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For future reference...

If a well-skilled Texture Artist was designing the basics of a map (walls, ceiling and floor) how long would it take them?

If a well-skilled Modeller was designing the shape of one weapon (rocket launcher, large) how long would it take them?

If a well-skilled Coder was writing the basics for one weapon (model used, alignment, speed, damage) how long would it take them?

If a well-skilled Skinner was designing the complete skin of one weapon (rocket launcher, large) how long would it take them?

If a well-skilled Mapper was designing one professional map (detail brushes, medium deathmatch sized, textured) how long would it take them?

Please answer with number of weeks (including going to work; 8 hours a day, 5 days a week)

Answers from actual mod makers would be much appreciated.

Thankyou

EDIT:
This is for Half-Life 2 btw, sorry I forgot to add that.

Edited by (in order): supershroom, supershroom

it depends on how good you are and what your doing?

Better? =)

It depends on the engine. They vary greatly in the amount of effort required to do any of the tasks you mentioned. Don't forget graphic and detail requirements are much greater on new engines and many do not support brushes.

HL2, Doom3 are going to take the most time, simply because the graphics requirements are so high. I'd say one professional map for HL2 / Doom3 is easily 600 hours, probably much more by the time you add all of the custom models you will need.

Edited by (in order): Balr14, Balr14

Making a v_model for HL2 can be taken in steps:

Modeling the model, which usually takes me anywhere from 1-2 hours.

unwrapping, that's another 1-3 hours.

texturing is another good day or so for a good texture.

Rigging can be anywhere from 30 min - hours, considering the model.

animating can take awhile as well.

I've also worked on character models, and those can take anywhere from 3 weeks to a month, all together.

Balr14 wrote: I'd say one professional map for HL2 / Doom3 is easily 600 hours, probably much more by the time you add all of the custom models you will need.

600 hours?! Are you sure?! I've made some basic maps in HL2 before using just the given textures, 600 hours sounds a bit off... even 60 hours seems a lot.

supershroom wrote:

Balr14 wrote: I'd say one professional map for HL2 / Doom3 is easily 600 hours, probably much more by the time you add all of the custom models you will need.

600 hours?! Are you sure?! I've made some basic maps in HL2 before using just the given textures, 600 hours sounds a bit off... even 60 hours seems a lot.

You said a professional map. All of my maps are 100% original content and original concept and I assure you they take all of 600 hours to complete. I can show you some very beautiful maps that took twice that long. One of my maps has 100 - 200 very detailed custom textures. Want to guess how long that takes?

Here's a good example for you. We are releasing Hell in the Pacific 2, for MOHAA in a few days. It has 12 maps, 80 meg of custom textures, 12 weapons and skins, 20 player skins, 40 meg of ambient sounds and background music, custom theme music, loading screens, menus and HUD and everything else you can think of. It has taken over two years and 10,000 manhours to create this mod. I'm sure if you ask any other leaders of major mods you will get similar numbers. Except, HL2 mods will be a lot worse.

Edited by (in order): Balr14, Balr14

to make a professional looking map id say 600 is what it feels like. it might not be quite that long but its close. to make it look professional and full size for a normal game it takes a very long time to get everything right.

I should mention that if you are designing original maps with original content, you can spend 100 hours just planning.

Alright it seems I've expressed myself too strongely.

Don't worry about answering my questions anymore, thankyou for your help.

supershroom wrote: Alright it seems I've expressed myself too strongely.

I'm not sure what you mean by that, but creating a professional quality mod or TC is not an easy task. Over 90% of all mods are never completed. I expect that will go to about 98% with HL2 mods. I've been modding for many years and finish about 80% of my mods and TCs, but there's no way I'd do an HL2 mod.

Edited by: Balr14

Professional Map = 1 month average

I don't know why you would ask all those questions. They all have hundreds of different answers. Size, what kind, etc.