When the forge maps come up in btb they have images that load up like the other maps, right? Or am I crazy?
Nothing is as simple as some of the suggestions here. You can't say "Bravo add this line of code so we can see our map pics plz". The current file share system has no way to save the images into the map's file, and the UI has no way to extract it from the file to display it on screen. To do so would require (i imagine) a major rewrite of the entire file share ecosystem, UI system, and the basic format of the map files themselves, requiring input and resources from several different departments, a month or two of programming, and a few weeks of testing to make sure it did not break currently working systems. The Forge team would have to hold several meetings with upper brass where they pitch the idea and explain their reasons to justify such a major undertaking, then present the necessary manpower/budget documents to get the re$ource$ and programmers required to make it all happen. Those documents would then go up the chain to be approved or denied by the money managers. In short, hundreds of powerpoint presentations, and thousands of emails before a single line of code is written. Then, Microsoft would require them to add a [Report Image] button to the UI for when players start using forge porn as their map thumbnail. or, they may have already included the feature since they also wanted to see actual pics in the map selection lobby. In any case, please keep (respectfully) asking for the feature in all screens (Twitter, forums, live stream chats) when ever possible. The best way to gain a new feature is to arm the Forge dev team with plenty of feedback ammunition to take to their bosses. Quick question. Do any other games with user created content (Little Big Planet, Trials HD, etc.) have this feature?
I wasn't thinking the thumbnail would be embedded into the map itself, actually. It would be a separate file, just linked (similar to people's ideas of linking gametypes to maps). Both on our systems & in our fileshare, it would be maintained as screenshot file, only the map file would link to it.
It would make more sense, and fewer lines of code, to embed the file's image within the map's file. Either way it's still a monumental undertaking.
He was just answering your question about other games with user generated content. No need to be rude.
i guess my question is, if the rig has an image linked to it for matchmaking purposes, why can't forge maps? If not a thumbnail in a fileshare, at least a display image for community maps which have made it to matchmaking? Obviously it recognizes the canvas and associates an image with it, it doesn't seem like such a leap that with a little tweek it could regcognize the individual map. They wouldn't have to make a user interface for it, because 343 could simply do it themselves when they integrate the maps into the playlists. I know it's not a thumbnail, but it would make help people recognize community content easier, and lessen the "oh no, not a forge map" response when it pops up in matchmaking. Just generally smooth over forge maps for the matchmaking community.
I believe the map images are handled similar to static images on web pages. The UI calls the image up from a built-in image folder. When The Rig comes up it calls therig.png from the image folder and displays it. Changing over to a dynamic system which plucks the image from either a link or from within the intended file, in several areas of the UI, substantially complicates this otherwise simple process. Anyway, the point i am trying to make is that the Forge Team also wants custom map pics. They wanted them in Halo 4, and they wanted them in Halo Reach. If they can find the means to do it then they certainly will but programming the UI to make this happen is WAY more complicated than many here seem to think. There are no simple solutions. If it were easy they would have done it two games ago.
I don't care about all that fancy crap. I don't give a crap what pic is on the file but please for the love of God give us a file share we can DL from in game & online like H3 & Reach. That's all I ask. I don't need a pic of my exact map, I don't need an auto save, & I don't want to find someone with a silly mis spelled gamer tag to find & DL a file. Basic H3 fileshare is all I want.
"If it were easy..." Really? I mean ofcourse it's not easy. It's work. I think we all understand that. But these are top game devs with AAA budgets. It's not as if what I'm saying is an angry demand. This is a suggestion thread and I'm making suggestions. EDIT: sorry to be terse. I don't mean to be rude. With the lack of content and features (and frankly a working game), I don't think demands are unwarranted. That being said I'd rather wait for the actual dev to say something can and won't be done. I get you are trying to curb expectations. Believe me. With 343 they are curbed.
Far Cry has always had pictures of the custom maps show up. Halo 3 had screenshots that you could upload to your fileshare. Was that abused? I honestly don't remember. Either way, all you have to do is store a checksum for screenshots taken in theater mode, to make sure the files haven't been replaced. Changing the forge file format to be able store pictures isn't difficult. Its pretty trivial to just take the forge file and zip a picture with it, and have the whole package in one file. I've seen this done for some of the old emulators rom files. Then store a checksum of the zip file, so you can make sure it hasn't been modified outside of the game. Not to say there aren't some man hours involved, but I'd estimate that I personally could do the whole thing in about 4 hours. Not that the forge team probably has access to the whole Halo 5 source, so there would be a little communication between departments required. Not to say anyone's lying about it, but I think the forge team is exaggerating how difficult it would be.
There is absolutely, no possible way that attaching a picture file to a map file is as difficult as they say it is. I believe you when you say that's what they told you, but they're either lying or completely over complicating the process. We're not asking for some live feed video stream of the map whenever you select it. As other's have pointed out, practically every game with a level editor has done this. Super Mario Maker, Far Cry 2, 3, 4, freaking Smash Bros Brawl...it's not difficult OR unheard of.
honestly the hardest part is probably getting management to allocate the resources to do it, it would probably require working with multiple teams and from the sounds of it it looks like the forge team is mostly isolated waiting on everyone elses free time for asset stuff, not a priority.
This guy gets it. From a technical stand point it's something they can likely do. Getting management to sign off on the huge amount of funds to appropriate the necessary resources for a single pic which would complicate and potentially break the present simple system is another story. I'm not here to stifle the conversation, nor make excuses for 343i. I'm trying to rally players to push 343i into implementing map thumbnails through the proper channels in a respectful manner. It's very obvious that the current sustain team takes community/player feedback very seriously. The Cartographer's Gift checklist is a great example of this. Calling them out with statements like "what about the basic stuff that they cant do either", and " they're either lying or completely over complicating the process" is certainly not the correct way to get the features we want. I feel like i should repeat this here: "In any case, please keep (respectfully) asking for the feature in all screens (Twitter, forums, live stream chats,, etc.) when ever possible. The best way to gain a new feature is to arm the Forge dev team with plenty of feedback ammunition to take to their bosses."
I didn't deny that it might require allocating resources. But they've already gone on record saying they are updating the UI, and that's more or less what attaching a picture to a map file is, it's a UI feature. I don't think that they would go out of their way to assign an extra body to it so much as adding the feature to a checklist. Makes sense to ask for it despite what they told you, wouldn't you think?
After all this rhetoric, if 343 turn around now and give us custom thumbnail images for our Forge maps, before providing is with a fully-functioning file browser, then so help me ... I'm coming for you all ... ... That was a joke.