Just a little bit of feedback from the first wave of maps that were available on battle.net. I noticed a lot of maps were using custom loading screens with text and press any key to continue. Little bit of a pet peeve you can call it.
I can't force you to, but please, for at least smaller productions, use the "Melee" loading screen type and disable the "press any key to continue". As feedback from someone who was playing quite a few customs games, if you have a small map, or you don't have a whole lot of useful information to add to your custom loading screen, leave it as melee. It adds the progress bars for everyone who is loading the map, which is infinitely more interesting to look at everyone's loading bar then it was to read one paragraph of useless text, usually something like "this is my first creation" and then having their name beside it.
Already as it is the mappers name is viewable from battle.net, and if you really want you can put it inside your map, but it got to the point where I became somewhat annoyed at the amount of mappers who decided to forgo the loading screen, which I'm guilty of it myself. I did that for some of my first productions, a mistake I will not be repeating now that I know how irritating it is. Even if you're putting in patch notes, its sortof cool to read it the first time, but every other time you aren't going to read it again, its especially annoying for a small game you could be playing 30 times in one day. I've seen people utilize the "tips" section in the help, you can use that for patch notes and telling people how to play. It works. This applies as well for introduction screens on maps that seemingly will be played over and over again, the best maps I've played got started immediately, some even setting your control groups for you and selecting the main building to get you started, things like that.
Also I'm not sure what the purpose of "push any key to continue" is. Games are created so fast on battle.net 2.0, there's no point in making everyone wait. Maybe there's something I'm not understanding here but I have no idea why people enable it. I've sometimes joined a game, left briefly to get a drink before the game got started, just to see I was accidentally holding up the game for everyone by not pressing a key after the game loaded.
Just two of my little criticisms... I will love your map so much more and you as a map maker if you leave in the loading bars and remove the "press any key", that is all.
Also, this evidently doesn't apply for single player (or low number of players) maps, I'm mostly talking about those large 12 player custom maps.
The press any key to continue *should* be used on maps that involve instant action, where you need your attention there right away, rather then whenever it decides to load. For example in the old sc1 game, I cant remember the name, but you had to run with your probe away from a onslaught of zerglings, and make it to the end of the path, blocking them off, pylon jumping over terran addons and such. That is a case where you should use that, because if your hand isn't on the mouse, you lose, instantly. Click when ready, should be exactly that; but I agree, not a way to increase the time people read your loading screen.
Generally, whenever possible, the map should be designed so that the map can get started, but to get started requires an ingame action, so everyone else can get started.
Regardless though, games are made extremely quickly on battle.net 2.0, so someone simply being afk will be a rare issue.
As far as I know there isn't, aside from a custom background image (still possible with melee loading bars), where you could possibly add a bit of text and a title.
I've taking a liking though to making a custom map image which provides a bit of eye candy, which is visible also during the loading screen.
I agree with the Press Any Key issue.
I think it's also meant for campaigns and other single-player maps with long loading times, so you could grab your newspaper, read a little in it and see if the map finished loading after a minute or two.
But why not use the feature of custom loading screens?
Adding the change log, a story description, a game description or something atmospheric to the loading screen is, I think, an excellent idea. Even if you happen to read it a hundred times.
And there's already a couple of nice pictures that can be used as loading screens. Mappers that prefer to keep their map size low can use one of these instead of adding their own.
At least you have something to look at. I always liked the idea of loading screens.
My point is that usually when I'm waiting to load, it's far more interesting to see how far everyone else is done with their loading then it is to read a changelog you have read already 10 times.
" I've seen people utilize the "tips" section in the help "
How do you enter in the editor information that will appear in the TIPS section of help? (I see where to enter title, desc, but not where to enter the tips that appears in help)
While Im at it, it would be good to know where to link/enter a tutorial so that it appears in the help section beneath the tips menu item.
I personally don't agree with this at all. What's so interesting about watching everyones loading bars? I would much rather see game information, tips, keybinds etc.
Well... I would.
There is just 1 thing: My map isn't exactly completely Meele. So there are a bunch of things that need to be said: Credits and a quick overview for new players. If I could have that in the Help box in the meele loading Screen, I would be convinced. Now? Not so much.
I've "press any key to continue" enabled because of a text-wall in the loading screen and a cinematic at the beginning of the map. It's a singleplayer or two-player story-map. I want each of the players to get the chance to enjoy all story information.
With custom maps, you have just a few seconds to teach a player how to play the game. If you don't use the loading screen to highlight critical info about the game, you're really wasting a good opportunity to teach players about how to play.
Just a little bit of feedback from the first wave of maps that were available on battle.net. I noticed a lot of maps were using custom loading screens with text and press any key to continue. Little bit of a pet peeve you can call it.
I can't force you to, but please, for at least smaller productions, use the "Melee" loading screen type and disable the "press any key to continue". As feedback from someone who was playing quite a few customs games, if you have a small map, or you don't have a whole lot of useful information to add to your custom loading screen, leave it as melee. It adds the progress bars for everyone who is loading the map, which is infinitely more interesting to look at everyone's loading bar then it was to read one paragraph of useless text, usually something like "this is my first creation" and then having their name beside it.
Already as it is the mappers name is viewable from battle.net, and if you really want you can put it inside your map, but it got to the point where I became somewhat annoyed at the amount of mappers who decided to forgo the loading screen, which I'm guilty of it myself. I did that for some of my first productions, a mistake I will not be repeating now that I know how irritating it is. Even if you're putting in patch notes, its sortof cool to read it the first time, but every other time you aren't going to read it again, its especially annoying for a small game you could be playing 30 times in one day. I've seen people utilize the "tips" section in the help, you can use that for patch notes and telling people how to play. It works. This applies as well for introduction screens on maps that seemingly will be played over and over again, the best maps I've played got started immediately, some even setting your control groups for you and selecting the main building to get you started, things like that.
Also I'm not sure what the purpose of "push any key to continue" is. Games are created so fast on battle.net 2.0, there's no point in making everyone wait. Maybe there's something I'm not understanding here but I have no idea why people enable it. I've sometimes joined a game, left briefly to get a drink before the game got started, just to see I was accidentally holding up the game for everyone by not pressing a key after the game loaded.
Just two of my little criticisms... I will love your map so much more and you as a map maker if you leave in the loading bars and remove the "press any key", that is all.
Also, this evidently doesn't apply for single player (or low number of players) maps, I'm mostly talking about those large 12 player custom maps.
This is truth. Especially, the press any key crap unless you're doing a single player map it shouldn't be there.
The press any key to continue *should* be used on maps that involve instant action, where you need your attention there right away, rather then whenever it decides to load. For example in the old sc1 game, I cant remember the name, but you had to run with your probe away from a onslaught of zerglings, and make it to the end of the path, blocking them off, pylon jumping over terran addons and such. That is a case where you should use that, because if your hand isn't on the mouse, you lose, instantly. Click when ready, should be exactly that; but I agree, not a way to increase the time people read your loading screen.
Generally, whenever possible, the map should be designed so that the map can get started, but to get started requires an ingame action, so everyone else can get started.
Regardless though, games are made extremely quickly on battle.net 2.0, so someone simply being afk will be a rare issue.
@mikelat: Go
I like the loadings bars too. I was wondering if there's way to have custom text on the loading screen AND the player loading bars.
As far as I know there isn't, aside from a custom background image (still possible with melee loading bars), where you could possibly add a bit of text and a title.
I've taking a liking though to making a custom map image which provides a bit of eye candy, which is visible also during the loading screen.
I agree with the Press Any Key issue.
I think it's also meant for campaigns and other single-player maps with long loading times, so you could grab your newspaper, read a little in it and see if the map finished loading after a minute or two.
But why not use the feature of custom loading screens?
Adding the change log, a story description, a game description or something atmospheric to the loading screen is, I think, an excellent idea. Even if you happen to read it a hundred times.
And there's already a couple of nice pictures that can be used as loading screens. Mappers that prefer to keep their map size low can use one of these instead of adding their own.
At least you have something to look at. I always liked the idea of loading screens.
My point is that usually when I'm waiting to load, it's far more interesting to see how far everyone else is done with their loading then it is to read a changelog you have read already 10 times.
You can still have a custom background.
" I've seen people utilize the "tips" section in the help "
How do you enter in the editor information that will appear in the TIPS section of help? (I see where to enter title, desc, but not where to enter the tips that appears in help)
While Im at it, it would be good to know where to link/enter a tutorial so that it appears in the help section beneath the tips menu item.
thanks
@mikelat: Go
I personally don't agree with this at all. What's so interesting about watching everyones loading bars? I would much rather see game information, tips, keybinds etc.
Guess I'll be sticking with the Melee one, then.
Well... I would.
There is just 1 thing: My map isn't exactly completely Meele. So there are a bunch of things that need to be said: Credits and a quick overview for new players. If I could have that in the Help box in the meele loading Screen, I would be convinced. Now? Not so much.
I've "press any key to continue" enabled because of a text-wall in the loading screen and a cinematic at the beginning of the map. It's a singleplayer or two-player story-map. I want each of the players to get the chance to enjoy all story information.
With custom maps, you have just a few seconds to teach a player how to play the game. If you don't use the loading screen to highlight critical info about the game, you're really wasting a good opportunity to teach players about how to play.
I agree, here is the loading screen I'm using for my map atm. http://img59.imageshack.us/img59/2078/loadingscreenhd.png
Who cares about loading bars, even if other people are loading slowly there is nothing you can do about it. You have to wait either way.
There used to be a de-synchronization issue if you didnt put "press any key to continue". Its probably fixed now though...