Support new map pack?

[old.TseTse]

OK,

I'm not sure if this is the right place to engage this conversation, as I do not know who actually runs the barry servers for tribes2.

Let me cut to the chase. This game needs to grow.

We're organizing a new map pack. This will be focused on the best client side maps around, for Tribes2. I will be working with a small team of skilled mappers to put this together, including probably 20-30 excellent maps from 2001 and some from 2002.

Our objective is to basically try to stir up Tribes2 a little, by pushing the "pubs" further into supporting new, good, custom maps. We particularly want to emphasize client side maps and thought that a select "map pack" might be effective.

We've noticed that a large portion of the server admin and map-packs are oriented towards ladder/competitive play. While we are happy to see a healthy ladder community, the wider tribes2 community (as is all online gaming) revolves around fun, diverse "pubs."

So, before we go very far into setting up the web pages, the downloads, and the reviews of maps (we already have a working list of top maps- see below)... we wanted...

SERVERS. Yes, we are hoping to get a small group of servers to support this pack up front.

Our goal is to release the pack with a great deal of hype, and to be able to point to these servers.

Anyways, we hope to integrate with t2maps.com, as much as possible. We don't want to make a "second" map site, but to support mapping and the game's growth.

I'll try to remember to come back to this forum to see if folks respond, but if you are interested then email me at

_joseki_san@yahoo.com

Peace

 

[Mongrol]

Originally posted by TseTse
OK,
including probably 20-30 excellent maps from 2001 and some from 2002.

Um... are these maps being kept hidden? I can think of maybe 1 or 2 "excellent" 3rd party maps created so far. Everthing else is junk.

Good luck though. Really do hope you can produce something special.

 

[old.TseTse]

junk?? well, that's not a good way to start off a discussion with a mapper.

lol

there are most certainly more than 2 out of the 800+ maps out there worthy of peoples' consideration and enjoyment.

(imho)

frankly, one of the reasons we are talkign about this pack is to sqaush knee-jerk slamming of custom mappers.

it's really friggin annoying and explains why the best modelers and mappers turn their backs on the t2 community so quickly.

in other words, people slam custom maps, talk like they played them all... and not even us mappers and map addicts have played them all...

SO, a few of us thought we'd put a pack together, clean up a couple more, and make an excellent map pack.

folks can say what they want and be narrow minded, but i suspect most players will be very happy if they give the notion a chance.

this is the only major FPS game community where most players actually slam the custom development world. i mean, folks could at least TRY to act supportive. ;-p

Try these maps, if you think i'm crazy.

we expect to provide maps in several categories of gamestyle... from uber-simple to more challenging. These are ALL on t2maps.com, of course, and just a sample of maps we are thinking about being in the pack. Of course, there are also the CLASSIC maps by Nefilim and more on the way...

Alluvium
Boss
Canyon Run CTF
Drifts
Hellfire
Pandemonium
Plaza de diablos
Stardust
Zen
Ziggurat

We hope to get the authors to tweak some maps, as some amazing maps have just 1-2 bugs. If you can honestly PLAY even that short list and say that custom mapping isn't worth support... fine.

In the end, i think it's also absurd to only support maps which everybody on earth thinks is A++. Frankly, we can debate the quality of many of the base maps... but I still like & respect them all.

The question is whether or not people are willing to try new maps, support new maps... or if they want to play the same 3 maps over and over while folks get bored and move onto new games...

 

[Jasio]

hi TseTse! happy to see you on Planettribes Forums and Barrysworld Forums =) Cant wait to upload your maps to my site, and my server is running your maps and they are good (Mantis)

Cya around!

 

[old.AntiPop]

TseTse, I'll assume you don't know the Euro/UK scene very well (the area Barrysworld covers in Tribes 2).

Barrys already supply two servers running custom maps, the same maps are also available on the bookable barrys servers. These contain what are already considered to be the best custom maps (Classic map pack and euro map pack I think). Very few people ever play those servers as they prefer to play on servers with the standard maps.

The fact is custom maps do not get played that often. You're also suggesting to do something that duplicates work that has already been done, which seems pretty pointless to me.

No offence but I think you're wasting your time with this one, even more so by posting it here.

 

[Scouse]

Aye - hardly anyone plays custom maps - and it's to the detriment of the game's fun and life unfortunately

 

[Mongrol]

I`ll bite on this one and say that yes, my attitude kinda sucks towards mappers, and yes, I haven`t played that many custom maps. My attitude is a typical one though and I think this has been developed in people by the monkey admins of servers that play absolutely anal custom maps (anything with _infinity in it is a good example of this). People jump on, play the map for a bit, realise it`s complete and utter amatuer bullshit then leave for a standard map server. IMO T2maps.com should exercise better control over the maps they store and issue. It`s full of drivel, admins get them, put them on, people get fed up and so mappers get a bad name.

Tsetse has my full encouragement for this project. Something badly needs to be done in this area.

 

[old.Stabs]

Client side map server wont work and never will be popular until T2 implements some kind of auto download feature so the newbies can make the servers look popular. several servers have tried custom client map packs for pubbys in europe, all have failed as much as id like to see them work they wont.

Server side map pack on the other hand, do occationally work, but only if you mix them with a few base maps, i.e. the idea being you trap people in on the base maps and then when custom map comes up they will play it.

The only other way your going to get new maps is if some official body releases map packs either on their own or as part of a patch ala Counter strike. Unfortunately atm T2 has no such organisation.

The only other suggestion i can make is if you contact some mod mkaers that are making a server side mod and ask them to include your mappack in their mod.

Sorry though, bottom line is, no matter how good the client side maps are, they wont take off on pubby servers as newbies dont download maps and there arent enough serious gamers around to populate a client side server.

 

[old.Sogo]

Auto-Downloading T2 maps

Following on from Stabs re: auto downloading being unavailable, this system IS available and ready for download. Here is a snip taken from TribalWar (for those that don't read it).

After a successful and relatively bug-free beta test, I'm finally releasing the Tribes2Maps.com AutoDownload system. This is a Tribes 2 script with an accompanying Visual Basic application that allows you to automatically download maps from Tribes2Maps.com from within the game, without having to restart Tribes 2, or ever leave the game.

The VB program runs in the background and takes care of "installing" the maps that are downloaded from Tribes2Maps.com by the T2 script. It also launches T2 for you, either directly or via the Sierra Auto Update utility.

It can also launch T2 via Panama Jack's TimeHUD.exe. This all happens with very little modifications to any core T2 code, and it includes a box to enter optional command line parameters, so it should be compatible with any mod.

PJ (not Panama Jack) has prepared an installer program that installs the VB application as well as the required T2 script files. Download the installer here:

http://www.tribes2maps.com/autodownload/

Note: This program is neither endorsed or supported by Sierra or any of it's partner or parent companies. This was developed by me as a personal project.

It might just be the ticket to overcome the the lack of T2's integrated auto-map downloading.

 

[old.Stabs]

It wont make a difference unless it gets included in a patch. Newbies wont know to get it and you need newbies to make pubbies popular.

 

[old.TseTse]

well, i am clearly not welcomed here and don't care to read the rest of the posts.

cya, go download autodownloading...

if i saw custom maps running and people playing on them, i wouldnt' have posted or outreached...

but i'll take my lame mapping butt elsewhere and see if i can find some real support.

you can find my email if you need to talk.

peace

 

[old.TseTse]

ps. there was a reason i posted this, as i did, when i did...

i'm amazed that some mappers can make such an outreach and get this treatment.

you can be sure i'll pass on the sentiments to our group. =)

"barrysworld is really not interested in participating and would rather flame mappers"

 

[Mongrol]

*handbag*

 

[Mongrol]

No wait, I can`t let such childish get away with a similar childish retorts.

Tsetse, you need to sort yourself out. This thread has been objective from the outset. I explained why I have the attitude I have quite plainly, and Stabs has clearly and objectively explained why custom maps, in general, aren`t an accepted norm. He has also explained why efforts like autodownload, while being a good idea, won`t make a difference. If you can`t accept objective comment then your going to be one very disappointed mapper and your project is in peril before you even start. I suggest you stop throwing your toys about and look at things from other peoples points of view to see why they have the opinion they do.

 

[Jasio]

hey i opened up some forums for my tribe... but they are also over all Tribes 2 based with mapping sections and all.... i could use some members to start it off.

Visit forums at: SD Forums and General T2 Forums

now usin phpBB 2.0!!! the best boards around!

 

[old.AntiPop]

Tsetse, none of the above posts have been attacks on mappers, I don't know where you got that idea from. All we have been saying is what you are planning to do will not be that popular or used - that is a fact. None of us here hate mappers, in fact we all know a very good mapper who we encourgae to produce more maps (PeachSkin).

As Stabs said, the only good servers with custom maps are those that have server side maps mixed in with Base maps in the rotation. The best example of this is FRG's server which is often full for Kata and then continues to stay full for something like MuddySwamp (now there is a good map!).

Fact is if you're going to produce a client side map pack you may as well spend time teaching your donkey to speak french (or something like that, it would be far more use! uke: :sleeping:

 

[old.Stabs]

Indeed, i made no personal remarks againstr mappers in any way or form. The implication that i have a bad attitude toward mappers isnt the least bit true.

I have been extremely encouraging to peachskin about his maps and even put his map forward for suggestions for maps in zodds map pack. Peachskins map is now one of the most praised maps on the TWL forums at the moment.

In fact our team even tried imlpementing just a few of the best client custom maps into our Yautja server. The server went from one of the most popular in europe to 100% empty, we kept it like this for nearly a month and nothing happened it didnt pick up and remained empty.

In the european ladder i argue that map choices should be randomised so we get to play more of the custom maps instead of teams feeling obliged to choose one of the 4 main base maps.

It wasnt as if i was being purely negative either, i suggested that if you manage a server side map pack then that would be popular. I know its not the same from a mappers POV but its the only viable way to get a populated custom map server imho.

I love custom maps. but im not blind, i can see basics flaws in implementing them and there are major historicle precidences with client side custom map servers never being succesful. Unless the auto download thing becomes part of an official patch you will never see a client side public server that is populated on any regular basis. I'd be happy for you to prove me wrong, but due to the reasons ive mentioned above i severely doubt you will be succesful.

 

[old.TseTse]

lol

forget it. i can take my work with akira, v5planet, and all the folks at bytor's website... and again, tell them this network doesnt care to work with mappers... except for peachskin and other "europeans." lol, that's so funny.

again, sorry to have assumed there was interest in this idea of a new map pack of THE BEST client side maps around.... including some new ones.

i figured the release of autodownloading would stimulate some awareness of new opportunities.

honestly, look at the comments here. "I can think of maybe 1 or 2 "excellent" 3rd party maps created so far. "

that's not objective, factual, and is just plane obnoxious.

again, goodbye. i thought i'd check again one last time, to see if y'all woke up. i see it's the same negative attitude as before.

oh well.

peace

 

[-Ultimate]

You obviously aren't seeing whats really written here, not one of these guys has been abusive to you, and they have actually wished you luck in your venture.

FACT: The barrysworld servers with client maps on are always empty

FACT: Jolt, who are hosting numerous mods now(sorry for the reference on barrysworld forum), have had to take all clientside maps off their base++ server beacuse no-one was playing it with clientside maps on. Now with serverside maps on this server is very popular.

Those are the plain facts, the simple truth. The autodownloader from Tribes2scripts.com is indeed excellent, but until something like that is put in a proper patch clientside maps will remain to be unplayed on servers. This is not me having a go at any mappers, or your venture for a clientside mappack. I wish you every bit of luck in what your doing.

You talk about people being obnoxious, but the sheer way your completely dismissing everyone on this forum because their opinion is different suggests that theres only one person being obnoxious around here.

I wasn't going to post on here, because basically the points i've made have been covered, its just you don't seem to be seeing the points only that peoples opinions differ from yours.

 

[Mongrol]

I say we forget it. The guys just a wanker.

 

[Scouse]

Nice one mongy We may as well be hung for sheep as lambs eh?

 

[old.AntiPop]

Originally posted by Mongrol
I say we forget it. The guys just a wanker.

Now we're being obnoxious, but quite frankly you deserve it!

I also find it ammusing that you think badmouthing the forums that don't share your views exactly will be a good idea. I can bet about 90% of none mapper based forums will reply just as we did to your plans, so I hope you have a lot of time to badmouth all of them as well.

You came to us for objective point of view, we gave it, if it's not what you wanted to hear and you can't be objective in your response then you're not worth out time.

 

[old.TseTse]

Re: Re: Support new map pack?

Originally posted by Mongrol


Um... are these maps being kept hidden? I can think of maybe 1 or 2 "excellent" 3rd party maps created so far. Everthing else is junk.

... whatever. I'm sure I dont know everything about the servers affiliated here, but frankly... i came in here to make conenctions and that was the first post. I also doubt everybody here thinks that way.

But apparently folks still are trying to suggest I am the one not
being objective, reasonable, open or nice.

I'm skimming this and moving ahead with major mapping project.

Again, with autodownloading out and lots of excellent mappers involved... who knows.

lol

This thread is funny. Thanks/kudos to those at least trying to be nice to a stranger... to those just flaming and playing self-righteous with somebody you don't know... peace

 

[old.TseTse]

by the way, where was i badmouthing anybody specific?

:sleeping:

 

[old.TseTse]

Originally posted by AntiPop

Fact is if you're going to produce a client side map pack you may as well spend time teaching your donkey to speak french (or something like that, it would be far more use! uke: :sleeping:

Gee, and my "badmouthing" conclusions about lack of interest are rooted in some figment of my imagination?

lol

Yeah... rilke, v5planet, nefilim, powdahound, tsetse, sparky, none of our maps ever run on servers... yikes, not even the Unamed or z0dd-X packs get support! Facts?

Even with autodownloading out, thanks to Bytor, let's laugh off the idea of supporting peachskin and mappers designing CS maps.

Let's stay real negative and slam skilled mappers who reach out for help and constructive feedback.

What a BRILLIANT idea!!



Can i speak to an adult in charge of the servers and actually intrested in talking about real possibilies? lol

 

[Mongrol]

Remember;

http://www.attrition.org/gallery/other/tn/arguing.jpg.html

 

[mr.Blacky]

ok people i dont play t2 that often anymore (at the mom). My opinion is that new maps have a very very hard time getting on a server, even the good ones. why well caus a lot off people (not just newbies) dont download maps (just wait till you have to reinstall all the maps when your pc crashes argh )
Also no mapper is the same as the other, their are a lot off rip offs of good maps. And among the many crap maps there are a few gems but people cant find the gems between the junk

but come on lets be able to diss each other a bit whats wrong with a bit off friendly competion though be wise and old enough to accept it as well as dissing it out

 

[Scouse]

quote:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Originally posted by Mongrol


Um... are these maps being kept hidden? I can think of maybe 1 or 2 "excellent" 3rd party maps created so far. Everthing else is junk.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Nice selective posting there TseTse you wanker. You slag him off, quoting him out of context without bothering to quote exactly what he said RIGHT AFTER:

Good luck though. Really do hope you can produce something special

TseTse - the troll of the mapping world. Up his own ass and blind to what have been very supportive and honest posts (up until he threw his dummy out).

Fuck him!

 

[old.AntiPop]

Originally posted by TseTse
Can i speak to an adult in charge of the servers and actually intrested in talking about real possibilies? lol

Our good friends Wils would be the man to speak to, he was the one who planned the last server set up for Tribes 2 BarrysWorld (from what I recall).

He set up two with custom maps, neither server gets used any more. When the next change comes around I'd imagine he's more likely to go the route Shaz has done for Jolt and make those customer servers into mod servers (ninjaMOD, Arena, Base++).

As suggested above you'd be best to do maps as server side for the MODs, that way they might get played more.

 

[Jasio]

Dont mind them TseTse, there Eurpoeans.