OK, I'm all for modding. That said, I think things are getting out of hand, at least when it comes to maps. Modding a skin is no hassle since its already going to be on your system if you want to use it and if not, the game will still function. However, when a custom map is on a server, you've got to have it in order to play. I've downloaded Naplam's Mod Pak, but I'm still running into servers hosting maps I haven't even seen. So I usually end up spending 10 minutes or so trying to find a game type AND map that I can play on and its getting to be a big hassle.

One the one hand, I understand how mods breathe new life into an older game, however, they can also kill it. When noobs are learning their way around, they're going to run into a lot of these new maps and be unable to play. Sure, the Shockwave servers are out there, but playing in them is often like swimming in a pool of piranhas and you usually don't run into seasoned players (good for the noob experience). Then there are guys like me who just want a TT quickie that ends up in frustration.

Unfortunately, there's no way to regulate the creation of maps, but I can now understand why BraveTree chose not to support them. The best case would be that new maps could be automatically pushed down to users after being tested and validated by a quality control board, but I don't see that happening any time soon. My current solution is to offer a server with the "classic" TT maps in rotation.

Has anyone else run into this?

Last edited: Monday, March 27, 2006 at 7:45:27 PM

I love mods, but I agree that too many maps gets to be a bit of a hassle. The mod packs and expansion packs do help, but keeping up with the mods can almost be a full time job.

Don't misunderstand me. I'm a great fan of modding, but I know that if I have to wait for a download, often times I'll quit, especially if am short on time.

I can imagine a newbie getting very frustrated. If they don't know about PTT, how would they know if they are loading a map? The loading bar goes all the way to the right and freezes. How handy. It appears that they game is frozen to them, so they quit, and all they get is shockwave servers. They don't have a clue about the never ending download bar or expansion packs and mod packs.

I like the idea of a server running stock maps. They still are fun, and run well.

Rabby, I feel your pain. I made the fricken expansion pack, and I find myself waiting to get into maps as well.

All the time and efforts to collect, test, and distribute, the expansion isn't worth it any more.

Have no fear, I have to plans to make any more mods. Someone else may want to pick up the torch and run with it.

Last edited: Monday, March 27, 2006 at 8:08:45 PM

This is why I have the 4 stock maps in my rotation and also have the same 4 with some upgrades. The upgrades are just some arrows and bounce pads. This makes the wait time not even 2 min. At most So not only are there complicated maps we now have easy to load maps. So us modders are trying to make more games accessable to new players. As I learn to admin better and learn to control team scrum with out any delays in the game I will put them up for longer times. Not sure if this helps ya Rabban but we are trying to make it fun for begginers as well as veteran players, There has to be a continued flow of new long load maps that can be d/l with the mod pak so we don't lose veteran members also. If Napalm had never done his mod paks and stuff what would we have? Not much in my opinion.

I like mods. I think they're cool and I think we need them.

Nap did us all a great service in putting them all together. The thing is, there are just too many for him to keep track of with us all whittling them out by the bushel. I don't know if there's a real solution to this. It seems that the newer versions of the TGE demo won't allow users to create and save terrains, which is a good thing, but I'm sure there are already plenty of older versions out there that can't be stopped.

My pipedream is that there was a way to control the release of maps. That if someone like Napalm didn't approve their release and include them in the modpak, they wouldn't be available.

I do understand your feeling Rabban. I have experienced the same, having to wait ridiculously long for a map to load, and after that another same type of map...geez.

Btw a hint: best rotation imo is a rotation where you use both old and new maps. Old maps that ships with the game. Some old custom maps which majority of players already have. Few new maps to keep things refreshing. A enjoyable server which got little for everyone.

That's nicely sum up....and several good points after that.

Yes, a quality control by the maker of the map... You got no hurry with the map on process... Use time with it if you really want to make a good enjoyable map. Don't just try whip it up and believe/hope it will be a good map.

Last edited: Monday, March 27, 2006 at 9:21:34 PM

Sorry you guys fell that way
I have always tried to follow the existing format in the Xpacks
So that after you preload the map and install the Xpack you get right in
Occasionally I have made a new tree or repaired a sky
Those are miniscule compared to the map download time.
And to insignificant to provide a download for
Hell! Some peeps would get it wrong and crash

Perhaps it would be better like the olden days when if you wanted to see a mod
you expected to wait for 10-30 minutes for the opportunity to view something
amazing...
I used to wait and was always elated by what I found
Snow showers
Flame throwers
New tank shapes
CTF

Geez guys whats the beef?
Is there a modded server up without MOD in the name?

I don't ever wait, I join servers and walk away even if over night. If the X-packs are installed and the.ter file added to RX's thread, there should not be more that a few minute wait at most.

@Roo- no beef here. Keep up the good work.

I was thinking about the experience a new player might have... Not someone who has been around for a while and knows how to make these things work.

First of all, good thread Raban. Everyone feels your pain, including the modders and server hosts who continue to try to ease the pain for everyone so we can enjoy the joys of the new maps.

We NEED new mods because there has not been any updates for TT in a very long time. They keep the game fresh and new. Still, we also need an organized method of delivering the new mods.

Reagent X's excellent thread with links to all mod downloads is increidbly useful and important. We need to keep that thread up high as a sticky. I have a link to the thread on TTC (ThinkTanks City) in the Mod Suad section.

Let's continue to have a link to ALL mods (which is massive) as well as Monthly update files which will be much smaller.
There is always a smaller Most Recent additions link but using the monthly segmentation makes it all much easier to understand and use.

So, please, keep making those mods!!! Just try to organize a release schedule. Reagent X will update his thread and zip files for download once a month on the first of the month.

Whine Whine Whine

Mods are fun if they take to much time to download go to another server. Sure it took me awhile before someone clued me into PTT (even longer before I found the Modpack and Napalms) but I still enjoyed the game.

Use the ignore script, BM campers, do the quickplay once in a while to see if you can beat Hum and shut the heck up.

Roo and all the other modders keep them coming, you guys rule.

Good post Rabbi! I agree too many is bad for the noobs.

BTW, I was and will be, in your neck of the woods with my new job. What part of West Virginia do you reside? Huntington is part of my territory....KKB :)

I dunno bout you guys, but I think people (maybe not everyone, but a few more than there currently are) should refocus their modding ideas toward creating lush, frantic, and especially spooky maps which don't involve custom textures or shapes. I personally see trying to make a new map out of what we've been given a challenge and if someone can make a winner, then hell I'll play it everyday! (did I mention the spooky maps?)

I'm awestruck by the snow, ice, new grass, and bedrock textures floating around in many of the newer mods, and the sky textures are grand.....but the maps themselves are in many cases either way too large, slightly too small (maybe by a couple of inches), too cluttered, too mountainous (takes 35 full seconds to go up a vertical frickin cliff while chasin a scrum...I don't think so), or just plain too over-the-top (OTT in my opinion...my tastes are complicated >,<). Really, I enjoy playing on all of em, but sometimes it's too much. Give me a map the size of Medula mesa with some interesting new features (and I ain't talkin just adding a whole mess of jump/arrow pads!), show me SOME sort of Spooky map (ANYTHING!!!!11), frantic maps that are not completely impossible to transverse but still totally awesome.... That's where I think we need to start heading.

If I may go down memory lane for a bit... I think when I was trying out ThinkTanks as a Demo (or within a couple days after buying it), I came across a lush mod which took very little time to load. I can't recall the details, but my god was it awesome and fun to play BM in. Only one ammo gate, nestled in a pocket on a hill, nice little coves to hide and shoot other tanks from, really like the "perfect" BM lush map... The new lush maps are exciting and interesting, very much so, but I don't think anything lived up to that first one I went into. So you see why I'm partial to mods made from stock materials ;)

Last edited: Tuesday, March 28, 2006 at 7:42:57 AM

Thought it should be mentioned for everyone that all you need to keep current is download the TT_Mod_Pack® at ReagentX.com . I keep this updated within a couple of days when a new mod is released. It is essentially a complete missions folder with almost all the terrain files ever made in TT history. If you have Napalm's expansion pack installed, then all you have to do is update your missions folder with the Mod_pack and "Boom" no waiting.

Actually I have no problem with the loading. I do have the mod pack and Expansion pack installed as well. Of course if Modder's were to stop modding, there wouldnt be much too look forward to in the future.

Feathers, you've stumbled upon my modus operandi. I've released one map and I have several in the works, all of which use standard objects and textures. I'm like you, I REALLY appreciate the work that goes into the new mods that are mods in the truest sense and they are awesome, but I think there's also something to be said for using what we already have as well. In my case, it makes things easier too if I only have to worry about getting the terrain in the right place and knowing everyone will have the rest already on their computers. And I'm even working on a Spooky map (at Bolo's suggestion), but that one does happen to have a couple new objects that I created cause I wanted to test them out.

I'm glad to hear ReagentX is organizing things cause that's what we need. Some control, a pipeline for one stop shopping to keep things running smoothly and to insure its a pleasant experince for all.

This is the exact reason I ASKED PEOPLE who had other objects to submit them, so they could be included in the xpack. Then as Rx mentioned the only need would be adding the mod pack updates periodically. Unfortunately people go and do their own thing or come to incorrect conclusions and now we have multiple installations of the same crap previously offered.

You can always create a pre-install for any of your mods, just keep the objects in the same location as the xpack and let them overwite them if necessary. The xpack is already big enough, no need to multiply things.

That's a nice idea but I don't think it needs to be that tightly controlled. I think there needs to be more testing performed and some guidelines suggsted.

Even worse that waiting to get into a map, is waiting to get into a poorly performing map.

Last edited: Tuesday, March 28, 2006 at 4:49:26 PM

Well Nappy I think there might be a major error at XPACK central
See I had installed from the partial download and all was good
It unzipped well and I folowed the file structure
But then in hopes of obtaining the Sharp Trees folder I downloaded
the Complete XPack and this time had to much faith
I simple overwrote my shapes folder. This should have been fine as I mod on a pc
BUT
The RW folder did not unzip properly and was spread out throughout the entire shapes folder
After much cursing and a systematic removeal of duplicate folders by comparing the TGE instance
I was back in good stead.
I am now concerned about those who have had similar downloads and have not released any
XPack4 Mods to the genreal public
Perhaps a yahoo session or a Modding thread to find out who dwonloaded and what their shapes folder
structure is. I know this sounds like a big pain but its neccessary
Could you verify your download plz
And lemme know when I can get the Sharp Trees stuff
ty

Here is a link to just the sharp trees. Just extract to shapes. (folder name will be sharp)
CB

http://www.bigupload.com/d=31EA0997

Scroll down a bit and look for grey download button on left.

Hah, That's so true! I would also say "a poorly made map". That's why I mainly join to maps which I have seen before(screenies) or I have a high enough trust to the creator that it won't be a full piece of crap.

@Earlier guys why said about making maps with stock items.
I prefer to make the maps from stock stuff too. Accessing to the map will be easier with just one download, and I try to create something great to play on from the stock things without using new things as a cover for the lacking playability.

Rooster, I'm doing an install for a scratch installation. I'll let you know how it goes. I am in the process of making a small update to replace some problem files. The sharp trees are problematic, that's why I pulled them. I have yet been able to test them on my mac. Once I can successfully test them I will add them to the fix as well.

It appears that I'm getting the same mixed structure you have described. I'll have to make another zip when I get home. Maybe I'll test the fixes too and have it finalized tonight.

I added the link to Napalm's expansion pack to the mod suad page on TTC . I've also got the link to Reagent X's thread for mod updates.

@Reagent X
I mentioned your fine thread and update thread much earlier in this thread and gave you major props for doing that for us.
Same kudo's to you Nap!!!

Reagent.
can you make your Mod Pack an RSS? Then I can see when it updates without having to look everyday.

@ El Rabban
Awesomeness XD Can't wait to see 'em come out!...now if I had 1) the time or 2) software to mod, I'd be busy making a Walace a Grommit "Were-Rabbit" mod (yes, I know y'all cannot resist the coolness of it ;) )... But of course...I don't :( To quote Monica: Dernnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnn

Nice^ XD

LMAO GQ nice one XD

I'm pro-mod. I was in someones keepaway mod awhile ago and thought that was a cool game type. Needs the right map though or it
would turn into a cliff hanging mess

I believe ^ is reffering to CS's mod. I like going into it once in awhile. I dont think any1 could convince Nap to put his pants back on even if some1 does get the pak. Considering there is a great deal o' ppl out there who do... :o

Well I feel ON WITH THE MODDING if u like it do it or as confusious sayes IF 1 CANNOT MOD THEN JUST PLAY LOL :) :) :) :) :) :P :P :P