The Map Foundry

[gimil]

Recently there as been a decline in activity in the map foundry. Along withhte holiday session the place has been dead.

Basically the question i want to ask you if why do you not visit the foundry and what would you like to see changed to entise you in?
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There is currently a discussion ongoing about categorising maps by complexcity,

http://conquerclub.com/forum/viewtopic. ... 73&start=0

feel free to pop in and give your 2cents

[lord voldemort]

i visit every now and then. i only post if its a map that interest me

[Skittles!]

For some reason, I've been visiting the Map Foundry a little more and posting what I think, so eh.

[Optimus Prime]

I try to make a visit over to the Foundry at least every other day, but I don't always post my comments because often I have no idea what the graphics guys are talking about, or the maps are far to gimmicky for me to understand when looking at the rough drafts, so I don't know how to help with the gameplay.

I will usually comment here and there on the maps such as Dustbowl, or South America because they are more of a "standard" type of map that would work wonderfully for tournaments, or they are the ones I am more inclined to play.

Maps such as Feudal War, Age of Realms, etc make it hard for me to comment on because I have absolutely no idea what they are talking about in the thread.

[gimil]

I try to make a visit over to the Foundry at least every other day, but I don't always post my comments because often I have no idea what the graphics guys are talking about, or the maps are far to gimmicky for me to understand when looking at the rough drafts, so I don't know how to help with the gameplay.

I will usually comment here and there on the maps such as Dustbowl, or South America because they are more of a "standard" type of map that would work wonderfully for tournaments, or they are the ones I am more inclined to play.

Maps such as Feudal War, Age of Realms, etc make it hard for me to comment on because I have absolutely no idea what they are talking about in the thread.

a good point optimus, esentially if everyone was to pop in and give constructive advise on maps they liked then the process each map goes through would be easier, and the crap can be filtered out.

[billy07]

i am not in the slightest bit interested in new maps and could`nt think of anything worse than "visiting to foundry". Maybe thats why it`s so quiet?

[Coleman]

i am not in the slightest bit interested in new maps and could`nt think of anything worse than "visiting to foundry". Maybe thats why it`s so quiet?

That prompted me to be interested in your past games. It seems the only non classic style map you've played is King of the Mountains.

We do have more classic style maps in development, as we always try to for the purists. Are you sure you aren't interested in helping make sure they are good? Or at least that you won't hate them.

Obviously it wouldn't be helpful for us or for you to comment on the 'weird' maps, but lone.prophet is making a couple maps that should be good for a player such as yourself.

[AndrewB]

I don't think that map foundry should be a democratic process. Essentially it is not right now. How many times I have commented on the map, but for some reason the map creator is not willing to hear me. In my experience, it is always a fight. I am sorry, but I dont like that, and I am not going to do that anymore. What is the point in commenting on the map when at the end of the day noone listens!?


People should be able to see the progress on the map and comment on it, but there should be a Map Foundry board with 5-10 well known map makers who are responsible for the map creation process. And their word must be "GOD" word, ie. map creator must listens and do what they say.

And also I agree with Optimus Prime there too, some maps are too far from my grasp.

[billy07]

i am not in the slightest bit interested in new maps and could`nt think of anything worse than "visiting to foundry". Maybe thats why it`s so quiet?

That prompted me to be interested in your past games. It seems the only non classic style map you've played is King of the Mountains.

We do have more classic style maps in development, as we always try to for the purists. Are you sure you aren't interested in helping make sure they are good? Or at least that you won't hate them.

Obviously it wouldn't be helpful for us or for you to comment on the 'weird' maps, but lone.prophet is making a couple maps that should be good for a player such as yourself.

i played pearl habour once, people were getting bonuses all over the place. i don`t like bonuses, and i`m happy enough with the old-fashioned maps i play on.

[mibi]

some new crazy maps,

[stevieQ]

I think maps like those are the reason that I never visit the map foundry. I guess I just don't really see the fun in playing on most of the crazier maps that have been developed.

[hwhrhett]

some new crazy maps,

eww..

[gimil]

mibi this isnt a palce to promote your maps, keep it to the foundry.

[negoeien]

well one of the reasons I don't post in the foundry is because I hate most new maps. I like the classic ones (malta, italy...) but I really detest the ones that abolish gameplay and have nothing to do with risk. I plyed feudal wars , magic an the other and even won them all except one. BUT I know it was because of very good rolls on my part. And not skill.
Those new maps make my head ache. Like bamboo jack and pearl harbor. such awfull maps!
Anyway I see which maps get added and tend to play at least once except some like conquerman, bambooo,... Then I sometimes like them but mostly they suck. I'm sorry.

[Riazor]

I visit the foundry every other day I think. Its interesting to see which maps are currently being made.

However, I dont post because usually the development is going in the right way. This applies to pretty straightforward maps only though. While I do look at the more complicated maps sometimes, I just don't really care because I like the "normal" maps more, and those weird maps not so much. Both AoM:M's and Pearl harbor were quite fine*, but i wont see myself playing on conquer man and bamboo jack among others.

*I wouldn't mind playing on them again, but only occasionally. Especially the AoM maps can be decided by too many luck factors (eg: a very unlucky and/or weak player near you)

[gimil]

There is currently a discussion ongoing about categorising maps by complexcity,

http://conquerclub.com/forum/viewtopic. ... 73&start=0

feel free to pop in and give your 2cents

[Coleman]

The benefits of this is that all your classic style maps won't be mixed in with a big list like they are now, they'll be by themselves.

Assuming we can get the higher ups to sign off on it once we are done arguing.

[AndyDufresne]

Keep in mind, the more people that give feedback...saying they want 'Normal, Classic' stlye maps...the better Cartographers are aware of the demand.


--Andy

[frogger4]

personally, I like a good mix of classic maps and the ones that have almost nothing to do with Risk, it adds a different dimension to the game, so I support most any of the maps

I guess the reason why I don't spend much time in the foundry, is 1. its so confusing! (not really, but it is rather unorganized it seems) 2. I am willing to play just about any map, I am not too concerned about what is under development. 3. just comes down to I don't spend that much time in the forums in general

basically, I have no reason not to visit the foundry, but really not too much of a reason to go there

[Coleman]

I wonder if we started giving out 3 months premium to commenter of the month... Probably shouldn't have mused that out here.

[gimil]

I wonder if we started giving out 3 months premium to commenter of the month... Probably shouldn't have mused that out here.

oopsie

[oaktown]

well one of the reasons I don't post in the foundry is because I hate most new maps. I like the classic ones (malta, italy...) but I really detest the ones that abolish gameplay and have nothing to do with risk.

This is exactly why i wish you would post in the foundry - the mapmakers need to hear more comments by regular joe players. The sense in the foundry is that the more complex maps are growing increasingly popular, because the people who post the most like complexity.

Like everything else in this world, the Foundry is run by those who show up.

[DiM]

don't come in the foundry. it's a nasty place. don't even dare to post constructive feedback there.



i hope reverse psychology works

[negoeien]

well one of the reasons I don't post in the foundry is because I hate most new maps. I like the classic ones (malta, italy...) but I really detest the ones that abolish gameplay and have nothing to do with risk.

This is exactly why i wish you would post in the foundry - the mapmakers need to hear more comments by regular joe players. The sense in the foundry is that the more complex maps are growing increasingly popular, because the people who post the most like complexity.

Like everything else in this world, the Foundry is run by those who show up.

Oaktown, I don't want to spoil the fun for those guys? I don't like the maps and do in fact hate some.
However I'm not so mean to post in the foundry by each map: "God I hate this map, gameplaywise it sucks, got nothing to do with the origine of the game, abandon this map .
Nah I also am a big fan of constructive feedback and the above wouldn't qualify for that I'm afraid. Maybe I'll give some feedback on more normal maps .
Anyways that's how I feel.

[rebelman]

I have posted at length on this previously - i believe the reception I got when I first started posting in the foundry was scandalous (i went as far as reporting it in the cheating and abuse forum)

They seem to be more welcoming in there now so i now post more regularly in there and some of the recent projects have really captured my imagination.

Assuming the foundry regulars can continue to improve their "people skills" I would recommend people to pop in there regularly and post.

I would issue the following warnings though to anyone heading in that direction for the first time:

The thread author could/ will bite your head off especially if the map has been quenched or is in final forge.

They (wrongly) expect everyone to read every post in their threads before you comment - their are ideas being discussed to address this issue but so far they have not ben generally implemented.

In general they like praise but even though they ask for criticism they really don't want it.

Many assume they are right even when they are wrong and will still be slow to admit it.

from experience they really don't like when you tell them their maps are hard to read and/or colours clash.

The further they are in the process the harder it is to get them to change.

The use far to much jargon in general (possibly to scare off us lay people)

At the moment there is no consistent pattern to what appears in the first post, title of threads etc although this is also being worked on.

Not quite sure why but map threads tend to go off topic a lot and there may be multiple pages of waffle / arguing and unrelated items again i believe this is being clamped down on but as of now these threads in effect carry a huge mount of spam.

Don't let the polls confuse you these are often way out of date and refer to something the map maker was wondering about 6 months ago (i have this issue previously and hopefully it will be addressed soon)

One item that I found very confusing when I first visited there was the order so here it is :

Step 1 Map Ideas

Step 2 Main foundry

Step 3A Final forge

Step 3B Final Forge Quenched

The earlier in this process you can post the better for the map maker and by extension all us players.

foundry discussion is exactly that its like general discussion but about maps - no actual maps are ever in that sub forum.