Greetings, EMC! As some of you may know, it is possible to put custom images into Minecraft using map items. Here is an example of what you can do with this feature: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gd74GNoA3Yg On single player mode, this can easily be done by putting a map.dat file into your world save folder. Since this is a multiplayer server, however, players do not have access to the save folder and thus cannot use custom map.dat files. For this reason, I suggest that we let players import custom maps as a senior staff service. I'm not sure if it could be done using Worldedit alone, but it should be easy for anyone with access to the server's data folder. Here's how it might work: 1) The player PM's a senior staff member stating they want the service, and they provide the map.dat file(s) they want added. They also pay a certain amount (I'd say 10k per map is reasonable). 2) The staff member uses Worldedit (or whatever technique necessary) to put the map.dat file into the world save. 3) The staff member gives the player a copy of the map, using an access chest, or using Aikar's new mail system (once it's implemented). Before I talk about the potential problems, let me explain why I want to see this added. I have already made several custom maps on EMC, and it takes a VERY long time to do it. You have to look at an image one block at a time, figure out what block type and height each pixel corresponds to, build a giant 128x128 structure, and finally use a map item to copy the image. You have to make sure you start at the right height, because some colors require a block to be higher or lower than the adjacent one. The structure has to be centered just right - if you're off by one block, you may have to start all over again. Once you've done that, there's always a risk of someone viewing the map in the place it was made, which deletes the image forever (if you've gotten rid of the structure). Even with all this effort, you still can't use all of the colors available in a map.dat file - all of the darkest colors and transparency are unobtainable in survival. In single player, this can all be avoided by simply placing a map.dat file into your save folder. I'll admit that doing so is not necessarily "survival", but it gives no gameplay advantage to the player. And considering I'm the only one on EMC who's made custom maps (correct me if I'm wrong), I don't think it would negatively effect the economy either. I love custom map art, and I would love to see more of it on EMC. But just one map can take a ridiculous amount of time and resources, and the process is too complicated for the average player. Implementing this feature would give players a new way to express creativity, and it would provide a new rupee sink (which is always good for encouraging donations/supportership/voting). Just imagine visiting a res and seeing a masterpiece like this: (of course, that would take 30 maps, but you get the point) I already know there is a demand for map art on EMC, because I have had many people request it. Unfortunately, I've had to turn most of them down, because I just don't have enough time. Frankly, I don't want to waste time building these things in the wild if we can get the same or better results using features that are already available. As much as I'd like to see this feature, there are a few problems: Maps can't be transported between servers. It would be one more thing the senior staff has to take care of. This can easily be limited by increasing the price of the service. If Mojang changes the map item format, old maps might eventually be destroyed/changed. If that happens, the staff might not be able to refund people who payed for maps. The player has to get the map.dat file on their own (otherwise staff would have to make sure the images look right, have the right dimensions, etc). Getting a map.dat file is relatively easy using a program called ImageToMap. Maps can be easily copied. Therefore, it would be the buyer's responsibility to decide who to give copies to. It may not be possible to import map.dat files without directly accessing the save folder. I don't know what kind of clearance senior staff members have - this is probably the deciding factor of whether or not this feature gets added. I understand that this is an obscure thing to add, but in a sense, it's already a vanilla feature of Minecraft. Plus, it's a completely optional service - only those willing to pay for the service have to worry about the problems. If you need more information about maps, just ask. Here's a page with info about the map item nbt format: http://minecraft.gamepedia.com/Map_item_format Here's the palette of colors a map can have. Note that the darkest colors (the 4th color in each row) can't be obtained in survival: https://i.imgur.com/x6EKJ6X.png Here is a program that lets you convert images into map.dat files: http://bit.ly/1dOaHdV If this feature doesn't get added, I understand. I just wanted to give it a shot before building any more maps by hand. But if this service can be added, I think it would really bring something special to EMC.
I am not a professional here but I say why not. I am no good with this type of stuff. Oh and you can always go out into the wild and have fun making map images.
When you said "Custom map", I thought you meant the worlds that people make for others to play on. I got confused for a minute.
I like the idea, but I think it should cost 50k or more, I mean SR. Staff would need to go through alot of work probably to implement these and deliver them to your residence.
