Site Frontier:Map Submission
From BattletechMUX
Contents |
Submission Process
It is important that the map-maker be available for questions and revisions during this submission process. So before starting, you may want to think of the time commitment. The map alone can sometimes take upwards around 20+ hours to make, and when you think that is all you have to do, sadly, the process is a little more involved.
Simply put, there are five steps that must be done before you will see mechs on your map:
- Design the map. See Submission Criteria and Design Guidelines for more details.
- Initial submission on the Mapping forum with all the proper information attached. See What We Need for more details.
- Discussion period where staff and players can post comments, make edits, and include information that may have been missing in the initial submission. This will last as long as is necessary to get the proper feedback and information. If the general feeling is that the players and staff like the map, and see that it is playable, then your map is approved.
- Optional, but critical: Create ansi maps. See Ansi Maps for more details.
- Final review with a staffer (preferably NeverWhere) to finalize and double-check all the details. You will receive an @mail when your map is ready for this final review. At this stage, your map will be fully loaded into the scene automation. This final review is merely a precautionary step to weed out all the minor errors that may show up during your map's premier appearance.
Submission Criteria and Design Guidelines
Before we can begin to consider your map, you need to follow certain criteria when designing it. Below is a brief checklist of this criteria. The rest of this section has descriptions of each element, so just click on the corresponding link to read them.
- No new features
- Any size
- 3 factions
- Warps
- Buildings for courier hexes
- Fuel depots
- Objectives (bases, relays, and generators)
- Symmetrical design?
- Varied terrain
- Varied base lay out
No New Features
You need to build the map to our current feature set. Gameplay cannot be adjusted to a new map, so the map must conform to the gameplay functions. Some examples of what is currently unavailable are:
- Naval units
- Aerospace
- Destroyable walls and bridges
- Dropships
| Note: This list is not complete, and is subject to change. In order to know what the different functions of the site are, it is best to play the site for a while and find out. |
Any Size
While there is no set size limit to your map, the map's playing surface needs to be proportional to the active playerbase. For example, a 50x50 map will probably run too fast and get old real quick. Likewise, a 1000x1000 map will probably be too large and the factions may never see combat during a scene. You be the judge, as the design of your map will dictate which size is best.
3 Factions
Currently most of the site's functionality supports 3 factions, so please do not design your map around 2, 4, or however many factions you want.
Warps
It is strongly recommended to have warps on your map, but the size of the map may negate this need. Ultimately, the goal is to not have 20 minute runs in order for a faction to adequately defend its bases. Some clever uses of warps that have been seen in the recent past are as follows:
- Warping to fuel depots
- Promoting HQ wars
- Allowing for more-or-less equal distances to all bases and objectives for every faction
- Making it possible to get from one corner/side of the map to another, while making the players walk in between.
Buildings for Courier Hexes
These buildings need to be accessible for any unit. The point of using buildings is to make the hex location obvious so the player is not hunting around for the right hex for hours. We will also need the hex information for these buildings (see What We Need).
Fuel Depots
Fuel depots need to be placed at realistic distances from bases (10 hexes at the minimum, 30 - 40 hexes at the maximum). If the distances to fuel depots are too far, it will discourage fuel runs. Be sure the distances are total for the route, not just as the crow flies.
Objectives
Relays and generators should not be overly plentiful because we want players to defend and fight over them. Bases are objectives as well, they just act as the spawn point to defend and fight over the bases, relays, and generators.
The rule of thumb is to have more relays than generators. Since relays serve more of purpose in strategizing the movement of your faction, and in determining where your enemy is, having more is almost essential.
Symmetrical Design?
Symmetry is not necessarily a bad thing, and as a first map, symmetry is sometimes easier to start with from a designer's perspective. Keep in mind that symmetry breeds consistency. This is also not a bad thing, as the players will be less confused on how the map works.
However, having symmetry may also mean your map may get old faster than you had hoped. If you want to design a fast, easily understood map, symmetry is probably your best bet, but the word of caution is to make other aspects interesting. Be creative with your warps, fuel depots, and terrain, if you want to chose this path.
If you care to take the challenge, design an asymmetrical map. Asymmetrical maps have seen the most success on The Frontiers, but they are not easy to make. The tough part for this design is making sure all factions have equal opportunity to get on the map and make just as many points as the other factions.
Varied Terrain
A strategy that some maps have taken is creating certain sections that give an advantage to different types of units. Here are some examples of what you might want to do:
- If you want ops to be long range mechs, use wide-open plains.
- If you want an area for assault munch fights, create close and tight terrain with plenty of bases that can handle energy drain.
- If you want an area for strike mechs, canyons or cities with major roads are nice for them to pop in and out.
Sub-dividing your map is not a bad tactic, at least in the initial design process. When choosing your terrain, it is important to be sure that all types of units can still reasonably navigate. It is important to know the limitations of all units (wheeled and hover units cannot go over elevation 2 changes, hovers cannot go into forests without having to make piloting checks to avoid damage, claimable mechs are 60 tons and no faster than 86 kph, etc. etc.). Creating objectives too high or stuck in terrain that makes the defense/approach too difficult for certain units will only discourage those units from spawning.
It is a fine line between making the terrain challenging, and then too difficult. With experience on this site and knowledge of what are the more popular units, hopefully this line is more easily tread.
Varied Base Lay Out
Each base should not be the same, and if it's possible, should have different structures that require various strategies to defend/take. HQ towers are no exception.
Food for Thought
While it is not necessary for you to be available during the veiling of your new map, keep in mind that the more help you can provide to the site during the first appearance, the better. Remember that no one will know your map better than you. So if you are around, join Public and FAQ channels to listen to the chatter and answer questions if people have them. If something is amiss that no player or staffer can catch, it may be in your best interest to be around.
