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Posted by redfella [66.49.88.154] on 2006/07/20 07:33:38

So the prototypical gaming "clan" gets together for practice, scrims, matches and various other activities. They often have IRC channels to idle in and quite often forums to post in for additional discussion. The impression an outsider would get of gaming clans is that they are a dedicated and hard-working lot striving to complete a set of goals and ambitions.
So my question is; why not have a mapping clan? A mapping clan would not play games, but instead would gather 2 or 3 nights a week to (you guessed it) MAP!
I think some of us mappers out here have trouble setting aside a portion of time, on a consistant basis, to map. If we had a "clan" (a school class of sorts) to report to, we could potentially help boost the amount of content we push out significantly.
Thoughts?

Isn't This It?
#1 posted by czg [213.115.252.84] on 2006/07/20 07:43:34
Func_, I mean? There's an IRC channel too!
...except noone here actually bothers with the mapping bit.
Best Idea Ever!
#2 posted by negke [82.83.0.185] on 2006/07/20 07:47:39
i vote shambler for the leader
Cool Idea
#3 posted by Blitz [63.97.37.210] on 2006/07/20 07:50:29
...but the desire to map comes and goes, and inspiration is an important factor. I assume it would end up feeling more like a job if we had to just sit down and force ourselves to map on a given night even when we might not feel like it.
#4 posted by Trinca [85.88.130.59] on 2006/07/20 07:54:19
:\ i think Blitz said everything... :) i just map at work at home i try to make company to my wife and child, sometimes i play a few online and write some shits in #terrafusion :) so for me at home there isn´t much mapping time!
Blitz
#5 posted by redfella [66.49.88.154] on 2006/07/20 08:06:55
Well, thats kinda the point (for me at least). I want to experience what it would be like to map on a consistant basis, whether I feel like it at the time or not. Much like a job in the games industry (or any industry for that matter).
Since it's my (and other potential clan members) ultimate goal to get in the games industry, would not having to map at set times be a good "warmup" for things to come? Just thinking.
I see it as more of a way to help mappers push more content, if thats there goal from the beginning.
Well
#6 posted by Zwiffle [69.210.55.231] on 2006/07/20 08:20:51
I kinda like this, because I really wanted to have a World War 3 mapping thingie, where basically you make teams of mappers from different parts of the world (like Team UK would be Kell, Daz, and Kinn, as an example), set up various challenges/themes, and let em go. (I personally think Team Russia would win.) Since that will never ever happen, this could be the next best thing.
Sounds Like You Should Join A Mod Team...
#7 posted by bear [213.115.252.84] on 2006/07/20 09:33:02
or gather a few intersted and make an episode or something.
Sucks To Be Kell
#8 posted by czg [213.115.252.84] on 2006/07/20 09:44:01
...getting stuck with those two faeries.
Bear
#9 posted by redfella [66.49.88.154] on 2006/07/20 10:02:07
I don't want to join a mod team. :P
The goal of the clan would be to simply meet and map at a set time and day[s], on a consistant basis. Members of the clan would be free to map on whatever they choose.
Uh
#10 posted by Bal [83.199.119.58] on 2006/07/20 11:29:06
I really don't see the point here, I'm sure a few people on #terrafusion are always mapping.
What do you mean by "get together and map"? Going on irc is probably one of the best ways to actually not get any mapping done at all... =D
Don't mean to be harsh, as you probably just want to get some nice community thing going or whatever, but you really shouldn't need that kind of motivation to finish some maps, especially if you want get a job in the industry.
Bal
#11 posted by redfella [66.49.88.154] on 2006/07/20 11:46:02
Bal: To answer your question, let me ask you a question... When do you map? My guess is that it's just when you have the time and/or you feel like mapping. That I believe would be a fairly standard answer for most mapping hobbyists. However, what if you were to join a group of mappers that said, "ok, we know we like to map, we think it would be a nice thing to do for a living, mapping sure as shit beats what kind of work we do now, and we should really dedicate a portion of time each and every week to further our talents and to create more content."
Perhaps I'm being a bit narrowsighted. Maybe there are hobbyist mappers out there whom already do this... However, speaking from experience, I know thats it's easy to get distracted when you have some free time to yourself. Looking at porn, playing video games, chatting in IRC, browsing forums etc. can quickly kill any time that should be spent mapping so you don't have to go back to your boring-ass job Monday morning. Maybe I'm just not dedicated enough? But I doubt that. I'd prefer to say I'm too easily distracted... So why not resolve the issue and make it a mandatory thing?
Redfella
#12 posted by Blitz [63.97.37.210] on 2006/07/20 11:55:56
I want to experience what it would be like to map on a consistant basis, whether I feel like it at the time or not. Much like a job in the games industry
It's not much different from regular mapping except it's a lot less fun because you can never take a break from it. Ask Zwiffle, neg!ke, et.al, how hard it is even to get people together consistently for 2 hours to do a speedmap every week, so I would say it would be damn near impossible to get people together a couple of nights a week to work on full maps.
It sounds to me you're trying to feel out whether or not you would hate mapping for living and that's something you'll just have to try out for yourself because it's different for everyone.
Comedy Answer:
#13 posted by Blitz [63.97.37.210] on 2006/07/20 11:57:29
I hang in #tf all day while I map so I guess I am already in the clan :haw:
Note:
#14 posted by redfella [66.49.88.154] on 2006/07/20 12:26:07
I really don't need anyone to join me in this little adventure. I have enough dedication to do this all by myself. I thought it was an interesting idea, and wondered what others thought.
I will be mapping Tuesdays and Thursdays from 9:00 to 11:00pm EST. I will be at #levelsource on qnet.org as proof. :) If anyone cares to join, feel free...
Redfella
#15 posted by Bal [83.199.119.58] on 2006/07/20 12:38:21
I don't map anymore, but for other things (mostly modeling these days) that I hope will help me get a better job (not necessarily game related), I sit down and work on stuff, if I feel like it or not.
I just don't really understand how going on IRC will help, quite the contrary, best to get rid of all possible disctractions if you think you are easily disctracted. And the idea of fixed hours just doesn't really make any sense on a message board where people all live in different parts of the planet.
Good luck though. =)
The Whole Mod Team Suggestion
#16 posted by bear [213.115.252.84] on 2006/07/20 13:19:58
was because it's probably the closest thing to being in the industry: you have to work with others with all the tensions, compromises, bloody fights and then hopefully also getting morale boosts by workmachines on the project or by the quality of their output.
I can understand not wanting to join/start one though because generally it's very hard to find one that with well balanced members (you hardly ever see one with good coders AND artists AND mappers) but it can be a usefull experience even if the project fails.
Otherwise, just work hard with what you want to do, practise is the way forward.
#17 posted by redfella [66.49.88.154] on 2006/07/20 13:30:26
Bal: IRC really has nothing to do with anything. Its just a place to drop in while you are mapping during the given hours. Its basically just an indication to anyone in the channel saying "ok, I'm here, I recognize the goal of this 'clan', and I'm mapping now".
bear: Ive been in about 5 mods or so. ;)
#18 posted by [213.170.89.98] on 2006/07/21 09:31:15
Speedmapping clan!
Gather each week on irc and map for 1-2 hrs then setup a server to play the outcome. (been done yeah )
Ok lets elaborate. Why clans? - gamers gather for 2 reasons: 1) building a team for TP games. To win together. 3) for some… err 133t status - to add a tag and be cool.
In mapping there is no direct competition(except very rare contests), so the purpose of building a team could be some big project - a mod or a level pack, like Bear said. Just gathering to map on your own at the same time doesn’t make sense, since mapping is an individual thing. Unless you map for Cube (afaik it supports simultaneous mapping).
Speaking of status... well, you gain status only by hard work - making maps. And people recognize good map releases and their authors. It’s not like everyday fragging on the servers, that no one except your opponents witness, so you have to create clan pages and brag about your wins and slap on a tag to stand out from the huge crowd of gamers.
Maybe creating a 'super mappers' team that would constantly output quality levels would work (but that brings us to the #1 - you need some goal that would hold the team together)
There was one (that I know of) similar thing – Fresh Team. A team of good mappers, with their own page… maybe than could tell us it’s story.
#19 posted by tron [203.28.159.168] on 2006/07/21 14:02:54
zwiffle: that world war mapping competition idea is awesome.
How About A Clan
#20 posted by inertia [24.164.73.173] on 2006/07/21 16:12:47
for idling on irc with a nick ending in |mapping?
Zwiffle's Suggestion
#21 posted by bear [80.217.112.209] on 2006/07/22 06:23:43
Sounded like the "thunderdomes" they run oer at conceptart.org but for mapping instead.
World War Mapping
#22 posted by R.P.G. [24.28.249.10] on 2006/07/23 18:51:45
I would totally love to do that. Team America would so 0wn Team Russia. Capitalism vs. Communism, round 2!
Actually
#23 posted by R.P.G. [24.28.249.10] on 2006/07/23 19:17:09
Team UK would probably come out on top, depending on who came out of retirement and if you count people who recently moved to another country. People like Pingu, DaMaul, Peej, Kell, and than each have enough talent in their toe hairs to roll over the rest of the world with their balls hanging out and a pint of beer in each hand.
Team Wisconsin Would Pwn
#24 posted by Zwiffle [69.210.93.64] on 2006/07/23 19:37:57
Yeah, Team UK would be a top, say, 2 team, but I just don't think they can beat Vondur. Plus you've got Speedy and Pulsar. Jago would be on Team Finland. I would recommend having like 3 people to a team, just so numbers are even. Oh the glory the winning country would obtain! Such unimaginable authority and prestige bestowed upon the victors when they set foot in #terrafusion! Oh well, I can dream.
Team Russia?
#25 posted by R.P.G. [24.28.249.10] on 2006/07/23 21:02:02
Speedy just sits around making snide comments and making "maps" that are only momentarily interesting as art maps and have no gameplay significance. PuLSaR, well, he's pretty good. We all know about Vondur. And as you said, Jago would be with Finland, so that just leaves two solid mappers for Team Russia.
I still say Team UK would win. Team America could do some damage with metlslime and Lunaran, though. You would just need to add in another ace mapper or two.
Ahem
#26 posted by Bal [62.210.227.22] on 2006/07/24 01:32:53
I'd come out of "retirement" and together with JPL, we'd own you all.
I Know
#27 posted by bambuz [193.167.7.21] on 2006/07/24 04:35:43
if it was a popular spectator sport, Jago would be persuaded to get citizenship faster than he can say kissa. :)
Time For Snide Comments
#28 posted by spd [213.170.89.98] on 2006/07/24 05:10:36
Yeah lets speculate about the possible winner of impossible competition
I say you cant really proclaim a winning map if the are both of equal quality - it all comes down to personal taste. Its not a race or football.
But thats a minor problem. The major one - is to get atleast 2 teams (6 ppl?) interested AND commited.
btw thanks for calling my maps 'art' :)
yeah, I know u mean 'screenshots art' :)
#29 posted by voodoochopstiks [85.224.213.176] on 2006/07/25 15:16:17
Getting in the industry is easy, you only need to put out a mediocre map and be in a country starved for good talent. (Like me).
Voodoo
#30 posted by bambuz [213.169.4.84] on 2006/07/26 06:50:08
will be fired before next payday.
For Competitions Sake...
#31 posted by redfella [66.49.88.154] on 2006/07/26 09:29:54
the mapper with the best attendance will be awarded an Offically Signed and Licensed #levelsource Mapping Clan "Most Dedicated Mapper" Certificate?
Would That Be Kinda Like...
#32 posted by scar3crow [151.141.46.205] on 2006/07/26 09:39:08
the golden ticket and willy wonka? redeemable for one free tour of metlslime's home? im sure there will be midgets...
Roger That
#33 posted by redfella [66.49.88.154] on 2006/07/26 09:44:30
and one free visit to Blitz's gay sexor room.
#34 posted by gone [213.170.89.98] on 2006/07/26 10:05:52
go map already

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