OK, confession time.
The last time I mapped for Cold Shift was like, just after last Christmas. I really haven't been in the mood for it and I've kinda lost interest completely. Level designing is way, way, way harder than it looks.
I have decided to remove 4 chapters, lowering the total to 6 (3 Black Mesa chapters, 3 Arctic chapters). The removed chapters are ELEVATOR RIDE (Chapter 1), SECTOR D (Chapter 2), INFESTATION (Chapter 5) and DISORIENTATION (Chapter 9). Don't worry though, I am planning to make existing chapters longer.
NintyFan out!
Mapping doesn't seem hard at all, for me. I'm having troubles with making up the designs, therefore give yourself time, that's all it matters.
I was mainly referring to beginners like myself. I find making designs the hard part as well but for me, mapping the idea I eventually think up can get infuriating as well.
GOOD level design really is a challenge. You have to pay attention to tons of things while putting a level together to ensure that it is a good level. For example, you have to: Make sure the level is long enough, make sure it is interactive enough to not feel like a walking simulator, make sure the layout is interesting in of itself, make sure the layout makes sense, make sure the progression makes sense, make sure the pacing isn't inconsistent or too fast or too slow, make sure the level is fun to play, have good enemy placement, make sure the item placement works, make sure the level isn't impossibly difficult, make sure it isn't so easy that it's boring.. And after all that stuff is done for the way the map plays itself, you move on to the next part which is: make sure the lighting looks nice, make sure the lighting makes sense, make sure the lighting is interesting, use decent textures, make detailed texture work, add lots of geometry to make the areas interesting, add props, details, and misc. items to make the level pretty, etc. If you think level design is easy, you probably aren't making very good levels.
Completely agree, it's a difficult process just to make one map sometimes.
Sometimes I run into issue that force me to spend up to ten hours on just one area.
Same here.