- Dec 25, 2007
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Crimson, this sounds fantastic. Getting a decent amount of playtesting is hard, and everyone's maps needs it. I also like Gonzales' idea -- have a weekly playtest session: I'd definitely be up for that.
TF2Maps Community Map Test Server (Feedback)
- Thread starter Crimson
- Start date
A weekly playtest sounds like a great idea: We decide what maps to test the week before and go from there. Scheduling an event via the Steam group would facilitate this.
Against my better judgement, I'm going to endorse this. The reason I'm so cynical is because we've gone through 2 servers and events, neither of which was very successful. However, if this is something you guys wanna try, I think we should. I can even post on the Steam forums that every week, we'll be trying out the very latest custom maps. Should at least garner some attention. Tell ya what, setup the ftp and permissions as you see fit, and let myself or drpepper know. It's not that I'm against this, I totally want this idea to work, cuz I think it's wonderful. We just don't have the greatest track record lol.
drp
aa
- Oct 25, 2007
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ill get on setting something up for reminders on the front page.
ryodoan
Resident Bum
- Nov 2, 2007
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the last event was successful.. I mean we had at least 20-30 people rotate through the server for several hours... The only problem we had was the fact that the server went AWOL the night before the event.
As for this, $130 a month is a LOT of money and I cant say thank you enough, but at the same time that sounds like its going to add up fast...
I think a script to delete all maps every 24 hours sounds like an interesting idea, can you have it delete every map except the active one? The reason I say that is because we are a pretty 24 hour group with people around the globe so if the entire server loses ALL its maps then someone could be getting kicked off and have to re-upload their map in the middle of testing.
Another idea I have is to possibly instead have people contact you either over steam or the forums for the password to upload, then have the password change every set number of days.
In my mind the absolute ideal would be to have multiple accounts and set a max ammount that they can upload, or a max number of times they can upload and give them maybe 2 Mbs a day, or 1 upload every 2 days, but I dont know how dedicated servers work and if this is even feasible.
As for this, $130 a month is a LOT of money and I cant say thank you enough, but at the same time that sounds like its going to add up fast...
I think a script to delete all maps every 24 hours sounds like an interesting idea, can you have it delete every map except the active one? The reason I say that is because we are a pretty 24 hour group with people around the globe so if the entire server loses ALL its maps then someone could be getting kicked off and have to re-upload their map in the middle of testing.
Another idea I have is to possibly instead have people contact you either over steam or the forums for the password to upload, then have the password change every set number of days.
In my mind the absolute ideal would be to have multiple accounts and set a max ammount that they can upload, or a max number of times they can upload and give them maybe 2 Mbs a day, or 1 upload every 2 days, but I dont know how dedicated servers work and if this is even feasible.
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A rough thing to the "upload per day" is Sometimes something small is over looked. You're one upload and now you need to fix something and you cant for X hours.
Also a set ammount as well is hard. You have advanced mappers who are pushing 6mb+ so they can only get 1 upload while other mappers who are doing rooms or small work and only have a ton of 1MB files. They will get more chances then the advance mapper who is planning on a final production.
I dont know, its REALLY hard to find a correct way of doing this all. But it will be worth once we figure it all out.
Also a set ammount as well is hard. You have advanced mappers who are pushing 6mb+ so they can only get 1 upload while other mappers who are doing rooms or small work and only have a ton of 1MB files. They will get more chances then the advance mapper who is planning on a final production.
I dont know, its REALLY hard to find a correct way of doing this all. But it will be worth once we figure it all out.
I hate to be voice of pessimism, but I must also point out that the TF2 mapping community is relatively small atm. We'll be lucky if we can get a few new maps every month, let alone every week. Still, I think this would be a step in the right direction. We can finally setup a voting thing, giving a new map x # of rotation spots. Hopefully establish ourselves as THE place for the latest and greatest.
The tf2 mapping community is small, but the number of people who want to see new and good custom maps is huge.
Some things to think about:
- Ideally, we would want to encourage more gameplay-ready map alphas and betas instead of one-room test areas. I can see map playtesters besides ourselves coming back to the server again and again if it has a repeated lineup of fun maps under development, but giving it no second thought if it's always full of one-room maps or maps that have huge gameplay flaws.
- I've seen a custom map actually crash the server when someone won. As only the community here will be able to upload maps, I hope we're all knowledgeable enough to avoid this, but we'd need the ability to contact someone should something catastrophic like this happen.
- Being unable to upload a new version for X hours is probably not a bad thing. If a map only needs a few minor tweaks, chances are that it's almost finished, or is ready for another major phase of mapping.
Some things to think about:
- Ideally, we would want to encourage more gameplay-ready map alphas and betas instead of one-room test areas. I can see map playtesters besides ourselves coming back to the server again and again if it has a repeated lineup of fun maps under development, but giving it no second thought if it's always full of one-room maps or maps that have huge gameplay flaws.
- I've seen a custom map actually crash the server when someone won. As only the community here will be able to upload maps, I hope we're all knowledgeable enough to avoid this, but we'd need the ability to contact someone should something catastrophic like this happen.
- Being unable to upload a new version for X hours is probably not a bad thing. If a map only needs a few minor tweaks, chances are that it's almost finished, or is ready for another major phase of mapping.
Notice that this thread has generated a lot of activity. I think it speaks to the fact that mappers are frothing at the mouth for a place to expose their work. Even though a playtest server already exists, maybe it isn't advertised as well as it could be. If the main page were to have a pane about the playtest server, it might help (as opposed to having it buried in the forums).
Sean of the Dead
L3: Member
- Dec 30, 2007
- 123
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yeah, if u want this to work, u would need to advertise this on other sites (maby by affiliating) and have it on the main page
drp
aa
- Oct 25, 2007
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very true. i will be doing some site maintenance late tonight (to avoid extended downtime) and will adding something to the main page advertising the server and steam chat section a little more loudly.
I have the dedicated server, working on getting srcds installed on it, and what not. I will have this setup sometime in the next few days. I will just get a basic version going with some space, a generic ftp account, and the ability to change maps because I still need to focus on getting my clan servers going as we have a huge community that stay on our servers. So I will get a basic version going for everyone to use, and then in a week or two look more into features like a cron job to delete the folders contents at like 6am EST every 72 hours or something, and other features that people would like added as it goes.
I was just going to find out from Immortal or whoever, who hosts the server you have now? I was actually going to make a Clan HeX official server (like we have now) a Clan HeX custom server, and a match server on here for us as well as the TF2 Mappers Test Server. If your paying every month for a server that stays dead, maybe we could work something out and I can just host the server as well. I cannot stand the crap most of these custom map servers put up, it makes me sick to my stomach. So I would love to do a TF2Mappers custom map server because most of what comes from here is quality, even if it takes 5-6 revisions lol.
I was just going to find out from Immortal or whoever, who hosts the server you have now? I was actually going to make a Clan HeX official server (like we have now) a Clan HeX custom server, and a match server on here for us as well as the TF2 Mappers Test Server. If your paying every month for a server that stays dead, maybe we could work something out and I can just host the server as well. I cannot stand the crap most of these custom map servers put up, it makes me sick to my stomach. So I would love to do a TF2Mappers custom map server because most of what comes from here is quality, even if it takes 5-6 revisions lol.
I meant to add, if anyone has a lot of linux experience I could use some help. I am going crazy because I have always done windows hosting for anything i've done, so the Linux syntax while fairly simple is driving me crazy.
Lazytown FTW!! Heheh :cursing:. No..no i see your point and agree :001_unsure:
ryodoan
Resident Bum
- Nov 2, 2007
- 409
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Crimson, I would not say I am a Linux expert but I like to think that I know some things. So if you have any questions you can always either send me a message over the steam chat, I dont really want to post my email here, but if you send me a friend request over steam (steam ID- ryodoan) I can send you my email addr over that.
shpladoink
L3: Member
- Dec 19, 2007
- 108
- 6
I spent a few days trying to figure out how to turn my computer into a temporary server so I could get some internet dudes to test out things for me, but my efforts were fruitless. I know it's possible, though.
As for your permanent test server Crimson, if you keep track of who has access to it (make people PM you for the pass information or something), and set some ground rules for uploads and map changes, it would be a great tool.
- Dec 25, 2007
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Crimson, where is your server located geographically? Wondering what ping times are likely to be...
Bumping. Would like more updates on the status of both Crimson's server and getting the existing server to update its mapcycle. (mach2, stronghold, castle, turbine?)
The server this will be located on is in North Carolina. It is a dedicated box on T1 bandwidth so if your anywhere in the US your ping should be fine. A clan member of mine lives in the netherlands and gets 110 ping, so you should be fine. Ping really doesn't make too much of a difference though when your just getting feedback on a map.
Anyways, this should be up tonight or tommorow sometime. I probably will restrict it a bit more than I was going to originally so I can keep track of who is actually using it, but it will be free for all. There will be some very basic ground rules, and if they are broken the person will be banned from it. These will be along the lines of just keeping it fair. If someones waiting to use it, I don't want someone else sitting on it for 2 hours.
Anyways, this should be up tonight or tommorow sometime. I probably will restrict it a bit more than I was going to originally so I can keep track of who is actually using it, but it will be free for all. There will be some very basic ground rules, and if they are broken the person will be banned from it. These will be along the lines of just keeping it fair. If someones waiting to use it, I don't want someone else sitting on it for 2 hours.