Sat Nov 23, 2013 12:44 pm
Improved Map Selection
As the number of maps within our community grows, servers such as Sam Test and Meow are plagued with a problem equivalent to "finding a needle in a haystack." Quality maps are drowned by, ahem, not-so-quality maps, and can be difficult to find and play in the heat of the moment.
1. Currently, the only ways to find a map are to scroll down a list of all maps, or filter by game mode. Automatic Filters would streamline the map selection process. Additional filters I would like to see are sort by Author, Number of Teams, and Engineer On/Off. These filters would sort all maps pertaining to their criteria, regardless of their inclusion in Map Playlists...
2. Additional "filters" can be constructed through alternative means with the use of Map Playlists. Users compile a Playlist by selecting various maps to string together and giving it a title, perhaps in the .ini file. When an admin begins a Playlist, the server will cycle through all maps in that Playlist. Upon completing a full loop, the server will pick a map outside the Playlist so as to not bore the players.
The main advantage of Playlists is for the purpose of map organization. For example, during our 3v3 games yesterday and earlier in the week, I wanted to find quality competitive maps that would fit our constraints. Old Garagegames maps proved to be just the thing, and a thorough list of all Garagegames maps in the map selection menu would have been wonderfully convenient.
Basically, Automatic Filtering and Map Playlists would offer easy gathering and cataloging of maps. On several occasions in recent weeks we have secured large swaths of players, yet struggled to find suitable maps to play. Ideally, through filtering and playlists, we would be able to find maps that fit our criteria right in the moment, instead of spending that time browsing and complaining. For example:
Odd # of Players? - Filter maps with 3 teams
Only 4 Players? - Begin Playlist "Small 2v2 Maps"
Everyone in server enjoys engineer? - Filter maps with Engineer enabled
Potential for competitive 4v4? - Begin Playlist "Medium CTF & Retrieve Maps"
Bored, but only 3 players? - Begin Playlist "Dungeon Maps"
Just you? - Begin Playlist "Bot-friendly Maps"
Want to relive the nostalgia? - Begin Playlist "BBB Gems"
etc.
If controlled through the .ini file, custom Playlists could be easily shared through text copy/paste, perfect for the forums. (Players could simply list the names of maps in the Playlist. If they wanted to, they could also just upload all of the maps in a .zip file.)
From what I've read about the Pleiades system, it sounds like much of these ideas could go hand-in-hand with a map database. Playlists may even solve the tagging dilemma. An incorrectly tagged map would ruin a collective tag search, but a single Playlist tainted by a poor inclusion would not affect other Playlists. Through a simple voting system players could vote the most accurate Playlists to prominency, weeding out the tainted Playlists.
Thoughts?
1. Currently, the only ways to find a map are to scroll down a list of all maps, or filter by game mode. Automatic Filters would streamline the map selection process. Additional filters I would like to see are sort by Author, Number of Teams, and Engineer On/Off. These filters would sort all maps pertaining to their criteria, regardless of their inclusion in Map Playlists...
2. Additional "filters" can be constructed through alternative means with the use of Map Playlists. Users compile a Playlist by selecting various maps to string together and giving it a title, perhaps in the .ini file. When an admin begins a Playlist, the server will cycle through all maps in that Playlist. Upon completing a full loop, the server will pick a map outside the Playlist so as to not bore the players.
The main advantage of Playlists is for the purpose of map organization. For example, during our 3v3 games yesterday and earlier in the week, I wanted to find quality competitive maps that would fit our constraints. Old Garagegames maps proved to be just the thing, and a thorough list of all Garagegames maps in the map selection menu would have been wonderfully convenient.
Basically, Automatic Filtering and Map Playlists would offer easy gathering and cataloging of maps. On several occasions in recent weeks we have secured large swaths of players, yet struggled to find suitable maps to play. Ideally, through filtering and playlists, we would be able to find maps that fit our criteria right in the moment, instead of spending that time browsing and complaining. For example:
Odd # of Players? - Filter maps with 3 teams
Only 4 Players? - Begin Playlist "Small 2v2 Maps"
Everyone in server enjoys engineer? - Filter maps with Engineer enabled
Potential for competitive 4v4? - Begin Playlist "Medium CTF & Retrieve Maps"
Bored, but only 3 players? - Begin Playlist "Dungeon Maps"
Just you? - Begin Playlist "Bot-friendly Maps"
Want to relive the nostalgia? - Begin Playlist "BBB Gems"
etc.
If controlled through the .ini file, custom Playlists could be easily shared through text copy/paste, perfect for the forums. (Players could simply list the names of maps in the Playlist. If they wanted to, they could also just upload all of the maps in a .zip file.)
From what I've read about the Pleiades system, it sounds like much of these ideas could go hand-in-hand with a map database. Playlists may even solve the tagging dilemma. An incorrectly tagged map would ruin a collective tag search, but a single Playlist tainted by a poor inclusion would not affect other Playlists. Through a simple voting system players could vote the most accurate Playlists to prominency, weeding out the tainted Playlists.
Thoughts?
