Alrighty, so, I recently started just having a little fun in Forge. I wasn't doing much of anything important, but rather, just building stuff that I thought looked cool. This usually sparks my mind for a theme of a map, and it worked to that effect this time as well. Now, the point: I wanted to make an 8-pointed star out of merged boxes. It's not something that's un-thought of, but it is something that's not been emphasized enough. It really, really looks cool, when you get them just right. So, I proceed to make this neat little structure using that philosophy. At that same moment, a friend of mine tells me via Bungie.net that ForgeHub has a new Featured Map. "HOT CAKES," I say. Well, I open up the map to see Tex's latest creation, Project Z. This wouldn't be so bad, but now my theme has been executed well (and even worse) and been on our front page for all to see. I'm sure this has happened to someone before. So, what do you do? It's not like he or I could have ever predicted the same theme to occur. The fact that I appear to be "just copying that featured map" really urges me to not post the map here at all. Any thoughts???? I'd like to note that I'm in no way attempting to degrade Project Z or claim any of its elements to belong to anyone but the creators themselves. I actually played several games on it, and it was some of the most flawless gameplay I've ever experienced.
Just because it's been done before doesn't mean you shouldn't do it for fear of being a copycat. There's little that can be done in Foundry that isn't a derivation of previous work. Cosmic Rick did the 8-pointed star thing in Kentucky Tango, which was featured quite a while ago. I say as long as the map looks strikingly different to Project Z, go with your original plan. Best of luck, dude.
I'm going to have to agree with that statement 100% Like he said, it's not like people dont repeat things once they have been done. Take Bayonetwork for example... on main feature of that map was the stairsets under the bridges for aesthetic touches, those were originally found in flux. In one of my maps, i took an idea from The Yellow's map Flux as well. You remember those dumpster pillars? I loved that aesthetic feature and i used them in my map. except i made them slightly different and i made one look like it had fallen against the other pillar. You can't exactly make an 8 point star look different... but there's no law saying you cant use that feature in any of your maps because it was done before. I say carry out your original plan and work on making it the best you can and try to make something new or have a very unique layout. your map will be sure to get noticed if you do so.
so what brom finish your ma, you were doing it too, before you knew about the abc crews map, so work on it. Besides, one little structure like that, isnt exactly copying, now, if you took Tex's whole map, and added weapons, then you might get in some trouble, so i say GO FOR IT
I would probably just post it if it was almost completed, I'm sure it doesn't really look anything like Project Z, so there's no way your copying the map. The star shaped thing is just an aesthetic touch that makes your map look cool, and I think it's fine that more than one map use it. I believe it was done even before Project Z too. That sucks but I hope you post it anyways, I'm sure it's great.
It may be the main part, but it's not the only thing in your map. Don't worry about being a copycat, you wont be, one thing will be fine. As long as the whole thing doesn't look the same, that would just be wierd.