Zemljanin wrote:Am I actually posting in FOUNDRY, first time in my life? Well, my sincere greetings, good folks!
And after the first greetings - something I want to tell you for long time:
Somebody should write a really good (hiking ) guide
(I entered your sub-forum few times and every time ran away - since I felt very dizzy...)
Though I'm not one of the most common foundry regulars, I have posted here more frequently in the past, and I know my way around. As opposed to someone who knows the foundry so well that many unique concepts are taken for granted, I thought I would take a shot at writing a quick newbie guide, to summarize the actual in-depth instructions and introduce the foundry to first-time visitors. Please tell me if I've made any dumb errors, or phrased anything in a misleading way that could lead to bad assumptions.
Intro
Hi, and welcome to the foundry! We hope you keep returning, as public input is what keeps the foundry running. Each map exists in its own development thread, where mapmakers receive input from the rest of the community, helping them balance the gameplay and improve the graphics. The maps progress from one forum to the next, receiving "stamps" from the foundry mods as they meet certain criteria.
What's What
The Map Ideas/Suggestions forum is a place to discuss possible maps, or to develop your own idea before posting a draft.
Every map starts in the Drafting Room. This is where a mapmaker posts the first visual implementation of a map, and gameplay is developed into something playable. Many drafts never reach the next stage, but when a map seems as if it's going somewhere, and meets certain requirements, it will be stickied. Once a map advances beyond a rough draft and graphics work has begun, and the map meets another set of requirements, it receives the Draft Stamp.
When a map receives the Draft Stamp, its thread is moved out of the Drafting Room into the main Map Foundry. Here, gameplay and graphics complete most of their development. Mapmakers continue to respond to public feedback, and eventually they receive the Gameplay Stamp and the Graphics Stamp. Once both these stamps have been received, and most problems have been resolved, a map will receive the Final Forge Stamp, and be moved to the Final Forge.
In the Final Forge, the map is completely polished. This is the place for final nitpicks and minor changes, to ensure maps of the finest quality. Also, this is where the mapmakers must provide the XML code to accompany the map's picture. This is what makes the map work when it is finally implemented into the site! When the XML is provided, and if it is free of problems, it will receive the XML Stamp. Once the map has this stamp, and all the nitpicking has come to an end, the map is finally finished. It will soon be Quenched, meaning that it is ready to be uploaded to the site.
Finally, there's the Foundry Discussion forum. This is where mapmakers and foundry visitors can discuss anything to do with the foundry. You can read the Foundry Newsletter, discuss map theory, or exchange tips about the process.