Rewarding Mappers with Hats

iciz

L2: Junior Member
Mar 17, 2009
84
60
[Disclaimer] You don't get a hat for making or releasing a map.

Valve obviously wants to encourage any and all community contributions that could help extend the life of TF2. We've seen it from the officially indorsed community made maps, to the now community gifted weapons. Valve is always trying to see how they can motivate people to contribute. Its a great strategic business move to extend the life of their games.

So with that in mind, why not have the time we spend in the SDK, increase or add to the random drop system chance somehow? Cause let's face it, some of us spend more time in the SDK working on a map for TF2, then we do actually playing TF2. I know, I know, It's farmable. People will just leave the SDK open all day. Guess what? Everything is farmable. People already leave TF2 open all day.




Thoughts?
 
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Void

Local Man Unable To Map, Sources Say
aa
Sep 14, 2008
1,865
2,972
If they'd do it, they'd probably do it for trusted and respected mapmakers. People who are on Valve's good side and on the Community's as well.
 

Waif

L7: Fancy Member
Mar 22, 2009
412
125
I don't think they should so it honestly. It would just cause more people to exploit the system.
 

strangemodule

L5: Dapper Member
Sep 10, 2009
223
59
I wonder what Youme would think. :p

Also, it would most likely increase the number of mappers, but I don't know if it would increase the number of good maps.
 

Artesia

L6: Sharp Member
Nov 11, 2008
278
72
I could see valve giving a hat to the creator of a map that they deem good, even if they don't deem it good enough to add into the patches.

that would increase the number of people that at least want to make good maps, not orange maps or night maps.
 

Rexy

The Kwisatz Haderach
aa
Dec 22, 2008
1,798
2,533
*queue the non-mappers to install the sdk and start idling*

(btw, I read your post)
 

Nineaxis

Quack Doctor
aa
May 19, 2008
1,767
2,820
Issue: Steam Cloud only knows the SDK is open, it doesn't know what it is open for.
 

Washipato

L3: Member
Jun 22, 2009
149
331
Most of the times when I map, I do multiple test for knowing what's bugged and how to fix it. While I work on SDK, the game game is left idling with sv_cheats activated to avoid tweaking my longest live record.

I would be glad if valve somehow increments the hat drop chance for mappers, but then people will start to do fast and dirty maps to get the drop boost
 

Artesia

L6: Sharp Member
Nov 11, 2008
278
72
*facepalm*

It appears some people didn't bother to read anything other then the title.

If that was directed at me you are incorrect, I did read it, and it wouldn't work. It would just add another way to idle.

using special hats as a special "thank you" for maps they deem strengthens the game would be more effective in promoting quality custom maps.
 

iciz

L2: Junior Member
Mar 17, 2009
84
60
I could see valve giving a hat to the creator of a map that they deem good, even if they don't deem it good enough to add into the patches.

that would increase the number of people that at least want to make good maps, not orange maps or night maps.

I do believe that giving special items to valuable community contributors is a great idea. Because your rewarding people based on actual accomplishments (unlike luck). But what about the rest of the TF2 mod community? We're only talking about increasing the “chances” that people could find items, if they work in the SDK.


Issue: Steam Cloud only knows the SDK is open, it doesn't know what it is open for.

I am aware of the technical issues with this idea.

I suppose Steam Cloud could monitor your hours in the SDK, and any other games you've been playing, then figure out what you've been using it for, and increase your % chance of getting item drops when your actually playing TF2. However, I don't think that would make a very good system.

We all know Valve cant rely on server data sent to them (because servers can lie,) but what about the SDK sending data to Valve in a secure way? If that was possible, Valve could implement some kind of update to the SDK that would monitor it's use more precisely to prevent cheating, and know exactly if it's being used for TF2.
 

grazr

Old Man Mutant Ninja Turtle
aa
Mar 4, 2008
5,441
3,814
People don't make maps for hats. They make maps because they enjoy this creative hobby.

Motivating people who would otherwise be uninteresting in Level Design would likely only hurt the community in general than improve it.
 

FlavorRage

L4: Comfortable Member
Oct 12, 2008
197
57
The reward for releasing a map (Has to be approved by valve) Should be a silver construction helmet for any class (Like the halo. When playing engy it just recolors his original hat.)
 

NovaSilisko

L42: Life, the Universe and Everything
aa
Feb 3, 2009
502
270
People don't make maps for hats. They make maps because they enjoy this creative hobby.

Motivating people who would otherwise be uninteresting in Level Design would likely only hurt the community in general than improve it.

Exactly my thoughts.
 

DJive

Cake or Death?
aa
Dec 20, 2007
1,465
741
I suppose Steam Cloud could monitor your hours in the SDK, and any other games you've been playing, then figure out what you've been using it for, and increase your % chance of getting item drops when your actually playing TF2.

Then what about efficiency?

I'm sure i could do in 20 minutes what someone who JUST picked up SDK right now would take 10+ hours to learn or longer.
 

iciz

L2: Junior Member
Mar 17, 2009
84
60
People don't make maps for hats. They make maps because they enjoy this creative hobby.

That's not the idea here at all. That's not even a fact relating to the idea here. People don't make maps for hats? Wait, there is a way to make a map for a hat? If you meant to say they “would not” make maps for hats, then you would be wrong again too, but the whole point is ridiculous anyways.

Motivating people who would otherwise be uninteresting in Level Design would likely only hurt the community in general than improve it.

In what possible way?

Exploiters of the system would not even be making maps, let alone releasing them. How does that hurt the community? Getting people interested in the SDK that usually would not, could actually lead to people giving it a real try. People that might actually have real hidden talent. We already have many, many God awful mappers out there, releasing maps of complete crap. How would a bigger community hurt us?? I think Valve would agree with me.

Then what about efficiency?

I'm sure i could do in 20 minutes what someone who JUST picked up SDK right now would take 10+ hours to learn or longer.

That's a completely different topic relating to the drop system itself.

However, It's all random, so someone that spends 20 minutes in the SDK may find a hat, well someone that spends 10+ hours may not get a single duplicate. Valve would call this “fair.” So that's what I will call it. :laugh:
 

YM

LVL100 YM
aa
Dec 5, 2007
7,135
6,056
In what possible way?

Exploiters of the system would not even be making maps, let alone releasing them. How does that hurt the community? Getting people interested in the SDK that usually would not, could actually lead to people giving it a real try. People that might actually have real hidden talent. We already have many, many God awful mappers out there, releasing maps of complete crap. How would a bigger community hurt us?? I think Valve would agree with me.

More valve map remakes, more terrible one-off half finishedm untested maps filling up FPSB, more idle/ahievement maps etc etc.

No one who isn't already interested is gunna suddenly pop up and make a masterpiece. Maybe 1 in 1000 people who decide to pick up hammer for a hat might actually produce something worthwhile whilst the rest will probably have a bash at it for a few weeks, make something shit, release it and give up.
 

grazr

Old Man Mutant Ninja Turtle
aa
Mar 4, 2008
5,441
3,814
More valve map remakes, more terrible one-off half finishedm untested maps filling up FPSB, more idle/ahievement maps etc etc.

This.

No one would really care about their map if is all they were doing were exploiting an alternative method of farming hats (which it will become). So the community would never really benefit from it via an influx of quality maps. Instead we'll see hundreds of sniper/aim/orange/remakes etc. Exactly as Youme pointed out. The whole idea behind making a map requires commitment, unlike playing TF2 as an online FPS, that in its very design was made to be picked up and dropped at any time for quick entertainment.

First things first, people need to care less about hats. Second things second, people need to care less about hats.

Map makers (and now seemingly other dedicated individuals) are already being rewarded in a controlled method (that personally i deem appropriate).
 
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iciz

L2: Junior Member
Mar 17, 2009
84
60
More valve map remakes, more terrible one-off half finishedm untested maps filling up FPSB, more idle/ahievement maps etc etc.

No one who isn't already interested is gunna suddenly pop up and make a masterpiece. Maybe 1 in 1000 people who decide to pick up hammer for a hat might actually produce something worthwhile whilst the rest will probably have a bash at it for a few weeks, make something shit, release it and give up.

I just explained that exploiters would not even be releasing maps, because the time spent in the SDK is all that matters. Why is this so hard for people to understand? Where did I say you got a hat for releasing a map? That has no effect on the system what so ever. No one would be releasing maps unless they really wanted to.