Anyone else just feel so unmotivated with the editor? It feels like the Custom Maps have really gone down hill...I don't even want to try anymore... :\ It's just I love doing it, just I hate putting in 40 - 60hrs a week in the editor only to have it never played again. Anyone else feel the same?
I've been taking a break myself, mostly due to the fact that I'm back in school.
I can promise, however, that the release of HotS and the marketplace will inject new life into the mapping community. Current mappers will get new motivation, new mappers will be created, and the editor will be greatly improved.
Blizzard has already stated that fixing the pop system for HotS is a HUGE priority.
I know how you feel. I love working on the editor, but it really is demoralizing when I look at the sea of maps and have no idea how I'll ever get my stuff noticed (assuming I ever finish my work haha) It also feels like the players themselves don't seem as interested in custom maps as they were back in WC3.
I find some of the best ways to stay motivated are as follows:
1. Involve friends either in the design or testing. Helps when you have people to talk about the project with and get each other excited about it.
2. Set achievable goals. Aim for smaller goals, dont just wing it and have the goal of 'finishing the map.'
3. Make a schedule. Helps when you know how your doing timewise on your mod. Plus if you get into a routine it can help.
4. Reward yourself. When you've finished something in your mod, reward yourself.
5. Change up your routine. If you know places with internet maybe work on your map there. A fresh environment can motivate.
6. Alternate projects. If your getting down on a project, maybe work on another for a bit.
7. Don't tunnel vision. If your workin on your mod don't do it for 10 hours... go outside take a walk, get some fresh air. A small break can go a long way.
My motivation is created by a slow internet connection to play anything else online.
Else maybe play some melee or some other game of another genre and leave the editor alone for 2 weeks or longer.
not to mention players insult anyone lagging... as if a good internet connections is a personnal feat ...
Blizzard's servers centralizing all star2 ladder and customs AND the custom mods (some are really unforgiving to any sort of lagl) is awfully not mapmaking friendly (for players and mapmakers alike :( ).. some mods would be flourishing "properly" with devoted servers allowed :(
What really takes the cake is not being able to play your own map properly without blizz servers' functioning... (test document is not on par at all).
I've been taking a break myself, mostly due to the fact that I'm back in school.
I can promise, however, that the release of HotS and the marketplace will inject new life into the mapping community. Current mappers will get new motivation, new mappers will be created, and the editor will be greatly improved.
Blizzard has already stated that fixing the pop system for HotS is a HUGE priority.
I didn't know this, great news to me!
This works for me regarding motivation:
My motivation comes from visualizing my map being popular and really fun to play (this comes natural to me). I can see the map before me, finished. I imagine some of the features I want in the map that would make it fun and seeing players having fun with it.. Then i get to work one step at a time.
I always have a paper (or more than one) in front of the computer with a list of small things I wanna add, also big ideas I want to implement in the future of the map. It's really rewarding picking of items of the list..
My method was to purge my friends list, then fill it with people who actually showed a genuine interest in my game. Its a lot more fun to mapmake when you can get a decent game going every once in a while (by inviting everyone in your friends list). Although, since my computer-breakage induced break, Ender's Battleroom has kindof lost its novelty (its really hard to find enough people to play these days).
Make it playable as fast as possible. So I can enjoy it and tweak the gameplay.
2. Mapping sucks
When I need to take a break from a large-scale project, I take it. Whether it's making a simple melee-map for a change or simply stepping away from teh editor for a week or two.
3. Egocentric
Make it for myself. Screw popularity. I need to want to play it.
4. The Duke Nukem Forever-Syndrome
restrain myself. Often I will plan too big or try to force in new ideas. It's important to know when to stop.
5. Know thy Limits
All my projects are solo-projects. I ask for help when I need to but I'm not dependant on it.
Anyone else just feel so unmotivated with the editor? It feels like the Custom Maps have really gone down hill...I don't even want to try anymore... :\ It's just I love doing it, just I hate putting in 40 - 60hrs a week in the editor only to have it never played again. Anyone else feel the same?
@iSaintx: Go
I've been taking a break myself, mostly due to the fact that I'm back in school.
I can promise, however, that the release of HotS and the marketplace will inject new life into the mapping community. Current mappers will get new motivation, new mappers will be created, and the editor will be greatly improved.
Blizzard has already stated that fixing the pop system for HotS is a HUGE priority.
I know how you feel. I love working on the editor, but it really is demoralizing when I look at the sea of maps and have no idea how I'll ever get my stuff noticed (assuming I ever finish my work haha) It also feels like the players themselves don't seem as interested in custom maps as they were back in WC3.
Make what you enjoy, while you enjoy it, and when you're done enjoying it, move on without sentiment or bitterness.
Yes; to the extent I'm not even working on the conversion tools anymore as I don't see the point of them.
I find some of the best ways to stay motivated are as follows:
1. Involve friends either in the design or testing. Helps when you have people to talk about the project with and get each other excited about it.
2. Set achievable goals. Aim for smaller goals, dont just wing it and have the goal of 'finishing the map.'
3. Make a schedule. Helps when you know how your doing timewise on your mod. Plus if you get into a routine it can help.
4. Reward yourself. When you've finished something in your mod, reward yourself.
5. Change up your routine. If you know places with internet maybe work on your map there. A fresh environment can motivate.
6. Alternate projects. If your getting down on a project, maybe work on another for a bit.
7. Don't tunnel vision. If your workin on your mod don't do it for 10 hours... go outside take a walk, get some fresh air. A small break can go a long way.
My personal method of motivation is:
My motivation is created by a slow internet connection to play anything else online.
Else maybe play some melee or some other game of another genre and leave the editor alone for 2 weeks or longer.
@Ahli634: Go
So awful this situation ...
not to mention players insult anyone lagging... as if a good internet connections is a personnal feat ...
Blizzard's servers centralizing all star2 ladder and customs AND the custom mods (some are really unforgiving to any sort of lagl) is awfully not mapmaking friendly (for players and mapmakers alike :( ).. some mods would be flourishing "properly" with devoted servers allowed :(
What really takes the cake is not being able to play your own map properly without blizz servers' functioning... (test document is not on par at all).
I didn't know this, great news to me!
This works for me regarding motivation:
My motivation comes from visualizing my map being popular and really fun to play (this comes natural to me). I can see the map before me, finished. I imagine some of the features I want in the map that would make it fun and seeing players having fun with it.. Then i get to work one step at a time.
I always have a paper (or more than one) in front of the computer with a list of small things I wanna add, also big ideas I want to implement in the future of the map. It's really rewarding picking of items of the list..
That's my five cents
My method was to purge my friends list, then fill it with people who actually showed a genuine interest in my game. Its a lot more fun to mapmake when you can get a decent game going every once in a while (by inviting everyone in your friends list). Although, since my computer-breakage induced break, Ender's Battleroom has kindof lost its novelty (its really hard to find enough people to play these days).
My x steps of motivation
1. Gamplay > Graphics
Make it playable as fast as possible. So I can enjoy it and tweak the gameplay.
2. Mapping sucks
When I need to take a break from a large-scale project, I take it. Whether it's making a simple melee-map for a change or simply stepping away from teh editor for a week or two.
3. Egocentric
Make it for myself. Screw popularity. I need to want to play it.
4. The Duke Nukem Forever-Syndrome
restrain myself. Often I will plan too big or try to force in new ideas. It's important to know when to stop.
5. Know thy Limits
All my projects are solo-projects. I ask for help when I need to but I'm not dependant on it.