Small Suggestions

MangyCarface

Mapper
aa
Feb 26, 2008
1,626
1,325
1. Limit map submission format to .bsp or .bz2. This means no 7z, no .zip, no crazy folder-in-folder submissions.
I have received several complaints from various server admins as to the lack of standards in the Map forum; without a standardized file format, server automation is limited and it makes it a pain when uploading multiple maps to servers. This would only apply from here on out, I know it would be a moderation PITA to fixup all previous submissions.

2. Change US gameday times to gameplay primetime.
Now that school has started once more, US gamedays ought to be placed where the most people will have access to them; 6 PDT and 9EST covers the primetime period of gameplay in the US and allows working stiffs as well as students to all play together.
 

MangyCarface

Mapper
aa
Feb 26, 2008
1,626
1,325
Then perhaps a dual system approach ought to be implemented. A link to the map, and a link to required content.

When it comes down to it, I prefer to be more accessible to the audience of this site (mainly admins, not single players) than to brand the map. All I want is discussion on the issue. FPSB actually has us beat in this regard...
 

Terr

Cranky Coder
aa
Jul 31, 2009
1,590
410
Server operators should be perfectly competent to take a .zip file they downloaded, pull out the .bsp, and bzip2 it. It's not hard either from a human or computational standpoint: Most maps aren't that large.

The bz2'ed bsp is pretty niche. For everyone else (ex. random Joe Shmoe wants-to-try-that-map-out guy) .zip is more convenient.

P.S.: Making things easy on admins is good, but there's no need to cater to the ones who throw every map they can find on their server in an orgy of direct downloading to their maps folder.
 
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DJive

Cake or Death?
aa
Dec 20, 2007
1,465
741
I just checked the most recent maps uploaded on FPSB..

zip
rar
7z

so im confused what you mean.
 

MangyCarface

Mapper
aa
Feb 26, 2008
1,626
1,325
Server operators should be perfectly competent to take a .zip file they downloaded, pull out the .bsp, and bzip2 it. It's not hard either from a human or computational standpoint: Most maps aren't that large.

Ugh, you're missing the point. Yeah, grabbing a map and uploading it isn't bad.

Doing it daily, for several maps, over the course of a year and a half, sorting through the subfolders to find the map and throw it up on the redirect- it makes admin life tough.
 

Terr

Cranky Coder
aa
Jul 31, 2009
1,590
410
2. Change US gameday times to gameplay primetime.

Now that school has started once more, US gamedays ought to be placed where the most people will have access to them; 6 PDT and 9EST covers the primetime period of gameplay in the US and allows working stiffs as well as students to all play together.

As late-rising west-coaster, I've found the 9am gamedays difficult as well. I never understood why it was the same times as for the Euro server.
 

J4CK8

L11: Posh Member
Mar 4, 2009
820
243
I would rather not have to download a new program to bz2 my maps, then uplaod them, then uplaod a .rar containing a readme and screenshots etc. I do see where your idea comes from but tbh it's not very practical for most users IMO.
 

YM

LVL100 YM
aa
Dec 5, 2007
7,135
6,056
I refuse to use anything other than .zip for a few reasons:

- I WILL NOT ship my files without a readme - this is very very important.
- I want to make sure EVERYONE running windowscan open my map download, anything other than .zip can't ensure this - (anyone on a mac i dont care about, and nothing else exists :p)

I whilst I have breath in my body I will fight to keep .zip as a format to upload in and campaign to have everything other than .bsp and .zip removed (although I feel less much strongly about getting rid of the non-standard-windows-openable)
 

Terr

Cranky Coder
aa
Jul 31, 2009
1,590
410
Doing it daily, for several maps, over the course of a year and a half, sorting through the subfolders to find the map and throw it up on the redirect- it makes admin life tough.

Sounds like room for a pakrat-esque tool. "Find all .bsp files in this directory and make a .bzip2 version and put it over there". Easily scriptable on linux servers, at least.

At the expense of TF2Maps processor time, it should also be possible to make a PHP script which will unzip someone's submission, find the .bsp file inside, make a .bzip2 version, cache that, and stream it over when someone clicks a "Download Server Bzip" link.

____________

Ultimately this sounds to me more like a place where there could be a tool for admins to use on their own box to manage their own library of maps, rather than trying to solve it from a download/upload side. I wouldn't be surprised if some already have a system.
 
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drp

aa
Oct 25, 2007
2,273
2,628
im confident to say that 95% of the maps hosted here dont have anything other than the .bsp itself and a readme file. most maps have properly packratted (sp?) all of their custom content.

so i would say placing the .bsp file in the root directory of the .zip is a pretty good compromise for both sides.
 

drp

aa
Oct 25, 2007
2,273
2,628
i would have no issue with 3 or 6pm game time for US based game days. i would actually prefer this (i hate waking up early on saturdays/sundays) this of course is up to snark as he handles game days.
 

Westerhound

L5: Dapper Member
Feb 5, 2009
248
104
I also wondered bout the times, tho I dont really care as I get to play them in a good time when they are like this :p 2-3 pm PDT (PT or whateever) could be a good soltuion, as you get to play the maps in EU too if you stay up late, which you usually do on weekends, of course this makes wednesday testing a bit hard for EU but its US gameday so its not a problem. Short: Change it to 2-3 pm PDT(/PT)
 

YM

LVL100 YM
aa
Dec 5, 2007
7,135
6,056
I'm game for the gamedays being later in the US, it seems strange to always have gamedays over by 8pm here in the UK.. lots of people in the EU only play after then and goodness only knows what you US'ers are doing then.
 

Psy

The Imp Queen
aa
Apr 9, 2008
1,706
1,491
Sort of on-topic. I wish we could upload .bz2 through the redirect. It seems silly to have to upload a file that's a lot bigger then it is compressed especially for myself with a piddly 40kb/s upload speed.
 

PL-7764

L6: Sharp Member
Aug 4, 2009
376
84
I would agree with those who say that evening might be a good time for US gamedays. I don't typically play TF2 that much unless it's at night, so later would be better for me. Of course I'm also on the Pacific coast, so evening for me would be too late for others. I'd like 6PM PDT gamedays because that way even if I don't get in on the first few maps I'll probably be around to join in around 7:30 or 8:00 for the second half of the play period. I'd imagine at least a few others would be the same way.

I'm never up before 9 any day of the week, and if I am it's always because I have to go someplace that morning and can't play TF2 even though I'm up in time.

3:00 PM would not be ideal for me as I tend to focus on other things throughout the afternoon, only settling down enough to play TF2 in the evening. With school starting I don't think I'm alone in this.
 

A Boojum Snark

Toraipoddodezain Mazahabado
aa
Nov 2, 2007
4,775
7,669
i would have no issue with 3 or 6pm game time for US based game days. i would actually prefer this (i hate waking up early on saturdays/sundays) this of course is up to snark as he handles game days.
But all you guys usually host them :p That's the primary thing needed, being good for the hosts. After that is when everyone else can come.

I can move the times to whenever if people come to an agreement.
 

Altaco

L420: High Member
Jul 3, 2008
484
120
Why is everyone making such a big deal out of readme files? 90% of people don't read those.