Are future updates in the works?

(.Chris.) #21

There is a difference between a hobbyist making maps and a developer making maps.

The developer can’t just draw a quick plan and start making the map, he has to go through a lengthy design process planning out the layout and how the objectives will play out. As it’s an official map it will have to tie in with the story meaning the writers have to get involved and cutscenes with voice actors have to be used like all the other maps.

They most likely have some ‘rules’ on how a level should look like to keep consistency with the aesthetics of current maps but different enough so it stands out on it’s own as such lots of new assets would need to be created as re-using too many stock assets would feel cheap. They also did a lot of research for the ark which they would need to keep referring to in order to make sure it makes sense in the context of the universe they have created in Brink.

Then the map has to go through internal testing and balancing then passed through Bethesda QA (assuming such a thing exists) and even then the new releases have to pass certification on the consoles. Also there would be deadlines to be kept and such meaning there maybe lots of overtimes and extra man power needed to make sure it reaches that deadline.

A custom mapper can just make a map however he sees fit and take as long as he wants on it.

(dazman76) #22

He posts what he can - in other words, what Bethesda say is OK. He’s always been honest from what I’ve read, and has certainly put up with a lot of crap on the forums while keeping a level head - so we shouldn’t be pointing the finger or laying blame (I don’t think you were really trying to do that anyway) :slight_smile: I imagine there have been times when he’s had to bite his tongue, and many occasions where Bethesda have put a stop to decisions, announcements and general transparency from SD employees - and I think we can be sure that Badman hasn’t enjoyed those moments much at all :slight_smile:

(matsy) #23

Making an SDK is going to cost a hell of a lot more than say making a new DLC with few more maps and character assets but what’s the point of making a new DLC if no one is playing the game to buy it or an SDK if there is no one to play the modders content…

I can’t see Brink getting any real free treatment if ETQW is anything to go by, gone are the days of free updates with a decent amount of content. None the less always hoped for a new map. Could of be rubbish for all I care, fresh blood in to the game.

(zenstar) #24

Wait to see if the recent patch and free weekend actually revived the community or if people will drift off again in a couple of weeks.
If an actual community sticks around then you can be sure Bethesda will be trying to sell them horse armour!

ie: community = possibly money = bethesda will ok more content. No community = no more content.

Edit: also clarification: SD do not set the price of the game or decide when there are specials or free weekends. That’s all the publisher (Bethesda) so if you want to complain about pricing / milking the fans / etc (or even thank them) then aim it at Bethesda. If you want to complain about the actual content of the game then aim it at SD.
Also realise that Bethesda hold the purse strings so lack of any more content is primarily Beth’s fault too.

(Sanch3z) #25

[QUOTE=Kendle;387615]Radho, Splash Damage creative director, has stated that it would cost 100’s of 1,000’s of pounds to produce an SDK. It’s in this epic thread somewhere :-

http://www.splashdamage.com/forums/showthread.php/29598-Rahdo-s-words-what-happened-here

By all means choose not to believe him but I don’t think a director of the company would lie on a public forum.[/QUOTE]

I wasnt talking about an SDK. I was suggesting that having one or two guys from SD working on official DLC maps shouldnt cost “hundreds of thousands of pounds”.

(Darksider) #26

Not happening, Unless Poppa Bethesda gives the fund and the ok to make more DLC for Brink.

(shirosae) #27

lol

Also, the turnover time for custom mappers is pretty much nothing. You make your map, you get a good community to try it out and give feedback, and you develop your map until it works, and you have a great map that’ll get played for years. Bugs get fixed in a matter of hours, and feedback from the actual map with actual players is immediately there in front of you.

Of course the community never understands this and declares maps terrible immediately and won’t give feedback so it’s not as good as it could be, but it’s much better than making maps in the dark before running them through QA and having them out there where you can’t develop the map in situ.

Anyone who thinks SD didn’t/don’t want to develop ideas whilst the community is using them (with a beta or whatever) is nuts. The netvars thing was probably an attempt on their part to do some of that, even if it didn’t work out. I’d guess it’s part of the reason they agreed to steam also.

If I thought SD could make it feasible business-wise, I’d tell them to ditch the terribad publishers and just develop an FPS on steam with the community playing it as they go, NS-like. Steam sucks, but it’s the sort of thing you could justify using it for if it let SD’s odball ideas get smoothed away as the community exposed the terrible stuff before the game is packaged up and on sale.

(Kendle) #28

Sorry, you quoted someone who was answering a question about the SDK, and that’s where the “100’s of 1,000’s of pounds” figure came from. I was simply backing up the person you quoted.

As for DLC, personally I doubt it would cost them anything, I’d bet my house a couple of additional maps are already sitting on a hard drive somewhere, and have been since before the game was released.

(Sanch3z) #29

gotcha Kendle :slight_smile: yeah I’m sure there are quite a few maps, maybe not all complete, sitting idle on someone from SD’s computer… I doubt if level designers ever stop working on stuff, maybe not for a specific game but at least laying down geometry that could be put in any game…

(jRAD) #30

[QUOTE=.Chris.;387619]There is a difference between a hobbyist making maps and a developer making maps.

The developer can’t just draw a quick plan and start making the map, he has to go through a lengthy design process planning out the layout and how the objectives will play out. As it’s an official map it will have to tie in with the story meaning the writers have to get involved and cutscenes with voice actors have to be used like all the other maps.

They most likely have some ‘rules’ on how a level should look like to keep consistency with the aesthetics of current maps but different enough so it stands out on it’s own as such lots of new assets would need to be created as re-using too many stock assets would feel cheap. They also did a lot of research for the ark which they would need to keep referring to in order to make sure it makes sense in the context of the universe they have created in Brink.

Then the map has to go through internal testing and balancing then passed through Bethesda QA (assuming such a thing exists) and even then the new releases have to pass certification on the consoles. Also there would be deadlines to be kept and such meaning there maybe lots of overtimes and extra man power needed to make sure it reaches that deadline.

A custom mapper can just make a map however he sees fit and take as long as he wants on it.[/QUOTE]

This is a pretty realistic take on the differences between professional level design and hobby level design.

(aviynw) #31

[QUOTE=Kendle;387615]Radho, Splash Damage creative director, has stated that it would cost 100’s of 1,000’s of pounds to produce an SDK. It’s in this epic thread somewhere :-

http://www.splashdamage.com/forums/showthread.php/29598-Rahdo-s-words-what-happened-here

By all means choose not to believe him but I don’t think a director of the company would lie on a public forum.[/QUOTE]

ummm… I never said they would…I said I don’t understand why they wouldn’t. I don’t understand why if they weren’t willing to put in the money, they wouldn’t just release whatever they have. They must have used some tool internally to make the game. How is releasing that worse than releasing nothing at all?

I’m not saying there isn’t a good reason. I just don’t get it. I would be ecstatic if someone could explain this to me.

***My not understanding may stem a fundamental misconception about how an sdk relates to the tools the main developers used. I don’t have much experience with game development.

***looks like that quote wasn’t even aimed at me, so nevermind on that point.