Like my question is asking I'm just wondering what programs I should start using or what you recommend to use to start creating maps for games. The style of maps I'm thinking of creating are the type of ones you would see on 3rd person or 1st person shooters, so ones that are closed in and have boundaries but can incorporate indoor and outdoor elements such as parkland surrounded by buildings. I've heard AutoCAD Architecture is a good program for this and I have some experience in AutoCAD but would like other peoples opinions on the matter. I would also be interested in the actual 3D modelling but that would be later on so at the moment I only want to concentrate on the actual floor plans of the map.

P.S I'm also interested in what programs companies that make said games would use, either an in house built engine or an outside software set?

If you want to just brainstorm an idea of the flow of a map and a genral quick 3d outline I would suggest google sketchup because it is simple, fast, and effective. Then when you actually want to make a design that is usable in a game use Blender, Blender is used to model many objects in 3d games and fps, and it is also free which is a bonus. Aswell you can apply code in Blender so an entire game can be made just in the program.

In Blender are you able to create just then floor plan then at a later date do some 3D modelling, just i haven't got any experience in 3D modelling at all, I'm just wanting to make a hard copy of my paper sketches.

Also what scale would I do these maps to, full scale or scale down by a ratio?

EDIT: I also forgot to state that I can get AutoCAD architecture and software like that for free because I'm signed up for the free student software program.