So, I had an idea and wanted to hear thoughts of other players about that one. May be start a discussion that will drag attention of FS’s CMs, making them to consider this option? Who knows.
Let’s assume FS has some kind of homebrew map editor for DT (it’s usually the case, it simplifies future content development; we also know for sure they have internal tools for recoloring / reskinning cosmetics). So what if they’ll decide to release it to the community, allowing us to create custom maps with it - and would implement a new mode of play that would allow us to play those maps online with friends?
Then may be once a month they could allow some of the most popular maps to be nominated for becoming a part of the game by voting? Then we would be able to see them on rotation on a special section of Missions Terminal in the game - with everybody (not just your friends) be able to play them, like any other “vanilla” mission in the game.
To me it looks like something that could literally save this game, which is - let’s be honest - is stagnant now, starving for content. It’s harder and harder to find any interest in replaying the same builds on the same maps with the same foes for yet another 100hrs, for me and many others I believe. Influx of fresh ideas from the community could be that difference that would spark a new interest to the game again among the “older” playerbase.
i requested custom maps long ago, as it’s what kept classic games alive for decades.
it would solve the drought of darktide maps. but it’s also technically more complex, as every update seems to change something, plus it seems that gw has to approve every addition.
Perhaps GW could simply approve the ‘asset pool’ that could be provided with a map editor. Then they only have to approve it once and can then be used freely in the editor. Any new assets get approval then added to the asset pool.
It is a fun idea to have custom maps but I think scripted areas are the real character flavour of a map, so I wonder how that could be tackled. Perhaps pre scripted ‘event’ rooms/assets (ie cannisters, timed escapes or auspex minigames) that could be dropped in, where all the scripting is already done and baked into the area/asset.
A map editor was going to be released for VT2 at one point, but they shelved that idea. It’s a big lift to release and support a tool/system like that, and whatever the upside would be would almost definitely be limited to PC players, but I’d love for the community to get a crack at making levels.