Is Mapping Currently Worth It?

[Blacksheepboy]

The mapping scene is pretty chill and worn out. How many more unique maps can be made? The only thing I'm willing to do would be to refurbish old, somewhat established maps of mine. Otherwise, I think I'll be winding down. Out of the 30-40 some-odd maps I've made (haha compared to Wraithlike's map count mine sounds a tiny trumpet), only ~5 and normal and decent (not counting my spree of zombie maps).

So uh, you bunch think it is time to call it quits? in consideration of the dwindling community and such. Or are the maps I push out from time to time still interesting/fun...? D:
I'd be cool with doing what I've been doing, but is it really worth it

[Eagles_Arrows]

Even though people tell me my maps are fun/great, they never play them.
Mapping is just not worth my time anymore.  I don't want to make something that no one will ever touch.
I spend my time drawing cartoons and composing Cave Story-esque music now.

[Blacksheepboy]

I gotcha; you speak the truth. Volcan calls the indefinite end for me then.

Thanks to yee ^.^
Yours is an opinion I respect in this matter.

[Blue-ninja]

I'm considering calling it quits too. I rarely play soldat. Maps are slowly being churned out. People don't even touch the maps.

I haven't drawn a lot of stuff in quite a while, so I think it's time I shift my creativity elsewhere.

[L[0ne]R]

For some reason server owners just don't like to add new maps. Most servers stick with default set of maps, even if there are lots of other good ones out there.
And some people just furiously hate any maps that aren't default.
Perhaps that is why mapping scene eventually started to die off.

I like to make unusual maps, but those few attempts that I made failed epically gameplay-wise. :/

[As de Espada]

I'm almost stopping too. I guess I'll just end the maps I've started.
Let's pass the torch away.

[Suowarrior]

It clearly looks like inactive season. Looks like all mappers have lost last of their motivation at same time, including me. The passion in my own mapping died year ago.

Waiting for the better times... I'd still like to test new maps

[Biggles]

I bet most of you will make some map time to time though , but yeah why make something that wont be touched or used. Although I think that, if you really enyjoy making maps, make art maps instead and keep them for your own. But I don't think it's just the maps, I think it's soldat, your probably growing away from it or something.

[EnEsCe]

Feel free to present a new map format. I've been considering creating a new XML map format and integrating a form of scripting into maps, for triggers/movement etc. If anyone can design an XML map format layout with all current format features and any possible ideas, I emplore you to do so.

[zakath]

for ctf maps we have probably explored most of the possible ideas you can make. so what we need todo is to turn focus at different kind of maps. my best ideas for ctf maps comes from different subgame modes that I've been mapping for like ctf_Blade is a combination of ctf_Cobra and some skijumping. However I still see big potential in gamemodes like inf and htf.

Feel free to present a new map format. I've been considering creating a new XML map format and integrating a form of scripting into maps, for triggers/movement etc. If anyone can design an XML map format layout with all current format features and any possible ideas, I emplore you to do so.

while a new xml based map format would be great, adding just a couple of new polytypes would make a great deal of a difference to the current format.
like for example:
* "hurts" poly that doesn't collide with a player so that you could for example create water or gas that drains your life.
* proper "bounce" polys basically like those you have in quake for boosting instead of using lots of polys at the same place.
* also combinations of polys like for example a deadly only player collides poly or a icy deadly only colldes poly.
* only flag collide poly.

And I am sure we can come up with way more different polytypes then that.

[DarkCrusade]

Even though people tell me my maps are fun/great, they never play them.
Mapping is just not worth my time anymore.  I don't want to make something that no one will ever touch.
I spend my time drawing cartoons and composing Cave Story-esque music now.

This is what I do, too. I am not even working anymore on my project for a soldat server + full modification I thought of and planned through weeks. Currently I am working on a cardgame called Arcomage with a partner and it is much more fun than mapping.

[jrgp]

Feel free to present a new map format. I've been considering creating a new XML map format and integrating a form of scripting into maps, for triggers/movement etc. If anyone can design an XML map format layout with all current format features and any possible ideas, I emplore you to do so.

Here's an idea: always have the xml files gzip compressed, otherwise huge maps will have an absolutely huge filesize.

[demoniac93]

Feel free to present a new map format. I've been considering creating a new XML map format and integrating a form of scripting into maps, for triggers/movement etc. If anyone can design an XML map format layout with all current format features and any possible ideas, I emplore you to do so.

Here's an idea: always have the xml files gzip compressed, otherwise huge maps will have an absolutely huge filesize.

With all the types of poly's mentioned and probably still to be thought of, compressing won't lower it that much.
Any other ideas? (Yeah, the low budget connections will be suffering a lot cause fof this)

[jrgp]

Feel free to present a new map format. I've been considering creating a new XML map format and integrating a form of scripting into maps, for triggers/movement etc. If anyone can design an XML map format layout with all current format features and any possible ideas, I emplore you to do so.

Here's an idea: always have the xml files gzip compressed, otherwise huge maps will have an absolutely huge filesize.

With all the types of poly's mentioned and probably still to be thought of, compressing won't lower it that much.
Any other ideas? (Yeah, the low budget connections will be suffering a lot cause fof this)

If you were familiar with the xml file format (how it's plain text), you'd realize the difference would be anything but negligible.

[zakath]

Feel free to present a new map format. I've been considering creating a new XML map format and integrating a form of scripting into maps, for triggers/movement etc. If anyone can design an XML map format layout with all current format features and any possible ideas, I emplore you to do so.

Here's an idea: always have the xml files gzip compressed, otherwise huge maps will have an absolutely huge filesize.

With all the types of poly's mentioned and probably still to be thought of, compressing won't lower it that much.
Any other ideas? (Yeah, the low budget connections will be suffering a lot cause fof this)

compressing text essentially what xml is you get something like 10 % of the size.

[jrgp]

Yeah, and also support embedded scenery and textures via base64, so having external files for a texture/scenery that's only used by one map isn't necessary anymore.

[Blacksheepboy]

xml files? Google here I come...

edit:

Sorry if this thread makes people feel obligatory towards anything mapping related... I generally hate topics titled this way . I just kinda slipped

There, uh, amended the title.

[L[0ne]R]

Take a look at this thread for map format suggestions. Perhaps you'll find something useful:
http://forums.soldat.pl/index.php?topic=35345.0

As for XML part.. I can't program, so sadly I can't suggest much on this one. :/

Sorry if this thread makes people feel obligatory towards anything mapping related... I generally hate topics titled this way . I just kinda slipped

Uh.. don't find anything wrong with your thread..

[scarface09]

If all the mappers go...what's gonna happen to Soldat playing with the same maps forever!

[homerofgods]

Make some movies instead, we still need an official soldat trailer.