- Apr 19, 2009
- 4,460
- 1,722
Hello dumb Tera quote...5:25 PM Tera: we're the best people you could get feedback from, and he went to get it from spuffers and pubbers
Anyway map testing to me is like water and air, you need both to survive.
TF2Maps is good for nit-pick testing and other small things but can't cover everything even if you want it too.
If you want testing with the people who will play your map every day you need to find a good custom server. There are many communities that will be more then willing to give your map a go. They will give you more in-depth feedback on things like gameplay and some will be happy to do bug checks for you. Also with their bigger player base they can give you a more varied feedback.
Lastly, to further my point if I may quote Fishbus:
The problem is is that a lot of mappers are using other mappers to get their maps out there (sucking dick etc etc), In fact, there's a simpler, effective, morally pleasing method. Use a large gaming community, Shackers, Gamefaqs, SA, GWJ, Hampshire heavies. Communities that have nice large server, preferably forums as well; you'll get more balanced feedback from the proper samples; a varied set of gamers and gaming/tf2 'demographics' (mappers commenting on other mappers should be just for discussion about techniques and ideas and sometimes changes depending on how good you think their advice is, it's like doctors self diagnosing beside other doctors, it's weird) with people who are going to play your map! posting in the forums, trawling good and BAD comments - don't live in an ivory tower ("oh, they don't know how hard it is to make maps, they don't have that skill set *smug* that is a really lovely attitude to have %90 of the time) - and just spectating servers testing or running your map. You'll have a much much better pipeline for creating a nice, fun map for the people who want to play it.
If I am trying to get one thing across its that just dropping your map into gameday will help it along in the alpha versions. But after that you need to get other people to test it otherwise its going to end up as something few people will enjoy.