Best aspects of a JB map

[Bumpy 30]

In theory, If I (or someone more skilled) were to make a map, what would you hope to see?

[Aegean 849]

Variety of mini games, an LR room possibly (for shot4shot, gun toss etc), vibrant colors or the theme has to be interesting, a fun disco area, and rebelling must be possible from the start but not overpowered so the CT's have no chance

[Chrono 372]

3 minutes ago, Aegean said:

Variety of mini games, an LR room possibly (for shot4shot, gun toss etc), vibrant colors or the theme has to be interesting, a fun disco area, and rebelling must be possible from the start but not overpowered so the CT's have no chance

Are you implying electric razor is a bad map? how dare you, and you consider yourself a css OG??

[Dannypicacho 273]

Before you start mapmaking, PLAN OUT EVERYTHING! Improvisation can often leave you in uncomfortable spots. 

A balance between many rebel options and fun creative games. Take for example, VIP In the Mix. It has many rebel options but they aren't very challenging. A simple E-press on a teleporter taking you to armoury is insanely overpowered. Now for example, take arcade. Extremely fun, original, and well made games, but little to no rebel options, and most are too challenging. While every cell has a game where you can get something in the end, it's too difficult for such a short period of time you get. 

You should also be careful with team balance. If your map has TOO many secrets, nobody will want to play CT. If your map has no good rebel options or games, nobody will enjoy being a T. If your map doesn't have anything interesting, nobody will want to play it and it will never be RTV'd.

You also wanna space your maps well, for example; take summer jail. The main cell area is almost claustrophobic because of how close one side of the wall is to the bottom of main cell stairs. It's so small that any T with a large bomb wouldn't even have to step backwards while unstacked at the bottom of main cell stairs to blow up some CTs. Some maps don't have a variety of rebel types. The three types of rebel options are "free gun", "free escape", and "free speed/canon/something/whatever". Make vents instead of teleporters, don't be lazy, but also make some teleporters because those are generally fun when made right. Vents are more fun and add a suspenseful feeling when being chased down by a CT, where you have to make sure to go around every corner just in time before he can shoot.

You want to have a lot of places for Ts and CTs to go. Space out your games through different rooms. Categorize your rooms. You can have course games, luck games, skill games, LR games, sports games, etcetera etcetera. Also have fun areas like disco and pool that are just for relaxation.

Any decent map can become a great map without enough effort. Make sure to be creative, you don't want to be like every other generic jail map. Add some life to it. Add a theme. A theme can make a map 10 times better. My map (work in progress) is a TF2 themed map. Space, school, TV show/anime, mountain, minecraft (please don't), fun videogame, waterpark, spooky, underground, anything you want. 

Then look at stolenmix. Gross. Don't pull a Jaydow. It's okay to take a few things from other maps but not like that.

Last but not least, have a healthy mindset and flexible schedule. It will improve your map a lot more if you have determination to finish and put a lot of work into it each time you open up hammer. Map making isn't easy, it takes a lot of patience and a lot of time. Don't be afraid to remove parts of your map that cause you stress such as surf or bhop that you can't do or take too much testing to perfect the positioning. 
Also, hammer tip: don't make the mistake of using blocks and hollowing them out. Make walls and floors and roofs seperate. It will help you when trying to carve or add things.

I wish you the best of luck on your map, if you plan to make one that is.

[ScottNi 51]

Good variety of games. Good map layout (so like undertale has a pretty shitty layout). Must be possible to rebel, but not overpowered, cant be to challenging, but not super easy. Also a neat theme. Like Clouds or Moonjail.

[Bumpy 30]

Just to clarify, I'm still not certain about making map. Though all of these helps me picture it. I might give it a go, but if I do I cannot guarantee  anything. Anyway, thanks guys!

[Lottamos 197]

       I think the best aspect of a map in jailbreak for me really comes down to the map games and the rebel routes/spots.

For map games my personnel opinion is it should take someone 1 min or less to beat. (this applies to games like climb were its not as much challenging and more of a race.) If the map game is intended to be difficult it should be short. Think surf on dojo, its not very ez but you can beat it in like 10-15 seconds if your good. In my opinion map games should not be areas to rebel in or tedious to get to. For example on summer jail how often do you see a ct not do 4 corners when they can. Its hard to rebel when doing it (as long as water is kos) and not tedious to get to. To get to any other game on summer jail it is a tight corridor with about 5 exits all with decent rebel areas (if roof counts, if not 3) For that reason games need to be accessible and easy enough to get to and do. (I'M NOT DELETING THIS I JUST READ DANNY'S POST) A good example of this is going to bhop in vipinthemix. (I know its ez to rebel but I mean going to bhop and that only.) Your going to a good map game and there is good rebel paths on your way there. If your a t you can go to showers or in pool to get in the vent but if your pursued right away you are easily killed because its crouch space. You can also go for the deagle by dodge ball if you trust your aim. None of these secrets are overpowered if you think about it but they are still very viable.

       I know I mentioned a lot about secret positioning in the last part but im gonna touch on it a bit more. I think every map should have 1 secret thats very difficult but sort of a slap in the face to cts when they see you have it. For example the helicopter secret in dojo is a hard to do big secret. While this stuff might be hard to do think like billboard secret in vipinthemix, not to hard to make but still really fun and useful. (top of cells on moonjail, helicopter with cannon on clouds, etc.) The next thing that is essential is a vent cell. A good vent cell is the one from dojo. If cts are fast enough they can watch the ts and make sure no one breaks the vent. If not or there are 2 t's then you get a unpredictable location to come out of and get a good rebel going. Btw I think gun cells are a bad idea and guns in cells should be from !rtd only. Finnally the last thing you need are accessible t guns and secrets in good spots. Im not gonna repeat on positioning again but basically if you have to disobey a order to get to this secret then its a good secret. Thats kinda bland but thats why vending machine is a bad secret because you can go next to it and not really be kos till you fully go in. (aplies to most wardens.) A great example of this is the kitchen in moonjail were if your are going in there people know your probably kos but if you get to the gun in time you have a good chance of winning that gunfight and continuing your rebel. The last thing about secrets is kinda more layout orientated but if your map is to open or to closed it can give insane advantages so make sure to keep that in your mind. Finally make a cool and vibrant map and it will probably be played for a bit and with the right amount of changes and tweaking it could even be one of the most played maps.

[loftydrum 25]

1 hour ago, Dannypicacho said:

A simple E-press on a teleporter taking you to armoury is insanely overpowered.

A agree with this, but on the other extreme, don't make secrets too complicated, otherwise no one will be able to use or maybe even discover they exist. (I.E. press button in this room, then knife this painting, then strafe jump onto some platform, preform this climb section, press other button to get gun and tp to pool.) 

Personally, I believe the T games need to be abundant, fun, quick, and, most importantly, CONTROLLABLE. Make sure recall buttons and stop buttons exist for games that need it. I can't tell you how many times I've seen someone's LR get ruined because some guard (sometimes me...) gets stuck in Moonjail's bhop and can't get out so the LR is either delayed or some Russian Roulette/Math BS, or when the CT's get a free win because the last T couldn't make it to the end of dodge course. 

[Lottamos 197]

22 hours ago, loftydrum said:

A agree with this, but on the other extreme, don't make secrets too complicated, otherwise no one will be able to use or maybe even discover they exist. (I.E. press button in this room, then knife this painting, then strafe jump onto some platform, preform this climb section, press other button to get gun and tp to pool.) 

Personally, I believe the T games need to be abundant, fun, quick, and, most importantly, CONTROLLABLE. Make sure recall buttons and stop buttons exist for games that need it. I can't tell you how many times I've seen someone's LR get ruined because some guard (sometimes me...) gets stuck in Moonjail's bhop and can't get out so the LR is either delayed or some Russian Roulette/Math BS, or when the CT's get a free win because the last T couldn't make it to the end of dodge course. 

+1