Easier way to download maps
Wed, 2011-07-27 01:49
Hi. I've been trying to create some custom maps for a while or possibly download them from wmbd, but I find the process excessively confusing, and I keep hitting dead ends.
In worms there was a system in which a user can create or download a png image and any blank space will automatically become the open area on the map. No .cfg's or anything. Another thing in worms is that if you were to play online, any opponent playing you would not have to download the map you are using, they can just play on it. Is it possible to create a system more like this in the future??
I 
hedgewars dearly, as this is the only flaw i can find.
Thanks for your time
This would be useful,but what about inappropriate maps?They would have to be moderated somehow before being able to used online
Some people like to add scenery.
The map.cfg specifies the number of hogs and theme,preview.png is preview,map.png is the map(so all 3 are needed.)
thanks doomy,
I appreciate your input. But the one thing I still don't get is how was worms able to produce maps so easily, without making the user have to deal with the .cfg at all?
Worms might be using a different programming language,which would give different limits.
As much as I get annoyed with these, why is X not here, when it is in some other game...
preview.png is needed, well, to provide a preview of the map. This could be worked around, by generating a preview from the map, but pre-scaled is more efficient. There's no plan yet to eliminate this. It really doesn't seem to be a great hardship.
The map config file is needed to pick a theme. This *could* be made optional and some arbitrary default theme be used, like nature, and the default hog limit (18), and if the map couldn't actually fit 18 hogs, or if the person wanted more than 18, too bad.
This isn't done yet, but frankly, I don't see why adding a file with one or two lines in it is such a big deal.
As for downloadable content, this is being worked on and might make the next version. The plan is to make all game resources overridable or extendable. There is the issue of moderating content, without the sort of access controls that are in games with a more restrictive server access (where they could permanently ban your pay account linked to a paid for version of a game if you harassed other players with pornographic images). At least for now, maps will probably have to be submitted and uploaded somewhere for approval.
--
Oh, what the heck. 1PLXzL1CBUD1kdEWqMrwNUfGrGiirV1WpH <= tip a hedgewars dev
I like the idea for the default theme, that was sort of what I was looking for (or the possibility to just select a theme in the game *as if you were using a generated map*). As for your other points- they do seem valid and I agree with you. Thanks for your input.
A lot of places try to control the upload of content with a repository, like for example approved scripts on the forum could be downloaded and I suppose it doesn't take much bandwidth.
Of course easier said than done, you need money for this.