PvE Map Poll

[buzzie71]

Greetings nerd.nu! As you may have noticed now, we are well past three months into the PvE rev, and it’s about time to look forward to the next one - somewhat.* Specifically, we are looking for feedback on a good PvE map - what biomes there should be, what features should be on it, how big it should be, questions like that. So with that being said, here’s a poll with some of these questions and more - and if there’s anything you’d like to mention that’s not in the poll questions, comment down below.  

 

Our goal is to build an interesting and enjoyable map, and the results of this poll will definitely influence how the map is created.

*Padmins retain official word regarding the end of the rev and such announcements will be posted visibly; any comments to the contrary are pure speculation and should be taken with grains of salt.

[WyndySascha]

There was a neat idea in chat a few days ago: a few large, central landmasses set in ocean; encompassed around the map borders by an encircling ocean; the ocean running off into the void, so people can "fall off the world" (or, if they're so inclined, build off the edge of the world). Very like the Discworld, in fact.

 

(The world edge would be at a certain point, the world border would be some distance away, to prevent escape and more land generating).

[Omegaeddon]

The END is NIGH!!!

[Sir_Didymus]

If the map is going to be large again, perhaps smaller, more distributed biomes? I think I prefer maps where there is more than one desert etc.

[ultrahub]

I would love to see a map generated differently than the last few revisions, the last few maps have been rather plain in my opinion. I think a custom made map like the one we had rev 11(I think, might have been rev 10) would be cool to have again. Another suggestion would be the realistic world generation mod or something else that modifies how terrain is generated. I say let's mix it up this rev!

[totemo]

I happen to think that Thrawn21's PvE Rev 8 map generation was a high point.  If you will recall, that map had amplified terrain near the world border, outside of a certain radius from (0, 0).  I emulated that when I generated Survival Rev 23, but rather than using WorldPainter I simply merged DEFAULT and AMPLIFIED vanilla terrain using WorldBorder and mcmerge (per my tech note in the admin section, buzzie).  Thrawn21's map also had biome-dependent plumps: that is ores were plumped differently, depending on the biome, and extreme hills in the amplified region had a fairly extreme diamond plump, if you remember. :3 *cough* Pico Sandy Bank *cough*

 

The other thing that Rev 8 had was awesome custom trees. Whole forests of them.  Actually, I liked Rev 7's trees too.  I find vanilla trees to be a bit dull.

 

I really like the idea of a more hostile environment on PvE, since it is the "vs Environment" server.  But past experience (e.g. PvE rev 2 where it was all amplified terrain via Terrain Control Mod) has shown that city builders don't like it because they end up having to flatten enormous mountains in order to build their orderly, flat towns.  So what I would like to see is a map that is normal vanilla terrain and difficulty for the majority, but more hostile terrain and more powerful mobs (e.g. potion buffed, armoured, except when from spawners) in the outskirts.  The incentive to take on these difficulties would be better loot drops from mobs and more prevalent ores.  So people would have to travel and be well armed.   It would be an adventure.  

 

If, for example, the map was 8k square (+/- 4k), and everything within a 4k circle of the centre of the map was vanilla difficullty, and between there and the border featured harder mobs and terrain, and more ores, then 78.5% of the map (3.14159265 * 4000 * 4000 / 8000 / 8000 * 100%) would be vanilla and the remaining 21.5% would be a new challenge for people to try.

[Trooprm32]

I really liked Rev 11 which had a more realistic ocean with realistic islands, and less huge expanses like the 1/3 map of mesa of the current rev. 

I really like the idea of having an outer hostile/amplified-ish area that totemo is describing, but NOT using terrain control(please no). Lowering the ore plump in the central vanilla regions, and raising it on the outer parts would give a greater incentive to build there.

[thrawn21]

Here's a place where you can look as cartos of old maps: http://redditpublic.com/carto/pve/

 

totemo, I think you might be thinking of rev 11's map (which was my absolute favorite to build), as rev 8's was wcs and I's first foray into world painter. 

 

Personally, I love a totally crazy landscape with secrets and specialty biomes, but on a larger map it would be easier to cater to multiple terrain tastes. You'll notice rev 11's map is only 4k, an 8k map would give map builders four times more area with which to work. 

[Pyr0mrcow]

If we're talking about the older generation styles, personally I liked Rev 4's double-layered land...it was the first time I played on a decent server, so there's probably a lot of nostalgia involved, but I do like unique land generation of that sort. It had a really novel feeling to it, you could use the land in different ways.
So, maybe not nessecarily that, but something interesting of that sort. The new custom world options included in the game are actually really good. Maybe just screw around with those and see what happens?

 

also hello again

Edited January 4, 2015 by Pyr0mrcow

[Four_Down]

Why can't we pick a map size larger than 8k by 8k?

[aplracer1]

Why can't we pick a map size larger than 8k by 8k?

I think its just that it makes map travel without tp more difficult and would create a less enjoyable experience overall because getting to far away cities would just be a hassle.

[tobylane]

Why can't we pick a map size larger than 8k by 8k?

Because even 8k is a questionable stretch on resources of the server and the player's travel options. I think it's too much, 4-5k leaves more than enough room while not scaring people off overworld rails.

 

I believe thrawn's wilder maps involved intended areas for each city. With that note I entirely agree with Totemo.

 

edit: Now that the 'temperature' of the biome usually matches its neighbours, a town in two different biomes is better off than before that change. Small biomes might work now, though I guess care would be needed with swamps.

Edited January 4, 2015 by tobylane

[TheNightsKing]

5k x 5k: Last rev felt big enough, but wasn't too spread out. This rev, CARBON isn't getting the love it deserves, as the size of the map overwhelms any sort of whole-world rail system. Maybe 6k x 6k to give a little more room.

 

4 months is about my attention span.

 

Realistic World Gen looks lovely. Add in some sections of relatively vanilla terrain for prospective city builders to look for rather than having them choose co-ordinates prior to the start of the rev. Stick the portals there. As the whole map is (presumably) generated prior to the start of the rev rather than being generated on the fly like SSP, this wouldn't tax the server too much when in use?

 

Smaller biomes, spread throughout the map so that it isn't just dominated like this time with the enormous mesa (useful though it is) and desert. Having to head thousands of blocks from spawn to reach the one small swamp and jungle was very tiring at the start of the rev. I now have more slime, jungle wood, cats and cocoa than I need, but it was frustrating at the start, rather than an enjoyable challenge.

Edited January 4, 2015 by Chaguaramas

[tactical_spork]

If we do go 8k by 8k, would it be possible to have more than 8 portals? 12 or even 16 would encourage builds to be more evenly spread out across the map and give a chance to smaller cities which would otherwise be without portals.

[Emizzon]

I voted for vanilla with modifications, but it'd be fun to see a map that mimicked the environmental regions of Earth. Like tropics/deserts in the middle, arctic towards the north and south ends. Sparsed with land types common to those regions. It'd be nice to have relatively close access to regions across the map.

[Rokku117]

Thrawn map. Similar to Rev11. Lots of world painter and TC

Edited January 4, 2015 by Rokku117

[SirLyle]

If the map is 8k again i'd like to see more portals, I feel like the nether is under utilized, so it'd be nice to have a bigger road system there.

 

It'd also be cool if there was a worldwrapping plugin that could be used to make the world loop at the borders instead of a sudden border.

[tobylane]

If we do go 8k by 8k, would it be possible to have more than 8 portals? 12 or even 16 would encourage builds to be more evenly spread out across the map and give a chance to smaller cities which would otherwise be without portals.

With sufficient mathswork by the users, portals can be very close together, less than 128 blocks. It gets messy quick with all the stairs and ladders, an ugly compact version of Shady Oaks.

 

One every 1k square is what we were told was the safe minimum once. If the world started at 4k with one portal per 1k^2 and expanded to 6k then 8k that's spawn plus 15, then 40 more, then 56 more. That's a lot, but the later 100 won't be used for anything major, just access to fresh biomes, late-rev activity, wilderness homes, independent builds. A 32-station CARBON would be able to reach the initial 16 portals plus 6 farms/POIs and 10 expansion portals.

[Tomzski]

I think rev 11 was the perfect map. I like the idea of different continents with different biomes separated by a large ocean. This encourages trade between different cities which is cool

[MessedUpDuck]

Tbh i really preferred rev 13's map to 14, I feel 5k x 5k is well large enough and I didn't stray far from spawn this rev just because the map was huge!

[totemo]

Here's a place where you can look as cartos of old maps: http://redditpublic.com/carto/pve/

 

totemo, I think you might be thinking of rev 11's map (which was my absolute favorite to build), as rev 8's was wcs and I's first foray into world painter. 

 

Personally, I love a totally crazy landscape with secrets and specialty biomes, but on a larger map it would be easier to cater to multiple terrain tastes. You'll notice rev 11's map is only 4k, an 8k map would give map builders four times more area with which to work. 

 

Ah yes.  I checked the old cartos and it seems I've managed to conflate revs 10 and 11.  Rev 10 had the diamond plump in extreme hills.  Rev 11 had amplified terrain near the border and biom-specific ore generation.

[totemo]

By the way, why can't we have that custom Phoenix Terrain Mod generated nether (or whatever it was) that Survival has been getting recently?  That's a more hostile nether environment than vanilla nether.  I feel like that makes for a better adventure there too.

 

Or possibly do a combination of vanilla nether mcmerged with PTM nether?  Not sure what the incentive for going into the more hostile zone would be, tho. :)

 

EDIT: I accidentally the most important.

Edited January 5, 2015 by totemo

[Herr_Fawkes]

I'd like to see the map generated with less of a contrast betwen biomes. This rev, there's a giant mesa kind of plunked down with no transition between it and the forest. Maybe next rev, the map could have smoother transitions between biomes, so that forests and plains gradually gave way to savannahs, deserts, and mesas. Also, we need a bigger jungle and swamp. I wouldn't mind seeing a map with a few large islands instead of a big landmass with tiny islands.

Edited January 5, 2015 by Herr_Fawkes

[jattell]

I have always been a big fan of the thrawn21 maps and would love to see another iteration of them. The biggest appeal for me was seeing the differences from vanilla. The weird tree´s, strange mountains and giant mushrooms. I like seeing terrain that is different from vanilla and watch people adapt to it and adjust their builds to the environment.  The weirder and bigger and stranger the biomes the better. I would love to see massive mushrooms or tree´s that can hold a village or a mountain entirely out of granite or diorite instead of stone. A cool volcano or a really lava rich area? Giant sand dunes with here and there an oasis? lonely and giant mountains? a Massive Ravine that is our version of the great canyon? yes please!

 

Also the discworld map idea sounds really appealing. 

[b00ds]

I voted 6k by 6k but from looking at the older rev maps, the smaller revs look way more fun and interesting. The bigger they get the less interesting they seem. Everything is just too spread out.