Hope that it will help some peopleToday, I am going to talk about getting your maps noticed on NUMA. So if you are a map maker who finds this really easy and you already get your maps noticed, then you can turn the page. However, I know many of you find your maps falling off the newest page with no votes. It happens to everyone when they start. So here is the deal. Before you can build a reputation, you need people to be playing your maps. Sounds obvious right? But many people miss this crucial point. Remember, when people go on NUMA, the only thing they see when they scroll through the newest page is thumbnails. So make sure that your thumbnail looks interesting! When you go through NUMA and you see an interesting thumbnail you click it. That is how you differentiate between all the maps you are scrolling through. Hence, if your map looks good, people will click it. Many people say that how a map looks doesn’t matter. In fact they are wrong. While a map can be great and look rubbish at the same time, that doesn’t mean that you should throw aesthetics out of the window. People enjoy playing visually pleasing maps, and it is impressive to play a fun map that also looks good! If you need help making your maps look good, then that will have to be another topic at another time.
Now that you have them playing the map, you want them to keep playing it. There are a couple of hurdles to jump and options to take here. Firstly, if the map plays the same as every other map on NUMA, most likely people will play for a few seconds before closing off and playing another map without ever thinking about your map again. No one wants to play the same map 1000 times, so make sure your map has some memorable and catching moments! That way people will keep playing, which is what you want. So how do you make memorable and catching moments? Well there are two main ways. Either do something new or rare, or make something that plays really well. Of course these are hard to do, but that’s what the challenge of map making is about. The other point is, give your map some length. If you want people to spend time on your maps, you need to give them something to spend it on. So there are two ways off doing this; either you make the map decent in length, or you make it re-playable with lots of different routes or all gold paths. Of course, there are other ways to do this but those are two good examples.
Finally, before you submit a map, look at it. Play it in the third person. Think to yourselves, ‘Is this actually a good map? Is it actually fun? Does it look nice?’
Don’t be afraid to be really critical. Analysing your own maps can be hard, but it is an important skill to develop. Another way of getting your maps noticed is by making friends on the forum or NUMA who will be willing to play your maps, and even give you pointers on what to change.
Hopefully, this has given you some pointers into getting your maps noticed. And remember the most important point of all of this, is that people like to play new and different things! So make it stand out. Drop me a PM if you have any questions or things to add. Happy mapping folks!
Getting Your Maps Noticed.
- Yet Another Harshad
- Posts: 464
- Joined: 2008.09.26 (13:23)
- NUMA Profile: http://nmaps.net/user/lord_day
- MBTI Type: INTJ

- Legacy Elite
- Posts: 669
- Joined: 2008.09.26 (05:14)
- NUMA Profile: http://nmaps.net/user/Jiggerjaw
- MBTI Type: ESFJ
- Location: Pittsburgh, PA
- Contact:
One thing I think should be clarified: In the first paragraph, Lord Day mentions making your thumbnail look nice. But, be sure not to sacrifice game play for a good looking map. The people playing the maps don't just want eye candy. Make sure you have flow, or if you don't want your map to be flowy, be sure to make it somehow compensate for that. If your map has one quality that makes it stand above the rest, it will be recognized.

southpaw is the dude.
-
- Global Mod
- Posts: 1596
- Joined: 2008.09.26 (13:10)
- NUMA Profile: http://nmaps.net/user/gloomp
- MBTI Type: INTP
- Location: Troy, New York
- Contact:
<Turtle> I'm just not really sure how to reply to it without spamming. I have nothing to add
<lord_day> Ok.
<Turtle> actually, I thought of something to add to the regular old 'i totally agree'
<gloomp> http://forum.therealn.com/viewtopic.php ... 1234#p1234 :D
-
- Ice Cold
- Posts: 203
- Joined: 2008.09.27 (05:04)
- NUMA Profile: http://nmaps.net/user/turtles
-
- Hawaii Five-Oh
- Posts: 919
- Joined: 2009.03.06 (19:50)
It's better to sacrafice a good looking map for gameplay.
-
- Ice Cold
- Posts: 203
- Joined: 2008.09.27 (05:04)
- NUMA Profile: http://nmaps.net/user/turtles
Reread his post. Unless you were quoting for emphasis.Blackson wrote:Jiggerjaw wrote:. ...But, be sure not to sacrifice game play for a good looking map"...quote]
It's better to sacrafice a good looking map for gameplay.
- Odd
- Posts: 1374
- Joined: 2008.09.27 (14:03)
- NUMA Profile: http://nmaps.net/user/pni
- MBTI Type: ENFP
- Location: Ottawa
- Contact:

Signatures supplied by the following: NicNac14, Tsukatu, aphex_n, Nphasis, pinkymyno1, UniverseZero, gloomp, sidke, 29403, AMomentLikeThis, Chase, Red Reamer, Izzy, MyCheezKilledYours, Techno, Donfuy juice, southpaw, IAMAMAZING, SkyRay, Skyline, Why_Me, jackass, Leaff, esay, Daikenkai, Kablamo_Boom, wumbla, Izzy, toasters, Octopod Squad, behappyy, notsteve, Shadowraith, GTM, Animator, kkstrong, TearsOfTheSaints, Spawn of Yanni, nnn, Furry Ant, ampburner, fawk. Thanks.
I have 72 signatures.
- The 700 Club
- Posts: 705
- Joined: 2008.09.20 (11:26)
- NUMA Profile: http://nmaps.net/user/mc_george
- MBTI Type: INTP
- Location: Melbourne, Australia
Not necessarily. You'll want to balance out both factors. Or if you can, have both. :PBlackson wrote:Jiggerjaw wrote:. ...But, be sure not to sacrifice game play for a good looking map"...quote]
It's better to sacrafice a good looking map for gameplay.
*Pinned for the time being*

- Mr. Glass
- Posts: 2019
- Joined: 2008.09.27 (20:22)
- NUMA Profile: http://nmaps.net/user/astheoceansblue
- MBTI Type: ENTP
- Location: up down left right start A start

n
::: astheoceansblue
::: My eight episode map pack: SUNSHINEscience
::: Map Theory: The Importance of Function & Form
-
M U S I C
::: The forest and the fire: myspace
::: EP available for FREE download, here.
-
A R T
::: Sig & Avatar Artwork by me - see here!
-
G A M I N G
::: Steam ID: 0:1:20950734
::: Steam Username: brighter
-
- Doublemember
- Posts: 64
- Joined: 2008.09.26 (13:12)
- NUMA Profile: http://nmaps.net/user/dead_n
- Location: Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
- Contact:
Hmm.. Wait, I think I've read it before and found it really useful. So I guess it has been published?lord_day wrote:Here is something I wrote for an N magazine awhile ago, that never got published:


Be born, play N, live life by playing N, celebrate your retirement by playing N, die, while playing N
Keep my new city growing!
Click here to check out my levels.
My action map-making inspiration author
Cerberus - "You remind me of Johnny Bravo for some reason, Dead_N."
- Intel 80486
- Posts: 488
- Joined: 2008.09.29 (04:14)
- NUMA Profile: http://nmaps.net/user/epigone
- Location: Iowa
Not that this really helps solving the issue of getting your map noticed in the first place of course, I just wanted to make a little side comment off of what Jig wrote.
- Boeing Boeing Bone!
- Posts: 760
- Joined: 2008.09.26 (05:45)
- NUMA Profile: http://nmaps.net/user/Riobe
- MBTI Type: ISFJ
- Location: Massachusetts

- Subterranean Engineer
- Posts: 1694
- Joined: 2008.09.26 (16:15)
- NUMA Profile: http://nmaps.net/user/Izzy
- MBTI Type: INTP
-
- Bayking
- Posts: 316
- Joined: 2008.09.27 (11:41)
- NUMA Profile: http://nmaps.net/user/Be_Happy_:)
- Location: USA (North Carolina)
- Contact:
Me loves Palemoon 8)Izzy wrote:Have you heard of PALEMOON or lord_day?Blackson wrote:It's better to sacrafice a good looking map for gameplay.
Thank you lord_day, I will bookmark this for future reference.

-
- Yes sir, no sir, three bags full sir
- Posts: 1561
- Joined: 2008.09.26 (12:33)
- NUMA Profile: http://nmaps.net/user/incluye
- MBTI Type: ENTP
- Location: USofA
- Contact:
Are you saying their maps look bad but are fun, or are boring but look good?Izzy wrote:Have you heard of PALEMOON or lord_day?Blackson wrote:It's better to sacrafice a good looking map for gameplay.
Thank you lord_day, I will bookmark this for future reference.

- Can't Touch This
- Posts: 346
- Joined: 2008.09.26 (05:51)
- NUMA Profile: http://nmaps.net/user/Triptolemus
- Steam: www.steamcommunity.com/id/
- Location: Come to think of it....I have no idea.
I have a feeling that it is probably both. ;)incluye wrote:Are you saying their maps look bad but are fun, or are boring but look good?Izzy wrote:Have you heard of PALEMOON or lord_day?Blackson wrote:It's better to sacrafice a good looking map for gameplay.
Thank you lord_day, I will bookmark this for future reference.
I love the article l_d. Really informative to newcomers and veterans alike. Even if you think that your maps are up to par with this, I think you should still keep this in the back of your mind when you are mapping.
Izzy's Personal Forum Dronies winner of "Least Colorful Person"

Sigs!
==---Maestro's---== | Incluye's! | Izzy's! | Be_Happy_:)'s | notkitt's!!
T3chno's! | TMM's! | GTM's! | Sniperwhere's | NicNac14's!! | ---------------Pawz!
toasters | RedSham's! | Jackass's | Why Me's | Gloomp's!
- ABC
- Posts: 135
- Joined: 2008.09.27 (10:34)
- NUMA Profile: http://nmaps.net/user/remote
- Location: England
If the way my map looks is messing with my game play, i will spend aaages trying to make it work without screwing my aesthetics.

thats right, im remote.
- The number of Electoral College votes needed to be President of the US.
- Posts: 283
- Joined: 2008.09.29 (23:36)
- NUMA Profile: http://nmaps.net/user/santa_hat_crusader
A lot of newer users make very fun maps, but they have spammed objects and crappy tiles. but there still fun to play. and then older users have insanely good tilesets, but the gameplay just isn't...quite...
- Slice of Wisdom
- Posts: 417
- Joined: 2008.09.26 (20:30)
- NUMA Profile: http://nmaps.net/user/notkitt
- Location: ewww
advertiseadvertiseadvertiseadvertise

- Semimember
- Posts: 19
- Joined: 2008.10.15 (20:10)
i do think that my maps look good, and almost always differ in gameplay, but i still don't ever get noticed...
any tips?
-
- ABC
- Posts: 135
- Joined: 2008.10.04 (14:06)
- NUMA Profile: http://nmaps.net/user/wulfgang
- Location: Aus
For one, although you maps might look good because you generally have decent style, as thumbnails they are far from interesting looking. The most eyecatching thing about a thumbnail is the use of space and the contrast between filled areas and open spaces. Your newest maps generally don't utilise this at all and the majority of your tilesets are completely open and use thin line elements. This can look fine in the game window but as a thumbnail they generally look ugly or bland.
Of course, you can't call it a rule because different things appeal to different people. Maybe just keep it in the back of you mind.
- Gross
- Posts: 147
- Joined: 2008.11.02 (23:14)
- NUMA Profile: http://nmaps.net/user/everythingfromatoz
- MBTI Type: INTJ
- Location: In your keyboard. (Between the 'n' and the 'm' ALSO: Theres secret writing in my sig! PM me for info
- Walking on Broken Glass
- Posts: 236
- Joined: 2008.10.20 (16:16)
'OMG THIS ARTICLE IS SO HELPFUL, IF EVERYONE SAW IT CANCER WOULD NOT EXIST! 0_O

-previous sigs-
-GloomP
-NicNac14
-Universe_Zero
-NicNac14
''I shall kill you until you die from it!''
remember kids, If at first you dont succeed, you fail.
do you like pie? if so, copy and paste this into your signiture.
(click sig which was made by Why_Me)
- Loquacious
- Posts: 1747
- Joined: 2008.09.27 (06:55)
- NUMA Profile: http://nmaps.net/user/29403
- Steam: What's Steam
- MBTI Type: ENFP
- Location: London
- Contact:

sig by donfuy.
This Forum is probably the best forum that i have ever used and i would just like to say how proud i am to be a member of this forum
Who is online
Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 10 guests