Do map makers usually make a plan of how they build their level or do they make the level as they go?

[KannaWithGun]

I'm new to map making and I have been wondering of how map makers make their levels

 

[DylanDude]

This has changed over time. About 20 years ago, mapping tools were so primitive that making a blueprint beforehand was essentially mandatory. Typically, you would draw a plan for your level on graph paper and then later put it into WADAuthor or Doom Builder. Nowadays, mapping tools are so advanced that very few people do this anymore, but I have seen some do it.