MapEditor/Dream - When to expect?

[Proyouknow]

So we're all happy that the Editor finally came out and some of use have worked our buts off trying to figure out how scripting and all that works, some better than others. We're seeing some cool results so far, even this early, and I'm guessing people could have their maps ready any day now, if it's not done already.

I did however stop making my map like a week ago, discouraged by the lack of information about how things will work and WHEN they will actually come to work.

I'm talking about how maps will be integrated into Dream, when Dream 2.0 (?) will come and what to expect when it comes to getting your map approved. S2 must have some thoughts about how this will play out and I'd really like for them to share the information to us. Then there's the problem with no multiplayer support for testing your map when it comes to hero picking/balance etc. that will most likely make a lot of maps bug/become unbalanced. I'll make a list of my concerns and questions.

1. When will Dream 2.0 be released?
2. Will there be multiplayer support to test maps before "launch"?
3. Are there criterias for maps to be approved? Will a "Devourer Map" be approved if there's 10 of those already i.e?
4. Will any guide/support/"API" be released?

That's all I've got for now, but I feel these are important questions so we know how to spend our time, and not waste time.

Thanks!

/Proyouknow

[Aleste]

I doubt S2 cares much about a feature that doesn't (in there mind) turn direct revenue. It will come but its wise not to expect any sort of significant support aside from bugfixes. Creating Skins and flags are what its at now.

[Blu3]

When i asked some S2 dude ingame if we would ever be able to host our own custom maps, he said yes.

[Thysios]

I doubt S2 cares much about a feature that doesn't (in there mind) turn direct revenue. It will come but its wise not to expect any sort of significant support aside from bugfixes. Creating Skins and flags are what its at now.

Surely S2 would understand how much a map editor can do for a game. Just look at how HoN/LoL/DotA/AoS started. I would consider promoting the game to more of my friends too. Who may not be entirely interested in HoN but can still enjoy the custom maps. I know quite a few people who got SC2 just for the Custom games.

[UrbanFlash]

Custom Maps are also the reason games like Half-Life, WC3 and many others lived long after they should have. They still sold copies over 10 years after their release, something not possible without an awesome modding/mapmaking community.
S2 knows exactly what this thing can mean for the game and they will NOT abandon it midways because some other guys draw some new skins.

[MrStitch]

I would love a multiplayer test on a test client :) would be awesome to be able to test the map with some selected people on forums :)

[Proyouknow]

bump for mapping justice.

[IamKongor]

bump for mapping justice.
same!

[FlameStick]

dream is on??

[Amuse]

dream is on??

Not the new Dream that allows for map uploads.

[LonJAXsoN]

Not the new Dream that allows for map uploads.

But it does...?

http://dream.heroesofnewerth.com/map/

[FlameStick]

But it does...?

http://dream.heroesofnewerth.com/map/

btw do you know how can i color my text in that dream xD

[LonJAXsoN]

btw do you know how can i color my text in that dream xD

Pretty sure you can only do it in the field that allows bb code or whatever... i think it's the backstory. ->> [ COLOR="Black"][ /COLOR]

[FlameStick]

tried it no luck :(

[LonJAXsoN]

tried it no luck :(

Oh... well then I don't know what to tell you!

[Blu3]

This map creating through Dream is such <censored>. Im not even trying to develop my maps any further and hoping that S2 approves them. Good luck to you guys tho.

That's even worse than Blizzard's system (inb4 blizzard cant be compared to S2) which just censores your map. S2 basically has fully control of everything... be it some political stuff in your map or criticism... they just wont give a **** about your map ... that aside: not everyone has so much time to create a fully working great epic custom map without flaws. so maps for quick fun wont be approved. in addition: s2 doesnt even answer map editor related questions or scripting related questions. but now enough QQing, i hope you really reconsider your decision S2

[eNTe_eXe]

soon.

[Amuse]

But it does...?

http://dream.heroesofnewerth.com/map/

Oh, ok then. Didn't realize that was up yet..I havn't checked since there's no real support for maps online yet anyway, but thanks for the link.

[FlameStick]

Most of the games here look awesome too bad we cant test them before hand :(

[Wrathmont]

It is quite disappointing to see how this is handled so far. With the bnet 2 fiasco, HoN could have been the place to go for custom maps (and thats a lot of players without any interest for Hon), but nothing so far indicate that this will come close to how good warcraft 3 works.

[Oloko]

Dream for map look really bad for now. It's a copy and paste of Dream Hero and you can see it with some text that still says "Hero" rather than "Map". After using Dream yesterday, I found all of there issues.

There is also the idea that you can't edit your map info after publishing, you can only reupload your map. This mean there is no way of tracking change of the map, you can only post a comment with the logs and telling people you have updated it. I don't really see the point in blocking the edit function after publishing. Since there is a feedback function, you expect to change your map after publishing, so why couldn't you edit your map?

The validation tool is a joke. You can't post a map with custom model, custom TGA files and more. The validation tool only displays one error at a time. I had to upload my enfos map 8 times before it worked.

The Dream feed doesn't include the map section of Dream.
If you click on My Dream, you get your Dream hero section, you have to manually change the URL to get to your Dream Map section.
The leader board link only goes to the Dream Hero section, you have to edit the URL manually to get to the Dream Map section: http://dream.heroesofnewerth.com/mapLeaderboard/

So I'm really disappointed in Dream for now. :(

[Soulmancer]

Yah I agree. I had a lot of faith and hope in this editor and what we could do in terms of customization. I understand the editor is still in beta but the amount of current restrictions and criteria we have to go through simply to be able to play our maps multiplayer isn't worth the effort of even creating a map right now. The current system that's in place is craptastic.

[FlameStick]

yea i cant even publish my map too see what people think (i know its early but the concept is still there)

And that you cant edit makes it worse
Btw what are you saying custom models because i use orc mage model (from modification) and will i be able to upload?

[Oloko]

yea i cant even publish my map too see what people think (i know its early but the concept is still there)

And that you cant edit makes it worse
Btw what are you saying custom models because i use orc mage model (from modification) and will i be able to upload?

When you upload your map, it will look if every file it needs is there and if they are unsupported file type. I know .clip files that are used with models are not accepted for now. I don't know about .mdf files, since you only get one error message at a time, I removed everything that had to do with custom models after the first try.

[Proyouknow]

Yeah. I didn't edit my initial post, asking for Dream 2.0, because I don't see the current Dream as a functioning Dream at all. All of Olokos concerns are very spot on and should be changed if they want to keep this thing going.

My vision of Dream would be a much more graphical site, where screenshots take a big part of the layout, and listing new maps, upcomers, favourites and so on.