Show support for a community map

[nubcake]

Idea: since  a 1.2 release has turned into a Duke Nukem Forever escapade, can the devs back a community project? There are umpteenth mappers/modellers out there, why not back a community based mod or map? Instead of being a competition, all mappers can contribute a small part to a big map. It takes minimal effort on the dev side, yet simply having authority figure(s) giving it the go ahead should be enough motivation for most mappers, and you could include it on the news (like maps such as ancient remains recieved a long time ago) the difference being that the WHOLE mapping community can create it, and the community at large can vote in features to be put into the map (e.g Do you want a statue of a cat in the human base yes:18 no:21)... what say ye?

http://tremulous.net/forum/index.php?topic=8389.90

[Repatition]

I love the Idea but someone must be in charge I vote for you!
give us a theme:

Textures:

assign mappers:

and such! and make it a 1.2 default

[mooseberry]

*  Creating threads on a topic that is already being discussed.

Against the rules by the way.

P.S. Repatition do you ever read the things you write? (P.P.S. By supporting this Repatition just doomed the idea a thousand times more than I ever could.)

[Repatition]

please tell me what I wrote wrong so that I may improve. I will take the rebuke and improve!

[Knowitall66]

No thank you, Remember Orbital Station (I think that was what it was called) never succeeded.
A large collection of Mappers (/Level Designers) coordinating their efforts is not going to happen.
Plus I, and probably the majority of Mappers (/Level Designers) prefer to only work on our own ideas.
I'll also add that due to the variance in Mappers (/Level Designers) styles and skills nothing would fit together (It would be little more then a collection of random rooms that fit loosely to a theme)

A couple of mappers working together (Eg BrainFace) is fine but a community, it's not going to work out.


Read my post here (It's slightly more thorough):
http://www.worldofleveldesign.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=19&t=158

Awaits epic flaming.

[your face]

Yes.  It might be remotely possible if everyone is on teamspeak for an allotted time each day, but everyone has different time schedules and different styles/skills.  No one is getting paid, so, of course, some people would be more devoted than others.  Even if everyone's skills were miraculously matched, a skilled concept artist would be required, and everything would have to be directed by a leader who could motivate everyone properly without utterly confusing them.  That's the main reason why Orbital Station failed.  No one had proper direction or motivation, and of course, it did go downhill after the leader abandoned it.

[nubcake]

I can lead the way... I have 4 projects I am finishing atm but I will start a community map once they are finished (roughly mid december). So long as people realise that skill differences arent a setback, and are willing to compromise.

e.g you make a wall, it may be modified by a more experienced mapper, voted by the community, or an area you create may need to be modified (even discarded) to suit the map. This will make people angry, but is to be expected by a community effort. Although it may be disheartening, be proud to be a part of a project such as this....If it is to occur at all.

[CreatureofHell]

This has been tried many times and failed. Each time people have though it would work but it didn't happen. What makes you think it will work this time?

[amz181]

Maps made by more than one person only work if its in a tight nit group who understand eachother. It wont work with just random people collaborating.

[nubcake]

I am currently making a map for an Aussie comp with 2 people I had never played with or spoken to before... they are both completely new to mapping, they come up with ideas, i map them, or they provide a rough copy of something, and i will fill it out for them. Its like a pyramid structure, the new)ish) guys flesh out some ideas, better mappers work on them, and the final result is something everone decides on

[CreatureofHell]

I am currently making a map for an Aussie comp with 2 people I had never played with or spoken to before... they are both completely new to mapping, they come up with ideas, i map them, or they provide a rough copy of something, and i will fill it out for them. Its like a pyramid structure, the new)ish) guys flesh out some ideas, better mappers work on them, and the final result is something everone decides on

Well one person building other people's ideas is easy, but everyone making their own little piece and merging it all together is harder.

I'm not trying to say that this project is bad, I support it, I'm just trying to point out the problems 

[Thorn]

I'm not trying to say that this project is bad, I support it, I'm just trying to point out the problems 

And that is the main problem. Everytime an idea like this pops up people decide to point out the problems. It might be smarter to actually try it first. Proper coordination and strong leadership will solve most of those issues.

[CreatureofHell]

I'm not trying to say that this project is bad, I support it, I'm just trying to point out the problems 

And that is the main problem. Everytime an idea like this pops up people decide to point out the problems. It might be smarter to actually try it first. Proper coordination and strong leadership will solve most of those issues.

Find someone who can do that then

[Plague Bringer]

A series of maps following a theme that progresses smoothly from one area to the next is probably a more feasible idea, as it will be hard to coordinate the efforts of more than a few not-so-like-minded mappers.

[your face]

e.g you make a wall, it may be modified by a more experienced mapper, voted by the community, or an area you create may need to be modified (even discarded) to suit the map. This will make people angry, but is to be expected by a community effort. Although it may be disheartening, be proud to be a part of a project such as this....If it is to occur at all.

If someone has an idea that THEY think is really awesome, and then everyone else puts it down, what's their motivation to continue?  Just to be a part of the project?  Unless being in the project gives them a warm feeling inside, I don't see how you will make people stick around...
Also, a "more experienced" mapper will most likely not want to spend time greebling up a boxy hall, when they could be doing something else they enjoy instead (their own hall, exactly how they want it and picture it).  Unless you find someone who likes to do that sort of thing. ;p

I'm not saying this is a bad idea, just try to overcome the problems.  Best of luck, if it does get going, be sure to keep us posted.

[Demolution]

It wouldn't be that hard to have each mapper do their own thing, however the map has to be designed in such a way right from the start.

Say you have some sort of abandoned space station (mapper 1's design), and a ship has crashed into it bringing the humans (mapper 2's design), and just for the hell of it, some sort of meteor, or asteroid has crashed into this station as well (mapper 3's design) which has brought the aliens to the map. Now each mapper can do their own thing, as long as they conform to the same scale, and the same design where the separate pieces are supposed to fit together. To include more mappers we could say the space station is a collaboration between many different factions, and these factions have come together for some humanitarian or scientific reason or something along those lines.

Now, I'm not saying this would be easy to do, or that it is doable at all, but it is an idea. Also, if a mapper fails to finish their piece of the project on time, another could easily take over, and the design can be changed as needed.



Thoughts?

[ReapDaWrapper]

It wouldn't be that hard to have each mapper do their own thing, however the map has to be designed in such a way right from the start.

Say you have some sort of abandoned space station (mapper 1's design), and a ship has crashed into it bringing the humans (mapper 2's design), and just for the hell of it, some sort of meteor, or asteroid has crashed into this station as well (mapper 3's design) which has brought the aliens to the map. Now each mapper can do their own thing, as long as they conform to the same scale, and the same design where the separate pieces are supposed to fit together. To include more mappers we could say the space station is a collaboration between many different factions, and these factions have come together for some humanitarian or scientific reason or something along those lines

Now, I'm not saying this would be easy to do, or that it is doable at all, but it is an idea. Also, if a mapper fails to finish their piece of the project on time, another could easily take over, and the design can be changed as needed.



Thoughts?

That sounds actually pretty good. The thing is, when you have multiple mappers, someone might think it would be funny to put something in to screw it all up. I know this is easy to remove and post a new version, but still. I say that if you want to do this, just grab a couple of good friends to work with.

[nubcake]

teamwork, thats all.

Leader: We need a hall that is 512 units long and 128 units high 192 units wide, it will be in the centre of the map leading to the human base, therefore no windows and a simple design, whos up for it?

mapper: ok i will do it, should be ready in a few days.

Leader: ok cool, while you do that we need someone to add details to the garden room.

2nd mapper: ok ill do that, also have we agreed on how many levels the human base will have?

Leader: Ill make a poll now, lets all see whats best. etc etc

[ReapDaWrapper]

teamwork, thats all.

Leader: We need a hall that is 512 units long and 128 units high 192 units wide, it will be in the centre of the map leading to the human base, therefore no windows and a simple design, whos up for it?

mapper: ok i will do it, should be ready in a few days.

Leader: ok cool, while you do that we need someone to add details to the garden room.

2nd mapper: ok ill do that, also have we agreed on how many levels the human base will have?

Leader: Ill make a poll now, lets all see whats best. etc etc

Well.. How is someone going to add in things while another does to when they both have 2 different .map files, in which u cannot merge together. Therefore, only one person can do something at a time, upload to the web, and someone else can download to add onto, and upload again, for someone to download again, etc..

[A Spork]

You can copy paste brushes and stuff....

[mooseberry]

At best you will end up with 10 or so rooms that look like they were made by 10 different people. Or else you will have them look similar because the leader changed everything to his suiting, in which case what was the point. You should still go ahead and try it, but honestly you aren't going to get multiple unique people to have their rooms blend perfectly without a leader looking over their shoulder and yelling all the time.

[nubcake]

At best you will end up with 10 or so rooms that look like they were made by 10 different people. Or else you will have them look similar because the leader changed everything to his suiting, in which case what was the point. You should still go ahead and try it, but honestly you aren't going to get multiple unique people to have their rooms blend perfectly without a leader looking over their shoulder and yelling all the time.

hence why i said in my original post that peoples work will most likely be modified to suit the map

[your face]

in which case why have a bunch of different people working on it?

[nubcake]

in which case why have a bunch of different people working on it?

Because no map with multiple people working in it will ever fit together like a jigsaw... it is neccesary. More people working on it just allows more ideas...