Depends fully on your map, how you advertise it, how much re-playability it has and of what quality it is. There is not a set-in-stone number, and just based on the fact that you asked this question leads me to believe that you're either trolling or/and that your map will not have a particular high % of getting popular, because it gives me no context into what map you're making and/or how much effort you are giving it.
Also, if people derail this thread into talking about how the popularity system sucks/other directions that this thread has potential to go, I will lock it.
1. create a reasonably polished game/map
2. publish it and inflate the popularity rating by a massive ad campaign or cheating
3. Hope that the game is fun enough to make the players gained by 2. want to replay it over and over again to stay at page 1-2
If the popularity drops below page 2 your map is gone.
replayability allows your map to sustain a high enough rating to attract new players when you no longer advertise
i would say anything new has to be really good just to get noticed (sadly)
Getting into mapmaking ("selling" one's map .. not making it) is like getting into a maffia, you got to get in to have any chance...
if you are alone.. try to make friends with map nighters or other similar groups.. or maybe if you have a HUGE number of sc2 friends that will (like it) play it, it could work too..
otherwise i'd say : no chance whatsoever (sorry)
case in point: jade's "photon cycles": a great game that is popular and not getting up in the list (just cause..)
lots of unrelated players ..almost 3800 bookmarks (never went down since inception)
an easy to "get" game with limitless re playability
a skill cap that no one will ever reach
a dedicated mapmaker...
BUT this mod is still not getting to page one
(jade leaving the advertising to the four winds isn't helping.. granted ;) )
ps: i gave up, i'll do a pacman and other stuff for my friends :) and marvel at how the market place will change stuff (sorry couldn't resist the joke, i'm sorry)
Z edit: i'm honored, .. i only advertised "cycles" ;)
High replay value means that if I play your map, I will want to play it over and over and over. For example, portal 2 (in my opinion) has a pretty low replay value, because once you figure out the puzzles, there is no reason to play again. Your map must be fun, AND be fun to replay over and over. Good maps will rise high on the popularity if they are well advertised. As Zarakk said, there is no set in stone number. Basically just make something fun,and then ask us what we think ;) Changes are probably coming to the system with the release of the marketplace, so things will most likely be different. But for now, your map has to be as good or better than those currently on top, and well advertised.
As Zarakk said, if this turns into a QQ thread about the pop system, it's going to be locked. I'm watching you, hound...
No plot twists or surprises. A surprise is only a surprise once.
Nothing with an "end". In other words, the campaign. Sure, people replay the campaign, but not like they would a melee game. Think of WoW. The reason why WoW has such a high replayability, is because it has no end. Sure you can reach level 85, but quote on quote from my friend, "85 is when the game begins". In other words, if there is an end, make it take a LONG time to reach that end.
Something with a different outcome every time. This is why PvP maps are considered to be more fun than PvE. In PvP, you will be fighting a different force every game, because you never know what is going to be thrown at you. Imagine if in a melee game, no matter what every single game your enemy sent 5 zerglings at 2:30, sent 7 roaches at 4:20, etc. You would get bored, because you would know exactly how to beat that. In PvP, there is not only a potential for an endless amount of strategies for you to use, but an infinite the enemy can use as well.
Achievments. If a player is good at a game, they don't want the only way to prove it being kicking someone's ass. Although this is awesome, I know that having that "golden AK-47" in COD was like the only reason I kept playing. Not because it served any purpose, but because I could say that I have a golden AK-47.
Something with constant action, or constant tension. Think of Mafia. You are always thinking in that game. My APM might be .005, but my TPS (thoughts per second) are just as high as they are in a melee game :) But yeah, even games like Desert Strike, there is constant action. Watching the units battle is fun, and you get to determine what to build.
So those are my basic suggestions on making a replayable map. Hope they make sense and are useful to you. To answer your question, it is up to you. Also realize that the amount of effort you put into the map is not what determines if the map is popular. The effort you should be putting in is scanning BNET, asking players why they like custom games, and what the BNET community is looking for. So in reality, you have a 0-100% chance of making a popular map. The choice IS yours, no matter what people say about it being impossible.
As a co-creator on Frontline EU (Terrain mostly) I can say we used to think the same.
But we just finished our map, and it's currently at position #4 and should hit #3 eventually by the looks of it.
We didn't create anything awesome in my opinion, but there isn't really and end too it. Or not a easy to get one at-least...
But PvP maps as mentioned above tend to go up easier, but it's hard too stand out above the others since 80% of the custom maps are crap PvP ones :/
The map doesn't even need to be popular if it's one or two-player, because then people won't have to wait in a lobby to play it...they could just have a friend join them and play.
bookmarks this thread*
So much useful information here. I will be taking this all into consideration with my current project ;D
Also, using MineralZ as an example.. if your map takes a skilled team to play through, this creates replayability. People play to get skill/achievements of new characters as mentioned earlier. People look around for other players that are good because the game is almost too difficult to be beaten alone. Instant replayability.
If your map is genuinely good and fun with enough content to keep it rising; 100%.
You have to find players to even play the map first. You could be the best modder in the world ever and never rise at all.
If you can't make a viral video, or find someone to do it for you. No chance, end of story. Stop filling peoples heads with false hope, unless you truly have no doubt that individual has the skills to achieve what they're asking. This kind of cultist blind optimism needs to stop, it doesn't work like that in reality.
Given the little information hes given, I say, no he has no chance ever.
You might actually say something to take months off this persons life. For what? Don't you feel any empathy for what you might do to this person?
You have to find players to even play the map first. You could be the best modder in the world ever and never rise at all.
If you can't make a viral video, or find someone to do it for you. No chance, end of story. Stop filling peoples heads with false hope, unless you truly have no doubt that individual has the skills to achieve what they're asking. This kind of cultist blind optimism needs to stop, it doesn't work like that in reality.
Yes it does. I've seen it first hand dozens of times.
People are just quick to blame the popsys over their own map perhaps not being that great.
You might actually say something to take months off this persons life. For what? Don't you feel any empathy for what you might do to this person?
I map for the joy of mapping itself, which is the only realistic way to map. Suggesting any other way is much more of a "lifestealer" because the chances of you making money or even a name for yourself are slim to none.
You know, instead of threads like this, I'd love to see more "Why isn't my map popular/what can I do to improve it?" threads.
What are the chances in % of it getting popular?
Depends fully on your map, how you advertise it, how much re-playability it has and of what quality it is. There is not a set-in-stone number, and just based on the fact that you asked this question leads me to believe that you're either trolling or/and that your map will not have a particular high % of getting popular, because it gives me no context into what map you're making and/or how much effort you are giving it.
Also, if people derail this thread into talking about how the popularity system sucks/other directions that this thread has potential to go, I will lock it.
how much re-playability it has
What do you mean by this?? ^^
1. create a reasonably polished game/map
2. publish it and inflate the popularity rating by a massive ad campaign or cheating
3. Hope that the game is fun enough to make the players gained by 2. want to replay it over and over again to stay at page 1-2
If the popularity drops below page 2 your map is gone.
replayability allows your map to sustain a high enough rating to attract new players when you no longer advertise
i would say anything new has to be really good just to get noticed (sadly)
Getting into mapmaking ("selling" one's map .. not making it) is like getting into a maffia, you got to get in to have any chance...
if you are alone.. try to make friends with map nighters or other similar groups.. or maybe if you have a HUGE number of sc2 friends that will (like it) play it, it could work too..
otherwise i'd say : no chance whatsoever (sorry)
case in point: jade's "photon cycles": a great game that is popular and not getting up in the list (just cause..)
lots of unrelated players ..almost 3800 bookmarks (never went down since inception)
an easy to "get" game with limitless re playability
a skill cap that no one will ever reach
a dedicated mapmaker...
BUT this mod is still not getting to page one
(jade leaving the advertising to the four winds isn't helping.. granted ;) )
ps: i gave up, i'll do a pacman and other stuff for my friends :) and marvel at how the market place will change stuff (sorry couldn't resist the joke, i'm sorry)
Z edit: i'm honored, .. i only advertised "cycles" ;)
High replay value means that if I play your map, I will want to play it over and over and over. For example, portal 2 (in my opinion) has a pretty low replay value, because once you figure out the puzzles, there is no reason to play again. Your map must be fun, AND be fun to replay over and over. Good maps will rise high on the popularity if they are well advertised. As Zarakk said, there is no set in stone number. Basically just make something fun,and then ask us what we think ;) Changes are probably coming to the system with the release of the marketplace, so things will most likely be different. But for now, your map has to be as good or better than those currently on top, and well advertised.
As Zarakk said, if this turns into a QQ thread about the pop system, it's going to be locked. I'm watching you, hound...
Keys to replayability:
So those are my basic suggestions on making a replayable map. Hope they make sense and are useful to you. To answer your question, it is up to you. Also realize that the amount of effort you put into the map is not what determines if the map is popular. The effort you should be putting in is scanning BNET, asking players why they like custom games, and what the BNET community is looking for. So in reality, you have a 0-100% chance of making a popular map. The choice IS yours, no matter what people say about it being impossible.
Good Luck :D
Great to be back and part of the community again!
As a co-creator on Frontline EU (Terrain mostly) I can say we used to think the same. But we just finished our map, and it's currently at position #4 and should hit #3 eventually by the looks of it.
We didn't create anything awesome in my opinion, but there isn't really and end too it. Or not a easy to get one at-least...
But PvP maps as mentioned above tend to go up easier, but it's hard too stand out above the others since 80% of the custom maps are crap PvP ones :/
You shouldn't make a map focusing on making it popular. Just make what you believe is cool, and then get suggestions to make it more mainstream.
But yeah, what Taco posted.
I would add you should get a group of friends to like it, and test it with you frequently. It helps a lot.
The map doesn't even need to be popular if it's one or two-player, because then people won't have to wait in a lobby to play it...they could just have a friend join them and play.
What matters is that the map is fun to play.
So much useful information here. I will be taking this all into consideration with my current project ;D
Also, using MineralZ as an example.. if your map takes a skilled team to play through, this creates replayability. People play to get skill/achievements of new characters as mentioned earlier. People look around for other players that are good because the game is almost too difficult to be beaten alone. Instant replayability.
...or massive frustration into quitting ;)
If your map is genuinely good and fun with enough content to keep it rising; 100%.
You have to find players to even play the map first. You could be the best modder in the world ever and never rise at all.
If you can't make a viral video, or find someone to do it for you. No chance, end of story. Stop filling peoples heads with false hope, unless you truly have no doubt that individual has the skills to achieve what they're asking. This kind of cultist blind optimism needs to stop, it doesn't work like that in reality.
Given the little information hes given, I say, no he has no chance ever.
You might actually say something to take months off this persons life. For what? Don't you feel any empathy for what you might do to this person?
Yes it does. I've seen it first hand dozens of times.
People are just quick to blame the popsys over their own map perhaps not being that great.
I map for the joy of mapping itself, which is the only realistic way to map. Suggesting any other way is much more of a "lifestealer" because the chances of you making money or even a name for yourself are slim to none.
You know, instead of threads like this, I'd love to see more "Why isn't my map popular/what can I do to improve it?" threads.