VirtualScape Map CD

[supergen777]

I had this interesting idea, I wanted to share with the community.

I'm training to be in the PC repair field and there is this tool that I like to use call the UltimateBootCD. Which based a bunch of Floppy Disk programs stuffed onto a CD.

It gave me an idea. How about putting a bunch VirtualScape map files, which are VERY small in size compared to a PDF file, on a single CD.

All authors would still get credit for their maps. The files would organized into folders by Set Building Requirements. With maybe a special folder for BoV maps and Official Heroscape Scenarios. Also maybe someone could put shortcut folders in to find maps by authors. I've wanted to do something like this for myself but it is too much work for one person to do all of maps in VirtualScape format. I simply do not have time.

Here are some of the benefits:

1. Thousands of maps on a single CD-ROM.
2. 3-D views using VirtualScape to show to your friends.
3. Portability. You can easily take a CD-ROM from a one PC to the next.
4. You could easily burn an extra copy to give to your friends.
5. You would only have to download a CD-sized file and burn it get to many maps.

[lefton4ya]

Cool idea. Although all the files are downloadable here, it would be nice not to have to download each file individually from the downloads and gallery sections (there is a lag time even for site supporters), instead just browse a directory with VirtualScape or image album viewer. Maybe for ease of sharing online you could make torrent (would be legal if everyone gave permission) or give to someone on the site who has some extra file storage/bandwidth on a web sever. Could be uploaded as zip of all files or ISO of cd-image.

PS. Be sure to not only check the Downloads/Battlefields section but also
heroscape.cz Database and
Heroscape Maps Pivot Table

[supergen777]

Originally Posted by lefton4ya

Cool idea. Although all the files are downloadable here, it would be nice not to have to download each file individually from the downloads and gallery sections (there is a lag time even for site supporters), instead just browse a directory with VirtualScape or image album viewer. Maybe for ease of sharing online you could make torrent (would be legal if everyone gave permission) or give to someone on the site who has some extra file storage/bandwidth on a web sever. Could be uploaded as zip of all files or ISO of cd-image.

PS. Be sure to not only check the Downloads/Battlefields section but also
heroscape.cz Database and
Heroscape Maps Pivot Table

Yeah that's kinda what I was thinking of. Making an ISO of a CD-Image, and for the bandwidth purposes the ISO could be split into smaller parts. Anyway I'm glad you like my idea.

[Scapemage]

It's definately possible. It would be easy, just take a long time.

[Spectre007]

It is a great idea and one that I've done in the past.

I had downloaded every map I had ever come accross and created a tree structure that allowed me to find pretty much any map I needed. Unfortunately, my hard drive failed before I could ever burn them to a CD

Either way, the only downside I see to this is once the CD is generated, there would be no way to update with newly released maps. People would be continually burning unless CD-RW's are used.

I think the best way to make the most maps available (and newer) for anyone is to have a searchable database (which is already provided above).

[lefton4ya]

Zip file would take up less space than ISO image, as the VirtualScape files can be compressed a lot. After you make the initial map sets, you can have update packs every couple of months with just new/updated maps. Then maybe once a year have a new version with all the maps.

Best if you can upload zip files to the downloads section here, but unsure of the filesize limitation - it would be a lot easier than downloading each map individually though. Another option is webserver, either one of the web developers here that have extra bandwidth on their site, or a free hosting site. I think last resort is mailing CD-ROMS to people.

[GeneralRolando]

That would be cool. You would have to download lots and lots of maps. Would make for a good library of virtual maps that are easily built for those of us with laptops.