Having just released my first map (Arctic Inferno) after a couple of test versions, the thought struck me that whilst there are good tutorials on mapmaking, there are some mistakes that are easy to make but just as easy to avoid, if you have some good practices:
- Do not give the test versions the same name you want the final one to have because players get a lot of unnecessary synch issues if there are multiple maps with the same name.
- In fact, don't call them anything that even resembles that name so that !map on autohosts doesn't result in multiple undesirable hits. A test version might end up being listed by springie due to springdownloader.
- No spaces in the filename since !maplink in springie cannot handle them.
- More issues...?
Maybe this could be made a sticky later?
Best map release practices?
Moderator: Moderators
Re: Best map release practices?
I like you already, this is probably the biggest thing.ansiktsburk wrote:after a couple of test versions
Re: Best map release practices?
The basic rule is get it right the first time around. But Im incapable of adhering to that.
Re: Best map release practices?
It's impossible...at least you have to release some sort of blueprint to test gameplay but to get players to test it has to look acceptable as well so you might as well texture it and everything form the first go and just keep releasing versions till its right.Beherith wrote:The basic rule is get it right the first time around. But Im incapable of adhering to that.
- SirArtturi
- Posts: 1164
- Joined: 23 Jan 2008, 18:29
Re: Best map release practices?
Well, what I've learned, Is that its better to keep the project open, archive the source files, keep the .psd's and maintain it regularly if necessary than closing it up. Never claim it as a final, because its quite hard to keep that promise or "overrule" it.
Beta version are great thing, but its hard to get proper testing for it. Especially for balance, You need to run the map several times.
What we need is mutators, and luckily we have some sort of them now. The problem however lies in mapformat, which actually doesnt allow you to change the smt and smt reasonably, but only way to change the visual aspects or the heightmap is by revisioning the whole damn thing. And usually maps tend to be at least over 20mbs for this map format.
I also recommend every mapper to license their work at least in some way, so that they can be easily used or contradictory not abused.
Beta version are great thing, but its hard to get proper testing for it. Especially for balance, You need to run the map several times.
What we need is mutators, and luckily we have some sort of them now. The problem however lies in mapformat, which actually doesnt allow you to change the smt and smt reasonably, but only way to change the visual aspects or the heightmap is by revisioning the whole damn thing. And usually maps tend to be at least over 20mbs for this map format.
I also recommend every mapper to license their work at least in some way, so that they can be easily used or contradictory not abused.
Re: Best map release practices?
for ut2004 onslaught mappers always released public betas which were hosted and playtested
it worked great
it worked great
- SirArtturi
- Posts: 1164
- Joined: 23 Jan 2008, 18:29
Re: Best map release practices?
One more really important point! Take the god damn screens! I see shitloads of maps on springfiles getting released but without screens. Do you really think im going to download them blindfolded?
If its not just your personal retribution but rather ment to be played at large, why bother spending hours of work on a map itself but not couple seconds for taking the screenshots?
If its not just your personal retribution but rather ment to be played at large, why bother spending hours of work on a map itself but not couple seconds for taking the screenshots?
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- Posts: 7
- Joined: 28 Dec 2009, 03:42
Re: Best map release practices?
I agree about screenies and will upload some as soon (had slight problems with springfiles). I have one question, though: How do I get a minimap on the site? A minimap is maybe even more important than screenshots.
Re: Best map release practices?
Anyway its kinda pointless to shout out the issues you encountered since this thread is just gonna get lost in the forum and all these notes will be forgotten and will not be available for the people who really need them,the ones that have not yet made a single map.
Maybe add your observations somewhere in the wiki?
Maybe add your observations somewhere in the wiki?
Last edited by Gota on 18 Feb 2010, 14:58, edited 1 time in total.
Re: Best map release practices?
TabView+Hidden Interface Is good for minimapansiktsburk wrote:I agree about screenies and will upload some as soon (had slight problems with springfiles). I have one question, though: How do I get a minimap on the site? A minimap is maybe even more important than screenshots.
TabView+hidden interface+metalmapView Is good for metal map
Also, the various lobbies can show us the minimap, you can save your height field as png and upload that too.
Also, You can resize the minimap still right? just stretch it a little bigger and screenshot then crop.
Re: Best map release practices?
shotgun method, spray creative maps allover- if one really matters to people they will debug and fix it for you