Maps/Mods throught computer games

[njordys]

My first interest in cartography, or more specific, making maps on my own, was sparked by map editors in computer games. Games like Starcraft/Warcraft, Heroes of Might and Magic, Red Alert 2, in short every game with a map editor, has encouraged me into being creative. Before I could draw/modify my own maps, I used the models and graphics of such games to create my "own" world.

Has anyone else made maps/missions/mods for computer games? Any particular game you would recommend?

Lately I've been thinking of buying Starcraft2, almost just for the nice editor.

Oh, and if you have made anything, it would be nice to see what you pinned togheter

Here is a city I threw togheter in Warcraft3
(sorry for bad resolution)

[jfrazierjr]

Vandy here makes maps for some game...not quite sure what it is off the top of my head... SimCity???

[Coyotemax]

Stronghold 2 had a great map editor, creating land from scratch could be a bit of a challenge, but laying out the towns was pretty nifty once you got going. I actually had a lot more fun building out the balanced economy than I did with the combat scenarios.

The wife hated playing against me too, I'd build up such a strong economy I could afford to take advantage of a glitch of sorts - instead of building regular walls I'd have a solid row of square towers .. impossible to scale with the ladders, if they got destroyed by catapults the ruins were still impassable, and I would have enough room inside my territory that I couldn't be starved out More archers on the towers than I knew what to do with, trebuchets just inside the walls set to repeat fire along my entire border so no one could get near... and I'd spend gold for mercenary camps outside the walls if I felt like disrupting her lands

aah memories.

Tropico 3 is awesome too, some very nifty tropical island cities waiting to be made there!

[njordys]

I also went through memory lane when i rediscovered my old maps/missions. When I was in my teens my pals and I used to play RedAlert2. In the most epic game we played I was hammered on by an armada of one of the most superiour units in the game, the hangarship, and I just barely managed to save my base. However, while this happened I somehow managed to sneak in a bomb team into my friends (and in-game enemy ) base and blew up the most crucial of his buildings. It was a certain doom to glorious victory scenario. I still remember it in detail, 8 years later :p

Btw, I bought Starcraft 2 and oh my. Just the textures make it worth my bucks. It is technically a game editor, but you can definitely use it as a 3d world creation tool. Look at this.
Almost feels like cheating :p