Idea generation
Since I’m working on an outdoor complex and I want it to be laid out in an interesting and fun way I decided to try an exercise in generating building layouts using graph paper. Basically, I just drew random pseudo-buildinglike shapes in random configurations until I’d filled the page. Afterwards, I picked out the parts I thought were interesting and found ways to incorporate them into my map. It worked really well and I ended up with a completely new sequence that I hadn’t even considered before.
That’s one of the things I’ve struggled with–how to generate new and interesting ideas. I’ve spent a lot of time on various mapping sites looking for structures and layouts that look interesting. And that’s helped, too.
The way I generate the majority of my ideas is just by flying around my map and seeing what it inspires. Invariably, some path or some object/structure will suggest some other path, structure, obstacle, encounter, etc. So it really builds on itself.
The trouble with that, of course, is that there’s a risk of it going out of control, since a lot of what I build doesn’t have a concrete plan on paper.
The other issue with it is that it’s slow, and verrrrry iterative. I can’t tell you how much stuff I’ve moved or deleted as I’ve worked on the map.
Still, I’m happy with how it’s turning out so far. It’s just that it’s going so slowly. Ugh. It’s never fast enough.
