Okay, I am making this a separate post as the one about the current team was lengthy enough. The following is a list of goals and desires I hope to bring to the M&M council, a resource for the community looking to create unique content for the game!
Goal #1: M&M Team Top Picks [Maps and Modifications]:
In the Java client you will notice a new category of maps has been created, called the "M&M Team Top Picks" which will consist of maps that show exemplary levels of detail and capability. It will look like this:
In the end, I wish to have this vault as a source of inspiration, to show people what can be done with the tools we have available. A lot of content gets uploaded to the vault, and oft it contains products that are worked on for far less time than those that will be shown in this vault. A variant of this vault will be made for game modifications to help filter through that content as well.
History & Background for Requesting a "Curated" Vault:
For the entirety of the vault upload capabilities existence since Sheeo took over, the service existed as a means for users to upload custom maps and modifications at will. Over the years, more and more people have shown up to create content, share, and boost the amount of options players have when selecting such items. This was grand, except for one issue: a large mass of content that can oft cover up less-frequent works that have excelled in many ways over others.
My original thoughts for a couple years was that it should be regulated, as to allow for content to be filtered and show the "good stuff," so people do not have to spend so much time looking. This did not go over well as many opposed disallowing users to share their creations, and after some time, I decided on a compromise.
This means 2 things:
1) People who spend a lot of time, making works that stand out get to show off without interference
2) The normal vault requires less regulation and everyone can enjoy having a place to put their creations
Most people found this idea to be far more pleasing then heavy regulation, and as a result, several people have already asked "What does it take to get my map or modification in?"
Well, put simply: there is no real rule or necessity. It will be opinion-based, and very difficult to impress. But for the sake of giving guidelines to those curious, here are several qualifications:
1) ABSOLUTE TOP QUALITY: Uniqueness - Any and all maps that are further entered must not closely resemble a previous map in ANY way, unless there are some extreme circumstances such as complete overhaul of height map, textures, layout, resources, etc, etc. I will be very strict on this rule as the goal is to create a vault full of fresh, new content.
2) Classic maps with popular gameplay: This, as it may seem contradictory, is actually a testament to classics like Canis River, Hilly, Twin Rivers, etc, etc with some extras thrown in. Maps like Phenom Spartiate are not of any particular mapping quality I see as "great," however, it is an alternative to simple, choke-point maps, and has some value. Maps under this classification will not be applicable going forward as they are "classic" for a reason.
3) [Aesthetics]: Needless to say, an extremely high level of aesthetic detail and attention is a sure-fire way to get your map noticed. I would look at example like Regor VI Highlands where it uses a diverse set of props (single, grouped), decals, textures, blends, and creative height maps that go beyond basic shapes.
Source: Lionhardt's Regor VI Highlands Version 6.0:
Spoiler: show
4) [Gameplay Mechanics]: A paramount part of any map is how many options there are for gameplay. It is difficult to say what is good and what is not, but the biggest hint to be given: don't spoon-feed tons of mexes and hydros at the start; make them commanders and units expand to get territory and actually have a real war....
5) [Mapping Contests]: biass made a few of these last year, and it drove me to bring mapping to a much higher level. Some really nice ideas came out of these and a few new author's names began to be recognized. As time moves on, I hope to throw one of these once a month and submit the top, or more, maps to the vault list.
That is all for now. I will detail a better post with examples as to why the team has the maps they like within so the reference is more than just text.
Goal #2: Forged Alliance Forever Vault Etiquette, Rules, and Regulations:
This is a short update, but the rules and regulations were never really finished off. Since the "Goal #1" was already, somewhat achieved, these rules will be less strict than before; however, some cases will need be updated:
1) Generated Content in the Vault: If you have not heard, seen, or know, Neroxis has been hard at work making a "map generator" where maps are randomly created, giving a unique field of play each and every game. It is still in its infant stages, but as time goes on, it will hopefully prevail as one of the more interesting additions to the community.
For this reason, it must be stated that ABSOLUTELY NO generated maps should be uploaded to the vault. Any and all maps will be hidden automatically.
2) "Test Maps": Due to an abundance of content uploaded to the vault with no more than the base texture, some simple start positions, and a few mexes, hydros, it was decided to enforce a 'minimum 3 texture rule,' where a map MUST have at least 3 textures and be painted in a manner that is more than just a large swipe to say "LOOK, it has more than one texture!". This one will be a tad subjective, but examples shall be provided of what is not allowed. I have spoken to many people (and am fine taking a vote if needed) to show this is necessary. We simply gain almost no value from maps that have so little though put forward.
I imagine at least another dozen rules based on what I read from the current list, but those 2 are the major updates to the document for now.
Goal #3: Mapping and Modification Video Tutorial Compilation:
So, if you search long and hard, through many players' YouTube channels, and you might just get all the info you need to do some good mapping and modifications. But, new people to the community, and new interests in mapping/modifications, will probably not have this resource readily available. In order to simplify the process, I would like to see a set of videos explaining how everything works. The text and documentation is , decent, but it would much more interesting if steps and processes were shown. I started off about a year ago with a demo of how to make a nice, mountainous height map using the editor alone as shown here:
When a video exists for every portion of mapping, and many for modifications, I will be happy. This may not happen in a single year, but hopefully as time goes on it thrives.
BONUS IDEA Game UI Tutorials: Quite simply, I think it would be beneficial if some of the more common UI mods get a proper video demo, explaining how they work. Such ones as Anihilnine's UI party would be a fantastic example where players could learn how to easy many of the complexities of the game.
Goal #4: Mapping and Modification Video Demos & Inspiration:
Within the M&M discord, I added a new channel called "Inspire," where it would great if people who do demos, art, etc, etc could show off their hard work in one place. It does not have much in current, but I plan to make a list that people can view. This channel will only be editable by a few select staff to keep it logged and tracked in order.
Here is a preview of how it looks:
Goal #5: Get Unit Modeling A Place:
As of right now, unit modeling does not really have much attention as it seems to base around random mods and the ongoing "Nomads" project. I think it would be quite nice if we worked on getting some updates to game models pushed, because some are lacking by quite a bit, and there is more talent working on this than i ever knew. I hope to teach myself some things here and help contribute as by trade I use a lot of 3-D design software such as SolidWorks. These guys deserve a lot of credit as it is no easy task!
I can't decide if this should be modifications, but perhaps I will say that since it's "Mapping and Modifications." I feel there should be a "Creative Director Councilor" of sorts, but that is for another day to discuss.
Goal #6: Miscellaneous Tasks:
1) Teach myself how to do modifications to the game so that I may further help understand it. For now, hussar, Balathazar, Fracnk83, and many others are doing a fine job helping me out, but I would REALLY like to know it my own.
2) Assist the Player Councilor and his team
a) Help fix maps so they function for the up and coming Team Matchmaker (VERY EXCITING!)
b) Encourage better mapping habits based on ladder feedback from the ladder team and community votes
3) Continue to build a place for people to come and learn, create, and build a better game for us all! The more the merrier.
4) Assist ozonex in further developing the Forged Alliance Forever mapping editor application.
Final Words:
This whole experience so far has been truly great, and am looking forward to improving the functions of the mapping and modifications council. Any one and everyone, no matter how small an idea you may have, please join us and share! If it does not work out, chances are someone there will be able to help you achieve your vision.
Again, thanks to everyone who voted for me. Enjoy your days!
