extra downloadable levels - do they ruin the game?

[graig]

i say yes.  often times they will add content that is stupid, or doesn't fit with the original game.  Take for instance,  Enemy territory, used to be fun, then they added tons of random levels, tons of extra sound packs that say silly things. like pee-wee herman's laugh, that just doesn't fit into the game.  Enemy territory also was ruined because now you can't just connect to any server, they all run their own custom maps, so you have to download those maps. by the time my computer is ready to play, i'm ready to fall asleep.  Plus the bad part is you can't tell who is running a modded server, or a regular server, so i just dont play it anymore.

what is tremulous going to do about this?

i suggest making maps and addons go through an official addon test, if you guys decide to add it, it can be added during the next version, or to an official addon that tremulous releases.  Plus servers that aren't running standard maps, should not appear on the server select screen.   That way it is easy to find a standard game that anyone can play.

does anyone else think that too many mods can ruin the fun?

by the way, i think the game is great.  And i really wouldn't change anything. so many people want you to change things.  I really think you got it just right.

[benplaut]

i think that the server list shouldn't show games playing on maps you don't have.

other than that, i don't think 3rd party maps are a problem.  It's hard to make a balanced trem map, and if it's no good, then nobody will play.

[BabyAlien]

i think the game is great.  And i really wouldn't change anything. so many people want you to change things.  I really think you got it just right.

I think the game is great as well, but I am of the opinion that it is more useful to the developers and the community to partake thoughtfully and actively in talking about improvements and ideas than to be silent.   They don't have to take the suggestions, but it provides a fertile ground for the really good ideas to grow.

I agree that there should be a central source who approves mods to keep changes under control, but with open source how can you control that, and who wants to have the full time (unpaid) job of testing and approving mods?  

I think you have a great idea to take into account the fact that this community, while small now, might explode with growth and consider ways to keep it under control before it happens.

[SLAVE|Mietz]

i say yes.  often times they will add content that is stupid, or doesn't fit with the original game.  Take for instance,  Enemy territory, used to be fun, then they added tons of random levels, tons of extra sound packs that say silly things. like pee-wee herman's laugh, that just doesn't fit into the game.  Enemy territory also was ruined because now you can't just connect to any server, they all run their own custom maps, so you have to download those maps. by the time my computer is ready to play, i'm ready to fall asleep.  Plus the bad part is you can't tell who is running a modded server, or a regular server, so i just dont play it anymore.

what is tremulous going to do about this?

i suggest making maps and addons go through an official addon test, if you guys decide to add it, it can be added during the next version, or to an official addon that tremulous releases.  Plus servers that aren't running standard maps, should not appear on the server select screen.   That way it is easy to find a standard game that anyone can play.

does anyone else think that too many mods can ruin the fun?

by the way, i think the game is great.  And i really wouldn't change anything. so many people want you to change things.  I really think you got it just right.

I totally agree with that!
Too many mods, sounds, maps are just killing gameplay.
At the end my ET-Folder was about 3GB, thats way to much, if you consider the original game was 300MB.

I hope that Trem wont become like ET. It was fun at the start, but later it grew into mod-galore (partly by the fault of all the clans like JUHU and GMC etc).

Mod-control is important, at last make the server-list only react to servers with "official" maps and/or not modded servers.

Or just implement mods that are obviously good (like the ETpro-mod was more a good extension/patch than a mod) into the next version.

just my 1337-cents

[[db@]Megabite]

As you are partly right, I think that you cannot compare the effects of gameplay tweaks like sounds and effects to custom maps.

I see no problems in servers running custom maps, some people even only play on the Derelict custom server because there is finally something new.
Where is the problem with that? On a dedicated custom server that identifies as such I guess there is none.
Quality custom maps enrich a game, as long as admins care only to cycle quality maps...

On the other hand sounds and servermods (TK -> freezebomb and such) partly ruined CS/CS:S a while back for me. It is hard to find a server without much custom content that is disrupting gameplay too much, so gaming gets less fun.

Danny

P.S.: As tremulous is open source, nothing can really be "done" about such mods. If they are developed and people like them, they will spread.

[Neo]

The other thing is if you limit the amount of maps, you limit the lifetime of the game. As everyone will find the best solution for that particular map and most likely that would hinder any new people coming to Trem.

[[db@]Megabite]

...and making the game boring for most people who have played each map for the 1337th time...

Danny

[Stof]

We need more maps, not less !

[Ksempac]

Every game goes through different stages :

Stage 1 : Few players know the game, there is only official, limited content

Stage 2 : The community grows, some pro modders/mappers start to work on the game and release some maps.

Stage 3 : The game is a known reference in all the gamer community, with countless players and countless modders/mappers some of them really good others stupid.

Stage 4 : The game, too old, is played only by die-hard fans most often on servers with really specifics mods/maps.

Tremulous is at the moment moving from Stage 1 to Stage 2...It is not the time to limit the good will of the Tremulous' mappers

[soubok]

Megabite"]...and making the game boring for most people who have played each map for the 1337th time...

Danny

I completely agree with megabite.
Some month ago, when I started to play tremulous, there was only 8 maps in tremulous, and it was really enough for me. But after a short time, I started to be bored with only 8 maps. It is why I decided to create my own map.
Be positive, and think that new content can greatly improve this game.

[Teiman]

Let me cry that:

"OH NO ACTS ...AGAIN!"



a convenient "solution" can be to have "packages" of maps, with OFC oficial maps, SRK for package "SARGE KING", WTV for package WTV whatever...
And force/able servers to show that packages run

Alike this:
Server Inmodian [FF ON][Maps: OFC,SRK,WTV]

note: I like ACTS

[DarkRogue]

um...it's ATCS not acts....


WEll so far we have:
JEx doing gloom2
Catalyc on meep
Cataclaw on spambox
MEgabyte on derelict
soubok on whatever he named it
Myself on gloom3
Manic on gloom (may be abandoned)

6-7 new maps (well 2 new and 4 ports)

[AGXx]

I disagree with the first post. More content has never killed a game. But I just wanted to say its wrong to compare ET with Tremulous. When ET was released in 2003, it was an extremely unbalanced game, not suited for competitive gaming. The comunity then made the game playable at a competitive level, adding content (maps) or removing when needed (spam weapons). Without moders like the etpro team, or map makers, ET would have been dead long ago.