Expert Opinions Please

This is my first post here. I have recently been playing a ton of WC3 and because of my past programming experience I decided to make a map. I am concerned about releasing a crappy map that is buggy (WHAT ME MAKE A BUGGY MAP?). So I thought Id of course beta test it. However I really want to get alot of opinions so.....

What if I make a map that ONLY works if I am the host. I will be protecting it so it cant be changed. Do you think this will have a future positive or negative reaction to my map?

In other words if someone downloads it. Plays it with me and reads the text that tells them its a ONE time only play till the GOLD release. But Then they go to run it again because its just so damn cool, and it doesnt work? (Yeah Ill have a nice message again.....)

What do you think?

Thanks! :ggani:

By the way this site rocks!

hi RodOfNOD,

Welcome to Wc3campaigns, for the realease thing:

A map can only get better when the bugs are out, The only way to find the bugs is to host it and see if the map plays correct and ask how the other players like it
[list=1][*]I am surgesting to get a map protector and protect the map ( u don't want anyone to steal or mod-ify your map).[*]Host the map on battle net[*]See if it plays good[*]Ajust the map, and start over at 1[/list=1]

I won't expect any negativity for protecting the map, atleast I don't have a problem with it

Edit: Make the map name something like ......... ( beta version ), after u thing its O.K. make it ........ ( gold version )

~Mephisto

If its playable in single player, it would just be a matter of chaning their profile name to match yours if they are clever enough.

But you are right, this will work wonderfully in multiplayer. However, I wonder if perhaps this might be taking it a bit far? To me it seems a more logical course would be to simply test the map much as humanly possible in single player and to host private games on battlenet with your friends.

But anyway, if you are absolute on doing this, I can say that it will work if you display clearly to all players that this is a beta version and they cant host it anywhere else.

And even if they do host it mistakenly, by displaying the message in-game to everyone and booting them all out, you will either make them curious enough to open your map and examine it themselves, (if they are skilled enough to do so), or if you phrase your message kindly enough, they will simply be satisfied and content to wait for your official release.

The key is to just tell them, don't boot them right away, just display some information about your map concept and what you plan to do with it later on and that will likely have them anticipating it instead of making them angry.

i tested ALL my maps with a friend 92329352 times. Its like 60% testing, 40% making. The reward for this testing on my first crappy map (Blood & Steel, oldschool AoS with only one team.. but really nasty enemies.. including random heroes that make you cry :p) is that I still get emails reporting minor bugs, unbalances, ideas or just people that would like to have the newest version.

I think there are 2 important points

- Nobody needs more low-quality maps
- Would you like to play a map of the quality you made? <- ask that yourself and all is fine :-)

I suggest to test the map first with friends, it really sucks to join a game that is so bugged, that you can play 2 minutes before it is over.... and protect every little shit u did.

I think rod has got a great point there. If you only allow yourself ot host the map, through tirgers or otherwise you dont have to wory about your map being leaked out before yours is completely ready, especially if you want a large group of random testers to c how new ppl react to it, and your still not ready to release it to the general public. This would also alievate the problem of looking for reliable beta testers. Because you could have anybody dl the map and play with you ,email you the comments if they are so inclined, but they cant just siply release it. I love it, so all u coding monkeys get started!

This is exactly how I feel. Thank you all for your responses. We all know how important alpha and beta testing are but I dont know enough people to betat test this serious enough so this is my solution. Thanks for the help!!:ggani: