Im from Germany. I began mapping for RedAlert(1) some long time ago. The map editor RA1 was really simple, but still I made high quality stuff by combining details and gameplay. A short time after I began playing Half-Life, I tried to map for it. I was one of the first guys to try. There were only a few people mapping back then. I didnt know about the possibility of publishing the maps on the internet. I made them just for the LAN games I played with lots of friends at Pleasure Dome which is an internet cafe. Counter-Strike sometime replaced Half-Life and although I liked HL more I began mapping for Counter-Strike. This was the time I realized I could publish them online. I got a few great scores and even got the planethalflife map award for my HL map "Evermore". My last maps for the Half-Life engine were for a mod called "Svencoop". It's a cooperative game, where you play standard HL with your buddies against monsters. My final map was called "The Challenge". It's gigantic and has taken a lot of time and it's my personal masterpiece. I stopped mapping for HL & CS, but of course I haven't stopped mapping. I found another great game that I really love which is "C&C Generals" and it's expansion pack "Zerohour". I made a couple of good maps and Im really trying to keep the old concept "details & gameplay" to make maps that stay in your hearts
^_^ have fun playing! cause thats what its all about right?