Do you write the story or create the levels first?

[GoreGrinder99]

I was curious as to how the majority of you go about creating your custom stories/conversions? At the moment I'm working on a full conversion and I have a general idea of what I want to happen throughout the game but I've been more focused on creating the maps instead of scripting the story and events.

What about you all, what do you do first?

[richm0nkey]

I do both at the same time. But that is just me :3

[DeAngelo]

I'm still pretty new to this, but I try to create new and unique scares/scenarios in the editor, then come up with a story that fits it. I find if try to work on the story too much ahead of time, I end up shoehorning it into levels it doesn't belong. (Such as the bright idea to have a wedding flashback, then realizing I have to spend 4 hours working on a church for a 3 second flashback.)

[Statyk]

You always make the story first. That seems kinda obvious.

[Kreekakon]

You make the story first, or at the very least have a general idea of what it's going to be about, and/or what it involves.

The levels are meant to carry the story by making sense. Making levels first will severely tie you down, and might result in a bad story more likely than starting with story first before building levels.

[Yuhaney]

Haven't made maps for Amnesia but usually I would have basic story concept and few map ideas that get me started and then slowly start to build piece by piece from there.

[serbusfish]

I start with a rough idea so I can properly figure out the setting, for example my new story is set in a mansion deep in a secluded forest, not a castle, so naturally I needed to figure this out before I could begin mapping, then as I start to build the levels I develop the story/ideas further.

I dont understand how you can start making maps with no story in place.

[DeAngelo]

I start with a rough idea so I can properly figure out the setting, for example my new story is set in a mansion deep in a secluded forest, not a castle, so naturally I needed to figure this out before I could begin mapping, then as I start to build the levels I develop the story/ideas further.

I dont understand how you can start making maps with no story in place.

Since I'm pretty much the odd-man-out here, I'll give my point of view. When I'm working on a level, I want to create an interesting place to explore. My goal (One that I personally think I've failed but then again I'm my own biggest critic) is to create levels that are interesting to explore in and of themselves. Then, as I'm working on a storyline, I can say, "Ooh, this map would go nicely here."

I feel that if I 100% write out the story ahead of time, I end up limiting myself in that I can only build levels that fit the story, and if the story calls for something that I either can't do, or that the Amnesia engine isn't capable of doing (Let's face it, we love amnesia but the HPL engine is a special needs student at times) well there goes my story.

In addition, I feel that for the most part, building and scripting a map takes way longer than writing out the story. Starting my work on the map first, with a rough idea of the story I want to create, allows me to take my time with the story and allow it to develop more and more as I work on maps.

Don't get me wrong, I see what people are saying here, without a good story, you're just running through the same mansion chased by the same jawless idiot as every other CS. But I think working on the story throughout the mapping process allows you to tell a story that fits your map.

That went on way to long. Sorry.