Demand for custom maps website?

[(TLL)ShdNx]

This idea has appeared recently in the developer team, but this is not an official MWLL project.

Essentially the website would provide a place to share (upload), rate, discuss and download semi- or non-official maps for MWLL. There would be 4 user groups:
 - Administrators would keep the website clean, develop new features and approve suitable maps (the ones that meet a certain set of minimal requirements)
 - Map designers would have the right to upload maps, manage their uploaded maps (upload new version, upload screenshots, change description)
 - Registered users would be able to rate and post comments on any uploaded maps
 - Guests (non-registered visitors) can see and download any approved or non-approved maps as well as their ratings and comments

The domain and host can be arranged quickly if we decide to implement this (thank you Seraph!).
The question right now is whether do You feel a demand for such a website?

Any suggestions, ideas regarding the project are more than welcome!

The project would be developed using PHP + MySQL. If you wish to contribute (especially designers), please post here or send me a PM. Don't forget to include the:
 - your area and level of expertise (beginner, casual, experienced, professional, etc.)
 - your amount of free time per week (approximately)

[Pentence]

Hey i know me some PHP i could help out no sweat(im around the casual level),and i have several maps id LOVE to get this kinda place for feedback  on. Also i think this would help out alot in the design department and let us map makers know who likes what and what works.

I got two days off every week  and no school right now so i got a fair amount of free time. This might be subject to change as my job is semi-seasonal and we get the most buissness in the summer,for the foreseeable future though i can get in about 30 hours a week to a project.

[HAARP]

Sounds like a very good idea to me.

But don't forget to link it from the main site. It may not be an official project, but people need to know about it even if they don't visit the forums

[whitedrake 1FSAC]

I honestly thin this is the best place for it , not another site.

here we check back often for new beta builds,  DL them from the map makers first post link, give feedback, test, feedback, run them on FS server when in alpha.  Sticky them to the top post when it's a running map.

if we moved it to another site, then we would have fewer people able to find them.

the best support the devs could give us here is packing the current maps together with an installer to help those that don't know how to put them where they belong.

[SquareSphere }12thVR{]

I'll take a look on how to create an installer, there's several free options that might help.  If they seem like a good option i'll post up a guide for the level authors to use.

[(TLL)Sky_walker]

Packing everything to single installer isn't a good long-term solution. Unless you want 10GB installer at some point
Regarding what Shadow told:
What should be pointed out is the fact that after porting game to Crysis Wars this website won't play the role of Customs Maps redistribution, as everyone will be able to download the maps via game itself.

Our greatest concern is that if we'll make such system - wouldn't it be kinda... worthless, cause right now a place for feedback is in fact this section of forum, while downloads gonna be in game anyway - in easier & simple way, cause there's nearly no user action required when you have crysis wars. Everything goes by it's own. Only advantage over current Forum + *one-day-to-be* Crysis Wars port would be the stars scoring system and an option for moderators to promote really good maps.

So that's why we ask you whatever it's a good idea and if there are people willing to help with creation/create of such system. (using something ready-made would be good as well)

[(TLL)ShdNx]

Thank you for the clarification Sky.

Pentence: thank you for the application! I'll contact you if we give the project a go.

One thing I want to add: building this website would take approx. a month or two, including testing and bugfixing. That's why we don't want to just start it without knowing what we can expect, if we implement it and without knowing Your opinion.

Edit: added a poll to better distinguish opinions. Please vote!

[Danger]

I think a dedicated Map website would be good, but also I'd rather see the time and talent spent on creating that put towards the mod itself be it the next patch, com created maps or whatever. I guess currently using the forum seems to be working out fine.

If there is concern that some that download the mod aren't on the forum so they wont see the custom maps, maybe just put a link by the download link for the mod and say, these are unofficial maps that are available to play on servers for MWLL or something like that.

[Crashagn]

When someone does create a map and post about it in this section of the forums, I do try to get that map uploaded to the server and also provide a download link from our website host so everyone is able to get the new map. Currently I would rather see the devolopment team go full force on the mod itself but if someone wanted to undertake the role of creating a temp website then all for it. Currently maps can be downloaded from;
 http://www.mechlivinglegends.net/forum/index.php/topic,7822.0.html

OR;
http://1stfederatedsuns.com/images/SA_1FSAC_Glacier_Oceanfront_0.1.6.zip
http://1stfederatedsuns.com/images/SA_Desolation.zip
http://1stfederatedsuns.com/images/SA_Palisades.zip
http://1stfederatedsuns.com/images/SA_Paradise.zip
http://1stfederatedsuns.com/images/SA_Poseidon.zip

[(TLL)ShdNx]

We wouldn't move any resources from mod development away; it would go with a lower priority than the core mod naturally.

[Crashagn]

I do like the Idea of a packaged installer.. as long as it can be kept under 500Mb.. But as this mod is Beta, so are the maps. Maps that are created will still be tested, changed, re-released. Not only is the author gonna have to repack or zip the map, get it to someone, then that someone update the url link if the file name has changed, and also update the map on the server. If that certain map is put into a installer with other maps and all of a sudden there is a update on a server, someone is gonna be getting mismatched errors. For the time being if someone is willing to undertake - paying for and also designing a website, worrying about available bandwidth and website space, keeping up on the maps and the updates/changes then go for it. To me personely this is time and $ wasted and at least the webdesigner/gate keeper could be playing the mod. Right now there are a few of us that are helping with this. I myself will keep helping with the updates for the authors to get the maps distributed and tested on the server. It's the least I can do to help out. The packaged installer will be awesome after mwll is ported to crysis wars... mainly for the server admins so we can download the entire map pack in 1 big bang and get it to the servers

[SquareSphere }12thVR{]

The idea for the installer was more about trying to make it friendly enough that it would be dummy proof.  My idea was to have the installer search the registry for the crysis install path so it would always install to the correct location regardless of where they installed.

The NSIS installer language looks to be robust enough for my design, just need time to see if I can make it do what I want to.  Once I get it working, map makers can just use the guide I create to do their own installers.  So it doesn't have to be a combined pack.

[7.[WD]Poldi]

sounds good!

[~SJ~ Blhurr]

What are the barriers to wide-spread use of custom maps?

1) Visibility - Are they easily discoverable and locatable?
2) Reliability - Is it easy to figure out which maps are vetted and accepted by the broader community?
3) Instalability - (made that up) - Can I get the thing installed without needing to read an instruction manual? Any instruction with more than 3 steps is going to lose people.
 
 

[(TLL)Sky_walker]

1) Visibility - Are they easily discoverable and locatable?

Yep, if only anyone bothers to check the forum.

2) Reliability - Is it easy to figure out which maps are vetted and accepted by the broader community?

Nope. Even I don't know which maps were "accepted by the broader community" and which not, lol

3) Instalability - (made that up) - Can I get the thing installed without needing to read an instruction manual?

Nope. But there's hardly anything you can done about it without good, working, proper installer OR porting entire MWLL to Crysis Wars.