What it takes to make a professional map?

[DreadStunLock]

What does it take? (except skill)

Like for example, you created lakehouse, I am sure you didn't just create the name out of the blue?

Did you guys use purely your own textures? Models? (You probably did but just making sure)

Making a professional map, does that mean you have to or should likely to use your own textures and models?

What about planning? Did you guys went straight away to UDK, or you planned it as a team on some other map planning software?

I am just interested cause it would be nice to make a map that purely your own in everyway.

[frvge]

New maps start out as a general idea.
Then map layout, which can be done in any drawing program, but we prefer some grids for consistency.
Then concept art
Then sometimes a quick modeling of a room in Maya/Max.
Then modeling of the props and making textures.
Then making the map in BSP in UDK.
Then adding the models and textures.
Then changing everything to get a better feel
Then multiple lighting passes
Then changing everything AGAIN
And finally AGAIN
Then Kismet and custom sound.
And a dynamic lighting pass
And more lighting passes
And another dynamic lighting pass

All our things are custom modeled and textured.
We sometimes use libraries as reference, but because of licensing terms, we can't use them (costs a lot of money). Most references are from google image search.

The room that we showed of Asylum took 100 hours to make, and 10 hours to finetune the lighting and camera position for the screenshots.

[DreadStunLock]

The texture and models is covered, now to figure how to make custom sounds.

Any chance there is a page on UDK how to make custom sounds in a very easy/beginner way?