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Post by Suzie on Oct 5, 2018 19:27:33 GMT
Hi everybody,
Several players came up with the idea that we could split the map in several ones. For example keeping one main "exterior" map with some main building / point of interest and making all the others "interior" map downloadable here, or manageable by some player. Places could open or close that way. There would be no limit to the whole thing size, and places could have a lot more details.
That would also mean that every place owner could edit his place the way he want.
All interior places could follow some naming rule like [SanJuniperRP]Police station, [SanJuniperRP]Hotel etc etc.
This have a lot of advantages but also some disadvantages. Though it would require a good amount of work to split everything.
What do you think of this idea ?
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Betty
Junior Member
Posts: 56
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Post by Betty on Oct 5, 2018 20:16:46 GMT
I can definitely see the performance benefits for a lot of people if the interiors of most buildings are stripped out and turned into situational separate maps, but the room would definitely lose some charm if players are frequently split up. There's also the question of which buildings would be considered the 'core'. Obviously the hotel, probably Blue Angels, though some others like the restaurant, shooting range, etc are typically just places people drop in to for a quick casual interaction and wouldn't bother if it needed its' own map.
I think certain buildings being stripped down to a small 'lobby' on the main map (like the police station for sure, and maybe the hospital, restaurant, movie theater, rebel studios could be adjusted to do the same) could give the best of both worlds. Someone wanting to 'work' in those places on the main map could hang out in the lobby, and if an interaction calls for going inside they can load up the secondary map.
I would personally lean away from splitting things up, but I'm biased in that I have a good gaming PC and don't have the loading times of a lot of other players that could benefit. But with a middle ground involving simple 'lobbies' in key locations, you could expand the exterior of the map, and potentially make each individual location much more detailed in isolation (the restaurant could be restored to its' full former size or even bigger, for example).
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Sybil
Full Member
"I think a plan is just a list of things that don't happen."
Posts: 134
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Post by Sybil on Oct 5, 2018 20:22:43 GMT
This is basically what I just said in a PM (Cause I didn't notice there was a thread lol):
Yeah it's not a bad idea. I just worry that splitting the map like that is gonna negatively effect people playing. Often times I log in in the evenings (my time) and log on and look to see there are 0 people in the room then log out and go play something else. If someone else had another map open and was just doing private stuff in there for a moment before returning to the main world it'd suck to miss them. Some people are on my friends list yeah, but I think several of them aren't always in the RP room. I know Adrian and Olivia both travel around it seems like so, I can't necessarily just go off that.
It is kinda a dilemma. I wish I had a solution to offer, but yeah, dividing the map presents it's own set of challenges. Since you seem to have one of the most stable connections I think it makes it easier for you to host the main map. For some reason no matter how good my computer is, it still seems to drop connection to 3dx way more than I would like, which would kick people from any map I was hosting.
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Post by Suzie on Oct 5, 2018 20:48:00 GMT
Yes, it's actually my main concern. The place often look empty (i spend the week meeting absolutely no one on the map except Kimmy yesterday i think). Having people splitted between maps would make the place even more empty and discourage new players.
If it was only about me i would rework the map entirely, maybe even from scratch, to make it smaller, not in term of objects, but in term of size, so players are closer, and to make it more detailed, and give it a better vibe. Most buildings are far too big.
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Post by Shepard on Oct 5, 2018 22:11:17 GMT
I dunno if it's just me but it seems ever since we gave the city an actual name we seem to get less visitors hehe. As far as splitting the map, sometimes it seems like it would be a good idea however I feel ultimately it would hurt the world in general as the main two building that get used are Blue Angel and the Hotel. Saying that maybe if a new, smaller map was created, taking those two main buildings and either stripping things out or streamline the map.
For example the Gym building is far too tall for only using one floor. Its a shame we need to discuss this as the map itself is amazing and it's just a shame that the player base is not there at the moment.
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Post by Adrian Franco on Oct 6, 2018 11:10:26 GMT
Here's my 2 cents worth. I agree that at times I'll wander the city and no one is there. Unless I'm not seeing it, one of the problems I see is the lack of scheduled events. People play at different times but I think if specific days and times were set aside, maybe more players would be drawn to the city room.
What often happens with me is this: I get online, look at the city room and see no one or just 1 person there. So, I go to other rooms, visit with friends, or get involved in other game "activities". All of a sudden I look and see 4, maybe 6 people in the city room. By now, however, I'm already engaged in something else.
Now, if for example, I knew that every Friday night at 7 pm there was something scheduled to go on in the city, I'd alter my play time and avoid getting into anything else to leave the 7 o'clock time free for me to attend the event.
Various regular "play times" could be scheduled to accommodate the different time zone play times. Just my thoughts.
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Post by kimmyfox on Oct 6, 2018 13:53:02 GMT
Think benifit to splitting map up is you could focus on creating the feeling that it isn't as empty, down side as already been discussed is the split up. I suggested it as one the people mostly as solution to empty buildings with people only occasionally there, so it could be opened when someone was around for roleplay there as seperate room. But I agree in I think size is a big problem and buildings that are almost never or rarely used, feel like they could easily have their own models to open for private roles, if some decide to use them. I think best solution would be to make most buildings significan't smaller and place them closer together, I had thought tourist island might been better with like smaller hotel maybe, bar, sherif place or small police station. Maybe small spa and massage place, more sorta shaman hut or small clinic tourist clinic there. Stuff like that since there rarely ever that many at any given spot except maybe hotel and club occasionally to really feel it warrant space for 20-30 people there. Ofcause it does from sorta RP perspective because it's in city and was from what I understand hot point some place in time, but from technical perspective it's unpracticaly to have large unused space, both making map heavy for some users to visit but also making places not used feel very empty. Not sure what is best idea just think that should be looked some solution, feel like hotel had easier time attracting people when it was smaller the room I mean. Think size wise something like this from Lula: The sexy empire, below would been better(talking building sizes not saying it should necessarily look like this btw):
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Post by Annikaa on Oct 6, 2018 14:14:37 GMT
Splitting the map would be the worst possible thing to do. It would divide the player base. You can tinker with the map forever. The thing that makes the room and the map unique is the story and events we create. That is what attracts people. Changing the map and everything else does not matter if we do not have a strong storyline. Good role players can RP in a cardboard box and have fun. That is where I think our main focus should be, instead of wasting time and resources on making a hundred different changes.
The map is just like the music topic. You will never make everyone happy, so a decision has to be made and stuck with. In my opinion, the map should be rolled back to the last version. The map that we use is screaming with ideas and things to do. But only if we use them.
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Post by Shepard on Oct 6, 2018 20:28:50 GMT
I kinda agree with Annikaa, bring back all the things that were taken away. Yes my game runs a little smoother and loads a little quicker but I'm willing to pay the price for the small touches that made the City cool. Besides showers with smoke still fuck my frame rate anyway so... ;p
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Post by Adrian Franco on Oct 7, 2018 2:27:51 GMT
That's steam... not smoke. LOL
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Post by sumner on Oct 8, 2018 1:35:56 GMT
bring back everything but the subway as long as we load into a place without alot going on I agree with bringing stuff back
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Sybil
Full Member
"I think a plan is just a list of things that don't happen."
Posts: 134
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Post by Sybil on Oct 8, 2018 13:07:55 GMT
As much as I complain about stuff being taken out I haven't noticed that much gone besides the subway heh. Anyways I think the question here isn't should stuff be brought back so much as it is should the map be split. Ultimately I think decisions regarding what goes in and gets cut from the map should still Be Suzie's really; I mean she's doing all the map work aside from the hospital. I think it boils down to:
Pro: We can have super, super detailed maps
Con: It will split the player base
I play from like...6-12 eastern usually and on a really good day there will be 4 or 5 regular players on and another 3 or 4 guests. Not sure how it is at other times. I think both have advantages, but splitting the map like that and making smaller maps is a TON of work. Betty's idea about the front offices might be a good compromise but yeah...I have no strong feelings here. Just do what feels right, you can always change it.
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Post by Suzie on Oct 8, 2018 13:19:51 GMT
Honestly i would prefer to redo the map for something smaller and more detailed. The only thing that bother is that Kimmy and SG work will be lost. I'm not happy with most of my work on this map. It feel empty and kinda amateurish for most of it And since i'm mostly alone most of the week i have plenty of time to do it I heard your concern about events (lately i have been a bit lazy on that ) but spending ~ten hours each week to do maps that will be used only once is pretty frustrating so i will try to refocus all events on the main map. It will involve more people that way and would represent less work in the future.
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Post by Suzie on Oct 8, 2018 13:20:54 GMT
About the splitted map i must agree with you all. It might do a lot of damage to split people even more.
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Post by kimmyfox on Oct 8, 2018 14:06:56 GMT
Honestly i would prefer to redo the map for something smaller and more detailed. The only thing that bother is that Kimmy and SG work will be lost. I'm not happy with most of my work on this map. It feel empty and kinda amateurish for most of it And since i'm mostly alone most of the week i have plenty of time to do it I heard your concern about events (lately i have been a bit lazy on that ) but spending ~ten hours each week to do maps that will be used only once is pretty frustrating so i will try to refocus all events on the main map. It will involve more people that way and would represent less work in the future. Personally I wouldn't mind if making buildings smaller and more together would create more connectivity with roleplays, instead of them being spread so far apart. But ofcause I can't speak to what SG thinks about it, just that I have the feeling the map is too big for the people coming. Think it spreads people out too much and make spots not used much feel empty, know I am probably in minority saying that but think bigger isn't necessarily better when were struggling to keep people coming either.
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