Learning level design from the masters

Level designing can be fun, but yet a long and arduous task. Learning to use the editor, learning the tricks of the trade and picking up useful techniques all happen simultaneously when designing a level for UT.

Studying the work of previous authors who have proven their mettle and then some more, can be of great help in this direction

I'll be talking about design ideas firstly. Gameplay issues and optimization will follow later. The following are comments of well-known levels in UT

Brushwork
I've taken the example of CTF-FinalFace.unr by Shinigami and Dr.Doom. If you haven't downloaded that map yet, do so now - it's a keeper. Both the flag bases are beautiful and the brushwork is simple and elegant. This section of the blue base really shows Shinigami's bsp cuts in action. The cone, the three curved 'pipes' on top with their animated textures give a dramatic effect.

Consistency
Talking about DM-Grit.unr by Eric 'Ebolt' Boltjes. The whole map is done with a single texture set. The gray walls with the red lights and the coronas give a consistent and neat look to the map. Hard to fail this way. And the map runs fast too. Using too many textures/sets will drag even the best maps down.

Indoor areas
One difficult thing to do in a DM map is developing a indoor area that's convincing. Look at DM-Malevolence by Rich Eastwood. The rockfaces blend neatly with the walls giving the feeling that the room has been carved out of the rock there. The lighting in the same map is great too. The map is not entirely flawless but I'll talk about that later.

Lighting
Take DM-EgyptianArena.unr by the G.O.A.T. The top and the bottom passages are lit with soft yellowish lights coming from the fires while the central area glows with a little harsh whitish light - of sunlight. Very convincing. All lights come from sources and even though colored lights are used, none of them hurt the eye. Download the map and play it.