I think it's extremely important to recognize the importance of leaving maps Unlocked, and this is why I am asking to the community to write a wiki about it. I think it'd be really great to be able to send reticent people there for them to learn how awesome Open Source is.
Would anyone be willing to write such an article?

In b4 OSMap 2.0.

I don't think that's really an article we should have in the Wiki. If perhaps it was "Protection versus Open Source" explaining the pros and cons to both sides, that may work. In a Wiki you're supposed to show as little bias as possible, and shoving a lecture on why "open source" is better is very biased.

I personally have no problem with people locking their maps, and clearly neither does Blizzard.

My demagogy failed. You're right.

But I personally do have problem with people locking their maps. I would've found out so many things faster if they hadn't.

But to argue the other side of the story...

The people who figured it out so much quicker than you did (ie. knew about it, learnt it, put it in a map, completed the map and then published it) deserve credit for their brain-smarts.

There is nothing worse than putting lots of time and effort into something for little to no recognition. I could create the next level custom dialog inventory system and use it in my RPG.

• Open Source:
  • The map gets lots of direct downloads
    
  • Few people play the map, because it is map-makers who download it to see the triggers/data
    
  • The maps popularity suffers and I get little to no recognition for my hard work
    
  • Soon every map with an inventory system and a map-maker who uses a forum implements this feature
    
  • My name is forgotten to all but the tiny percentage of mappers who feel the same way Payne does about Open source - IE. give credit to the originator.
    
• Locked Content:
  • The map gets slightly fewer direct downloads
    
  • But, lots of people play it online, constantly... it is unique and offers something amazing which hasn't been done before.
    
  • With proper viral advertisement (forums, youtube, etc etc) the map takes the #1 popularity.
    
  • Blizzard make it a featured map.
    
  • I get the recognition for my hard spent time, blood, sweat and tears.
    
  • I am forever remembered as the bastard who came up with it first and as the awesome mapmaker, by modders and players respectively.
    

Payne, I know how much you hate Wall'o'Texts so I tabulated it in a nice little list for you

But - from my own personal perspective. I am 110% for unlocked content. However, this is like being 110% for world peace and unity through global arms and weapon embargoes and banning of violence. It'll never happen, at least not in my life time

Pay someone to construct an unlocker.

????

Profit!



Problem solved.

You can already unlock a map by messing with the downloaded cache. "Locking" a map just means that it can't be opened in the editor from Battle.net. This is causing an OSMap style debate over at SC2Mapster. Apparently they're going to be changing the system, though, based on the Q&A at BlizzCon.

Mikelat didn't lock his famous "Special Forces: Elite" map... and it got popular! After a while, people started modifying it to their likes, and it ended up another version became more popular... which he never raged about for a simple reason: if the map is more popular with this edit, it's because the edit was relevant and he hadn't thought of it.
Also, did he ever lose credits for his map? Nope. Every single modified version of his map contained his name somewhere in evidence.

Mikelat, kudo for this first move toward an Open Source gaming world!

I don't necessarily agree that an edited version is more popular because the edit was necessary. StarCraft 1 made that very apparent.

I will probably lock Invasion once I'm done because I really don't wanna see modified versions released that make it easier or remove the timer, or whatever. I'm of the mindset that if someone thinks something should be changed or modified, they should just make a suggestion to the creator.

I do understand the desire to see unlocked maps to learn how people did certain things, but I'm the type who learns through experimentation. I will admit I downloaded the unlocked SotIS map to see how they did some things until I realized their spells were done through triggers and then I closed the map and haven't looked at it since. Then again, I'm more impressed if someone utilizes the Data Editor to create an effect rather than easily doing it through a few simple triggers.

SEN knows that there is no winning this argument for any side. I agree with Devlin; SEN should stay neutral. Agree to disagree, Payne?

I wanted to force my point into the weak minds that would seek our wiki, but my evil plan failed.

If people can already unprotect maps... why is there even a debate here?

Because unprotecting a map is a misbehaviour in regards to intellectual property. I'd like people to leave their map Unlocked on their own. >_>

It's only a misbehavior if there's accountability. Unless we're talking about morals here.

Wasn't this already done before?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Comparison_of_open_source_and_closed_source
http://mongers.org/open-vs-closed
http://www.securityfocus.com/columnists/269
http://www.logicalnetworking.net/?p=1061
http://snook.ca/archives/building_a_web_application/open_source_vs

(Some of those links are more general and some are more specific [ex: Microsoft vs Linux].)
(The last link explains how you can be both closed and open source.)

Yes, it has been done before.

You can always ask. Ain't that hard.

I would've if they all gave a way to contact them, yet they do not all.

I agree that it is very important to keep things Open Source

As long as your map is popular enough, or that your name is plastered everywhere, giving clear indications that you want people to abide to the rule "If you edit, give me credit".

It helps round out the maps that benefits from other people's inputs. Mikelat's spec forces is an obvious candidate for that, as Special Forces is like... a budding mapper's wet dream.
Think about Nexus Destroyers... Cat and Mouse.. Random w/e.. MANY maps are made from these examples, and TONS of versions of them are made! If they were closed source, they would've never been as awesome as they are now.

It also allows other mappers to learn from your map. By the time people open your game to seek knowledge, your map would've been popular already. Even if it is not popular yet because you uploaded through a forum and such, it is still good to share information.

By closing the source, you're closing yourself from the community and development. Yes, you can try to help people thru forums/e-mails/tutorials.. but it's just so much easier to open source ur map. Finally, the new custom map system, albeit it being a total fucking piece of dog shit, really helps identify who made which map.

Personally I lock my maps because that's how I've always rolled. If someone wishes to edit my map, they can simply email me or ask me in person (doubt that'd ever happen). I've always felt that on the matter that keeping some of the concepts and ideas of the map secret made me feel better at least, as selfish as that sounds, I'd like to reap the rewards of my hard work, for just at least a little! Though the thought of multiple versions of one map flying around battle.net does seem irritating because most of your work in a map goes into finetuning to your tastes, but then people just go make "insane" and "double money" versions and it kinda defeats the point of you trying to balance in the first place. I'm just a cynic though, and if Blizzard didn't provide a protection option, it wouldn't deter me otherwise.

Another point for closed source is that people can and will rip off your map, especially if its popular, and will remove all credits and stuff. Also, if you put a lot of custom art in your map and then someone steals it and uses it without permission or credits, you'd be pretty annoyed. However, I'd open source certain maps if/when I make them, just not ones like TS2 (due to possible high art content and ripoffability) and big RPGs. Maps like massers and special forces and such are fine to be opensourced, IMHO.