88 replies to this topic

[Xavier]

Is anyone else out there frustrated with the lack of maps that are in the game rotation?

I remember in mechwarrior 4 we had hundreds of maps which kept all the maps feeling fresh.

I know I am not the only one here that wishes PGI would let us "The Community" develop maps for them to review and include in the game cycle. I would like to outline why I think PGI should open up map creation to the community.

1) PGI makes no money from maps therefore they have little incentive to keep creating new ones
2) PGI has limited resources and everytime they work on a map it draw time away from developers who could be working on mech design/content
3) The community has far more man power than PGI even if the community were to only have a 5% success rate at designing maps the volume of maps would ensure that many new maps would be available for additions
4) some of the best maps I ever played on mechwarrior 4 were community developed maps.
5) Since PGI could focus more on content that makes them more money they would in turn be able to add content to the game faster that they cna profit from.
6) It would give PGI the ability to add alot of new content to help keep the game feeling new.
7) it allows the community to feel like they are actually contributing to the game (crowd-sourcing is the new thing in case you haven't heard)

So in recap allowing the community to develop maps would MAKE PGI MORE MONEY, GIVE THE COMMUNITY MORE CONTENT, LETS THE COMMUNITY FEEL LIKE THEY ARE A CONTRIBUTING PART OF THE GAME, and KEEPS THE GAME FEELING NEW AND FRESH BY INCREASING GAME CONTENT RELEASE.

So someone please tell me why there is any negative in what I have stated above

[Nicholas Carlyle]

Niko and Bryan have already said no multiple times. They do not feel like we can create a solid product without going through 50 types of testing.

Not to mention if it did work, they wasted the 250k per map they've been spending up till now.

[Xavier]

I just feel that a trial run would be worth it give the community a chance to show what they can do, I know we have some great developers in our mix and I think the benefit would far outweigh the risk!

[Heiggwinie Halberstadt]

[color=#333333]
Willy Wonka: But Charlie, don't forget what happened to the man who suddenly got everything he always wanted.[/color]
[color=#333333]
Charlie Bucket: What happened?[/color]
[color=#333333]
Willy Wonka: He lived happily ever after.[/color]

[9erRed]

Greetings all,

Again, as has been addressed many times before.

Allowing the players/members to develop game maps requires releasing all their assets freely. Everything that could be placed into a map, everything within there library, and once it's 'out there' it's no longer there's.

This would also require many legal elements that need to be 'signed over' to PGI, $ and lawyers. There initial answer was and is ...NO. Not at this time in the development.

They (PGI) have stated that when all the other content is done, they would look at creating a map editor. But only after they have the game to a state they are happy with.
- That's CW completed.
- That's all the Clan 'stuff' done.
- That's all the UI updates.

That's quite a while from now.

9erRed

[RussianWolf]

you want to make a map? so get a map editor program fro Crisis3 (I'm sure there are some floating around) and have at it. You don't need any of their assets to make a map, start from scratch. once you have it done. send it to them. You never know, they might like it.



Says the guy with no real knowledge on this subject...... but I did stay at a Holiday Inn Express last night (well the Topaz Hotel, but same difference)

[Xavier]

9erRed, on 28 May 2014 - 07:49 AM, said:

Greetings all,

Again, as has been addressed many times before.

Allowing the players/members to develop game maps requires releasing all their assets freely. Everything that could be placed into a map, everything within there library, and once it's 'out there' it's no longer there's.

This would also require many legal elements that need to be 'signed over' to PGI, $ and lawyers. There initial answer was and is ...NO. Not at this time in the development.

They (PGI) have stated that when all the other content is done, they would look at creating a map editor. But only after they have the game to a state they are happy with.
- That's CW completed.
- That's all the Clan 'stuff' done.
- That's all the UI updates.

That's quite a while from now.

9erRed

I would like to disagree with you they do not have to release the content to us, the maps are locally installed on your machine anyways, thats how you are able to run training grounds, also one of my clan members was acutally able to find and load one of the PGI map files into a cry-engine editor, so they in a sense have already distributed that content. We are talking about maps that can be created in a cry-engine editor of which there are already numerous ones out there.

Your arugment has not weight, maps are the perfect content to be developed outside of the standard game engine, because the engine being used was designed this way when it was developed.



FYI

[-Halcyon-]

So no we can't make maps, but no we won't get any more new ones?
Great strategy.

[Imperius]

I don't see how you can spend 250k on a map... And it contains as many invisible walls and glitches as they the one we have.

[CeeKay Boques]

OH GREAT WE CAN USE PRIVATE MAPS IN PRIVATE MATCHES!!!

Nobody said.

[Archon]

This has already been discussed at great length, but I really feel like MWO is shooting itself in the foot without the lifeblood player created content brings. Years of PC gaming will tell anyone that allowing players to create content for your game is the key to keeping it alive. It's why people STILL play Counterstrike. Check out the thread in my signature for my plea to PGI on this.

Edited by Archon, 28 May 2014 - 08:13 AM.

[CeeKay Boques]

Archon, on 28 May 2014 - 08:13 AM, said:

This has already been discussed at great length, but I really feel like MWO is shooting itself in the foot without the lifeblood player created content brings. Years of PC gaming will tell anyone that allowing players to create content for your game is the key to keeping it alive. It's why people STILL play Counterstrike. Check out the thread in my signature for my plea to PGI on this.

They really need to decide:

A: Keep all the game in house. Make it all, CW, Mechs, Maps, All content. Take Forever.

B: Make a sweet ass simulator. Let the Community make the Content. Live Forever.

[Vandul]

To quote General Berringer: "I'd piss on a spark plug if I thought it'd do any good!"

[zhajin]

community generated content is the way of the future for online game, and many developers are coming to that realization. PGI/IGP are not one of them, and probably never will be. heck even SOE is pushing hard on community content and they have a hundred times the resources of PGI.

that being said given ui2.0 and PGI's own difficulty in dealing with its own code, do you really want to use any map developer they would be able to release?

Edited by zhajin, 28 May 2014 - 08:30 AM.

[Xavier]

zhajin, on 28 May 2014 - 08:29 AM, said:

community generated content is the way of the future for online game, and many developers are coming to that realization. PGI/IGP are not one of them, and probably never will be. heck even SOE is pushing hard on community content and they have a hundred times the resources of PGI.

that being said given ui2.0 and PGI's own difficulty in dealing with its own code, do you really want to use any map developer they would be able to release?

we wouldn't have to use a map editor they release cry-engine editor is free for download you can go create your own map right now PGI would merely have to go through a review cycle, which they have to to already with maps that they design themselves.

I really think this would be a way we could as a community help the game. I know there were many awesome map designers in mechwarrior 4 and I know for a fact many of them are playing MWO today.

PGI let us help you help yourself community sourced content will aid your efforts. I will even sign content release forms if you need releasing my content to you for distribution. I am not sure if the legal aspect is something that is stopping you or not.

[9erRed]

Greetings all,

Just a note on 'cracking open the game code to extract files'

Probably not a good thing to do, or discuss, as this would break the agreement we all digitally accepted.

- But on the topic of working with the current CryEngine to design maps.

Keep in mind that the game engine that PGI originally purchased or licenced is nothing like the engine they have now. Even the CryTek engineers would have a difficult time working within what's currently driving this game. It may look similar but as Karl has stated before it's a new animal now.
There may be some issues designing a map with cryengine3 as it may no longer operate correctly if directly ported into the game engine. And probably one of the concerns that PGI has, as they would need to build a new terrain/map editor specifically for this version of the engine.

The old reference discussion on 'Penny Arcade' about how PGI designs a map, the steps they go through, the number of different talent that all need input into building and designing something that works for what they want it to do. We currently see a map about every 4 to 5 months, but just for reference, some of the best maps 'from that other game' MW:LL took nearly a year to 'get right' and release.

I would indeed love to see PGI spend the time to design, build, and offer some form of map designer. But not until they have completed the required work on CW, UI2.X, Front warfare, Role warfare, Factions and any other Clan elements that will be introduced.

As a note here, there may be some legal issues with Microsoft issuing the licence to PGI to develop this title. And it may not allow any other party to work on or generate any content for it. So, it actually could be out of PGI's hands a this time. Just saying.

9erRed

Edited by 9erRed, 28 May 2014 - 11:06 AM.

[Xavier]

I think if there was a legal issue some sort of waiver disclosing distribution rights of any content submitted to PGI for PGI's distribution purposes would more than satisfy an legal requirement. Yes I agree the game engine may have changed but I doubt they have spent much time changing how the engine interacts with maps. I almost guarantee that I could develop a map in the exiting free cry-engine development tools and they could drop it right into the game with minimal tweaks.

either way they could use a significant pool of community available resources to help improve the content in their game.

I don't see a loss in this scenario.

[Vandul]

Sad part is, we do not need to reinvent the wheel. There are some great map designs that could be adapted. Two Worlds, Omaha Beach, Alterac Valley, etc...

And there are a lot of hobbyists who have developed a BUNCH of good maps. Granted, there are plenty more horrible maps, but there are some really talented people out there that would love to contribute.

As far as testing? Im sure there would be plenty of people who would contribute their time to testing as well.

[Xavier]

The testing in my opinion though is somethign that needs revisting as well anyways. Has anyone seen the hit boxes on the crystals in tourmaline desert or the round columns on the top of HPG manifold?

I think the community could do as good if not a better job of design/testing while at the same time freeing up PGI's resources to work on more important aspects of this game.

[Spr1ggan]

The maps PGI have made are pretty damn bad. Most of them have one side that is blatantly more advantageous than the other. Most of them regardless of size revolve around one feature in the centre of the map. Look at Therma. You could reduce the size of the map by up to 70% and it would still play out the same way. And what about all the geometry mechs get stuck on? Or the invisible walls/barriers?

I'm pretty damn sure the community could make far better maps than PGI have shovelled out. All they have to do is hold a map making contest. That way any lame maps can be filtered out via a voting process.