Conquer Club

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.

That's a good, simple overview. Nice job ditocoaf.

Thanks. I remember my first time here was slightly confusing; I tried to put myself in the head of a curious person just wandering in here.

Well, that's really enough for start. Thank you very much!!!

Only one thing that I need at the moment:

When I have a question and I'm not sure where it belongs - is it the right place for it?

P.S. Now I understand the architecture of whole foundry. But how in the first place I managed to find this thread???
That is going to remain a mystery...

Ditocoaf, I like what you did I took a look at it and can probably integrate it nicly into the map makers hand book. I will need to discuss with the rest of the team, but for the time being I did a few changes and edits of my own to try and make it better fit the handbook, let me know what you think

Ditocoaf(Edit by gimil) wrote:
The foundry Process and Infrastructure
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 (or stamp lickers) as they meet certain criteria.

Map Ideas/Suggestions
The Map Ideas/Suggestions forum is a place to discuss possible maps, or to develop your own idea before posting a draft.

Drafting Room
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 plus the map meets another set of requirements, it receives the Draft Stamp.

Main Foundry
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.

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.

Foundry Discussion
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.It is pretty much a place for foundry banter that isn't a map in development.

Looks great to me! (Though I think it needs a space or two before that last sentence). It's cool to know my work might be used.

Ditocoaf wrote:Looks great to me! (Though I think it needs a space or two before that last sentence). It's cool to know my work might be used.

Feel free to quote and edit what I said as much as you like its your work after all

Guys, i would suggest adding a small reference to the xml thread where new ideas for xml can be added/reviewed.
I think this is important, because without this development we wouldn't have some of the great maps we have now.
Overall however, great work.

cairnswk wrote:Guys, i would suggest adding a small reference to the xml thread where new ideas for xml can be added/reviewed.
I think this is important, because without this development we wouldn't have some of the great maps we have now.
Overall however, great work.

Thanks!
In regards to XML, I think it might be better if people picked up some idea of how maps 'work' before they begin to suggest XML possibilities. The thread itself doesn't explain much, so if its one of the first places they visit, they'll just be confused.

Ditocoaf(Edit by gimil)(Re-edit by Ditocoaf) wrote:
Intro to Foundry Process and Infrastructure
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 (or "stamp lickers") as they meet certain criteria.

Map Ideas/Suggestions
The Map Ideas/Suggestions forum is a place to discuss possible maps, or to develop your own idea before posting a draft.

Drafting Room
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 plus the map meets another set of requirements, it receives the Draft Stamp.

Main Foundry
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.

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.

Foundry Discussion
Finally, there's the Foundry Discussion forum. You can read the Foundry Newsletter, discuss map theory, or exchange tips about the process. It is pretty much a place for any foundry banter that isn't a map in development.

Is anything to come of this? Just curious.

Ditocoaf wrote:Is anything to come of this? Just curious.

Ditocoaf, these haven't been forgotten about. I an currently working on something that will include what you have done here. Being that I am not as active as I would like to be it will take a little longer yet