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What happened to the modding community?

Raneman

Grizzled Veteran
Jan 12, 2011
642
788
After the SDK, we had a burst of creativity with several new mutators and maps coming out. Now we haven't had a new one in a long while, and no one is playing custom maps. Why aren't there 64 servers running Butovo, Provkhoy, Ogledow, Arad, etc.

I had to run an event with prizes offered just to get 32 players on Arad2.

It's so dissapointing.
 
Well, from what I've heard from people that have used the SDK it still needs optimization. Plus when it was released it was during a time when people were abandoning the game in droves. As a modder, why spend months of time working on a mutator or map if there are very few people around to play it? I know there are a couple of large mods in the works right now, but for most people it is discouraging to even try it.
 
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We are working hard to address the SDK issues. One of the main problems we have is that we are the only recent title that has shipped an SDK, so when we hit a problem, there is no UDN support for it. Much of the content about SDK's was written for UT 3 and no longer relevant to more modern versions of the unreal engine.
 
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We are working hard to address the SDK issues. One of the main problems we have is that we are the only recent title that has shipped an SDK, so when we hit a problem, there is no UDN support for it. Much of the content about SDK's was written for UT 3 and no longer relevant to more modern versions of the unreal engine.

Thanks Yoshiro,now at least we know why the SDK is being a bit troublesome at times for the modders.:IS2:
 
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I have a feeling that custom map makers will put their mapping pants back on as soon as the SDK issues get worked out. I have a combined arms map in the works right now and hope to have it ready to cook and publish by the next SDK patch.I'd also like to add that there's nothing wrong with the SDK as such. You can monkey around with all of the assets, terrains and play-test against a full compliment of bots. There's just a hitch in the cooking process or something that is causing problems. The 2 custom maps that were out before the notorious Feb. 7th SDK patch (Ogledow and Butovo) run just fine.Honestly, I'd encourage everyone to give the SDK a shot. There's a bit of a learning curve but in the end it's kind of fun to mess around with. There's also a very helpful bunch of guys in the Mod/Level design section of the forum who are really working to make the game more enjoyable for everyone.
 
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After the SDK, we had a burst of creativity with several new mutators and maps coming out. Now we haven't had a new one in a long while, and no one is playing custom maps. Why aren't there 64 servers running Butovo, Provkhoy, Ogledow, Arad, etc.

I had to run an event with prizes offered just to get 32 players on Arad2.

It's so dissapointing.

Raneman. no offend but the forum is filled with topics about the problems with custom maps. And I'm sure you have read something about this. If not I appologize but still can't believe that.

I already noticed that not noticing the struggle a community mapper face these days could happen to the best of us. ;););););)

But even when custom maps where served on plate (Gleedo's tool) and servers where available where they run without problems people didn't join to play or test them and provide feedback.

I even read bloody a comment where someone wrote that he would not play the custom maps as they where still in beta.
This wouldn't be a problem with a game played by 2000/3000 people. There would be enough people then to help testing your stuff, but with a game played by top 400 humans creating a custom map is as smart as selling umbrella's in the Sahara.

Even more annoying is it to join the forums to see people asking TWI for new maps and then not even notice the custom maps. It made me even quit post on this forum for some weeks.

I could rant on for a while but realize I can better focus on positive stuff. Wasted to much time already on this matter. Last few weeks I worked on to polish TE-Coldsteel and adding more stuff so it could compete a stock map.
But I don't know If i want to experience a same sheisse period like its previous release. Hoping for people to play custom maps.
 
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For me there are a few reasons why I temporary stop with mutator development. I mainly wrote them to make the game better playable. But now the beta is out and one day it will merge to the official release itself. It would not do much good to make mutators now if the beta might solve the same issue. So I decided to wait and see where the beta will bring us and maybe pick up the pencil after the beta get merged.

An other reason is that I got some "not so friendly" messages from some people on steam. Especially about the Tank Tweak mutator. It didn't give me the feeling that my work was appreciated.
Also is it rather useless to make mutators if they are only used on a small number of servers. Like the mappers do need the support from the community, even so do coders need that support.
Just to prevent misunderstanding, I did get some good positive feedback too of lots of you and thank you for that.
 
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For me there are a few reasons why I temporary stop with mutator development. I mainly wrote them to make the game better playable. But now the beta is out and one day it will merge to the official release itself. It would not do much good to make mutators now if the beta might solve the same issue. So I decided to wait and see where the beta will bring us and maybe pick up the pencil after the beta get merged.

An other reason is that I got some "not so friendly" messages from some people on steam. Especially about the Tank Tweak mutator. It didn't give me the feeling that my work was appreciated.
Also is it rather useless to make mutators if they are only used on a small number of servers. Like the mappers do need the support from the community, even so do coders need that support.
Just to prevent misunderstanding, I did get some good positive feedback too of lots of you and thank you for that.

Ducky, you know I'm a fan of your work, and I appreciate all the help you've given me in many areas. For every "not so friendly" message you get, just remember, I get a "BotDetonator is sweet!" message from virtually everyone I play with.

Again, I thank you for your work. :D
 
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Roost while it had some custom maps nobody seemed to play those either. It wasn't until twi did the mapping contest and made custom maps part of the stock game that people really started to play custom maps. (sadly the more custom maps you include stock the more unlikely people will want to join custom map servers).

TBH I hope that twi can find a sleek solution to make obtaining custom content perhaps a bit more integrated as in the fast communities of now everybody hates waiting.
 
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