Heya,
I actually just got into building and have a very different style, not only cause I'm dutch and write in English.
I like to work offline, and this is better since the mud I write a zone for doesn't use online building nor has a building port where I have access too. They do have their own editor, called muditor which is easy to easy for making zones and walking through it.
Btw I use textpad, a rather advanced editor.
What I do:
1. I think up something (preferably at a strange time
2. I draw the area (yes draw). Two sides and top.
3. I make up the history. (if necessary)
4. I make a vnum map. I don't make this on graph paper, I do this in a text file, cause the areacoordinator wants a copy.
5. I write the rooms, walk through it a few times while doing it.
(here textpad comes in handy, I can easily move to another text by ctrl-tab, so I can check my vnum map easily, so I keep alt-tab free for the mud or something else)
6. I make the mobs, set resets for them.
7. I make the objects, set resets for them.
8. Add specials, triggers etc
9. Run through it.
Whereever I'm writing I have to put the whole area in Ms-Word for spellchecking, just cause I'm Dutch and tend to make some grammatical errors. Most get out.
Greetings Dre