I will keep everything pretty flexible, no worries. About the start map theme, a bit like the original start map? 

I think it would be super cool if the start map was a bit like AD's start map, as in "a mix of each level." Of course, it would mean building it only after the individual levels are made, but AD set a new standard that I feel us mappers have to live up to. 

It would be very cool to have a start map in a similair theme to the original start map imo, but you're free to do whatever you like! As long as it looks nice and is relatively simple to navigate. I think it would be cool to reflect the theme of each map around its entrance, but thats more in the "would be nice" bucket, not essential. 

Own entrance for each map. Maybe if maps gets done earlier or at least see a bit about actually maps, screenshots and such. Then it would be possible, but since AD had some rules about each map, it was maybe easier to create unique entrance for each map. We will see. 

Yep that's all good, that kind of detail will be much later, once maps are mostly done. It could just be small detail stuff, nothing too crazy. For example the maps could all have the same shaped entrance, but with some detail variation or texture variation near the entrance. Entirely up to you though. 

Better focus on making/finishing the actual levels instead of wasting energy on such a gimmick. 

Do it last, after the map finish date is due, so that you can do it all. 

Maybe I am not good at English, but I just Said that. Hub will be finsihed the last. But the basic layout can be started pretty early. Hub is a nice touch anyway, we have to think about other users as well. 

What's The Deal With Start Maps In Jam Packs Anyway
Because walking through a portal/slipgate is more fun than typing commands in the console? Anyway, NewHouse is not actually making any gameplay map for this, so him making a start map won't waste anything. 

Would be nice to make a map first and worry about that later. 

There is only one worrying, surely others are just focusing on their maps. No need to repeat this anymore. Let's say on topic, shall we. 

 

What's the deadline for this? I went into this but I'll be busy with the end of the year's festivities and I have an internship for the entirety of January.

Though even with that I'll try to make the most of my map. 

And cheers for the level design documentation links that was added! 

plenty of time, daya
lots, lots of days to finish the map

some screens with the work i made so far.

http://imgur.com/a/Jcux0

it's ok the tower in the third and four screenshots, with half of its base in the air? it's odd, but is a good example and aplication of oddness, or just bad? 

As long as there is no leaks or other errors after compiling your map, almost everything is possible.

Here is some links that might be good to add to the document file if not already there, tools and compiling gui:
https://ericwa.github.io/tyrutils-ericw/
https://shoresofnis.wordpress.com/utilities/ne_q1spcompilinggui/ 

Friendly reminder to regularly compile and test your maps, this will save any major error finding later on, and if your maps fails to compile, you'll know it was something to do with whatever you've added since the last compile.

You can use the tools posted above by Topher or I've heard the latest version of Trenchbroom has a built in compiler too.

Backups are a must too! have a backup folder if you don't already, save constant new versions so if anything goes wrong you can go back to a recent build that works. You can always delete map files later on and they're very small so might as well save "MYMAP_11", "MYMAP_12" etc, a few times per mapping session. 

The final version should be named like this: qump_authornamehere 

i have 15 water brushes. there aren't gaps or intersections between brushes.
i tested the map in quakespasm and i can swim without problem of any kind.
can i expect problems or bugs with what i did?
weird bugs, problem with other engines, something like that.

http://imgur.com/a/cqDlp 

The best way to know if there'll be problems with other engines is to test it in these engines yourself. 

multiple adjacent water brushes is fine, the qbsp will merge them all, just make sure all of their surfaces imply the same contents value otherwise the brush might become solid instead.
water areas with different surface heights are fine (see dm3.bsp). even water above air is fine (see start.bsp). and of course bizzare shapes are fine (see pretty much ANY map with a teleporter).
the only time it might look weird is when you directly load the .map in your editor.

just be aware that water will not seal your map (unlike sky). any water fragments that remain in the void will get filled/removed instead of leaving cavities, so be sure to surround the underwater playable areas with solid brushes just as you would above-water areas. 

good to know, thanks

i know that there are technical specifications out there. but they are somewhat intimidating, academic, dry and extensive to newcomers. 

No worries, if you face any problems while mapping just let us know and someone eventually know how to help you. 

Not sure what your plans are with all of those water brushes, and maybe you know this, but in case you don't:

Water brushes can overlap with solid brushes. If you're creating e.g. a pillar standing in a pool of water, you don't have to painstakingly cut up your water brush into smaller pieces that fit around the pillar; you can just draw one large water brush that passes through the pillar and the floor and walls of the pool.

As I said, maybe you know this and maybe you're trying to do something special with those water brushes, but I thought it's worth mentioning this, as many newbies don't know this. (I know I didn't, and initially went to a lot of unnecessary trouble sculpting water brushes.) 

I'm thinking of combining aztec/mayan architecture with some Base tech, kinda like stargate.