once I'm satisfied with basic layout and "feel", I'll select the whole works (minus obvious things like sky and liquid) and change it all to caulk and start applying textures that seem like they might look good. This usually results in a prolonged period of cursing, compiling and recompiling, and retching noises.

[Castle]

I'm curious as to how mappers select the textures for their maps. Let's say you aren't using custom textures. Do you use a certain program to go through the game directories? Do you rip everything to make it easier to view? Do you use the editor to select your textures?

I'm sure you get the point. Everybody is probably using a different method and since this isn't a subject I've seen before, it might be usefull to get some insight.

I myself rip everything from the game and then I use Adobe Bridge to view them. What about you?

When working with a new game engine it takes me a long time to get used to the new textures. Often times I find it easier to build my own textures that do what I want rather than deal with other peoples textures. Sometimes this isn't always an option though.

When building my own texture set isn't an option I spend a lot of time scouring through the textures available in the game. make brush blocks that sit in the void space that use all textures that I deem as possible contenders for my level layout. then I can close radiant and open the brush block level and I have a fresh level with all of my chosen textures already loaded in the texture window.

then I try and use the textures I have found to build out a vertical slice of one or more areas of my level. Once I get something I like I continue the theme through the rest of the level.

In the case of Coldburn though I actually started the texture set before building the level itself. I had a special art level that was my inspiration for the final piece.

I couldn't tell you a system/pipeline that would be 100% effective for all level designs. It is something you need to just feel out more than anything.

So not only is it safe to conclude that everyone uses different methods. All of those same people possibly use multiple different methods too. What a crazy world we live in! :icon25:

[g0th-]

1. build a layout

2. choose the textures that I think fits my idea best (looking at them thought the editor and possibly try them with a light on)

That was my usual work flow but now I am more into making all the textures myself. I find it more challenging this way and it gives me a lot of more freedom (braveheart )

[Fjoggs]

I never plan, i just do it in the moment, and continue on it if i like it. Simple as that.

[StormShadow]

I always start with a solid concept and make a general plan, but I try to be very flexible within my own framework and allow the map to create itself. This applies to layout as well as texturing. Usually sticking within one texture set is good for maintaining continuity.

I think the bulk of mappers are 'trial-and-error' people - which is time consuming, but ends up producing a better result.