Imp's are random though and unreliable. A lot of imps don't fallow the maps logged in the bot so if someone isn't able to participate in the imp then it's hard to get feedback. The good thing about gamedays is a set list of maps that get tested and a set time for that to happen.theyre in a weird limbo atm where they dont really serve any purpose so nobody is running them when they could just be running impromptus
voids trying to solve that by running a lot more list impsImp's are random though and unreliable. A lot of imps don't fallow the maps logged in the bot so if someone isn't able to participate in the imp then it's hard to get feedback. The good thing about gamedays is a set list of maps that get tested and a set time for that to happen.
Unless you happen to catch an imp when there's a lot of people it's been really difficult to get a good test in a timely fashion.
VBOT made the old reasons to have Gamedays void, which were:
1.) Tests had a concrete time and schedule.
2.) Tests were organized on the Forums, meaning they gained more community exposure.
This second one is an overlooked point, I think.
Newer members, or members who browsed the forums and avoided chat, were more likely to submit their maps into Gamedays than into Imps. As a result, Gamedays typically had more maps of lower quality compared to Imps. By their nature, old Imps drew from a smaller player base, were secretive, were spontaneous, unpredictable, sometimes hard to join - and as a result, more exclusive members took part in them, and players gave priority to maps that they wanted to play. (Or maps made by people in the small chat.)
Of course, scheduling Imps with VBOT completely changed how the tests were played, and this combined with a surge of new users changed the dynamics of TF2M playtests drastically.
First of all, Steam Chat was flooded with new users - they were no longer chained to the forums. Why? My guess is:
1.) During the Summer, during the surge, there were very few gamedays, as the 72 Hour Contest was running.
2.) Due to this, IMPS were the only way to get non-72h maps tested.
3.) IMPS required VBOT. Where was VBOT? Steam Chat.
So, in my mind, the majority of newer members were probably introduced to Steam Chat because of VBOT. Also, I think VBOT hosted 72H maps as well. So a chat that had been optional, and pretty quiet, was suddenly placed into the TF2MAPS streamline in a big way due to VBOT and 72h. The new members stayed, obviously.
In other words, now that the TF2M playerbase is almost completely homogenized by this point, there is no real incentive to host Gamedays.
yeah, but there is no easy way to contact them... sure, you can easily go and ask them in a private message, or comment on their profile, but some newer users may feel like its a risk, with them being such big members, and may back down out of "fear"... it happens all the time, smaller users on many different sites being scared of the bigger users and their mass power!!! if you disagree, tell me, but you have to admit, this does happen alot...Keep in mind that if you think you can't make it to every test, you can always ask someone who usually hosts imps, like Muddy or Void, beforehand if they can test your map in the next imp.
I wouldn't want to constantly bother people by asking them to test my maps. Stuff like that can quickly become annoying.Keep in mind that if you think you can't make it to every test, you can always ask someone who usually hosts imps, like Muddy or Void, beforehand if they can test your map in the next imp.
Yes but a scheduled one would lead to more players joiningFrom what I've heard from the chat is that imps are happening almost daily