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Old 09-03-18, 14:30   #21
matrix54
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For me, planning helps. I’ll design something multiple times over before I’m satisfied and then design everything again once I get into the editor and see what does and doesn’t work.

It’s the overall design process that works out the kinks for me to keep things fresh and having to try new things, but that’s when I’m designing and not trying to make a level look good. Once i start texturing, it’s over. I’ll never be satisfied.

That’s how I ended up finish Battle Arena (after finishing nothing for a long time) - it was already something very different, and I was constantly trying out new ideas! Do what’s fun for you and do it as best as you can! Don’t be afraid to explore and be different.
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Old 10-03-18, 12:41   #22
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Watch us folks build live on Twitch. It's like fuel to get the fire going, really.

Dustie and Matrix54 sum things up pretty well. Probably worry less about making things as you think they would be expected and go with your intuition to create something you'd play yourself.
If I'm really really stuck I just lay down on my bed and listen to inspiring music and ambiences for whatever I'm making and try to visualize things. Always worked for me. Then make a little bit of planning on what the player is going to do, what kind of objectives etc. Just try to give your imagination as much to work with as it's difficult to build when you have no material to use.

Last edited by TheTiger; 10-03-18 at 12:47.
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Old 10-03-18, 12:52   #23
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Seconded!
Even simply watching someone play a custom level can already do that.

I often try to get some work done on my own levels, but that doesn't always work well: I get distracted a lot because of the stream going on in the background.
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Old 11-03-18, 15:36   #24
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I came to share a few of my techniques but all of them have already been mentioned, which is great! I wanted to add a point that I don't think has been said yet. In my experience, there are times when I have a really strong desire to build and create but I simply can't. And it's not even that I feel creatively blocked; I'll have a lot of good ideas, but I just can't begin to make them. The only solution I've found to fixing this problem is to not try. I know, it sounds totally counter intuitive in a thread about overcoming creators block.
What I mean to say is that sometimes, even if you've got creative juices flowing, you'll still find it difficult or flat out impossible to build anything. When that's the case, don't pressure yourself. I sometimes try to "force build" and it never does me any good. Instead I try to direct myself towards a different project unrelated to TRLE. After a while (days, weeks, sometimes months) I'll have that desire to build again and then I'm able to realize the ideas I had before but simply couldn't begin.

Another thing I'd like to mention is that I save every single thing I build. Occasionally I'll add some rooms to my level and eventually decide I hate them, so I revert to an earlier version of the project. But first I'll save a copy of the project with the rooms I built, because often I find I'm able to reuse those rooms quite favorably in a different part of the level. I've done with with entire projects before, too. An unfinished level I built suddenly has use in a completely new project with a bit of reconfiguration. Save all your ideas, you never know where they'll come in handy!
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Old 11-03-18, 16:21   #25
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Creators block lasts for me for months, and I simply, do other things for awhile till the urge comes back. This last time I have been away from the editor for almost 6 months. I played, civilization, or minecraft, or any of my other addictions. I try to make time for all of them. But one day, it just hit me, and I am back to building, and the time has come to finish the project I have been working on. Even if you do not have gameplay ideas, just build rooms and areas to look at, and eventually the gameplay follows. We are lucky to have such great tools and the desire and ability to build and play more levels of the game we love.
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Old 12-03-18, 10:22   #26
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Kapu View Post
I came to share a few of my techniques but all of them have already been mentioned, which is great! I wanted to add a point that I don't think has been said yet. In my experience, there are times when I have a really strong desire to build and create but I simply can't. And it's not even that I feel creatively blocked; I'll have a lot of good ideas, but I just can't begin to make them. The only solution I've found to fixing this problem is to not try. I know, it sounds totally counter intuitive in a thread about overcoming creators block.
What I mean to say is that sometimes, even if you've got creative juices flowing, you'll still find it difficult or flat out impossible to build anything. When that's the case, don't pressure yourself. I sometimes try to "force build" and it never does me any good. Instead I try to direct myself towards a different project unrelated to TRLE. After a while (days, weeks, sometimes months) I'll have that desire to build again and then I'm able to realize the ideas I had before but simply couldn't begin.

Another thing I'd like to mention is that I save every single thing I build. Occasionally I'll add some rooms to my level and eventually decide I hate them, so I revert to an earlier version of the project. But first I'll save a copy of the project with the rooms I built, because often I find I'm able to reuse those rooms quite favorably in a different part of the level. I've done with with entire projects before, too. An unfinished level I built suddenly has use in a completely new project with a bit of reconfiguration. Save all your ideas, you never know where they'll come in handy!
You make perfect sense.. I think my issue is that I have fallen out of touch with TRLE - I haven't built anything substantial, level wise, for a while now.
I just need to practice.. learn the editor buttons etc again - how to make shapes between rooms (ledges, rock faces etc)

I focus on the final product straight away, instead of just playing and having fun.. I'm just gonna mess around and see what I can get away with making, what the limitations are etc
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Old 12-03-18, 15:41   #27
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What always inspires me to build are livestreams on twitch, because you see how other level builders design and build the environment. Then I always feel like turning on the editor and build.
Or good music that brings you ideas. When I build my Egyptian level, for example, I hear Guild Wars 2. It reminds me of the best things that I put into action. The game Indiana Jones and the infernal machine has very good music and game designs, it has something nostalgic. Sometimes I do not like what I've just built and I'm going to revise it, there's an ambition to make it even better.
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Old 12-03-18, 16:02   #28
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I'm gonna sound like such an old person here (which I can assure you I am not haha)
Have never used Twitch before and have no idea what it does, apart from that its similar thing to youtube, which you comment on live?

Had a quick glance for TRLE stuff, mostly just people playing custom levels..
So how do I find vids of people actually building?
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Old 12-03-18, 17:26   #29
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^
In the Lifestream thread.
AgentXP for example always saves her streams as video.
And I think there's also a link to badassgamez in AgentXP's latest post in that thread. He plays custom games on his streams and he's currently playing his way through Coyote Creek 2.

TheTiger does lifestreams, but he does not save his streams.
So you can only see them while he is life.

Well, just check out that thread and see who's streaming these days.
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Old 12-03-18, 21:12   #30
Kapu
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Quote:
Originally Posted by dcw123 View Post
You make perfect sense.. I think my issue is that I have fallen out of touch with TRLE - I haven't built anything substantial, level wise, for a while now.
I just need to practice.. learn the editor buttons etc again - how to make shapes between rooms (ledges, rock faces etc)

I focus on the final product straight away, instead of just playing and having fun.. I'm just gonna mess around and see what I can get away with making, what the limitations are etc
If I could make another suggestion, to get back in the swing of things you could try remaking areas from other TR games. I used to do this a lot just for fun. You have some reference material to work from that way. I once started remaking the opening area from TRA and eventually it morphed into its own area, although the inspiration is quite obvious. I had a ton of fun making this, although it was never finished.

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