One of the first things that often plagues mappers when opening the editor with a blank map is wondering what to make and deciding what details to fill the rooms with.

The reason this map jam has a theme is so that you can forget about which texture to use or what style of arch you need to create, you just need to think about fun game play setups instead. Don't get worried about trying to find the right textures or filling rooms with that special detail when the theme is there to help you.

Play the original maps in the Honey pack and use the same textures. Most of the architecture in the honey maps are freeform shapes painted with seamless bricks! You can even open the source maps to see how CZG created stuff if you are stuck for prefabs or visual ideas.

Remember don't get stuck with visuals, use the theme (textures/shapes) and simply have fun with the monsters, items and weapons setups. 

I've tried to make maps in that way but it doesn't suit me.

The way I map is by making a bunch of prefabricated shapes. Then I make a test room (which is what I have done above) to see how the shapes fit. Once I've got the test room looking as close to what I want I then make the map.

Usually I will go for a walk or have an "inspiration nap". Once I wake up I make the map proper. It's a weird process but I prefer it to doing rough blocking out, I've tried doing rough blocking but I usually end up getting bored and abandon the map.
I have a really great memory for shapes and geometry, the map is planned out in my head far in advance of me starting the map.

For making Honey I think the trick will be having as much verticality as possible. I forgot how good the maps were until I played it yesterday. 

To hear someone else's process. 

I decided to use proper trim textures on the arches. I hope CZG is cool with me taking these from his map source, I doubt I would have been able to make these in trenchbroom myself.

https://www.dropbox.com/s/lkt2mchpkh5y6r8/honey2.jpg 

You can make such curves in TB. The clipper is your friend, use with care..
Shot looks good! 

I only took the one huge arch. I made all the others using the clipper and doing some vertex editing.

If you can make these types of things in TB I haven't figured it out yet. I wouldn't mind having a full set of geometric shapes (like pipes and arched/curved corridors).

I wish it was as simple as the 2d shape builder in Unreal Ed 2. You can make some amazing shapes in no time with that thing. 

http://i.imgur.com/j3hSDln.jpg 

http://i.imgur.com/7iBq052.jpg

Trivia: this screenshot made affine break the laws of time just so he could comment! 

And it reminded me why CZG is my favourite mapper.

Not my favourite pack of yours tho... time to replay Terra! 

Somebody should Finish Terra, give that map pack a final map and a boss fight. 

http://i.imgur.com/TpnTN3Y.jpg

The gameplay gimmick for this map works very well. It's going to be hectic. 

That looks great! 

http://scampie.net/etc/jam1_scampie_1.jpg 

I compiled it. What am I doing with my life?

http://i.imgur.com/qAruWxS.jpg 

All those screenshots are looking great !

Can't wait to play them, Texan style ! ;-) 

@scampie, wow nice atmosphere, looking forward to seeing more! :)

@skacky, WTF looks awesome! Who would have thought that CZG would inspire so many people to map! :) 

Who would have thought that CZG would inspire so many people to map!

I hope that's sarcasm. Even out of you.... 

Who would have thought that CZG would inspire so many people to map!

Much like the "czg's anus"-themed sm pack. Some evil magic at play! 

One for the thread :)

https://i.imgur.com/QXc42uW.jpg

I can't get the lighting to look good - help me mapping gods! 

That was me above this post. So evidently you can post without putting a name and it displays your IP instead? 

@affine, Wow that does look good, keep going :)

I would recommend moving the light fixture higher so that players don't bump into it when going around the wooden platform.

The lighting in the CZG honey map is strong shadow lights around the flame sconce's and light entities which are long range low value fill lights. The best thing to do is copy and paste a sconce and entities from his source map, it will have everything setup. To create the long range fill lights use wait=0.4 light=48 and remember to add colour values. (0.82 1.00 0.98) 

Thank you sock! I was wondering what the wait keys were for. A couple light setups I did in fact copy/paste because I was unsure, but now I'm eager to do some experimentation. 

http://i.imgur.com/GaHVJIr.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/w7zAU4F.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/08Oem0Y.jpg 

Jesus, you guys are machines.

I have barely got past what I already posted (mostly due to fucking long working hours) I should pick up the slack in the next few days though.