Map thread - anything goes as long as it is maps ;)

[koontz1973]

i outsource the xml writing

You lazy sod.

I'm branching off on something different here but you said anything goes as long as it's got to do with maps right ?

The biggest problem that I see with the foundry is the lack of updates to improve it. But It's also something that we can't do much about! We can state our opionons and give suggestions on what we would like to have but that's about it. We're not going to get anything by striking or going on and on about what we'd like to have.

Updates will come at some point. But right now, I think everyone just feels no love which is why everyone is bitching about it.

The second biggest problem the way I see it is that there are too few people in the foundry. There's a group of about 20 people who stand for about 99% of all posts here. This is not good for creativity. But unlike the lack of updates from lack, this isn't something we can't do anything about! I think we need to be more selling! Instead of just making a map and dealing with the feedback we get in that thread we could try to bring people to our map threads. How about PM'ing random players on the scoreboard that you're making a map and would like their feedback on it?

Tried this. I have a good few friends on my list that I carry from my tournies. I sent a PM out to all of them. Only about 5 came over. Most of the players now do not care, this may be down to the fact we have new maps every month.

I'm sure this would bring in a lot of people who's never been in the foundry before. Maybe their advice wouldn't be the best but some would probably stay and later learn how to give good feedback. Who knows some might even take up map making. If we all did this I think we could make a difference!
It's no different from tournament organizing really. You want players to join your tournaments, and you want players to comment on your maps.

Mass PMs for a tourney and maps is very different. One provides a service that players want and the other provides a means for that service. I started my next tournies this morning and both are nearly full now. At no time have I ever had 16 players come into a map thread in one day.

[natty dread]

How about PM'ing random players on the scoreboard that you're making a map and would like their feedback on it?

Then you'll get random people showing up in your map thread saying things like "great map, when can I play this" or "this map sucks!"

[degaston]

The second biggest problem the way I see it is that there are too few people in the foundry.

Apparently, some people think that that's the way it should be. For the others, does anyone else think that another benefit to pre-beta testing would be more involvement from the rest of the population? Most people come here to play games, not chat about color contrasts and pixelation. More people playing foundry maps would mean more people commenting on foundry maps. It's not that hard to ignore pointless comments, is it?

[Gillipig]

I'm branching off on something different here but you said anything goes as long as it's got to do with maps right ?

The biggest problem that I see with the foundry is the lack of updates to improve it. But It's also something that we can't do much about! We can state our opionons and give suggestions on what we would like to have but that's about it. We're not going to get anything by striking or going on and on about what we'd like to have.

Updates will come at some point. But right now, I think everyone just feels no love which is why everyone is bitching about it.

The second biggest problem the way I see it is that there are too few people in the foundry. There's a group of about 20 people who stand for about 99% of all posts here. This is not good for creativity. But unlike the lack of updates from lack, this isn't something we can't do anything about! I think we need to be more selling! Instead of just making a map and dealing with the feedback we get in that thread we could try to bring people to our map threads. How about PM'ing random players on the scoreboard that you're making a map and would like their feedback on it?

Tried this. I have a good few friends on my list that I carry from my tournies. I sent a PM out to all of them. Only about 5 came over. Most of the players now do not care, this may be down to the fact we have new maps every month.

I think you make a big misstake when you assume that people just don't care about the foundry, and that's why there are so few people here!
First of all that sends out the wrong message. It's not like more people will want to come here if those who are here say that the foundry is crap and that's why we're so few here.
Secondly the foundry is very hard to contribute to! Most people that come here don't know what to say and have no experience of image manipulation programs. They'll probably just say that they like or dislike the map. Then go away feeling like they can't contribute because they don't know anything of image manipulation. I know sully has a map commenting usergroup but that hasn't succeeded in teaching most people how to contribute. I think a lot more people would be interested in the foundry if they thought they could improve it. But they just see themselves as incapable of giving good advice so why bother.
Thirdly I don't think this PM'ing method has been tested enough to say it doesn't work! I'm going to have a go at it when I make my next update. (which is long overdue btw )

How about PM'ing random players on the scoreboard that you're making a map and would like their feedback on it?

Then you'll get random people showing up in your map thread saying things like "great map, when can I play this" or "this map sucks!"

Yeah well that doesn't exactly hurt my map either. It's not like they're going to comment if I don't send them a PM so a useless comment is not worse than no comment. And then there's the long time effect. You might make someone intersted in the foundry who previously wasn't. And he might learn how to comment and even make maps in the future.

[koontz1973]

Gillipig, you done your mass PM yet? Let us know when you have so we can all view the results of it.

I think you make a big misstake when you assume that people just don't care about the foundry, and that's why there are so few people here!

I am sure some care, some would care and have not found it yet. But one of the problems now is over saturation and confusion. Which map of many do you comment on but unless you have come to the foundry a couple of times and read some of the posts at the top of each forum, you may not know where to post.