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The look and feel of a map is very important. No matter how well a map plays, no one's going to want it if it looks ugly. Quake 3 is a little more complicated than Quake 1 in this sense. Quake 1 had three or four themes to choose from, and they were easy to keep in sync. Quake 3 has hundreds of textures and allows you to add your own very easily, which ends up being both a help and a hindrance... on one hand, it gives mappers a lot of power in creating truly breathtaking environments. But, on the other, it makes texturing a daunting task since the competition is so tough.

So, where do you start? Your first choice is pretty simple. There are plenty of exceptions, of course, but basically your map is either going to be based on one of three themes: tech, gothic, or space. A good example of a tech map is Q3DM0, and a good example of a gothic map is Q3DM7. A space map, of course, would be something like Q3DM17. Once you have decided on a basic theme, you need to build on that theme, and this is where your creative side comes in. Luckily, unlike previous games, Quake 3 is nice enough to sort out its hundreds of textures for you. Any group beginning with "gothic_" is going to be gothic and any group beginning with "base_" is going be tech. There are other groups, like liquids and skies, that work for any map. Just remember that your map's layout is going to have to reflect its texturing in order for the map to make sense.

	If you want a map with small halls, lots of doors, and squared off corners, the tech theme is probably the way to go. Materials like concrete and metal are often used. This is the most important to keep realistic... signs, computer consoles, lighting, and so on need to be logical in order to make the map realistic. Some damage here and there usually adds a lot of interest to the map, and, if used appropriately, can tell a story as well. By adding effects like sparks and fog you can greatly enhance the environment. Dark blues, greens, and other unnatural colors help emphasize the tech feel. Keep in mind that blue is the color people most closely associate with technology, so blue accent lighting can enhance just about any tech map.
	If you're looking for large, curved halls accompanied by gigantic rooms with outside areas, you may want to consider a gothic theme. The most important thing to consider in gothic maps are curves, which makes them a little difficult for newer mappers. Halls, ledges, baffle walls, spikes, doorways, and just about any other cornered elements should be curved in some way or another. Cement is important here, with lots of bricks and blocks. Wear and tear can be used to reflect the age of the environment. Though other colors are sometimes used, reds and browns usually produce the most natural atmosphere.
	If you want to take advantage of the void, a good space theme with lots of jump pads will suffice. Darker colors are usually used, combined with bright spots near lights. Textures vary quite a bit, but are usually tech-based in some way, as you don't see many castles flying around in the great beyond. The void should be used strategically, make sure you make it easy to fall into without hindering gameplay.
	If you're new to mapping with Quake 3, I highly recommend that you choose one of the above themes and stick with it for at least a project or two. Once you feel comfortable with the designing techniques, you ought to take advantage of Quake 3's flexibility and create something with a personal touch. By collecting and creating plenty of custom textures, sounds, models, and so on, you can create your own themes and atmospheres that make your map stand out from the rest. In "H2SO4", Ben Ackland has created his own unique environment by using customized textures, particle effects, and fog. There is no map in Quake 3 that bears even a slight similarity to this one.
	Textures are not everything. Lighting is probably the most important part of the entire environment, because it can have the most profound impact on the player. Dark rooms with dramatic lighting can really put an accent on the mood of a map. By learning how to place light entities properly, you can have a much better result - it takes a lot of practice, but it's worth it. Always remember to use a lot of dimmer lights rather than one bright one - it makes the lighting look smoother and more natural. And, of course, follow the shape of the object or light in question. In the GTKRadiant screenshot to the left, notice how the light entities are used to enhance the effects of textures. Yellow entities are placed beside the teleporter, and a set of blue, white, and green lights are positioned according to what's shown on the computer screen.
	As you can see in the screenshot to the left, the lighting effects used on that part of the map create a very dramatic atmosphere because they reflect the objects in a realistic way. The yellow glow around the sides of the teleporter not only matches the teleporter's color, but it actually follows the shape of those sides, making it far more realistic. Even the computer screen's colors are reflected on the support beam it is mounted underneath. By placing light entities near the lights themselves, you can make them seem much more realistic. Notice how the blue light from the ceiling fixture is only visible as a beam on the sides of the supports, and not on the bottom of them - if the light entity had simply been placed near the floor, the effect wouldn't have been nearly as good.

Editor's Note: all of the maps seen as examples above can be found in the Map Reviews database.

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