Suggestion for Mapping Committee - New map packs

[SuperMAn]

Hello Everyone,

It seems like lately there has been quite a few new maps being made.  I think it would be a good idea if the Mapping Committee put together a pack of recently created maps every few months.  Including all required textures, models, etc.

It could be that I am just lazy since I don't check the forums often for new maps, but I think most people probably don't.

What do you guys think?

[pvtjimmy]

+1 to this.

Please just make sure to only add completely finalized maps. I personally don't have interest in first beta maps that are never going to be finished and because of this don't have any potential to ever be played.

[SuperMAn]

Please just make sure to only add completely finalized maps.

I don't think it should be only finalized maps.  If the beta version is decent and playable I think they should also be included.  It is sad but there are good maps that might be stuck in beta forever, I don't think they should be excluded.

  + I don't think it would be possible to regularly put a map pack together of only completed new maps.  Too many of them don't get finished.  Maybe including decent betas will motivate the mapper to work on it.

But just to be clear I don't think any beta should be included.. It should be up to the discretion or the mapping committee.

[Chef-Killer]

There's always a reason why a beta map is still in beta stage, even if it's a map with potential that seems to be well done already.

Also I don't see a reason why including decent beta maps should motivate mappers to work on their maps. In the last years it seems that most of the mappers stop improving their maps as soon as they're online on different servers. I think for the future it would be better to give a mapper a need to improve and final release a map. This could be not to add beta maps to such map packs, maplists, etc; maybe upload beta maps only on beta servers, not on public and match servers.

I also like the idea with some kind of "digital signature" into the map to make maps officially approved. But this is something that requires a new map format.

[blaa]

 I think creating a map pack is increasingly getting harder, because there are sooooooo many maps in dp .

I would rather like to see a website similar to what sk89q had awhile ago. Where maps are listed in the website, with some written information about them. You could rate maps as well, but not so important imo.
Why that would be good? As I wrote, you can enter info about maps (supported gametypes, possibly even theme, map maker) and then it would be possible to sort that list.

If you look at otbs map folder at the moment, it is so big it is almost scary.

I wouldn't know how to code this so I can't do that myself. But I would be more than willing to help 'add' maps to the map database later on.

I think this database should be hosted by otb, because I have a feeling that their website will stick around for some time .

And when that is done you could easily create map packs!

[SuperMAn]

Hmm I understand what you are saying Chef-Killer... Good points..

A site like sk89q had would be a good solution I suppose.    The basic point I was trying to make is that many good maps get lost in the forums because it is not organized well for releasing maps.  Anyone who wants to check out some new maps has to browse the mapping section post by post, reading each post (since most times mappers don't update first post with new betas).  Maybe we can get a hold of sk89q to see if he still has his old code.

[blaa]

Hmm I understand what you are saying Chef-Killer... Good points..

A site like sk89q had would be a good solution I suppose.    The basic point I was trying to make is that many good maps get lost in the forums because it is not organized well for releasing maps.  Anyone who wants to check out some new maps has to browse the mapping section post by post, reading each post (since most times mappers don't update first post with new betas).  Maybe we can get a hold of sk89q to see if he still has his old code.

I talked with some guys about this. Well basically, we need a code what would search the otb's map folder for .bsp file. For every .bsp file it would create a page, which you can later edit. I learned that it would not be difficult to code it, so maybe someone who is okay with php could do it? And when that's ready we would have to agree what kind of information needs to be added for each map and then start entering it...

[pvtjimmy]

I think creating a map pack is increasingly getting harder, because there are sooooooo many maps in dp .

Wasn't it Supermans original idea to release a map pack every x weeks/months with only new maps and/or betas?

This way you would have a quick overview of the new maps and you don't have to download unnecessary large map packs anymore.

If this idea could be turned into actual map packs, I would like to see a clear separation between beta's and released finished maps. As Chef stated before, there are too many mappers that get "lazy" when their maps are online and being played.