Map Workshop Ideas

[Woozlez]

Imagine this is how the map workshop system will work for TF2:

In the system, you can add custom maps to a workshop queue of those you want to try out, similar to Portal 2, and then you can either decide to join a custom game currently running a single map from your workshop queue, play any map matching a certain gamemode, or play any of the custom maps available from your queue.

You can also decide whether you want to only be able to join official Valve custom map servers, or also be able to join any server running the latest version of the map, verified via the steam workshop. Otherwise, if 12 players are looking to play a certain map (or the full 6 for an mvm map, via a separate mvm custom map lobby), one of the dedicated valve servers will download the latest version of the custom map from the workshop and switch to that map.

After you disconnect from the map, it opens up a Subscribe button dialog if you are not currently subscribed to the map, as well as a button to visit the workshop page and post a comment if you’d like. The server is forced to stay on the map until fewer than 6 people are on the server (fewer than 3 for MVM), after which it will be available to switch to a different custom map.

What is everyone’s thoughts on this potential system? Pros/Cons, etc.

EDIT: Removed Thumbs Up / Thumbs Down dialog, due to possible abuse, replaced it with subscribe to map button

 

[Pocket]

You can also decide whether you want to only be able to join official Valve custom map servers, or also be able to join any server running the latest version of the map, verified via the steam workshop. Otherwise, if 12 players are looking to play a certain map (or the full 6 for an mvm map, via a separate mvm custom map lobby), one of the dedicated valve servers will download the latest version of the custom map from the workshop and switch to that map.

Thanks for reminding me how desperately TF2 needs a proper lobby system like every other game since 2005.

 

[UKCS-Alias]

After you disconnect from the map, it opens up a Thumbs Up/Thumbs Down dialog

Map was excelent, yet because my team was bad we got steamrolled. My experience is bad like most of my team... +10 thumbs down. And for those who won, some might call the map unbalanced aswel, thats more thumbs down.

Thats the only flaw i see with that. And its common to happen.

You cant realy judge a map in any game on just 1 playtest. Since there are already 3 situations in maps that you have to experience:

• Have a balanced game
• Have a steamrolling game
• Have a game where you get steamrolled

These are the 3 extremes that a map can face, and they are even valid for MvM where for each player type there should be a mission (obvously, beating expert doesnt have to mean steamrolling since if you are kept busy the whole map it instead would be between steamrolling and balanced).

In portal and l4d the effect from this is alot smaller since in portal you are either alone and uninfliuenced by others, or you play with 2. A bad experience is going to punish you less. In l4d you have a pool of 4, if it ends up being too hard for you there is still the vote to make it easier. Again a good thing for the map rating since bad experiences are less likely to happen. TF2 doesnt have this option. A scramble isnt even reliable to fix the balance.

 

[Pocket]

Map was excelent, yet because my team was bad we got steamrolled. My experience is bad like most of my team... +10 thumbs down. And for those who won, some might call the map unbalanced aswel, thats more thumbs down.

This. People have apparently gotten permabanned from Dota 2 and Counter-Strike: Global Offensive just because of angry teammates and opponents, respectively, reporting them as hackers or griefers and Steam being set up to assume that X number of people can't all be lying. Systems that take people's knee-jerk responses at face value have no place on the Internet.

 

[Woozlez]

Okay, remove the Thumbs up / Thumbs Down portion.

What are your thoughts on the system then?

 

[infectedfury]

After you disconnect from the map, it opens up a Thumbs Up/Thumbs Down dialog

Instead it should ask if you would like to subscribe to the map.