Hello all! Many of my fellow players in the parkour community have fun on the server generally, but the veteran players who have been playing since this season began are beginning to lose some of the energy to continue playing. Since the long awaited parkour update is still TBA, I thought to brainstorm some interesting new ideas that people could get excited about.
As a mapper, I love being able to create new themes and projects that the community can enjoy. In doing this, I thought about two new kinds of maps (and a subset of the second idea) that could be created for a parkour revamp in the future that I thought would be interesting, refreshing, and new for the player base as follows:
Idea #1: Puzzle Maps
Puzzle maps would provide a new twist to parkour maps: redstone mechanics used to move pistons, unlock doors, uncover secret passages, and more, all while parkouring to find the buttons, levers, etc. to complete the course. These maps could also be story driven with several installments.
The emphasis on these maps would be to entertain the player who likes a mental challenge more than a physical challenge. The parkour itself should be kept under the Hard difficulty, and could provide a 50% mana decrease after the first completion to decentivize farming (or fall to 1, like Dropper maps).
This idea came from me watching some classic adventure map videos, and deciding to create my own “adventure map” as an unofficial map project for people to try out. Right now there is only one puzzle semi-completed that could be used as a sort of example of what I'm talking about (on my 10th plot). Shinxray's Celestial Resort could also be an example of this (although the parkour is tough).
Idea #2, Part 1: Challenge Maps
While the name is subject to change since Challenge Mode already exists, these maps would serve as different niche challenges that would specialize in a certain style of jump (ex. “The Headhitter Challenge”, “The Neo Challenge” (you're wild if you want to do a neo challenge though), “The Slime Challenge”, etc.).
These challenges could be rated by the difficulty of the jump, and be given a subsequent reward assignment (normal block jumps 1-4 are less difficult than neos, for example). These rewards could run on a timer like Champion Maps or only give rewards for completing once, so they could not be farmed. Completing one of these challenges could also provide chat announcement when one is completed. The challenges would not necessarily have to be extremely long, and could be as short as 1-3 extremely difficult jumps.
Completing could add a prefix symbol (like the checkmark for map completion) or unlock a title for players to use at their leisure. Some examples of this:
Symbols: [♛] [★]
General Title Ideas: [♛Challenger♛] or [♛Conqueror♛]
(obviously these can be changed and please give input if you have better ideas)
I thought this would be an interesting, well..challenge for people who want to improve at certain jumps, improve their consistency as well as their accuracy, and overcome some of the hardest possible jumps in parkour. Since Mappers don’t make niche maps and judges emphasize having a variety of jumps in the normal courses we make, these Challenge courses would make a unique addition compared to what we have, with good rewards in the form of mana and/or titles. While these challenges don't necessarily appeal to everyone, I think some may find them rewarding, with an end goal to work toward (the title).
These Challenge courses could be built in collaboration among the mappers if these were to be implemented. Personally, I think building these would be a fun project as well!
Part 2: The “Parkour School”
This idea has been thought of before by a few people before me, but I’m bringing it up again now because it fits a similar theme as the niche/Challenge maps.
While the concept of the parkour gamemode is simple (don’t fall), there are often questions about some of the terms and how to execute certain jumps from those who are new to the world of parkour! Which is totally okay, but what if there was a way for people to be introduced to parkour and the terms/vocabulary that are commonly used in a simple way?
The “Parkour School” would be available in the GUI as a warp to a map that has different sections of parkour that are 4-5 of a type of jump. The map would have signs that explain each jump and some tips in executing the jump.
There could also be a glossary made available either at the School map or in the GUI/via a command, so that understanding the language and learning parkour itself is less frustrating for new players.
In addition, a Mapper School could be added. This would include a FAQ about making maps, as well as the map building standards and requirements to help reinforce the submission requirements and map building standards.
This may seem a little “extra”, but I think it would help attract new players into being more involved in parkour as a community. At best, completing the Parkour School “courses” (successfully completing each section of the map) could offer a title, [Schooled] or something like that...but I don't think that's interesting or necessary.
There are a lot of barriers that would make executing these ideas difficult, but I think some of them are worthwhile to be modified, and would provide a stand out experience for players new and old to enjoy!
As a mapper, I love being able to create new themes and projects that the community can enjoy. In doing this, I thought about two new kinds of maps (and a subset of the second idea) that could be created for a parkour revamp in the future that I thought would be interesting, refreshing, and new for the player base as follows:
Idea #1: Puzzle Maps
Puzzle maps would provide a new twist to parkour maps: redstone mechanics used to move pistons, unlock doors, uncover secret passages, and more, all while parkouring to find the buttons, levers, etc. to complete the course. These maps could also be story driven with several installments.
The emphasis on these maps would be to entertain the player who likes a mental challenge more than a physical challenge. The parkour itself should be kept under the Hard difficulty, and could provide a 50% mana decrease after the first completion to decentivize farming (or fall to 1, like Dropper maps).
This idea came from me watching some classic adventure map videos, and deciding to create my own “adventure map” as an unofficial map project for people to try out. Right now there is only one puzzle semi-completed that could be used as a sort of example of what I'm talking about (on my 10th plot). Shinxray's Celestial Resort could also be an example of this (although the parkour is tough).
Idea #2, Part 1: Challenge Maps
While the name is subject to change since Challenge Mode already exists, these maps would serve as different niche challenges that would specialize in a certain style of jump (ex. “The Headhitter Challenge”, “The Neo Challenge” (you're wild if you want to do a neo challenge though), “The Slime Challenge”, etc.).
These challenges could be rated by the difficulty of the jump, and be given a subsequent reward assignment (normal block jumps 1-4 are less difficult than neos, for example). These rewards could run on a timer like Champion Maps or only give rewards for completing once, so they could not be farmed. Completing one of these challenges could also provide chat announcement when one is completed. The challenges would not necessarily have to be extremely long, and could be as short as 1-3 extremely difficult jumps.
Completing could add a prefix symbol (like the checkmark for map completion) or unlock a title for players to use at their leisure. Some examples of this:
Symbols: [♛] [★]
General Title Ideas: [♛Challenger♛] or [♛Conqueror♛]
(obviously these can be changed and please give input if you have better ideas)
I thought this would be an interesting, well..challenge for people who want to improve at certain jumps, improve their consistency as well as their accuracy, and overcome some of the hardest possible jumps in parkour. Since Mappers don’t make niche maps and judges emphasize having a variety of jumps in the normal courses we make, these Challenge courses would make a unique addition compared to what we have, with good rewards in the form of mana and/or titles. While these challenges don't necessarily appeal to everyone, I think some may find them rewarding, with an end goal to work toward (the title).
These Challenge courses could be built in collaboration among the mappers if these were to be implemented. Personally, I think building these would be a fun project as well!
Part 2: The “Parkour School”
This idea has been thought of before by a few people before me, but I’m bringing it up again now because it fits a similar theme as the niche/Challenge maps.
While the concept of the parkour gamemode is simple (don’t fall), there are often questions about some of the terms and how to execute certain jumps from those who are new to the world of parkour! Which is totally okay, but what if there was a way for people to be introduced to parkour and the terms/vocabulary that are commonly used in a simple way?
The “Parkour School” would be available in the GUI as a warp to a map that has different sections of parkour that are 4-5 of a type of jump. The map would have signs that explain each jump and some tips in executing the jump.
There could also be a glossary made available either at the School map or in the GUI/via a command, so that understanding the language and learning parkour itself is less frustrating for new players.
In addition, a Mapper School could be added. This would include a FAQ about making maps, as well as the map building standards and requirements to help reinforce the submission requirements and map building standards.
This may seem a little “extra”, but I think it would help attract new players into being more involved in parkour as a community. At best, completing the Parkour School “courses” (successfully completing each section of the map) could offer a title, [Schooled] or something like that...but I don't think that's interesting or necessary.
There are a lot of barriers that would make executing these ideas difficult, but I think some of them are worthwhile to be modified, and would provide a stand out experience for players new and old to enjoy!
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