why dont i have a job?

because a lot of other people looking for jobs can map like that as well...

its a hard industry to get into, so i guess you just gotta be persistent

These definitely look brimming with potential! Anywhere where one may download these maps? Went through both the MSN site and you GeoCities site linked in your profile and couldn't find them.

What, if any, experience do you have? If none, them I might recommend getting on a mod team and pumping out a few maps. (On a similar note, work up your portfolio site. Include a resume, goals, etc etc. Sell yourself.)

How do you create your maps? Straight out of your head, or do you do some concept sketches or documents on how it'll look/work/flow? These kind of things will aid you not only in getting a job, but also in your longtime workflow. It also shows your potential employer that you actually think these things through, and don't just come up with these masterpieces by 'chance'. `

Some links to job offers below... if you can fullfill the requirements in these jobs, and be able to back it up, then you're on the right track.
[url]http://www.sumea.com.au/snews.asp?news=555&related=Pandemic%20Studios[/…]
[url]http://www.sumea.com.au/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=619[/url]

I'm told by friends in the industry that level design is a good way to be wanted in the industry. So if you have strong level design skills, as well as experience with modeling or texturing, you'll look even better to the company.

Hmm... hope I haven't rambled too incoherently, and actually given some advice that may be useful. @:-p

Don't limit yourself to one game, all the shots I can see there are from UT2003, which means you can use UnrealEd. But what about if the company that you wish to join doesn't use the Unreal engine?

Try and expand your skills, different games, different map styles, different map types, etc. But don't spread yourself so thin that the quality of your work suffers.

Hope that's of some help.

Munk, where have you actually applied to, and what kind of responses have you been getting from those places?

If thats all you've been showing possible employee's then its no wonder you're asking this question. You need to give yourself a solid portfolio and have the ability to capture their interest in order for them to give you a shot at explaining your design process to them. From those screenshots, I can't make out anything from the level apart from its theme. I can't see how it would flow, connectivity, use of the games features etc... how can you expect them to see that?

I was just turned down from Micro Forte after applying for their level designer position - it was spread out over two months+ but they taught me a lot about what attributes I need to be able to display in order for them to take me on board. Write some theory on what makes a good level, write up a design document for a new level then build from it. Submit those with your portfolio and see what happens then. Work isn't going to come to you simply because you can create a map, you need to push for it.

Great stuff on those maps but Brain, Redwyre and Kris are right, you need more than one engine and alot more work etc.
Maybe threads like this one don't help either, sounds sorta whiney and if that comes across to dev companies they'll think twice about hiring you even with your kick arse mapping skills.

Nearly all the guys/gals on this forum are have the same problem about finding work as you so don't feel to isolated, we're one big disfunctional family [:P].

Can we download the maps anywhere?

they look very high poly and badly texture maybe that is the reason

(cough) thought these guys where still looking for an environmental artist....
http://www.sumea.com.au/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=593

(punches doord in the nuts) it is not that bad, lacks a bit of aesthetic coheasion (add some edge definition to make it a bit less visually confusing for the player) the surfaces all are very creative and is a start at making some interesting architectual spaces (ok, i studied architecture for 3 years)....

(After coming back from the attack, doord turn and kicks Davidcoen in the nuts)

I didn't say they looked bad, just that they were very high poly looking (tell me if I'm wrong here but are not computer game played in real time.) If every level had this amount of detail (in this way) most computer would have a hard time. Also about the texture, most of the detail in the model could easy be done with texture (and normal mapping which you maybe not have but anyway) and it looks like he had just done a render to texture for the mesh and that is it.

I maybe was a little stright to the point, but is anwered the question asked.