So I'm thinking of taking my mapping abilities from Brood War to Starcraft 2, but I don't know if it's worth my time. I never really got into Starcraft 2 because I never liked the online interface and game-browsing mechanics. However, I'm at the point where Brood War no longer meets my mapping potential and I need a much more powerful editor. Before I decide to make the shift, I need some questions answered:

1) Why is SEN's database for SC2 just about empty?
2) Do enough people play Starcraft 2, or is it a dying game?
3) What are the chances of my map getting popular?
4) What types of maps are really needed on SC2?
5) Will SEN be able to help me learn SC2 map editor?
6) Is it possible to make money from SC2 mapping?

1.) The learning curve for the Data Editor is VERY HARD. Like, really, overly, complicated.
2.) A lot of people play StarCraft II. With the next patch coming out, anyone can play arcade games.
3.) I would say average. There is a moderate amount of arcade maps due to the complexity of the map editor, not a lot of great ones though.
4.) -
5.) -
6.) Unless SEN has a contest, there is nothing by Blizzard to reward map editors with cash.





First post in a year

1) Maps are usually published online.

2) Arcade (= UMS) becomes free to play with patch 2.1. People just need to have a battle.net account and download the game. But they don't need to buy SC2 to play funmaps. The patch is scheduled for later this year. So, expect it to becomes free in January.

3) Popular maps don't need to look great or need to be bugfree. The most popular maps have an achievement system which allows players to unlock more stuff in the game when they just keep playing it. But, in general, I don't like the most popular maps as I find them stupid or boring.

5) Ask questions and provide enough information about what you did and you might receive satisfying assistance.

6) I'm aware of a few cases:
- You shouldn't expect to be able to sell your map. Blizzard only said that they wanted to look into a marketplace after Heroes as its using steps required to allow a marketplace. Blizzard mentioned the marketplace dream before releasing SC2, if I remember it correctly. Sadly this led a game developing team called Blue Isle Studios to form and work on a Mod/Campaign that they wanted to sell on the marketplace. But the marketplace was never released/worked on, so they left SC2 after a while. Nowadays they seem fine as they are working on an official Slender Man game and an unannounced project.

- I'm making a little bit of money right now because I've been hired to create an observer UIs for e-sport broadcasts and several GameHeart interface files funded by the community.

- Some authors earned money by selling stuff in their map like ingame ranks, etc. But that might be illegal. Two map examples for that would be MineralZ and Mafia.

- Then there is a tiny chance that you are hired to map in a research project for a university. One mapper with several known maps does that right now. It's a real job for him with a payment that allows you to survive.

- Then there are projects that want to pay you for work, but I don't know much about them. You need to be fairly good with the editor to have a chance to work for them, though and the payment would be terrible compared to the time you are spending. One offer I've in my head was 100 dollars for a hero with 5 abilities. It really depends on the abilities, but they can take a lot more depending on how much polishing and experimentation you have to do.

- There was a mapmaking contests in China. The rest of the world has no constests for that as we only payed once for the game. China seems to be the luxurious part of sc2 right now. Just look at their page... For example, Clash of Abbaddon is a map that was spawned by the contest.

- Blizzard made a mapmaking contest with a cash price, too. The winning maps never became popular. I don't think I've ever played one of these.

So, making money from SC2 mapping is rare. But it is possible.

Post has been edited 1 time(s), last time on Nov 21 2013, 10:41 am by Ahli.

MetalGear,

Will you be finishing your Skyrim RPG for Brood War before moving on? I've only recently discovered your Morrowind and Oblivion maps, and they are crazy good.

Edit: Upon looking back over some of your previous posts, it looks like your Skyrim RPG actually became Morrowind. Is that right?

If so, have you made any other RPG maps other than Oblivion and Morrowind?

Post has been edited 2 time(s), last time on Nov 21 2013, 12:56 pm by ScOULaris.