SuperxAndrew
District 13
- Joined
- May 24, 2012
- Messages
- 1,316
- Reaction score
- 2,520
Over the last couple of weeks (since Zone 85 was implemented into the servers) I have had over 25 different people ask me to build a map with them. This is expected and smart: Go to a person who has a background in building maps. However, it doesn’t make it any less annoying. xD
Anyway, this is a message to hopefully inform everyone on what it actually takes and what is required to make a quality map:
1 and a half years ago…. I saw my first VIP ever in an MCSG game. I instantly knew that is what I wanted to strive for within the community. But the only thing was I didn’t know how. Later on, I gathered the appropriate information and eventually learned that you either had to be a Youtuber that makes MCSG videos with 10,000+ subscribers, or you had to be the creator of a map that was added to the playable options for the servers. I knew I didn’t have the necessary skills set to be a famous Youtuber, but I did know that I could LEARN (we all start somewhere) how to build.
So…. I started out on my first project: Infected Island
This map was NOT good at all. It had bad terraforming and low quality builds and I just knew there was no use submitting it, so I didn’t. This is another key aspect to building; you have to know what looks good and what doesn’t. You can’t assume everything you build is the best thing in the world, because odds are, it isn’t.
Anyway, despite this project being a complete failure, it was a key point in my building career. I learned most of what I know in World Edit (building plugin) when making this map and by watching tons of tutorials and step by steps I learned a thing or two about building as well.
Over the next 2 months after that I didn’t do much building, I messed around here and there but nothing as large scale as an MCSG map.
Then later that summer I decided to go for another project, but this time I was working with friends. Again, like the last project, I knew the map wasn’t very good, but it nonetheless helped me improve my skills and learn new things. Lockdown
Right after this project I moved into another one with my current friend and building partner LoudNinja2xx123. This project was by far the pivotal point in my building career. This is where I learned to terraform with Voxel Sniper and improved my terraforming skills greatly. This is where I started meeting better builders than I who helped me improve tremendously. And this is where I learned most of the building skills I use today. This is also where I learned PATIENCE in building. Which, trust me, is a very important skill to have. This was also the first map I submitted to MCSG, it got about half and half reviews, but the map itself wasn’t as terrible as the last two. Obsitus City - PLEASE DON’T LAUGH AT THIS TRAILER! xD
After this map I wanted more. I wasn’t yet satisfied with my creations, so I began a map that I am sure most of you know VERY well: Zone 85. I told no one about this. I made it in secret for nearly 2 months, but wasn’t satisfied with how it was going so I got completely rid of it.
Still eager for more I decided to create a build team. I reunited with many of the people who helped me with the city project and we began Team Cloud. I decided to give it another shot with the ‘military map’, so I told them that is what we were going to create. So… We started completely over from my first attempt, still telling no one about it, and we created the map that is now playable on the MCSG servers. This is where my building started to shift from average to above average. I wasn’t yet (nor am I at the point of writing this) a “Master Builder”. –Lego Movie
(#insidejoke) I digress… xD
My skills in building had been higher than they were ever when we finished Zone 85 Last winter. I went on to create Shady Hollow (a forum favorite map) with another fantastic builder cadbane4321, and now I am working on one of the best builds I ever made with Helios.
Each step that I took got me to where I am today. Building is something that takes hours of undivided dedication. It has to be a passion. It has to be what you think about when you go to bed and the only thing you want to do when you wake up in the morning. It takes more than asking a VIP to build a map with you, or getting upset that your first attempt at a map didn’t go well. Because, let me tell you: my first 3 attempts at a map didn’t go well, AT ALL.
It has to be something that you practice, learn, and excel in. Building a map worthy of being accepted isn’t an easy journey. It took me a year and a half and I am still not where I want to be.
I hope this was interesting and informative. I also hope it was an eye opener to you 25 who asked to build a map with me. It is something that presents a difficult journey, but by no means is it impossible.
Links:
Zone 85
Shady Hollow
Helios
My Youtube Channel
Tags:
cadbane4321
Loudv2
Joel Maury-Holmes
Anyway, this is a message to hopefully inform everyone on what it actually takes and what is required to make a quality map:
1 and a half years ago…. I saw my first VIP ever in an MCSG game. I instantly knew that is what I wanted to strive for within the community. But the only thing was I didn’t know how. Later on, I gathered the appropriate information and eventually learned that you either had to be a Youtuber that makes MCSG videos with 10,000+ subscribers, or you had to be the creator of a map that was added to the playable options for the servers. I knew I didn’t have the necessary skills set to be a famous Youtuber, but I did know that I could LEARN (we all start somewhere) how to build.
So…. I started out on my first project: Infected Island
This map was NOT good at all. It had bad terraforming and low quality builds and I just knew there was no use submitting it, so I didn’t. This is another key aspect to building; you have to know what looks good and what doesn’t. You can’t assume everything you build is the best thing in the world, because odds are, it isn’t.
Anyway, despite this project being a complete failure, it was a key point in my building career. I learned most of what I know in World Edit (building plugin) when making this map and by watching tons of tutorials and step by steps I learned a thing or two about building as well.
Over the next 2 months after that I didn’t do much building, I messed around here and there but nothing as large scale as an MCSG map.
Then later that summer I decided to go for another project, but this time I was working with friends. Again, like the last project, I knew the map wasn’t very good, but it nonetheless helped me improve my skills and learn new things. Lockdown
Right after this project I moved into another one with my current friend and building partner LoudNinja2xx123. This project was by far the pivotal point in my building career. This is where I learned to terraform with Voxel Sniper and improved my terraforming skills greatly. This is where I started meeting better builders than I who helped me improve tremendously. And this is where I learned most of the building skills I use today. This is also where I learned PATIENCE in building. Which, trust me, is a very important skill to have. This was also the first map I submitted to MCSG, it got about half and half reviews, but the map itself wasn’t as terrible as the last two. Obsitus City - PLEASE DON’T LAUGH AT THIS TRAILER! xD
After this map I wanted more. I wasn’t yet satisfied with my creations, so I began a map that I am sure most of you know VERY well: Zone 85. I told no one about this. I made it in secret for nearly 2 months, but wasn’t satisfied with how it was going so I got completely rid of it.
Still eager for more I decided to create a build team. I reunited with many of the people who helped me with the city project and we began Team Cloud. I decided to give it another shot with the ‘military map’, so I told them that is what we were going to create. So… We started completely over from my first attempt, still telling no one about it, and we created the map that is now playable on the MCSG servers. This is where my building started to shift from average to above average. I wasn’t yet (nor am I at the point of writing this) a “Master Builder”. –Lego Movie
(#insidejoke) I digress… xD
My skills in building had been higher than they were ever when we finished Zone 85 Last winter. I went on to create Shady Hollow (a forum favorite map) with another fantastic builder cadbane4321, and now I am working on one of the best builds I ever made with Helios.
Each step that I took got me to where I am today. Building is something that takes hours of undivided dedication. It has to be a passion. It has to be what you think about when you go to bed and the only thing you want to do when you wake up in the morning. It takes more than asking a VIP to build a map with you, or getting upset that your first attempt at a map didn’t go well. Because, let me tell you: my first 3 attempts at a map didn’t go well, AT ALL.
It has to be something that you practice, learn, and excel in. Building a map worthy of being accepted isn’t an easy journey. It took me a year and a half and I am still not where I want to be.I hope this was interesting and informative. I also hope it was an eye opener to you 25 who asked to build a map with me. It is something that presents a difficult journey, but by no means is it impossible.
Links:
Zone 85
Shady Hollow
Helios
My Youtube Channel
Tags:
cadbane4321
Loudv2
Joel Maury-Holmes
