News | Forum | People | FAQ | Links | Search | Register | Log in
Mapping For The New Age
I want to present for discussion some things that I have discussed with others and even here for possible consideration now or in the future.

These are new thoughts based on problems that have surfaced, challenges and new ideas.

1. Maps using solely shareware Quake monsters plus any others developed in expansion packs.

Reason: Right now, most maps can only be used by users of registered Quake. Registered Quake at the moment cannot be purchased new anywhere on the planet. (The ID store is being revamped, could be months).

The shareware monsters:

Zombies
Fiends
Shamblers
Grunts
Ogres
Knights (Swords only kind)
Scrags

Registered monsters:

Enforcers
Fish
Hell Knights
Vores
Spawns
Shub

This way at least a pool of custom maps could legally be tried by someone who has shareware Quake for free.

Additional monsters like the Quoth characters or the FC1 or Lunaran badguys could be used as well.

The reason I bring this up is that there is a package called FreeQuake which is a legal distribution of the shareware install plus some more modern engines.

http://freequake.quakeone.com

This project was started over 1 year ago, back when the whole QuakeOne team was rather oblivious to single player.

Beginning in May there will be a major push of the package as we will have more compatible servers online.

It would be nice to have some custom maps that do not use pak1 monsters so downloaders could experience the newer aspect of single player as well, and if so, we'd include engines more geared to single player in the install list.

2. Gateway Teleporter Maps

Screenshot of the idea.

http://www.quakeone.com/forums/showthread.php?t=278

3. All-Time Best Map Packs

This doesn't really require anything special since many of the license agreements would permit it. Although I'm still surprised there isn't one. Would be really cool if combined with #2.

I have 4 other categories of thought, one was the effortless sampling of single player maps via a Quakeworld coop server.

The other 3 ideas, there isn't much sense talking about them because they require a huge amount of work.

Last, but not least, are their any mappers willing to volunteer some of their maps for a pilot project to create a small self-installing package of no more than 10 custom single player maps? This will be promoted at QuakeOne.com and given mention at some other sites to introduce multiplayer types to single player.

We only want to include maps where we have the backing of the author to do so, because we view that as the respectful and considerate way to do things, even in cases where the readme.txt permits or encourages redistribution without asking. In our view, you cannot be part of a community without treating others with respect and requesting dialogue.
First | Previous | Next | Last
No Way 
Vores and Spawns are sooo coool 
 
i think it's a nice idea of you guys, but i have to say, i don't think it would work as you'd miss out on a lot of gameplay without enforcers, hknights and vores...

esp enforcers w/rt base maps... enforcers make up about 33 to 50% of a base map's monster count. :S 
Necros 
I know. Vores and Hell Knights are my favorites.

Hell Knights could be replaced by a Quoth class, Vores by Droles?!?

I and others have been watching this game fade away for no particularly good reasons. Only the ID site sells Quake new and the store has been down for 7 days and last time it was down, it was down for about a year.

Some of us feel if Quake could be available legally and expose news players to a cross section of what it has to offer, that this would be reversed.

There are several sites in Quake that have turned to illegally distributing Quake to continue their communities; our site is not one that will be taking that route.

In fact, there was a big debate over those illegal distributions on our site very recently.

It's worth reading that to see the feelings and perspectives. Some feel that illegally downloading Quake is ok and justified, others do not and some of us are against it but have express frustration with the current unavailability of Quake.

This is a quality read, at our forum we don't interfere with debate (much like this one:

http://www.quakeone.com/forums/showthread.php?t=179 
Hmmm... 
i could live without fish, spawn and shub... but quake without helknights? vores?
and enforcers, what necros said. and not only old-school base maps use enforcers. sm28, could ...

also, the best maps for quake newbs to play are the original ones from id. the original episodes. those are so good (as well as stuff like beyond belief). people should not miss them, they are not optional, they are part of quake. integral to this work of art. the quake experience is not complete without them.

the best solution is for people just to get pak1.pak, I think you can still buy quake on ebay... and flea markets... steal it from your older sister... beam it down... assimilate it... ask a friend who has the CD for a copy ...

that´s the cold hard truth. we are in a situation where it is not so easy to get pak1.pak. I would prefer if I could buy the CD at the local media markt for 5 euros. I´d buy 5!!! sadly, that isn´t the case. and any more than 7,50 is not a realistic price. and not everybody has a credit card. so much for online shops.

but anything based on shareware quake is less than half the deal. the monsters, the three episodes, the dm maps are integral.

so what is the new age? players using shareware quake? are you kidding? would you want a bicycle with one wheel? and new wheels unavailable? imagine all cyclists using that, mounting new gadgets onto it, and pretending it was normal. no. the truth is, you find some buddies who have a source for wheels. whatever that may be. such is life.

but sure, your idea #1 has at least something going for it. I think you should present it more as a challenge to mappers, "using only shareware content". Nice theme for a speedmapping session. That way, it could work.

idea #2 (hub map): it´s been done before, check out the original 100 brush contest pack. but it´s just sooo easy and quake loads maps so fast, to enter "map xxx" in the console, look around and say "oh, this was this". Joequake even has a map menu. And hint, hint: There is a "teleporter hub" map in the standard quake, without screenshots OK, but the id maps are so short that it´s enough to link to the first map of every episode.

Better idea: Take screenshots of all maps, and make a list on a website using the shots, full name and short description. much easier than mapping.

idea #3: best map packs are problematic, because everyone will have different "best maps". it would be unfair. I´d really just link to underworldfan´s review site and the quaddicted archive. and celephais.net.

good luck man. 
First | Previous | Next | Last
You must be logged in to post in this thread.
Website copyright © 2002-2024 John Fitzgibbons. All posts are copyright their respective authors.