I've never heard of .zip files speeding up downloads. Even a map with sounds still only compresses to 94-98% of the original size. It takes additional time to open up the .zip and extract it, which is extremely annoying.

It's generally like all compressions... Each one does something different, so layering them might help a little. But it's generally more annoying to do so. Since mpq is already compressed, adding another layer is just more work to extract.
If we cared about size that much, we would be doing:
.gz << .ace << .rar << .zip << and finally, the .scx
I dunno about the last one. I think .gz is great for text data, and an .ace isn't text so I don't think there would be the .2% improvement I was hoping for.

I'll probably block zips because extracting them on the server is not as worthwhile as having you not compress it in the first place.
I'm thinking, though, some type of text you can attach to all your maps. Kinda like a signature for dldb. Only for files you claim you made. So you can write in there, whatever you want... email me bugs here or tell me what you think of my map or whatever. Along with individual map descriptions. Whatcha think?

Also there are cases where there's more than one map in a series. So you could just zip a file with all the maps together instead of making three separate downloads. And for future investments, SC2 may have advance map making which may even require *gasp* directions or back story to the map.

I don't see how adding .zip files can possibly hurt so why not?

Eh, they can put whatever they want to put in a txt in the map description. If you play the downloaded map on battle.net, other people won't be getting the text file, so that seems kind of pointless. I say just block the .zip format from map uploads altogether. Map packs would be an exception of course.

I'm pretty sure there is going to be a series / map pack section.

As I said before, you may not think so, but most people think it's annoying to extract everything.

i agree with zip files, annoying to extract a zip file...but some people would like to download multiple maps at once. you can put the zip files into a different section, for only multiple files only. they might include a series of campaign maps, map packs, or stuff that just belongs in a group.

minerals are fine, keep it if ya want or disable them. if there are no minerals, what would be a good reward system for the results for a contest? but something like multiple member groups might make people spam more like the regular and elite groups from last time so can keep that off.

Map packs... I don't think we'll support that. 1. The file description will have to include basically every map, unless they are really similiar. 2. Category listing would be ugly, again, unless all the maps are really similiar. 3. Author data wouldn't be right unless all the maps were made by the same person.

Campaigns will be no problem. Map packs, I don't see the need.

And if it's a single player map?
I don't see how whether or not people who don't go to this website won't benefit from it should be a reason to restrict those of us that do.
How hard is it? You click "EXTRACT" and then click on the folder you want to put it in.
1. I'll use Killer2001's planned FF7 maps. He made FF7 World Part 1a. Now had he made the rest of the maps he would've have FF7 Parts 1b-c and parts 1 - 4 or whatever all in one .zip file. The description could just be "The FF7 World Series" and then a small description what it's about
2. I don't know what you're talking about
3. Why wouldn't that be the case? I'm not talking about making a map pack of all the Cat N Mouse games ever. I'm talking about series released by the same person or something along those lines. Like Probert the Probe series could all be in one zip file instead of three separate download pages.

IMO saving 3kb isn't worth the 20 seconds extracting everything.

Especially when its 20 seconds times 45 maps in 45 ZIPs to sort through.

Golden fist.

FF World Series = same person, similiar maps, practically a campaign by the sounds of it
Probert the probe = same person, similiar maps, continuation of a map over multiple maps? practically a campaign
Mouse pack = Generally all by the same person (jungle had one original author, winter had one orginial author), SIMILIAR maps


Do you really have to argue with me over everything? It really seems you are trying to pick at every little thing I say, generally without any need to.

Now the mouse pack, I would argue that not too many mouse maps are necessary for a pack. Lots of maps are rigged. Lots are stupid. If this pack was constructed nicely and the file description was nicely written, all the authors included, that actually might be nice.

When I think about a map pack, I think
2 cat n mouse games
1 team arena map
2 WWII style maps
etc.



As far as compression goes. I had a 120kb map contain a 1.6 mb .chk and a 160kb .wave file. Do we need any more compression than that?

Then wtf were you talking about "MAP PACKS." I read it as ".zip files which have maps all in the same genre" and you said "THAT WOULD BE A MASSIVE ISSUE" so I didn't understand what you said.

And when you say campaign I think of "Saga of Doodan" not the entire series of sport games MA has made. But I guess we were just thinking of different things, so it's not an issue anymore.

As for "OMG EXTRACTING TAKES FOREVER"
First off, not every map needs to be compressed. a 100kb map, doesn't need to be compressed. An 800kb map or 1000kb map or even maps that are megabytes big would benefit from that, and so would dial-up users. You could put up .zip files on the old SEN and only a handful used it, it's going to be the same here, it's not like every amateur map maker thinks "Better zip this baby up these 50KB maps are going to CRUSH people's internet."

That couldn't be further from the truth.

Because you played starcraft so often and would know?

Because I personally approved and denied over a thousand files from the v4 DLDB, yes.

EDIT ~ Speaking of which, I know I had an archive of all the maps I accepted to the dldb (some ~725) before I reformatted my hard drive last year - one of these days I'll go and see if I backed it up.

I like the idea of minerals even though I`m currently -200! They are still enabled right cause i really would like an avatar and signature!!!

http://www.staredit.net/?p=hacks

You can still get an avatar regardless. I made them free WEEKS ago.

My avatars are too big, so I am just sticking to the partially glowing ?