Map Studios

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To see the forum of the MajorCommand Public Map Studios, head to Map Studios.

The Major Command Map Studios

Here at Major Command Risk our goal is to develop the highest quality maps of any online gaming site, both in terms of play features and design. We've put together a crack team of developers and artists to create new maps, but we will also be relying on our Risk game play community for fresh ideas and feedback.

We know that the best Risk map ideas are going to come from those who spend the most time with the game: our players. Any member of the Major Command Risk community may present a new map idea for review and discussion in the Map Studios. You simply need to create a new thread and follow the steps and standards below. It will then be up to the community to provide feedback, suggest changes, and weigh in on the potential popularity of the project. Projects that (1) are original in theme and design, (2) go through a period of thoughtful review and development, and (3) win the support of both the community and our CentCom team will be assigned to a member of our design team for final production.

RjBeals and WidowMakers have been appointed the Senior Graphic Designers of the Major Command Risk Studios, and I'll be helping to oversee the process as the Studios' Production Manager. Together we will take the community's raw materials and create a playable image worthy of inclusion at this site. Community members whose maps reach live play will receive credit on the map briefing page, as well as receive public recognition (medals, pats on the back, our undying affection,) and other special goodies for their hard work.

-Shepherd

How to Propose (and Develop) Your Own Map Idea

Alright, so you want to create the next great Major Command map... now what? Well here's what, in eight easy steps.

1. Acquaint yourself with the lingo and the special map features used here at Major Command Risk. As a map developer, you'll want to have as many tricks up your sleeve as possible and be able to fully engage in map development discussions, so you should get to know what we mean when we talk about auto-deployments, breakouts, killer neutrals, ranged assaults, etc.

2. Read and acquaint yourself with our Map Development Standards, below.

3. Come up with an idea. Your idea should present something original in terms of its theme and layout. If you give the community something to get excited about you will get more feedback, and in the end, create a better map.

4. Create an image. It doesn't have to be the worthy of inclusion in the Louvre (remember, you aren't the final artist), it just has to be good enough to convey to the rest of us how the map will play. This image should communicate the locations of regions and borders, the bonus commands and their values, and the areas affected by any special play features or rules that this map will use. Keep in mind that the community will make suggestions and ask for changes, so we advise that you create your image in a format that you'll be able to make changes to. Photoshop or GIMP are excellent programs for creating easily manipulated images, but you may use whatever you are comfortable with.

5. Post your image in a new thread here in the Studios. Provide some background with the image: what was your inspiration, what will the theme of this map be, etc. And clearly note basic play features that we should be aware of: number of regions, value of commands, and any special rules we'll need to be aware of. The more information you provide, and the easier it is to read, the better the discussion will be able to proceed.

6. Check back regularly to see how the community is responding to your idea. Remember - you'll need community support for this idea to move forward, so you'll need to listen to the community, consider suggestions, and thoughtfully (and politely, please) respond to feedback.

7. Make changes! Nobody gets it right the first time (or the second, third, or fourth), so be willing and able to re-post your map with changes based on the community's feedback. Major Command's current maps all went through dozens of versions before we came up with what you see today.

8. Finally, if and when you've nailed it and been given the green light by the Production Manager (Shepherd) we'll assign a member of our design team to the project. You may be asked to dialogue with our designers about the intended theme and style of the map so that we fully capture your vision, but the final image will be in the hands of the assigned designer.

Map Development Standards

1. Map ideas that may be in violation of copyright laws will not be considered.

2. Map ideas that are not the intellectual property of the community map developer will not be considered unless the developer can produce proof of permission to use said property.

3. Map developers who ignore, dismiss, or reject public comments and suggestions, or who otherwise fail to engage in the community's discussion about their project, will not see their projects advance.

4. Decisions made by the Major Command Risk Team regarding new map projects are not subject to public review, and the Team reserves the right to lock threads for any reason including, but not limited to, violation of site rules or failure to meet studio standards/follow the studio process.

5. Major Command Risk retains ownership of the final images created by the MajCom design team; map designers or other community members may not use Major Command Risk images for non-authorized use.

Tips, Suggestions, Traps to Avoid

We know your time is valuable, and we want you to make the most of it. As such here are some tips from seasoned mapmakers.

1. Be creative. We've already got maps of the world and the continents - from our users we are looking for some out of the box map ideas. Come up with something that will get our attention and you're going to go far. And a map's theme can involve more than just the location; we love maps that tell a story or somehow set players in that world. Plus, it's a lot more fun for our artists! Likewise, here at Major Command Risk, you can get creative with the gameplay. Don't limit yourself to the rules that exist in our current maps; if your map would be even better if Region X receives a bonus of ten troops on days when there's a full moon, write it into the plan!

2. Keep it (relatively) simple. While we want to see out of the box ideas and new Risk gameplay devices, users ultimately have to play it. Don't overwhelm us with dozens of new rules and long lists of gameplay features that take up half of the map to explain. The best map is one that you can sit down and play with a minimum of research, but complex enough to reward experience and careful study.

3. Consider the wider appeal. While parking down the street from you may be absolutely perfect for a Major Command map, you must keep in mind that 99.9% of our users have probably never been to your town or ever heard of that park. In order to a map to get through the studios, it needs the broad support of our users and the MajCom staff, and the best way to do so is by coming up with a theme that is universally appealing. While we aren't ruling out the possibility of such a map being successful, we discourage users from drafting maps of their state, city, county, etc.

4. Don't even think about using copyrighted works. We don't have permission to make a Star Wars, Hogwarts, or Middle Earth map. Don't waste your time. I agree, it would be really cool, but it won't happen. No, really.