So as my first map is nearing completion (it'll be done in a week or two, at most three) there's a few questions that I'd like to ask from you more experienced mapmakers concerning the maps beta testing stage and how I should go about it.
Firstly, should I test it myself first or test it while others test it at the same time? I fear that if I test it before others firstly it'll be a slight waste of time (actually a giant one because it takes me a month to complete a CTM normally because of my playing style) and I won't see many things that I did bad (like aesthetics I'm guessing).
Secondly, how many beta testers would be good to test my map? I'm thinking of 5-10 testers (15 if people REALLY want to test it).
And lastly, is there anyone here that would like to beta test it? I'd prefer at least one person from this thread since all of you are way more experienced than me. If there is, please reply saying so on this thread and when I see the reply I'll PM you with certain info (no personal info such as age or skype is required to test). Also Krose if you read this, once the map is 100% done I'll PM you a private copy of it (because you're currently building a monster hunter open world CTM also, and you may want to look at mine).
Edit: 100% brightness is reccomended for it. The maps name is "Ender Darkness" and the maps series' name is "Tales of Darkness" so...
Yeah, Inferno Mines is not a survival map, and I didn't play it. Vechs says it suffers from spectacle creep, and I agree. I do respect the makers and players who love that type of map, but for me... I'm looking for something and I don't find it. What I see mostly is sizes and distances that cause fatigue and boredom, areas that have no survival use to come back for, build-up of survival resources mainly through loot chests, and too much focus on impressive combat and impressive scenery...
To answer your question: I did find the variations of the survival experience in Waking Up, Gift, Lethamyr (even though open world quest play is really frustrating) and Spellbound Caves.
I'm really curious which CTM maps you say really offer more aspects of the survival gameplay than combat and loot?
I'd definitely take a look at ColdFusionGaming's "Monstrosity" map, and both of Heliceo's Ragecraft Maps, just to start you off. They're all fairly hard, with lovely environments, but really force you to take your time and deal with your environment in survival based ways, rather than just running through areas and strictly fighting. Most of the highly rated maps here on the thread, in the reviews section, generally fill true CTM gameplay, with a couple exceptions
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Also, Vigilis Oculos 1.2 patch is out! If you've not played it yet, this patch is the best one yet!
Yeah, Inferno Mines is not a survival map, and I didn't play it. Vechs says it suffers from spectacle creep, and I agree. I do respect the makers and players who love that type of map, but for me... I'm looking for something and I don't find it. What I see mostly is sizes and distances that cause fatigue and boredom, areas that have no survival use to come back for, build-up of survival resources mainly through loot chests, and too much focus on impressive combat and impressive scenery...
To answer your question: I did find the variations of the survival experience in Waking Up, Gift, Lethamyr (even though open world quest play is really frustrating) and Spellbound Caves.
I'm really curious which CTM maps you say really offer more aspects of the survival gameplay than combat and loot?
Pantheo- *ahem* um... Monstrosity was really good.
EDIT: Thanks for replying at the same time Fang! :/
So as my first map is nearing completion (it'll be done in a week or two, at most three) there's a few questions that I'd like to ask from you more experienced mapmakers concerning the maps beta testing stage and how I should go about it.
Firstly, should I test it myself first or test it while others test it at the same time? I fear that if I test it before others firstly it'll be a slight waste of time (actually a giant one because it takes me a month to complete a CTM normally because of my playing style) and I won't see many things that I did bad (like aesthetics I'm guessing).
Secondly, how many beta testers would be good to test my map? I'm thinking of 5-10 testers (15 if people REALLY want to test it).
And lastly, is there anyone here that would like to beta test it? I'd prefer at least one person from this thread since all of you are way more experienced than me. If there is, please reply saying so on this thread and when I see the reply I'll PM you with certain info (no personal info such as age or skype is required to test). Also Krose if you read this, once the map is 100% done I'll PM you a private copy of it (because you're currently building a monster hunter open world CTM also, and you may want to look at mine).
Edit: 100% brightness is reccomended for it. The maps name is "Ender Darkness" and the maps series' name is "Tales of Darkness" so...
I think that as long as you've been regularly testing while building, then it's okay to send it to other beta testers. Speaking of which, I'd love to help beta test!
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Mapmaker and LPer of Complete The Monument (CTM) maps.
Creator/owner of the CTM Community Mapping Server - ask about it on the CTM Community thread!
Current projects:
Thanatos - a subterranean semi-open-world urban CTM
Titan's Revolt - a collaborative project run by ProjectCTM; sequel to Pantheon
Pinnacle - a "sketch" mini-CTM intended for newer players (nearing completion!)
So as my first map is nearing completion (it'll be done in a week or two, at most three) there's a few questions that I'd like to ask from you more experienced mapmakers concerning the maps beta testing stage and how I should go about it.
Firstly, should I test it myself first or test it while others test it at the same time? I fear that if I test it before others firstly it'll be a slight waste of time (actually a giant one because it takes me a month to complete a CTM normally because of my playing style) and I won't see many things that I did bad (like aesthetics I'm guessing).
Secondly, how many beta testers would be good to test my map? I'm thinking of 5-10 testers (15 if people REALLY want to test it).
And lastly, is there anyone here that would like to beta test it? I'd prefer at least one person from this thread since all of you are way more experienced than me. If there is, please reply saying so on this thread and when I see the reply I'll PM you with certain info (no personal info such as age or skype is required to test). Also Krose if you read this, once the map is 100% done I'll PM you a private copy of it (because you're currently building a monster hunter open world CTM also, and you may want to look at mine).
Edit: 100% brightness is reccomended for it. The maps name is "Ender Darkness" and the maps series' name is "Tales of Darkness" so...
Although I'm by no means an experienced map-maker, I think that, from my experience of beta-testing, that you should personally test it first, just to make sure it's in playable condition (or at least do a fly-through) and then send it off to beta-testers to do final balancing for the map.
This thread has been quiet today. I think what we need is a...
COMMUNITY QUESTION!!
What is your preferred monument item? As in, wool or records, or even something else.
Yay! Something that will make this thread active.
I've been used to wool monuments as I've played many CTM maps. But I do like hybrids that use a different monument like a record monument. Sometimes, you just gotta see a map that is unique and uses a different item for the monument.
This thread has been quiet today. I think what we need is a...
COMMUNITY QUESTION!!
What is your preferred monument item? As in, wool or records, or even something else.
and...
There's also a new video of Legendary out. It's by me. Yeah.
It really doesn't matter but I prefer wool because it's what it was originally so I feel we should carry out the tradition. As far as bonus monuments, Anything goes.
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@Community question
I don't really care what the monument item is. For example, since my own CTM is a monster hunter themed one, there's a boss in every area and he drops a weapon (his weapon of course) for the weapon monument. I find this to be much more useful than just wool, because the player can use the weapon as well.
So as my first map is nearing completion (it'll be done in a week or two, at most three) there's a few questions that I'd like to ask from you more experienced mapmakers concerning the maps beta testing stage and how I should go about it.
Firstly, should I test it myself first or test it while others test it at the same time? I fear that if I test it before others firstly it'll be a slight waste of time (actually a giant one because it takes me a month to complete a CTM normally because of my playing style) and I won't see many things that I did bad (like aesthetics I'm guessing).
Secondly, how many beta testers would be good to test my map? I'm thinking of 5-10 testers (15 if people REALLY want to test it).
And lastly, is there anyone here that would like to beta test it? I'd prefer at least one person from this thread since all of you are way more experienced than me. If there is, please reply saying so on this thread and when I see the reply I'll PM you with certain info (no personal info such as age or skype is required to test). Also Krose if you read this, once the map is 100% done I'll PM you a private copy of it (because you're currently building a monster hunter open world CTM also, and you may want to look at mine).
Edit: 100% brightness is reccomended for it. The maps name is "Ender Darkness" and the maps series' name is "Tales of Darkness" so...
The Ragecraft maps are beautiful but no, I get the area fatigue and I still think that survival shrinks to not-dying instead of all the different tasks survival implies.
If you have some time to spare, check out the survival map Oasis (there are dungeons there too, you'll have some fun ), it's a lovely little map and it illustrates my point. I would love a CTM map that is somewhere in the middle between Oasis and and the Ragecraft maps, for example.
While the map is not in it's best state right now, I would also consider looking at Pantheon. Admittedly, it's my fault it's not in it's best state right now, but still. It likely works best in ~1.5/1.4. It's a collaboration between over 20 CTM mappers, including myself, Vechs, and Amlup, among many fantastic others. While again, in 1.7 it's fairly broken, as I've yet to get it updated (I'm balance head on the project), in earlier versions it feels much better, and fits a fairly genre defining role as we hoped - brutal, desperate, large, and most of all, exciting, survival gameplay in complex environments.
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Okay guys so I have a very important question (not a community question, we've been having way too many of those lately. Chill guys, please). I'm about to start working on the last area of my map, but suddenly (basically literally a few minutes before I started to work on it) I had an idea for a different them that I could use for it. Here's the two themes I'm thinking of (also these are what the areas name will be. If you're planning on beta testing the map don't open the spoilers):
Cavern of Chaos: a large cavern made mostly of gravel, bedrock, obsidian, and possibly moss stone. It'll split into a few other slightly smaller caverns where lapis level loot will be held. At the end of the cavern, the last boss.
or
Dungeon of Demons: a giant (not in visual size, mostly it'll probably be small corridors and slightly larger rooms) dungeon filled with demons from hell. The main blocks will be: double cobble slabs, moss stone, cracked stone bricks, and other similar blocks. It'll have layers, and in the bottom most layer there will be the last boss. This is what I was originally planning.
Also please put your answer in spoilers, as there is people on this thread that are planning on beta testing my map and I do not want them to know such things.
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Retired StaffI'd definitely take a look at ColdFusionGaming's "Monstrosity" map, and both of Heliceo's Ragecraft Maps, just to start you off. They're all fairly hard, with lovely environments, but really force you to take your time and deal with your environment in survival based ways, rather than just running through areas and strictly fighting. Most of the highly rated maps here on the thread, in the reviews section, generally fill true CTM gameplay, with a couple exceptions
-----
Also, Vigilis Oculos 1.2 patch is out! If you've not played it yet, this patch is the best one yet!
Pantheo- *ahem* um... Monstrosity was really good.
EDIT: Thanks for replying at the same time Fang! :/
I think that as long as you've been regularly testing while building, then it's okay to send it to other beta testers. Speaking of which, I'd love to help beta test!
Eᴠᴇʀʏ 60 sᴇᴄᴏɴᴅs ɪɴ Aғʀɪᴄᴀ, ᴀ ᴍɪɴᴜᴛᴇ ᴘᴀssᴇs. Tᴏɢᴇᴛʜᴇʀ ᴡᴇ ᴄᴀɴ sᴛᴏᴘ ᴛʜɪs. Pʟᴇᴀsᴇ sᴘʀᴇᴀᴅ ᴛʜᴇ ᴡᴏʀᴅ
COMMUNITY QUESTION!!
What is your preferred monument item? As in, wool or records, or even something else.
and...
There's also a new video of Legendary out. It's by me. Yeah.
Yay! Something that will make this thread active.
I've been used to wool monuments as I've played many CTM maps. But I do like hybrids that use a different monument like a record monument. Sometimes, you just gotta see a map that is unique and uses a different item for the monument.
I don't really care what the monument item is. For example, since my own CTM is a monster hunter themed one, there's a boss in every area and he drops a weapon (his weapon of course) for the weapon monument. I find this to be much more useful than just wool, because the player can use the weapon as well.
I'll test!!!
Also, this changed my life
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Retired StaffWhile the map is not in it's best state right now, I would also consider looking at Pantheon. Admittedly, it's my fault it's not in it's best state right now, but still. It likely works best in ~1.5/1.4. It's a collaboration between over 20 CTM mappers, including myself, Vechs, and Amlup, among many fantastic others. While again, in 1.7 it's fairly broken, as I've yet to get it updated (I'm balance head on the project), in earlier versions it feels much better, and fits a fairly genre defining role as we hoped - brutal, desperate, large, and most of all, exciting, survival gameplay in complex environments.
Also, best Legendary Series ever:
BECAUSE HES AUSTRALIAN
Is it just me, or you do always do this with Pantheon?
Traumatised by a certain Lime Wool area I'm trying to speedrun. I haven't quite started yet, but I'm already having nightmares.
But still, it isn't that bad. Right? Right?
Yeah, if you plan on taking Fanny's advice and checking out Pantheon, you might want to prepare for rage. And lots of it.
Depends on who you're asking. Some people tolerate block variation a lot more than others.
For me, personally, I'd say that looks pretty good because none of the blocks are contrasting too much.
or
Also please put your answer in spoilers, as there is people on this thread that are planning on beta testing my map and I do not want them to know such things.