Habits of a Successful Mapmaker

Every Gimkit Creative map designer adapts to certain useful habits after a while of making maps Here are a few I personally use and see others using as well.

1. Copying devices and props instead of re-adding them: (not on mobile)
When I look at discovery, I often see inconsistencies in the maps which hinder game appeal and enjoyment. By copying devices and props, you can also increase efficiency, as you do not have to reset device settings. This can be a large help when copying blocks too, as copying one device at a time can also duplicate blocks.

2. Checking what you are deleting before you delete anything:
Gimkit has no way to undo anything, meaning that whatever you delete, you can not get back. Instead, either copy the device before deleting just in case, or double check what you are deleting.

3. Configuring map settings before you start building a new map:
A simple, yet effective way to make sure you don’t have to go back and redo anything after you’ve created a map such as your health and shield settings.

4. Checking map tiles before you lay them:
Making the simple mistake of placing a wall instead of a floor for a large area can cost a lot. Make sure that you are checking if your terrain is a floor or wall.

5. Organizing channels while assuring they aren’t to complex:
Once you have fully developed your map, you might realize that you don’t know what channel does what. To prevent this, think of a meaningful name for your channels when developing your maps to prevent future headaches when updating them.

6. Repetitive play-testing
Continuing to test your map is crucial for making sure your map works. This can help in making sure that all platforming jumps in your map possible, assuring that your map has no bugs, and thinking of new features to add while testing.
Thanks to @Skizzle for thinking to add this one. (Sorry for the ping)

7. Planning your map
Yes, you want to just jump into building but figuring out what you are doing is important. You can add or remove stuff or have bits of the plan you haven’t figured out yet, but you shouldn’t just make everything up as you go. - Skizzle

8. Deleting excess blocks:
When working with blocks, you might see extra blocks that may have come off when replacing values. These excess blocks can cause errors and unexpected results if they are functional blocks, so you should make sure that there are no blocks under your blocks.

9. Using Devices Efficiently.
Some devices, like a respawn device, game start lifecycle only need to be used once. Like for the respawn device, set it to respawn on “respawn” so that you won’t have to make two.

In conclusion, there are many habits that we follow and this list is just a small amount of the habits we pick up in map making and I hope these tips were helpful.

Editing Rules:
Simple, please only edit if you have something to contribute like a habit you personally follow.
Do not edit at the same time as someone else.

Collaborators
  • Apollo
  • Skizzle
  • Epi320

Do not check for fun:
Please check if you are editing and uncheck when done.

11 Likes

??? Did you mean double check?

Yes, thanks!

Good guide!
I would suggest changing the title to something more like “5 Tips to Improve your Map” instead, as the current title makes the guide more about the person themself, while the latter suggestion I said makes it more about the map, and quite frankly, sounds a bit more linked to GKC

But that’s just a suggestion, and regardless, good tips/habits!

Oh also doesn’t Ctrl + z work for undoing things? I thought it did, but I’m probably not remembering correctly.

2 Likes

Very useful but I might tell people that you can turn off collision so that you don’t find holes in lobbies

2 Likes

frequent playtesting

4 Likes

I tied to make my guide more about increasing efficiency and not having to go back and redo things rather than making the map better in general.

I think that is just a general keyboard shortcut that works on any device outside of GKC.

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It doesn’t work in Gimkit Creative? Huh, guess you learn something everyday. Thanks for letting me know!

1 Like

I don’t believe it does that in GKC, we don’t have an undo button yet (Unless bh managed to finish it before he left)
(Also you’re a leader now nice)

@Here_to_help also Blackhole promoted you? I thought it was 2468 that did that.

1 Like

Ctrl + Z does wires. Why doesn’t it undo stuff?

Just Z adds wires, and I’m assuming that it would be hard to implement an undo system with all the devices we have.

2 Likes

Wait, what? Like, adds wires? I’m assuming that’s just the z, but really?
Now this is about to become a rabbit hole, so let’s keep from talking about keybinds, and focus on the excellent topic Apollo made us.

3 Likes

@Here_to_help , can you please make this topic a wiki?

No problem, just did!

Thanks!

what are the rules on editing this
also you should remove the number from the title

Nevermind; I misunderstood. Please ask @Apollo for any questions.

2 Likes

I’m opening it up to anybody who wants to edit.

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Reusable Bump

Sorry im so late to argue about this, but what about people like me, who are mobile users, we cant copy, we only can be re-adding them