Some questions from an enthusiastic designer

[racraft]

To put my interests simply, I love to design levels.

I frequent RTS world editors (I've spent more time editing Warcraft 3 than playing it) in the way most artists would sketch in a notebook. I focus on the detail of the environment, and attempt to give them a sense of realism (or fantasy) that I believe many of the developer made maps don't have. I spend a great deal of time organizing maps and making worlds out of them, even if I am the only one to play them in the end.

My dream job would be to design levels for an RTS game. But i am also very skeptical about how much a designer would want me. I have limited experience with computer programming outside of the level editors I use. I have never created my own website or portfolio. I am an english major in a school that has no clearly defined areas related to gaming. I am not even sure that my maps can compete with those from other designers, as I have never attempted to place them online (to achieve most of my ideas, it would be a far more complicated process to get them online than it sounds).

I guess my question, then, is where would I start? How can I transform my enthusiasm into something marketable?

[tsloper]

Originally Posted by racraft

1. I frequent RTS world editors (I've spent more time editing Warcraft 3 than playing it) in the way most artists would sketch in a notebook. ... My dream job would be to design levels for an RTS game.
2. But i am also very skeptical about how much a designer would want me. I have limited experience with computer programming
3. I have never created my own website or portfolio. ... I am not even sure that my maps can compete with those from other designers
4. where would I start? How can I transform my enthusiasm into something marketable?

2. Nobody ever said that level designers have to be programmers. Ever heard of "specialization"?
4. See #1. Keep doing that. See #3. Make a portfolio and put it online. Get creative, find a way.

[racraft]

Originally Posted by tsloper

2. Nobody ever said that level designers have to be programmers. Ever heard of "specialization"?

Thank you for the advice- i was under the impression that companies generally wanted everyone in the production side to know a good bit of programming.

In that case, is there any areas related to mapmaking that I might have to study for?

[tsloper]

Originally Posted by racraft

1. is there any areas
2. related to mapmaking that I might have to study for?

1. You're an English major??
2. Finish your degree, then build a portfolio. Read these:
http://www.sloperama.com/advice/m69.htm
http://www.sloperama.com/advice/lesson12.htm
http://www.sloperama.com/advice/lesson27.htm
http://www.sloperama.com/advice/lesson24.htm