Valve Acceptance vs. Community Acceptance

Fish 2.0

L6: Sharp Member
Nov 22, 2012
324
262
Overall, I really hope that Valve picks up their game with making community maps official.

I'm pretty sure that adding Mapping to the Steam workshop would make many people happy. Maybe put your map up, people can download and play around on it and vote.

That way if your map doesn't get in game, you might still have a niche following wanting your map.

dammitgabenwhereismapworkshop.png
 

Fruity Snacks

Creator of blackholes & memes. Destroyer of forums
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Sep 5, 2010
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A more evolved greenlight + Steam workshop + TF2 + community = How to succeed in mapping without really trying.

How-To-Succeed-banner-edit.jpg

It's coming, no doubt about it.
 

Fish 2.0

L6: Sharp Member
Nov 22, 2012
324
262
A more evolved greenlight + Steam workshop + TF2 + community = How to succeed in mapping without really trying.

It's coming, no doubt about it.

I wouldn't think that it would be as bad as the custom items are. Hammer isn't something you can just 'pick up' and make a playable map. Even a bad orange map takes a fair amount of time and dedication for a new person, so much as to put them off.
 

Fruity Snacks

Creator of blackholes & memes. Destroyer of forums
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Sep 5, 2010
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I'm rather afraid that a workshop for maps would just result in a lot of shit getting let in.

Unless valve reviewed the maps first maybe?

Well, the way I understand it... Greenlight works where like the top 10 games every 1-2 weeks get pulled off greenlight and steam reviews those games over the next week. Then if it is quality, they contact the devs. That would work with TF2 Maps.
 

GPuzzle

L9: Fashionable Member
Feb 27, 2012
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Well, the way I understand it... Greenlight works where like the top 10 games every 1-2 weeks get pulled off greenlight and steam reviews those games over the next week. Then if it is quality, they contact the devs. That would work with TF2 Maps.

10 new maps... per week (in the best possible case). That's awesome. Last we had was Kong King, but it was a pseudo-community map. We didn't saw any development and it was tested on VALVe servers. The last actual "community map" we had was Gullywash.
 

Sergis

L666: ])oo]v[
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Jul 22, 2009
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10 new maps... per week (in the best possible case). That's awesome. Last we had was Kong King, but it was a pseudo-community map. We didn't saw any development and it was tested on VALVe servers. The last actual "community map" we had was Gullywash.

That would be one hell of a map folder bloating :D Then again, there isn't enough TF2 mappers to make 10 quality maps per week in the first place. Our Showcase forum isn't exactly overflowing with maps at alarming speeds :p
 

EArkham

Necromancer
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Aug 14, 2009
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Yeah, in less than a month all the best maps would be exhausted.

Though if they did a best of the month type thing and did once per month, that's still 12 per year and a tremendous amount of content...
 

xzzy

aa
Jan 30, 2010
815
531
Or even just allow us to put maps in the tf2 workshop and let the good maps percolate to the top, then add them to the game as they're finished.

NS2's workshop has several maps getting attention, it baffles me that TF2 still doesn't have it.
 

Janeator

L2: Junior Member
Dec 12, 2012
66
26
I'm rather afraid that a workshop for maps would just result in a lot of shit getting let in.

Unless valve reviewed the maps first maybe?

Obviously Valve decission over votes would be necessary

Yeah, in less than a month all the best maps would be exhausted.

Though if they did a best of the month type thing and did once per month, that's still 12 per year and a tremendous amount of content...

Yeah, but you can't tell me there aren't more than 12 good maps on this webpage...
 

Trotim

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Jul 14, 2009
1,195
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Giving players a whole new map every month is way too often. They take a lot of time to learn, many still don't even know Nightfall or Frontier very well (for some reason). Don't underestimate that - if you add too many too often none of them will get played properly
 
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xzzy

aa
Jan 30, 2010
815
531
On the other hand, new maps generate an enormous spike in activity. Just look at how busy the game gets when the holiday updates release.

TF2 doesn't handle spikes very well because the item servers tend to crap their pants in a stiff breeze, but regular map updates do help maintain interest.
 

Trotim

aa
Jul 14, 2009
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Well yeah, I'd agree there haven't been enough maps added. Just saying that adding too many too fast isn't a good idea either
 

Idolon

they/them
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Feb 7, 2008
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Just have an annual/biannual "Community Update" where Valve picks 2-4 maps they/the community feel are the best. Holding a contest like the Saxxy's wouldn't be a bad idea either, as it not only picks out winners, but gives exposure to most people who did well.
 

Seba

DR. BIG FUCKER, PHD
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Jun 9, 2009
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Obviously you can't have maps being added like items, on a monthly (or however often items get in) basis, for reasons already mentioned. The main thing that Valve are concerned about, custom map-wise, atm is how to properly reward mappers. I remember someone (probably Ayes) talking to Robin about this, and he said that compared to modellers, mappers get almost no recognition after their items get in: you get your 2.5-3k, then a couple dollars every month from stamp sales, while the item contributors get a steady stream of dosh from the Mann Co store (I don't actually know how that works or how right I am about this, don't hate me if I'm wrong). Valve know about good maps, believe me - implementing them into the game is the biggest obstacle for now.
 

Fruity Snacks

Creator of blackholes & memes. Destroyer of forums
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Sep 5, 2010
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Obviously you can't have maps being added like items, on a monthly (or however often items get in) basis, for reasons already mentioned. The main thing that Valve are concerned about, custom map-wise, atm is how to properly reward mappers. I remember someone (probably Ayes) talking to Robin about this, and he said that compared to modellers, mappers get almost no recognition after their items get in: you get your 2.5-3k, then a couple dollars every month from stamp sales, while the item contributors get a steady stream of dosh from the Mann Co store (I don't actually know how that works or how right I am about this, don't hate me if I'm wrong). Valve know about good maps, believe me - implementing them into the game is the biggest obstacle for now.

You are correct.

Last I heard there was a proposed plan as a way to recognize mappers. Where it has gone from there, I am not sure.
 

Sergis

L666: ])oo]v[
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Jul 22, 2009
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Obviously you can't have maps being added like items, on a monthly (or however often items get in) basis, for reasons already mentioned. The main thing that Valve are concerned about, custom map-wise, atm is how to properly reward mappers. I remember someone (probably Ayes) talking to Robin about this, and he said that compared to modellers, mappers get almost no recognition after their items get in: you get your 2.5-3k, then a couple dollars every month from stamp sales, while the item contributors get a steady stream of dosh from the Mann Co store (I don't actually know how that works or how right I am about this, don't hate me if I'm wrong). Valve know about good maps, believe me - implementing them into the game is the biggest obstacle for now.

tbh even an "improper" reward of 3k$ given out regularly would be a step forward from the current situation of one officialized map over a whole year
 

henke37

aa
Sep 23, 2011
2,075
515
There is the option of just charging for the ability for servers to use the maps. No guarantees about it being a good option. Just throwing stuff out and hoping that something good sticks.
 

WolfKit

L3: Member
Jun 26, 2012
128
83
It would be too easily evaded by using the last release before the map went official.
And most server owners wouldn't see it as supporting the map's author, just a tax by Valve for something they could do for free before.