There is no "secrecy" or other conspiracy; all that has happened is that I have asked the new CAs to take responsibility for the melting pot, and specifically the Design Brief Application Process, which has been outlined in general terms in previous announcements:
[spoiler=previous announcements]
Subject: Mappy New Year!MrBenn wrote:The most significant element of the foundry restructure is the removal of the "Draft Stamp", and an introduction of the "Design Brief" process for new maps. Once a draft map has started to develop a clear thematic focus, and a plan for how the gameplay will work, cartographers will be required to submit a Design Brief that is designed to provide firm foundations to build upon during map development. Design Briefs will be reviewed by a group of Foundry moderators, and will make make suggestions and recommendations for the development of the map. Successful design concepts will be moved into the newly formed Gameplay Workshop to work towards the first of the Foundry Stamps.
Subject: Foundry Guidelines: Map IdeasMrBenn wrote:Design Briefs - Once a draft map has started to develop a clear thematic focus, and a plan for how the gameplay will work, it is time to put together a design brief and start the application process to move your map into the Foundry Workshops. The information you are required to provide in your design brief is designed to help provide a firm foundation to build upon during the development of your map, and includes:
- The names of up to 2 cartographers who will be developing the map - Think about the roles each person will play: Who will be managing feedback? making decisions? drawing the map? writing the XML?
- Map Size- What is the approximate total number of territories/regions on the map? Think about how this will affect gameplay.
- Your aims/design style - Think about what has influenced the map? Do you have any specific gameplay types in mind? Do you want a contemporary or old-fashioned look? Have you thought about your target audience? Who will play the map? What game settings would work well, or would suffer? What do you hope to achieve by this project?
- Uniqueness - maps should be 'inherently unique either in gameplay, location, or theme': what is it about your map that sets it apart from the existing canon of CC maps?
- Relevant Experience - you don't need to be an experienced mapmaker or fantastic graphic designer to make a map, but will need to think about: how well do you know your map subject? have you contributed to any other maps in development? will you be creating the graphics? how well do you know your graphics software? have you seen any good tutorials?
After you have submitted your design brief in the
Official Design Brief Submissions thread, a group of Foundry moderators will review your application in line with their review schedule (roughly every two weeks). The reviewers will make make suggestions and recommendations for the development of the map idea, with successful design concepts being moved into the
Gameplay Workshop.
[/spoiler]
The Design Briefs were originally intended to help mapmakers think outside the "I think this is a really good idea" box, and to make sure that there is a place for it on the site. The real issue here is that I have not had sufficient time to implement the Design Brief Application Process properly, which is the primary reason for the confusion surrounding it and the apparent slowdown in the Melting Pot.
With Tack and IH on board, we'll start to see more successful design concepts being moved into the mapmaking workshops. You'll hopefully see a little bit more of me around the place too!
