Customizable Random Maps Option

[jmyork82]

Concise Description:
This will allow players creating a game to modify what maps will be chosen at random.

Specific Details:
This is an idea to resolve a previous dicussion: viewtopic.php?f=4&t=122078&p=2739305#p2739305

Customizable Random Maps will allow players creating a game how they would like the random map option to work FOR THEIR PREFERENCES. When a player selects random maps, the list of maps will be present with check marks beside them and said player can pick and choose which maps they would like to incorperate in their random map "pool". This will not eliminate any maps permenantly from random maps and will allow the player to have more control and freedom over how said player benifits from their choice.

How this benefits the site:
This ultimately puts more contol into CC patrons accross the board.
-For players who don't like using random map because they dont want to fall into a map that they are unfamiliar with, this allows them to exclude certain maps for whatever reason. Too big, too small, too complicated...it doesnt matter!
-For all the players who like random map because it is a symbol of skill and accomplishment or like the pure thrill of taking on whatever challenge is sent their way, that thrill will remain available.
-It will open up more options to the creative minds behind tournement games. Here is an example, pick five maps (doesnt matter how or what), 8 players play on a random map. Winner gets credit for the map. Next map is randomly the same map, another player could get credit for the map or the player that already won could win again to keep somebody else from catching up. First player to get a win on all five maps, wins the tourney. Hopefully you get the point.
-It will keep people from having to go offsite to random.org to acomplish a task that could conveniently be accomidated on-site. Not everybody knows about random.org, its not like it has an easy link at the top of your screen (new suggestion opportunity)
-Random maps will become more user friendly and less intimidating for people who dont want to jump into the abyss of map hell Lets say somebody new to the site wants to adventure into a new map but some of them just look too complicated, customize! Or These few look good but Im not sure which one I want cause Im a freemium, surprise me

Comments:
I tried to be specific and will address any questions or concerns in the forum.

[MichelSableheart]

To what extend do you believe that this will lead to an increase in unfilled random games because the specific map choices aren't exactly what someone who would otherwise join wants?

And how do you envision this interacting with the suggestions for random maps in the submitted suggestions forum?

[drunkmonkey]

This looks exactly like the suggestion you linked to. What am I missing?

[jmyork82]

To what extend do you believe that this will lead to an increase in unfilled random games because the specific map choices aren't exactly what someone who would otherwise join wants?

And how do you envision this interacting with the suggestions for random maps in the submitted suggestions forum?

Good question! As you may know, this is an idea that would still need to be molded to make it functional and user friendly for everybody on the site. Addressing your concern about how people would know what maps were chosen in the "random game" before they joined, a drop down box (similar to the show/hide link for invites) where you could show/hide what games were being chosen for a random pick. Another idea would be to just add a completely different map choice that was "customizable" leaving the original random map as is. That way you can tell who is REALLY rnadom or partially random.

[jmyork82]

This looks exactly like the suggestion you linked to. What am I missing?

A valid question that I was anticipating drunkenmonkey. I created a separate thread from the original because I felt like Lindax had an incomplete idea that could work and just needed to be built upon.

This thread differs from that one because it was a suggestion to remove certain maps completely. This polarized into two sides who were for an against. What I am attempting to do is bridge the two sides with this thread so that there is a workable Random Map setting (or two) like i mentioned above. Instead of getting swept under the rug in the middle of what is a heated debate in the previous thread, I wanted to create a new one to draw more attention to what I have to offer as a possible solution.

I am welcoming any constructive criticism in hopes to build on this idea if you have any.

[drunkmonkey]

I'm in complete support for the *option* to customize the random selection. I was just under the impression that's what the other suggestion was.

[jmyork82]

I'm in complete support for the *option* to customize the random selection. I was just under the impression that's what the other suggestion was.

The other suggestion was about eliminating certain maps, more particularely the hive, from the random selection. The reason being that the hive can slow a tournament game down cause it can take so long to win. Of course, you have half saying yes and half saying no, so I tryed to think of a way it could work for everybody.

[VampireM]

i would like to suggest some kind of maximum or excluded maps in a random game... maybe a maximum of 5-15 maps to be excluded in the search.. It would stop a lot of "random map games" with half the maps not being added in and worst let maps that are random with 2 or 3 maps it could chose from..

[jmyork82]

i would like to suggest some kind of maximum or excluded maps in a random game... maybe a maximum of 5-15 maps to be excluded in the search.. It would stop a lot of "random map games" with half the maps not being added in and worst let maps that are random with 2 or 3 maps it could chose from..

That's a valid concern VampireM. Nobody wants to see the luster of the random map become watered down, but at the same time, there could be useful purposes for only wanting a random choice between a small amount of maps. I think you are worried that you would choose a game that had random as the map selection only to find out that it was only between 2 or 3 maps. Knowing what maps are being chosen for the random selection will be public knowledge for the joining player. We have already suggested an idea to differentiate between classic random (all maps, no exclusions) and custom random. There will still be people who will use it at full random. YOU are proof of that.

[jrh_cardinal]

The other suggestion was about eliminating certain maps, more particularely the hive, from the random selection

incorrect, that notion was squashed near the beginning. new people keep bringing it up, but the serious discussion is no longer on that, it stalled on what the limit of exclusions could be. It's clear that no limit does not work.

I started to make a summary of the debate at the end of the thread, but it was getting really long and tedious. You need to read at least the last couple of pages of that thread. The point is that this suggestion is the same as that one.

[Woodruff]

i would like to suggest some kind of maximum or excluded maps in a random game... maybe a maximum of 5-15 maps to be excluded in the search.. It would stop a lot of "random map games" with half the maps not being added in and worst let maps that are random with 2 or 3 maps it could chose from..

That's a valid concern VampireM. Nobody wants to see the luster of the random map become watered down, but at the same time, there could be useful purposes for only wanting a random choice between a small amount of maps. I think you are worried that you would choose a game that had random as the map selection only to find out that it was only between 2 or 3 maps. Knowing what maps are being chosen for the random selection will be public knowledge for the joining player. We have already suggested an idea to differentiate between classic random (all maps, no exclusions) and custom random. There will still be people who will use it at full random. YOU are proof of that.

You don't seem to have actually read the thread that you are claiming this one is separate from. This suggestion appears identical to that thread. Further, I am absolutely against the idea of being able to limit the "random" option to only a very few maps...if you want to do that, do it manually as it's a piece of cake to do so. I'm fully with VampireM in the idea that no more than 15 maps (actually, I would say 10) should be excluded from any "random map option".

[stahrgazer]

Another idea would be to just add a completely different map choice that was "customizable" leaving the original random map as is. That way you can tell who is REALLY rnadom or partially random.

I disagree with changing random map to exclude maps; if you don't want to risk being caught with pants down, pick specific maps instead of using "Random". But I agree with this idea of a separate 'customizable choice' option.