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Since, the beginning of map making barely anyone has questioned how the creators got their ideas, which would probably bring about some funny or weird stories of their map making ventures, I was wondering if anyone would post on how they get their inspiration?
it would be interetsing to see the thought processes of map makers!

Time, and time alone.

I just wait, and things come to me.

I sit in the car with my notebook, and jot down ideas for "The Seasons RPG" when they come to me.

Seriously, to rack up enough insiration to actually make the map, I needed years.

Interview with the mapmaker eh?

The ideas of a map has to have an emotional significance to the maker. It depends on what types of maps. For me, a story came into my mind, and I thought of putting this story into an RPG. And how did I come up with what systems to use? For me, it was about the feel of the map, and how it would reflect the environment, atmosphere, and feel of the overall world.

As for random assortment of maps, it's most likely: Oh what a great idea! Wouldn't it be cool if...so and so. And that primarily stems from enthusiasm. So it's either enthusiasm or ideas of a story of some sort.

I can get my ideas through thinking what can be done in map making or sometimes through being lazy . My ideas has a lot of varies thought rpg making, terrain editing, and such but the great ideas come together to make a map great that way. I don't know if you guys heard this phrase in art classes before but the saying is that "most people get most of their ideas when they are daydreaming" or something.

I think while I take a crap.

THis is how I thought of my map I'm making, Special Ops.

The toilet is the best place to think.

I think when I'm in the shower. I just zone out on a white plastic wall and think, goign through designs, philosophizing, and thinking about the events of recent memory. That's why my showers last upwards of 20 minutes. I also do this form of thinking when I get in bed and can't go to sleep in particular. Just thoughts come to me, and one becomes another and so on...

Me 2

Actually, the place which I think most is when I lay in my bed.

And sometimes during "quiet periods" of the school day

Late at night when I can't sleep.
That is when I get most of my ideas.
Except because I'm so tired, I can't remember them unless I write them down.
So I write alot. Keeping journals and such.

i just sorta get a wouldnt that be cool idea, and build more and more onto it over time without even realizing it, them i sit down one day and make it...

I get my ideas for maps from other maps and other games.

World of Starcraft 1 came from Marine Boot Camp (map), and World of Starcraft 2 came from this one game whose title I can't remember, but I do remember that it was an RPG/RTS fusion... World of Starcraft 3 is based on, ha, World of Starcraft 1. Go figure.

Well...I usually improv.

I remember at least almost every time I came out of a good action movie, I wanted to make a map out of it. Sometimes I still do.

Well, I switch houses every other week, one week I can do everytthing on a map, the other week I think up stuff. I usually come up with my best ideas while moving, so I normally take car rides or run places. I don't do much thinking about starcraft though.

Heh, I'm kind of like that. Whenever I'm somewhere I'd rather not be I think of map ideas, but it's kind of a bitch when the teacher calls on you and you mumble something about doodad states.