BTW Colt hasnt even purchased SC2 and as of yet has never logged on to bnet since beta.......
Disregard all his complaints against the pop system....
Just because he hasn't purchased SC2 isn't a reason to disregard his complaints. As long as he knows what the popularity system is (and by the sounds of his complaints, it seems like he does), then there is no reason his complaints can't be valid. The problem with the pop systems is rather simple and shouldn't be all that hard to grasp even for someone who doesn't have SC2.
For everybody else.... Blizz has already said they will be making changes to the popularity system....
If Blizzard is making changes then that's great. (I believe you, but can you provide links because I'm interested what exactly they have said they are fixing?)
Crying on sc2mapster will not help the situation. Your time would be better spent looking for people to help you test your map on a consistent basis. Even if all of you who hate the pop system pool together and try to manipulate the system you wont get on the first page unless people enjoy your map.
He's not crying on sc2mapster. He's telling people to stop crying on sc2mapster and actually do something... I'm not saying that this executing this idea is a worthwhile use of time or that it would be all that effective, but it is doing something so I just find your statement 'Crying on sc2mapster will not help the situation' a bizarre response to this thread. (there are plenty of other posts you could have used that on in other threads, but in this thread? No.)
@Colt556: Go
Anyone who argues against what you're saying isn't necessarily a fanboy... frankly just sick of seeing a decent amount of unrelated threads turn into this kind of thing because of ...well, you. And it's not a case of simply not joining the threads, because I could probably quote you from any number of threads trolling incendiary remarks.
[...]
They've already heard from thousands of upset customers, hopefully they fix it. If they don't, it's just a game.
Agreed, but the rest of your post was in bad taste. The whole 'get a life thing' is a lame way of bashing someone.
He only has 174 posts. He doesn't have to be sitting at the computer all day posting about the popularity system to get 174 posts. The fact that he doesn't even have SC2 probably means that he doesn't spend that much time thinking about the popularity system in the first place and only on occasion when he goes on SC2Mapster (this can be disputed, but isn't the point of my post anyway so let's not argue about how much he cares or doesn't care). You simply disagree with what he is saying and how he spends his time. While you think it is a waste, apparently he does not. Who are you to say he has no life?
I could just as easily tell all mapmakers to 'get a life' because they're wasting time making maps instead of going outside, getting some fresh air, reading a newspaper, or seeing what else is going on in the world. Oh, and to top it off they aren't spending time with their girlfriends either!
Saying someone has no life just sounds ridiculous.
Note: I personally admire mapmakers and all the hard work they put into making custom maps for people to enjoy for free! Thank you guys so much! =D
I hate blizzard for creating the lousy popularity/publishing systems, and then not listening to their community as EVERYONE told them it sucked.
But seriously dude? Even I have to side with Blizzard on this one, goddamn the ammount of times they said sorry in that email. I mean shit dude, they sounded like they just ran over your dog, and that's knowing you blatantly stole their map's name. I gotta give them props, sure they're a company and probably don't give a shit, but most companies will put the bare minimum in. They really sounded apologetic, and then you go and be a douche. Most uncool, bro. Most uncool.
My feelings exactly. Even if you were simply ignorant and didn't mean to copy the name of their custom map, think of it from Blizzard's standpoint.
If Blizzard announced this BEFORE you changed the name:
"Hey! We announced a new map that we're releasing called 'Left 2 Die' and then a mapmaker changed his map name to the same thing! Oh well, let's just send him a friendly email telling him that he has to change the map name. We could get angry at him for hijacking the name, but it's all good. In fact, let's take it further and apologize for the inconvenience we're causing him even the he probably knew about this in the first place and really brought it upon himself."
If Blizzard announced this AFTER you changed the name:
At any rate, even if you made this name independently and even if you changed it BEFORE Blizzard announced their custom map because THEY SCREWED UP, your rude email is still uncalled for. They are somewhat bullying you into changing your name as you don't have much choice, but they are being apologetic about it. Sure, they didn't scout and they should have, but they screwed up and already made the presentation and announcements for their map 'Left 2 Die'. Then they realized, "Oh. Someone already has a custom map named Left 2 Die". Well, I guess it's too late now, let's politely ask him to change the name. They took the time to make the email apologetic. When they could have just sent you a blunt email.
"We are sorry for the inconvenience but your map will be temporarily banned until the name is changed as we are currently reserving the name 'Left 2 Die' for future use."
But honestly, the way they phrased their email makes it seem like you changed your map name AFTER, so this is irrelevant anyway.
EDIT: okay, I see your post with your image. If you did really create that and come up with the idea for the name before Blizzard announced its map, then you may have a valid point, but your email is not going to convince them as it is still rude. You should have sent them an email explaining the work you and your friend have already put into the name and that you made the name before they announced their project. You should have included the picture for the loading screen as well as whatever part of the trailer your friend had already made. This might have made Blizzard feel more sympathetic for you situation, because honestly, if it were simply a matter of you changing the name of your map (which is what Blizzard thinks) then it's not a major request.
Sending a simple, polite message will always be more likely to be heeded then a lengthy rude one.
Yeah it's a bit tricky with new maps etc, but that's why I was thinking with the default sorting, if the latest hosting game is always at the top of the list. This way let's say you go and dig up a map that no one has played for a few months, you create a new custom game with this map, and it is at the top of the list at least for a very short while.
Ah. I didn't see your default sorting idea. Actually I just searched for it in your main thread again and I couldn't find it. Anyway, this is a good idea, though it is pretty much the Warcraft 3 system. As for worrying about a flood of low quality maps being hosted, I don't think this will be much of an issue. 'Better' maps will generally appear towards the top of this list more often anyway because higher quality maps are bound to be hosted more frequently then lower quality maps. The good thing about this sorting method though is that less known maps will be able to appear on page one, just for less time then more popular maps. This way, more popular maps are still recognized and easy to find, but new maps still appear.
Colt's idea about allowing hosters to tick a box to request more players after 1 minute (essentially marking the map as a currently unpopular map, and then allowing players to search for maps 'requesting more players' is a nice one. Basically, this is a way of filtering out popular maps and allowing users to discover maps being hosted that aren't already well known.
EDIT:
only read this if you were confused by my statement 'higher quality maps are bound to be hosted more frequently' as I worded that rather poorly
Upon reading this again I realize it is somewhat ambiguous. What I mean by 'higher quality maps are bound to be hosted more frequently', I am trying to say 'A map that is of high calibre will be hosted more by a greater number of individuals and therefore all popular high quality maps will still continuously appear at the top of the list'. My original statement was rather vague in that it could be misinterpreted to mean 'more different high quality maps will be hosted because people inherently host higher quality maps in general'. That is NOT what I was trying to say as I'm sure a lot of low quality maps will get hosted. These maps just won't be hosted as often or by as many different people as a high quality map will.
I have no objection to your point that the fun factor is more important than skill requirement to make the map. In fact this is one of the thing I frequently emphasize. Read my post again. I didn't say others should win because their maps require more skill to make. I said there are "better maps", which already includes the "fun" factor.
The problem is, while I won't question your feeling of finding Photon Command fun, it is hard to believe majority of people would feel that map is fun as well. Give me evidence if you think otherwise.
If you still insist Photon Command is a map that deserves the prize, please explain why Blizzard didn't openly anounce it, other than the reason I suggested above.
My apologies. There was a similar thread to this one to which I had just posted a response before seeing yours. I didn't say everything I said in that thread in this one. In the other thread I clarified that I don't think that Photon Command necessarily deserved to win, I just didn't agree with everyone in the thread saying it was a bad map. With all the maps submitted it wouldn't surprise me at all that there were maps 'more worthy' of winning the contest. I just disliked all the hate the map was getting because it was 'too easy to make', but I see that that wasn't your intention so my bad for misunderstanding.
I would like to see some of the entries all of you submitted though as I don't really have anything to compare the winning maps with at this time and am interested to see what else was submitted. I'm sure you guys have some great maps =D
EDIT:
By the way, I don't think Photon Command is all that fun, but rather that it was a reasonably entertaining diversion from the numerous reiterations of mass autospawning unit maps (Nexus Wars, Desert Strike) and TDs that flood the first pages. Back when I played WC3 it was only for the custom maps so I know that much more impressive content can be made, I just have yet to see any. Considering what I've seen in SC2, Photon Command is good. If this map were released now in WC3 however, I wouldn't have played it simply because there are so many better maps.
As programmer and rrowland said, there were A WAY BETTER maps submitted.
I haven't played Bomberling Arena, but just by the replay I could see that the map was highly better.
Everyore was complaining that the map couldn't be on youtube before the contest deadline. That nice map that won the contest was being polished since BETA!
Ps.: "Hi... I won the custom map contest and I want to know how many were there..."
Everyone has different tastes. Bomberling Arena is fun, but I enjoyed the photon cannon game just as much. They are different types of games and I found both entertaining.
At any rate, don't feel bad if you didn't win. If your map is actually 'better', it will bring more enjoyment to more people and if that happens, then you are the real winner anyway.
Okay guys, I did a quick mockup including some suggestions, I have tried to work within limits of what I think blizzard might actually consider doing. So I haven't done anything like custom hosting names, which I really don't think is ever going to happen.
By default the game would only list games that people are actually hosting, and you can select a game a press join to join one of the available games, or you can expand the game list for an individual game and pick and individual host to join. This can be useful to join different game modes of a specific game, or if you want to find a specific host.
It might be a good idea for the default sorting to basically always list the most recently created game at the top. So if you go ahead and start a game of your new map, it's going to appear at the top of the list until someone else creates a new game of something. This would make it easier for new maps to get noticed.
Initial Join Screen
Game Details Screen
When you optionally expand a game to show individual hosted games
This looks great. I hope you continue to make photos like these to convey to Blizzard precisely what we're looking for. I just wanted ask you a question though, do you agree that there needs to be some way for new maps, or old maps that simply aren't played much anymore, to be hosted in a visible system (like the WC3 refresh system, or any other method you can think of that would allow users to visibly host maps that are currently not popular)? If so, can you (and anyone else reading this) think of a way to make this work that Blizzard might consider implementing? If not then the WC3 system will always work, but just curious what people can come up with.
Thumbs up for the original post and the fourth (EDIT: I accidentally said second before) post in the thread. I like KratsAU's ideas for improving the popularity system, but at the same time Colt brings attention to the necessity of a WC3 system. We just need to have the option for both KratsAU's improved popularity system and a simultaneous WC3 system.
He effectively agrees with you. Both of you say that there can be some kind of middle ground so I think you can leave it at that. You even mentioned how he just said that there could be a middle ground so your first paragraph criticizing him wasn't really necessary.
What you disagree on isn't how the system can be improved, but rather how we can get Blizzard to improve it. You say that by simply asking some more, Blizzard will fix the system while he states that we need to do something else to show Blizzard we're serious about our dislike of the system in its current state.
Just because the creator of photon defense beat you to this simple, easy to make, but reasonably entertaining idea doesn't mean it is a bad map unworthy of winning. It doesn't matter how many people could have made this map or how quickly they could have made it as long as the map is fun for the majority. I personally wasn't impressed in the beginning, but after playing it for a bit I came to appreciate it. It was a refreshing change of pace after the countless TDs and autospawning unit maps (Nexus Wars, Desert Strike, etc) that flood the main page.
I would like to say that even the simplest maps are often the most popular. Most people here are very good and experienced veterans of the editors by blizzard, often forget the core value of making a map to be played by all on Battle.net is the fun factor.
Really? Just because debates is a polished and shiny map does not make it re playable or fun for 95% of people on battle.net. Sorry to single handedly point fingers at your map but you have since complained about it since the release of Starcraft; literally.
Other hand look at your simple defense map as of now it's #1 on the popularity list because why? It's re playable, challenging, and fun! Regardless of how many bots are inflating the popularity system doesn't not outdo the sheer numbers of people playing maps.
Do I agree with the popularity system? No, I personally hate it but you can't blame it for people not playing your map if you had front page worthiness.
Another rant is that some people call people stupid or call the general population of battle.net stupid, because they don't understand or sit around long enough to play their map. Look at the most popular videos of today, look how SIMPLE they are. I play games to have fun and don't like spending my time trying to figure things out and not at least be rewarded for it.
Sorry for those who created simple and fun maps but never had first page worthiness to have it stick on there at all.
Also, Stop bashing people's maps who won the contest. I bet I can find 10x more things wrong about your map and why it shouldn't have won the contest.
They should just make the popularity system optional, have both the old AND the new. Feeling lazy? Don't wanna look for a map? Wanna just join a quick tug game? Go to the popularity system and play nexus wars. However if you'd like to see a wide array of maps, all of which you KNOW have people playing them, you use the old system. I've said from the moment they mentioned the publishing/popularity system, they need to make it OPTIONAL. I'm sure some people (god knows why) enjoy the new system, many more don't. So making it optional and giving people a choice is the best of both worlds. EVERYONES happy.
This is exactly what I want. I agree wholeheartedly and have voiced this opinion in the past. Keep both systems. Best of both worlds. But as you have said, Blizzard is stubborn and this is why we need to do something like your 5 min map boosting. Maybe you can make a separate topic for this so we can have a place to rally map makers to this idea?
Absolute nonsense. Popularity systems are common systems and can work. Not having a popularity system will not help anything. How are you going to find the most popular maps out of thousands of maps, without a popularity system? You aren't.
You could easily find the most popular maps in the old BNet system (WC3). The most popular maps would turn up more often. There were problems with that system too, but overall it worked out much better in that new maps that weren't popular yet would turn up too. Some kind of compromise between the popularity system and the old system would be ideal. What needs to be done is to bring back the old system, and then also allow users to search for specific maps when joining.
We should try to organize all the map makers out there, have everyone make some shitty five minute map where each player starts with a lone marine and is trapped in a box with nothing to do. And then boost the fuck out them all. So the first two pages are nothing but the same shitty map. I'd love to see Blizzard's response to that.
Yes. This would be wonderful and much more doable than shutting down the map-making communities (since some people would continue to publish maps even in the absence of communities). Blizzard can't ignore this though and it only requires a few people making lame 5 minute maps and boosting them to the top. Please do this. Making the maps itself would take no time too so that's a plus =D
We should pool creative ideas for lame maps. Marine trapped in a box is a good one. Hm, what other lame maps can we make? We could give everyone a Nexus with no resources or probes! That would be a fun map too!
The photon cannon game was boring at first, but it actually grew on me. Though it is simple, that's not necessarily a bad thing, and it is certainly different which made it a nice change of pace. I enjoyed it quite a bit and it does get more varied later. I'm sick of maps that just have units constantly autospawing (Nexus Wars for example) as there are so many of those in the first few pages. TDs are also prevalent in the early pages too. This game was just different. Just because it's on the easier side to make (I'm not a map maker, but based on your comments it seem like a fairly easy to make custom map), doesn't mean it's a bad map.
At the same time, I don't know how many unique quality maps were submitted so I'm not saying this map should have won, just that the map is reasonably entertaining and it isn't ridiculous that it won (surprising maybe, but not ridiculous).
I'm sick of tower defense and pylon defense and photon defense and Nexus wars and desert strike... they're all the same damn map. lol
This says it well and is why I'm perhaps more partial to this map than many of you. But yea, if you have unique maps released or in the works, tell me about them! I'll be glad to play them and try to spread awareness if they aren't Tugs, TDs, or slight variations on autospawning (autospawning with heroes or a couple upgrades and buildings isn't enough...). I'm hoping for unique games like SWAT by RedScull or Fortress Survival by MadDawg101 and Nevo (custom maps in WC3). Parasite (SC2 conversion from WC3) was a nice change that was up on the popularity list for a while but has since dropped down.
Obviously the map maker shouldn't be banned for boosting his map, but saying this guy should go to hell is overdoing it. Boosting is annoying for people who are trying to get their maps popular 'legitimately'. He's either a map maker who doesn't want to use the system in a way it's not supposed to be used, or he feels bad for map makers who aren't abusing the system and are getting 'cheated' by boosters. What really needs to be done though is making Blizzard aware of just how much the system is being abused by boosting, not banning boosters as they are simply exploiting a flaw in Blizzard's system, but a perfectly legal exploit. If these people didn't boost their maps it would be extremely difficult for long game time maps with a large number of players to make it up the popularity system.
The poster simply isn't seeing the full situation, but his mindset is understandable and saying he should go to hell is in bad taste. Explain why he is wrong as opposed to simply bashing him.
By explain why he is wrong, I mean 'explain to him why he is wrong'.
When I say 'making Blizzard aware of just how much the system is being abused', I mean, 'make them aware so that they realize their system is a poor one', not 'make them aware so that they ban boosters' =P Thought I should clarify.
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Just because he hasn't purchased SC2 isn't a reason to disregard his complaints. As long as he knows what the popularity system is (and by the sounds of his complaints, it seems like he does), then there is no reason his complaints can't be valid. The problem with the pop systems is rather simple and shouldn't be all that hard to grasp even for someone who doesn't have SC2.
If Blizzard is making changes then that's great. (I believe you, but can you provide links because I'm interested what exactly they have said they are fixing?)
He's not crying on sc2mapster. He's telling people to stop crying on sc2mapster and actually do something... I'm not saying that this executing this idea is a worthwhile use of time or that it would be all that effective, but it is doing something so I just find your statement 'Crying on sc2mapster will not help the situation' a bizarre response to this thread. (there are plenty of other posts you could have used that on in other threads, but in this thread? No.)
Agreed, but the rest of your post was in bad taste. The whole 'get a life thing' is a lame way of bashing someone.
He only has 174 posts. He doesn't have to be sitting at the computer all day posting about the popularity system to get 174 posts. The fact that he doesn't even have SC2 probably means that he doesn't spend that much time thinking about the popularity system in the first place and only on occasion when he goes on SC2Mapster (this can be disputed, but isn't the point of my post anyway so let's not argue about how much he cares or doesn't care). You simply disagree with what he is saying and how he spends his time. While you think it is a waste, apparently he does not. Who are you to say he has no life?
I could just as easily tell all mapmakers to 'get a life' because they're wasting time making maps instead of going outside, getting some fresh air, reading a newspaper, or seeing what else is going on in the world. Oh, and to top it off they aren't spending time with their girlfriends either!
Saying someone has no life just sounds ridiculous.
Note: I personally admire mapmakers and all the hard work they put into making custom maps for people to enjoy for free! Thank you guys so much! =D
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My feelings exactly. Even if you were simply ignorant and didn't mean to copy the name of their custom map, think of it from Blizzard's standpoint.
If Blizzard announced this BEFORE you changed the name:
"Hey! We announced a new map that we're releasing called 'Left 2 Die' and then a mapmaker changed his map name to the same thing! Oh well, let's just send him a friendly email telling him that he has to change the map name. We could get angry at him for hijacking the name, but it's all good. In fact, let's take it further and apologize for the inconvenience we're causing him even the he probably knew about this in the first place and really brought it upon himself."
If Blizzard announced this AFTER you changed the name:
At any rate, even if you made this name independently and even if you changed it BEFORE Blizzard announced their custom map because THEY SCREWED UP, your rude email is still uncalled for. They are somewhat bullying you into changing your name as you don't have much choice, but they are being apologetic about it. Sure, they didn't scout and they should have, but they screwed up and already made the presentation and announcements for their map 'Left 2 Die'. Then they realized, "Oh. Someone already has a custom map named Left 2 Die". Well, I guess it's too late now, let's politely ask him to change the name. They took the time to make the email apologetic. When they could have just sent you a blunt email.
"We are sorry for the inconvenience but your map will be temporarily banned until the name is changed as we are currently reserving the name 'Left 2 Die' for future use."
But honestly, the way they phrased their email makes it seem like you changed your map name AFTER, so this is irrelevant anyway.
EDIT: okay, I see your post with your image. If you did really create that and come up with the idea for the name before Blizzard announced its map, then you may have a valid point, but your email is not going to convince them as it is still rude. You should have sent them an email explaining the work you and your friend have already put into the name and that you made the name before they announced their project. You should have included the picture for the loading screen as well as whatever part of the trailer your friend had already made. This might have made Blizzard feel more sympathetic for you situation, because honestly, if it were simply a matter of you changing the name of your map (which is what Blizzard thinks) then it's not a major request.
Sending a simple, polite message will always be more likely to be heeded then a lengthy rude one.
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Ah. I didn't see your default sorting idea. Actually I just searched for it in your main thread again and I couldn't find it. Anyway, this is a good idea, though it is pretty much the Warcraft 3 system. As for worrying about a flood of low quality maps being hosted, I don't think this will be much of an issue. 'Better' maps will generally appear towards the top of this list more often anyway because higher quality maps are bound to be hosted more frequently then lower quality maps. The good thing about this sorting method though is that less known maps will be able to appear on page one, just for less time then more popular maps. This way, more popular maps are still recognized and easy to find, but new maps still appear.
Colt's idea about allowing hosters to tick a box to request more players after 1 minute (essentially marking the map as a currently unpopular map, and then allowing players to search for maps 'requesting more players' is a nice one. Basically, this is a way of filtering out popular maps and allowing users to discover maps being hosted that aren't already well known.
EDIT:
Upon reading this again I realize it is somewhat ambiguous. What I mean by 'higher quality maps are bound to be hosted more frequently', I am trying to say 'A map that is of high calibre will be hosted more by a greater number of individuals and therefore all popular high quality maps will still continuously appear at the top of the list'. My original statement was rather vague in that it could be misinterpreted to mean 'more different high quality maps will be hosted because people inherently host higher quality maps in general'. That is NOT what I was trying to say as I'm sure a lot of low quality maps will get hosted. These maps just won't be hosted as often or by as many different people as a high quality map will.
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Nice find. That would be amazing. Hope it actually happens!
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My apologies. There was a similar thread to this one to which I had just posted a response before seeing yours. I didn't say everything I said in that thread in this one. In the other thread I clarified that I don't think that Photon Command necessarily deserved to win, I just didn't agree with everyone in the thread saying it was a bad map. With all the maps submitted it wouldn't surprise me at all that there were maps 'more worthy' of winning the contest. I just disliked all the hate the map was getting because it was 'too easy to make', but I see that that wasn't your intention so my bad for misunderstanding.
I would like to see some of the entries all of you submitted though as I don't really have anything to compare the winning maps with at this time and am interested to see what else was submitted. I'm sure you guys have some great maps =D
EDIT:
By the way, I don't think Photon Command is all that fun, but rather that it was a reasonably entertaining diversion from the numerous reiterations of mass autospawning unit maps (Nexus Wars, Desert Strike) and TDs that flood the first pages. Back when I played WC3 it was only for the custom maps so I know that much more impressive content can be made, I just have yet to see any. Considering what I've seen in SC2, Photon Command is good. If this map were released now in WC3 however, I wouldn't have played it simply because there are so many better maps.
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Everyone has different tastes. Bomberling Arena is fun, but I enjoyed the photon cannon game just as much. They are different types of games and I found both entertaining.
At any rate, don't feel bad if you didn't win. If your map is actually 'better', it will bring more enjoyment to more people and if that happens, then you are the real winner anyway.
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This looks great. I hope you continue to make photos like these to convey to Blizzard precisely what we're looking for. I just wanted ask you a question though, do you agree that there needs to be some way for new maps, or old maps that simply aren't played much anymore, to be hosted in a visible system (like the WC3 refresh system, or any other method you can think of that would allow users to visibly host maps that are currently not popular)? If so, can you (and anyone else reading this) think of a way to make this work that Blizzard might consider implementing? If not then the WC3 system will always work, but just curious what people can come up with.
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Thumbs up for the original post and the fourth (EDIT: I accidentally said second before) post in the thread. I like KratsAU's ideas for improving the popularity system, but at the same time Colt brings attention to the necessity of a WC3 system. We just need to have the option for both KratsAU's improved popularity system and a simultaneous WC3 system.
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@KratsAU
He effectively agrees with you. Both of you say that there can be some kind of middle ground so I think you can leave it at that. You even mentioned how he just said that there could be a middle ground so your first paragraph criticizing him wasn't really necessary.
What you disagree on isn't how the system can be improved, but rather how we can get Blizzard to improve it. You say that by simply asking some more, Blizzard will fix the system while he states that we need to do something else to show Blizzard we're serious about our dislike of the system in its current state.
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Just because the creator of photon defense beat you to this simple, easy to make, but reasonably entertaining idea doesn't mean it is a bad map unworthy of winning. It doesn't matter how many people could have made this map or how quickly they could have made it as long as the map is fun for the majority. I personally wasn't impressed in the beginning, but after playing it for a bit I came to appreciate it. It was a refreshing change of pace after the countless TDs and autospawning unit maps (Nexus Wars, Desert Strike, etc) that flood the main page.
The following quote says it nicely.
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This is exactly what I want. I agree wholeheartedly and have voiced this opinion in the past. Keep both systems. Best of both worlds. But as you have said, Blizzard is stubborn and this is why we need to do something like your 5 min map boosting. Maybe you can make a separate topic for this so we can have a place to rally map makers to this idea?
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You could easily find the most popular maps in the old BNet system (WC3). The most popular maps would turn up more often. There were problems with that system too, but overall it worked out much better in that new maps that weren't popular yet would turn up too. Some kind of compromise between the popularity system and the old system would be ideal. What needs to be done is to bring back the old system, and then also allow users to search for specific maps when joining.
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Yes. This would be wonderful and much more doable than shutting down the map-making communities (since some people would continue to publish maps even in the absence of communities). Blizzard can't ignore this though and it only requires a few people making lame 5 minute maps and boosting them to the top. Please do this. Making the maps itself would take no time too so that's a plus =D
We should pool creative ideas for lame maps. Marine trapped in a box is a good one. Hm, what other lame maps can we make? We could give everyone a Nexus with no resources or probes! That would be a fun map too!
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The photon cannon game was boring at first, but it actually grew on me. Though it is simple, that's not necessarily a bad thing, and it is certainly different which made it a nice change of pace. I enjoyed it quite a bit and it does get more varied later. I'm sick of maps that just have units constantly autospawing (Nexus Wars for example) as there are so many of those in the first few pages. TDs are also prevalent in the early pages too. This game was just different. Just because it's on the easier side to make (I'm not a map maker, but based on your comments it seem like a fairly easy to make custom map), doesn't mean it's a bad map.
At the same time, I don't know how many unique quality maps were submitted so I'm not saying this map should have won, just that the map is reasonably entertaining and it isn't ridiculous that it won (surprising maybe, but not ridiculous).
EDIT:
This says it well and is why I'm perhaps more partial to this map than many of you. But yea, if you have unique maps released or in the works, tell me about them! I'll be glad to play them and try to spread awareness if they aren't Tugs, TDs, or slight variations on autospawning (autospawning with heroes or a couple upgrades and buildings isn't enough...). I'm hoping for unique games like SWAT by RedScull or Fortress Survival by MadDawg101 and Nevo (custom maps in WC3). Parasite (SC2 conversion from WC3) was a nice change that was up on the popularity list for a while but has since dropped down.
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By explain why he is wrong, I mean 'explain to him why he is wrong'. When I say 'making Blizzard aware of just how much the system is being abused', I mean, 'make them aware so that they realize their system is a poor one', not 'make them aware so that they ban boosters' =P Thought I should clarify.