Back in the late 90s and early 00s when I was in my mid teens, I did a lot of Duke Nukem 3D mapping. I don't think I ever finished a map, and as far as I know none of the maps I made survive to this day.
I tried making one or two DOOM maps in the past, but the rudimentary editors of the day were too fiddly compared to the more advanced Build editor, and I gave up quickly.
It seems DOOM editors have come a long way in the last twenty-five years! What surprised me most, when I started making my contribution to this pack, is how well my experience making Duke3D levels as a teenager translated to making DOOM levels in 2025. Within minutes of downloading and booting up an editor, I felt like a fish returning to water.
There is a similar logic and rhythm to making levels in games with this kind of engine that clearly transcends platforms and time. That's not to say I sped through the project in no time. There are obviously still a number of particulars I needed to get my head around, such as the technical details of how doors and elevators work, and I generally work pretty slow at creative projects at the best of times. But I think my final product is considerably better than it would have been had I not tinkered around with Build over half a lifetime ago.
I have learned some lessons in the meantime though, as well as generally grown older and wiser. As such it's wild to think I have finally finished making a whole level, over a quarter of a century after first making an attempt. Probably the biggest lesson I have learned with any creative project is to approach it strategically, and start with the big picture. As a sixteen year old I would instinctively try to make levels in the same order one would play them - one room at a time, finished with textures, monsters, items and special effects, before moving on to the next one.
But simply sketching out the whole level's shape in the editor before refining is so simple yet effective it almost feels like cheating.
There's nothing outwardly special about my level in and of itself. I basically just tried to remake level 7 to the best of my ability, and I think I succeeded adequately if not spectacularly. But it symbolises and represents some interesting and philosophical revalations to me, and will hopefully serve as a reminder to me going forward that you cannot fail at a project or a learning journey, no matter how long it takes you to get back to it.