Map Release Schedule

Quaternions commented

2024-12-14 11:00:51 +00:00

Owner

The "Algorithm" for the release schedule is located here. All it does it release the map 1 week from now to the second.

My favourite idea so far is to use a cron job which runs once a month at the beginning of every month, and releases all "pending release" maps starting at the beginning of the month after. So when the job runs on April 1st, the maps it adds to the release schedule appear starting March 1st and ending March 31st. This means that as long as maps keep being made, there is always maps for at least one month, and the longest you have to wait for maps to release in the worst case is 2 months (for the last map to release, right after the job runs). Alternatively, this may be better to do seasonally, i.e. 3 months at a time with up to a 6 month wait.

Here is a striking diagram explaining the process, with the black ticks representing the release periods:

The "Algorithm" for the release schedule is located [here](https://git.itzana.me/StrafesNET/maps-service/src/commit/d4303612ac4735885281779fbd75955b18a20d74/validation/src/publish_new.rs#L63). All it does it release the map 1 week from now to the second. My favourite idea so far is to use a cron job which runs once a month at the beginning of every month, and releases all "pending release" maps starting at the beginning of the month after. So when the job runs on April 1st, the maps it adds to the release schedule appear starting March 1st and ending March 31st. This means that as long as maps keep being made, there is always maps for at least one month, and the longest you have to wait for maps to release in the worst case is 2 months (for the last map to release, right after the job runs). Alternatively, this may be better to do seasonally, i.e. 3 months at a time with up to a 6 month wait. Here is a striking diagram explaining the process, with the black ticks representing the release periods:

Map-Submission-System-Releaser.png

44 KiB

FrxztOfficial commented

2024-12-14 11:30:01 +00:00

I am not a programmer who does programming things so I will write about the non-program-y bits

The energy for new maps is still there and very present during AoRs, but I think the current model of dripfeeding maps to the playerbase is not ideal. When you have a map releasing every 1-2 days, there is some activity on the map for that day, but there is little community hype, and most maps are seldom forgotten after release. A map update just means new (sometimes old) maps being added to the daily dripfeed. So I think a weekly, biweekly, or even a monthly release schedule is inherently better, and maps would be released in large enough batches to get people excited. Another thing I would change is revivifying the old idea of making a lot of maps immediately available to the playerbase. In an ideal world around 1/3 or 1/2 of the new maps are instantly released, while the remaining maps are occasionally dripfed to the playerbase in batches.

I am not a programmer who does programming things so I will write about the non-program-y bits The energy for new maps is still there and very present during AoRs, but I think the current model of dripfeeding maps to the playerbase is not ideal. When you have a map releasing every 1-2 days, there is some activity on the map for that day, but there is little community hype, and most maps are seldom forgotten after release. A map update just means new (sometimes old) maps being added to the daily dripfeed. So I think a weekly, biweekly, or even a monthly release schedule is inherently better, and maps would be released in large enough batches to get people excited. Another thing I would change is revivifying the old idea of making a lot of maps immediately available to the playerbase. In an ideal world around 1/3 or 1/2 of the new maps are instantly released, while the remaining maps are occasionally dripfed to the playerbase in batches.

👍 1

Quaternions commented

2024-12-14 11:56:28 +00:00

Author

Owner

I like the idea of releasing a percent right away. Thinking about 3 month release grouping, I find release labels such as "Surf Fall 2025 Maps" "Bhop Summer 2025 Maps" intensely appealing, makes things really simple and provides a good work period and then deadline for map making. Can even have a dedicated web page to view release history / upcoming releases.

numberss commented

2024-12-14 12:08:59 +00:00

Member

i like releasing a good amount of the maps right away but the problem will be in deciding which get released, and having to explain to the mappers why their map wasnt released with the rest of them. or just make it random i guess.
i think most people do want maps to release faster though, almost every new map dies in a couple days once everyone has played it once or twice and it just becomes a normal map again. I would rather have each map release faster and then there be no backlog by the time the next aor happens. faster releases means people playing more new maps sooner and more map makers happy that they dont have to wait ages, and running out of new maps to constantly play leaves a gap and makes people want to play the new maps more after aor

i like releasing a good amount of the maps right away but the problem will be in deciding which get released, and having to explain to the mappers why their map wasnt released with the rest of them. or just make it random i guess. i think most people do want maps to release faster though, almost every new map dies in a couple days once everyone has played it once or twice and it just becomes a normal map again. I would rather have each map release faster and then there be no backlog by the time the next aor happens. faster releases means people playing more new maps sooner and more map makers happy that they dont have to wait ages, and running out of new maps to constantly play leaves a gap and makes people want to play the new maps more after aor

Quaternions commented

2024-12-14 12:45:34 +00:00

Author

Owner

Another proposal has come from discussion on discord. Map releaser gets a frontend interface usable by the map admin. Pick # of maps to release instantly (slider), release interval for remaining maps (every 3 days, 7 days etc.), create specialized release dates for select holiday maps. Click big release button, releaser runs.

Another proposal has come from [discussion on discord](https://discord.com/channels/167423382697148416/1273039807693455372/1317470556894920774). Map releaser gets a frontend interface usable by the map admin. Pick # of maps to release instantly (slider), release interval for remaining maps (every 3 days, 7 days etc.), create specialized release dates for select holiday maps. Click big release button, releaser runs.

Quaternions changed title from ~~Validation: Release Schedule~~ to Map Release Schedule

2024-12-14 13:21:02 +00:00

Map Release Schedule #5