DG MAP MAKING

[SHAKE-A-BABY]

Hello All,

First time poster, long time GD lover here. I'm wondering if Hidden Path is going to supply the tools for us to make custom maps. If not for everyone than perhaps allow some of us tech savvy gamers the opportunity to put together some map packs that can be distributed. If you guys are interested hit me up at the email that I provided.

Happy Hunting,
SHAKE-A-BABY

p.s. Maybe I can go ahead and put together a map maker so we can share maps? ;)

[jeff]

A map editor is clearly the #1 requested feature since Defense Grid was released, and it was originally part of our plans, but didn't make the final cut.* There are technical and legal things that have to be overcome in the current code base and we have looked at it a few times.* I think we know the right thing to do, but it's going to take a while unfortunately to get it into your hands.* Know that we hear you and want to make it work.* It will take some time though. :)





Jeff

[Sharok]

I registered for the sole purpose of adding yet another voice in support of a custom map editor.
I want to try the existing maps with different start conditions, different waves, or a combination of the two.
I want to tweak existing maps to see how things change when adding a tower in a remote place, or removing a pathway.
I want to create my own maps and put them to the test.
And I won't mind if my scores are not put into the online rating scheme - in fact, I think it would be best not to for the simple reason that we all know some losers are going to set themselves up with one million starting credits and 99 waves of Juggernauts and watch their score go sky-high without trouble.
Or maybe, put personal map scores online, but divide the end score by the beginning funds or something so that we get a representation of the real difficulty. But frankly, I wouldn't bother trying to score personal maps online. Just give us a personal high score section for that map that cannot be shared - it'll do.
But most important, please, please give us a map editor.
Even just a map file format would do in a pinch. You might be surprised at what the community could churn out just with that.

[SHAKE-A-BABY]

Hey, this would be a 6 month check in on my original post. I scanned around and haven't seen any mentino of progress for some sort of SDK. I did see something about workingon xbox 360 but that has come and gone. Has this highly requested option that loyal long time DG players have made been simply forgotten about?

You know I can only pile drive so many maps over and over before I loose faith in the designers making improvements. Just passionate, not sarcasitc.

Thanks you.

[datacz]

I think that Map Editor should be released after DG2, or after you decided to not make any more DLC's...

[Apeshaft]

A map maker would be great. Why not create a map maker and then the creator could submit the map to Hidden Path for review. Map that pass the quality control would be released through steam and give, let's say 5% of the cash earned to the creator of the map?

That would make Hidden Path a buttload of cash and create an incentive for fans of the game to become really creative when it comes to map making.

I know I'm just sitting here waiting for more maps myself.

To quote Fry from Futurama: Shut up and take my money!

http://i.imgur.com/8EI5l.jpg

[HeavensRaptor]

A map editor should always be released for any game that has a map system/rts/defense like games. I mean, think of SC and SC:2, many players of that game don't even really play 1v1's//2v2's and etc., they play for the maps. Imagine the content you would open up letting your players have creative control over a defense game's map creation process if you just gave a simple, open style editor. Have a bunch of textures//skins//colors that they could add etc., after a while you may have so many maps you wouldn't know what to do. Then wha-la, crave for a Map Editor done. ^_^ make it for PC only though... that way we get all the cooler stuff... >.> lol X.x

[evilteq]

A map editor is usually the feature i use and want most in these kind of games, but it usually falls into the category "we wanted to, but somehow we couldnt". I usually don't believe it, I think it has more to do with some sort of comercial strategy. If it were just a matter of "I just cant make a releaseable editor", just publising the file format would do. I'm pretty sure someone would make a good editor.
In my opinion, it should be a must, not the first featured to be droped from everyone's wishlist.

[jeffpobst]

There isn't any reason for us to lie about things like this. Typically when you make a game, there is a certain budget that you have in order to make it. We spent more than that budget on the game, and still didn't have multiplayer and the level editor done. We shipped the game without finishing those and then later after the game sold, went back to look at what it would take to complete them. In the end we ran into more than technical issues - though those are still many - but also legal ones around different middleware packages we were using, that got in the way of completing a level editor. Multiplayer also turned out to be a very expensive thing for us to finish, and while we've been very happy that so many people have been purchasing Defense Grid, we've been putting our resources into the future of the franchise rather than it's past. I can simply say, that we recognize what happened, are correcting it now, determined that fixing it is more costly than we can afford, but it's something we're keeping in mind as we look at new products going forward. It really is that simple. The file format is unfortunately something we can't publish because of the middleware, we've thought about that as well and looked for ways to make that work.