TPR's Game Exchange! BETA TESTING!

[Dotrobot]

I'm not an employee of TPR but, Really?

 

TPR isn't trying to steal thunder. They're trying to make the site better for everyone to use.

 

"We have worked hard for many years to make our websites great"

You must assume TPR was raised in a day? No. It took dedication of the owners to operate and make this site better and better for everybody that appreciates games. So you're not the only one putting in effort, sir. I'm pretty sure none of the people who had this idea in mind had ANY intention to steal people from other sites.

 

So the people of TPR don't deserve improvements because you people own and operate some websites that cross in the same genre? Large sites got large for a reason and it's because of the functions and the people it contains, so maybe you can learn from TPR instead of asking all the hard people that dedicated so much time into this "why are potentially stealing our members?"

 

TPR isn't dedicated to games? Mr. Alvey whom owns this fine website had a part in making some of the RCT series. The very same game one of your sites thrive on.

 

Oh and back on topic: I'll be sure to download some RCT2 parks and upload some images as soon as I have some time.

[Angry_Gumball]

Here's my first try at uploading a track. At first I realized my Giant Dipper recreation (File is located here in this thread: http://www.themeparkreview.com/forum/viewtopic.php?p=805305#805305 ) didn't make it on the exchange. I then realized it's an NLPACK file and not a NLTRACK file. The NLPACK extension is associated with the Track Packager, a cool program that allows us to include car textures, scenary, and environments...much like a ZIP file. Long story short, the exchange upload utility doesn't seem to like the NLPACK files. Is this something that will be included in the final release of the exchange?

 

Otherwise, liking the new feature...came across some old tracks of mine that I forgot I even uploaded or made

[robbalvey]

^ I believe that if someone uploads a good track, and it stands out, enough people will rate it as such without being "forced" to do so.

But how will people know??? Some people will only download tracks with 5 stars. Where if I upload a great track, it could go weeks without being recognized and fall into the land of lost tracks.

 

A dump of all unfinished/unwanted work would be really awesome to include.

Like I said, it if really becomes an issue, we'll address it. But I don't like forcing people to do things online. Just like we don't force people to rate the videos they watch on CoasterTube, and that takes less effort that rating a track file.

 

With CoasterTube, all you have to do is hit play and watch.

 

With a video game file, you have to download the file, open your game, play the track/park, come back to the game exchange, and click the star ranking.

 

Honestly, that's a lot of work. And if we are going to FORCE people to have to do that every time or they can't download any more files, personally, I think it's annoying. But that's just me...

 

Maybe it's one of the reasons why CoasterSims is gone and the NL Track Exchange is still alive? I dunno....

[robbalvey]

Long story short, the exchange upload utility doesn't seem to like the NLPACK files. Is this something that will be included in the final release of the exchange?

Strange as .nltrack is supported. Can you make sure the extension is lower case so we can see if it might be a case sensitive issue? Also, please remember that no one should be uploading files that already exist in the forum. That will cause duplicates to get uploaded to the exchange.

Edited December 10, 2010 by robbalvey

[Angry_Gumball]

it is actually lower case...I just did it upper to make the extensions more visible. Sorry for the confusion.

 

Yea, for some reason when I uploaded it, it went through the motion of uploading, then just took me to the main exchange page, with Wishmaster's "Twin Force" being the most recent upload. It actually never told me if it accepted it or rejected it. In this thread is where the *.nlpack file lives.

Also, please remember that no one should be uploading files that already exist in the forum. That will cause duplicates to get uploaded to the exchange.

That's the thing. My Giant Dipper wasn't in the exchange, I'm guessing due to the file type that it is. So this is why I tried to upload it manually to it.

 

But how will people know??? Some people will only download tracks with 5 stars. Where if I upload a great track, it could go weeks without being recognized and fall into the land of lost tracks.

 

A dump of all unfinished/unwanted work would be really awesome to include.

One thing I read a while back in terms of getting 'hits' on your ride was to include not simply a screenshot, but something attractive. People are attracted to pretty things. So a well-thought out screenshot with even some graphic design to it should be sufficient to pull people to your ride. I admit, I often look at the screenshot before I download and often get attracted to the 'well-designed' screenies. Just like when I'm looking for a game. If the cover looks great, it will pull me towards it even if I never read the reviews on it. It may tempt me to purchase the game only to find out that it's lame or it rocks later on.

 

And I hated CoasterSims for pulling the whole "Force people to rate" thing...honestly, it forced me to give garbage/1-liner ratings just to get myself back in the clear. I'd rather just rate a track naturally and not by coercion.

Edited December 10, 2010 by Angry_Gumball

[mcjaco]

That's the thing. My Giant Dipper wasn't in the exchange, I'm guessing due to the file type that it is. So this is why I tried to upload it manually to it.

 

Guys, if it's not in the Exchange but you've uploaded it to the Forum in the past, it's because I haven't gotten to it yet. I'm only on page 34 of 58. Be patient!

 

Please do not upload a file if you've already uploaded it via the Forum. It will get in there under your account.

 

nlpack and nltrack files types are supported. But I'll look into it.

[DisWiz]

I meant to say, if I have a site (which I do) and I want to link to my RCT2 file.

 

I imagine I can't just link to the .rct2 file (whatever the extension is) but rather to the page?

 

I'm just wondering what rules there are or aren't for linking to an uploaded file from a personal site.

 

This is a hosting Exchange for your files. Consider this an extension of the TPR Park Index. We won't host files/pictures if they aren't posted to the exchange or the forum. Otherwise, it'll end up being like a lot of the other game sites where links go bad, and the file is lost.

 

For instance, right now I'm at work. My company blocks images hosted by ImageShack, flickr, etc. Anything posted to the Exchange right now, that I've used link to pictures with those sites, is showing as a big red X. Eventually those links could go bad for good, and it'll be a permanent red X.

I think what he's asking is that if he wanted to post a link to his file that is hosted on the TPR Game Exchange, should he post the link to the page where the file is located, or hotlink the actual file itself.

 

I think the best thing to do would be to post the link to the page.

 

So for example, if you were posting something to Facebook, Twitter, or another website, it would look like this:

 

"Hey everyone, check out my new No Limits track. It's called 'Cinderbreak' and it's totally awesome! You can download the track and check out screenshots of it here: http://www.themeparkreview.com/game_exchange/track.php?id=461

 

Is this what you mean?

 

--Robb

 

 

This is exactly what I meant, thanks for helping me get it across Robb. And that answers my question perfectly as I have a website hosted on a free server and can't upload gaming files so I've had no way of putting up RCT2 or NoLimits files. But now I know that I am ok to link to the page with my files. Thanks again!

 

Also just an idea, I really like the landing page of CoasterTube as far as categories and I think that would work great here. Random files, recently uploaded, highest voted. Possibly even broken down by game. (Just an over thinking IT student who tries to pay attention to the layout and flow of websites).

[mcjaco]

^ Got it. I read too much into some things.

 

William, I tried uploading the Giant Dipper file through the Game Exchange. You're correct in it not taking. Not sure why as I've uploaded via the Exchange before (rather than our Admin Panel), and didn't have a problem. We have both NL file types supported....very strange. We'll have to look into it further. I uploaded it via the Admin side, for what it's worth.

 

Personally, I hate rating systems. They either get abused or no one uses them. Take a gander through the Exchange. See which ones catch your eye. Those are the ones that you should mimic if you want download traffic. Sell, sell, sell!

[SoCalCoasters]

When I try to upload a park to the exchange (RCT3), it says the file type is invalid.

 

Is there a specific type of file (besides current form) it needs to be converted into before uploading, if so, where can I get the conversion software (if not already in the computer).

 

Thanks for this awesome forum, and thanks for the help in advance!

 

-SCC

[djbrcace1234]

^ Got it. I read too much into some things.

 

Personally, I hate rating systems. They either get abused or no one uses them. Take a gander through the Exchange. See which ones catch your eye. Those are the ones that you should mimic if you want download traffic. Sell, sell, sell!

 

 

Prehaps a comment system, or would this just be too much trouble to do? This would be the most effective way to weed out the quality ones over others, and would encourage people just as much as the rating systems would I think.

Edited December 10, 2010 by djbrcace1234

[robbalvey]

When I try to upload a park to the exchange (RCT3), it says the file type is invalid.

There is a bug in the uploader that I'm working on right now.

[Twister II]

^ Got it. I read too much into some things.

 

Personally, I hate rating systems. They either get abused or no one uses them. Take a gander through the Exchange. See which ones catch your eye. Those are the ones that you should mimic if you want download traffic. Sell, sell, sell!

 

 

Prehaps a comment system, or would this just be too much trouble to do? This would be the most effective way to weed out the quality ones over others, and would encourage people just as much as the rating systems would I think.

I second the comment idea.

[mcjaco]

Guys, let's get the uploader working first.

[mcjaco]

The Uploader is working!

 

Remember, DO NOT UPLOAD something you've already uploaded to the Forum. I will be adding it in the near future!

[AJClarke0912]

Yeah, my NLPack worked.

 

IL PITONE

 

Oh, and one thing Robb: on the ratings, I was able to rate my own coaster (5 stars, of course!). You may want to look into that.

Also, to the pictures HAVE to be thumbnails? I mean, I think downsized landscapes would be fine too. The stretchyness of the photos sets me on edge.

Edited December 10, 2010 by AJClarke0912

[mcjaco]

What, you don't think all your creations are awesome????

 

Thanks guys.....I'm going to bed.

[robbalvey]

Prehaps a comment system, or would this just be too much trouble to do?

There are a couple of reasons why we wouldn't want to do a comment system:

 

1. I see the Game Exchange as being an extension of this forum. This is the place that I would like to see any discussion happen about files that are uploaded.

 

2. Having another comments system means having to moderate yet another area of the website. It's one thing to have to check all the track files that are being uploaded to make sure everything is fine, but it's another thing to have to check them multiple times over a period of time.

 

3. What we learned from CoasterTube is that keeping a system as simple as possible is the best plan of action. It's one thing if the system is the main feature of your site, like YouTube, for example, but when it's one of many features, you want it to compliment the other parts of the site, not overtake it. In short, we aren't developing a "file exchange website", but developing a file exchange system that is part of a bigger site.

 

Hope that all makes sense!

 

--Robb

[robbalvey]

Oh, and one thing Robb: on the ratings, I was able to rate my own coaster (5 stars, of course!). You may want to look into that.

I did...I ranked you a .5 star, so that balanced everything out!

 

Is it bad though if people can rate their own files? On CoasterTube people can rate their own videos and it's never really been a problem. I guess I'm just too "trusting" of people?

 

Also, to the pictures HAVE to be thumbnails? I mean, I think downsized landscapes would be fine too. The stretchyness of the photos sets me on edge.

I'm not sure what this means. The thumbnails are links to the bigger picture. Click on them.

[djbrcace1234]

That is completley understandable, Robb. I understand the chaos (and not to mention the added html code to work out,) so the reasons provided are sufficent enough. I guess people will download files no matter what, so there isn't anything to worry about then.

[AJClarke0912]

^^Well, in the games section, ratings mean more. Videos, not so much. A rating in a game section defines how good the coaster is and where it sits on the list...way more competitive than a video. The rating basically summarizes the coaster and makes people decide whether they want to ride it or not, and with that decision, they could have just skipped out on somebody's hard work.

 

Now Robb, that wasn't fair! I now have a 5/10 rating! That's poopy compared to THIS rating! I deserve better, because I'm a selfish little twirp!

 

**Oh, the realm of coaster exchanges...fights over the ratings...**

You can actually see how important ratings are to some people on this NoLimits-Exchange topic...they take a big deal in them...

 

 

 

Thanks for the info about the pictures...I didn't know they were linked! Thanks!

Edited December 10, 2010 by AJClarke0912

[robbalvey]

With all due respect, I would kindly ask that people not link to other similar sites to "show us how to do stuff." I won't read it anyway, because I would like to think that this feature will live and breathe on it's own and not be a "copy" of something else. If you have a suggestion, that's fine, but please don't make a suggestion and use "well, this other site does it this way" as an argument for why TPR should do it to. Let's base the comments and feedback on their own merit.

 

It's fine in another site takes rating so seriously. Personally, I don't. I would rather have a site that is more about the fun of sharing stuff with others than worrying about how high my file's ranking is. There is no ego at TPR. We're all nerds.

 

That being said, I will look into making it so that the user that uploaded the track cannot rate their own file.

 

Hope that all makes sense.

 

--Robb

Edited December 10, 2010 by robbalvey

[robbalvey]

Ok, the rating thing should be done. Try to upload another file and rate your own and see if it works or not.

 

--Robb

[AJClarke0912]

^^Well, I wasn't suggesting that it should be like NL-E, I was just stating an extremity! I actually like the laid back exchange here. It's like comparing these forums to New Element (for RCT2'ers)...you don't always want hard ratings and moderation. Just a nice forum and file hosting is great!

 

^...and I just switched to the Mac...I have no NL files to host. Somebody else go!

[robbalvey]

^^Well, I wasn't suggesting that it should be like NL-E, I was just stating an extremity! I actually like the laid back exchange here. It's like comparing these forums to New Element (for RCT2'ers)...you don't always want hard ratings and moderation. Just a nice forum and file hosting is great!

That's exactly it. Like the guy who claimed we were stealing his business, we're not. Just like I don't feel TPR competes with many other similar sites, I don't expect the game exchange to either.

 

We've had a games forum here since 2005 and that hasn't made it so any other sites have to shut down. TPR's survival isn't contingent on the games forum. If the games forum went away, TPR would still exist. Same goes for the Game Exchange. We did that because we had hundreds of files in the forum, and our initial goal was that we thought it would be nice to have all those files in once place where you can sort them and make them easier to browse.

 

If it takes off, great! If not, TPR will still be around! It's not like CoasterTube shut down YouTube or anything!

 

It exists to compliment the site and be a resource to our members. That is all.

 

--Robb

[robbalvey]

Just a suggestion, Though I know this will be time consuming, but could it be possible to link the thread that some of these creations were advertised in? I feel this also would show the overall progress of some of these files.

Do you mean like having a box on the uploaded where you can paste a Forum URL of where you are discussing the track/park?