I ask this question because I was recently browsing the forum archive and reading some of the meatier and more interesting threads. If you know where to look, there is a veritable treasure trove of insight into anything from game length to the balance of rewards/punishment. Granted, not all of the discussion threads had quantifiable conclusions, but most people who participated should have come out with a better understanding of their own ideas and feelings on the subject matter.

Personally, I have gained a better understanding of my own thoughts on game length, replayability, and non-linear progression. For example: in a singleplayer game, I came to feel that a short game (5-10 hours) with deep gameplay would probably work exceptionally well if you were allowed to start the game over on a higher skill setting but keep all of the items and weapons you picked up at the end; but only for certain genres.

I have also benefitted from reading many peoples' comments on rewards and punishment in games. Although I did not come away from that discussion with specific ideas about the problem, I did gain a better understanding of its complexities.

But the question still stands: What have you learned? 

From the feedback of my only release, I can say people like good lighting, plausible challenges, an intelligent layout, and clip brushes. I feel I have become a much better level designer from rhe feedback overall, although I'm not quite at the level I think I can be at.

So what have I learned? Spend time on your map, and get lots and lots of feedback before you release anything serious. I have learned patience is mandatory as a mapper, but the longer you take on a map the less interested you get; in essence, you have a balancing act between making a perfect map and having fun. 

But of course as someone who doesn't create any add-on game content, I guess I don't "learn" much from such discussions even if I do follow some of them with interest.

I've learnt:

It's okay to like other games and indeed people do so here.

Zwiffle plays games incredibly fast.

People still moan if you positivise something that has even the slightest flaw.

D00M3 r0x0rz.

Sucky n00bs are still sucky n00bs.

1337 mappers still appear out of nowhere.

Quality is still worth pursuing and a pleasure to experience.

My func_threads are generally the 1337est. 

If it is your first day in the cells, it is important to take out the biggest guy and the rest will leave you alone.

Seriously, I believe in the concept of 'retention' but learning is something I doubt exists.

What have I retained? In designing levels you have to be patient with your own work and carefully seperate the wheat from the chaff. The slightest grains of the later can ruin the rest of what you have worked hard to build.

I've noticed most of my post over the past few months have been pithy and not very meaty; reflecting the limits on my time over the summer (which is actually a good thing from my pov), so my appologies RPG, as I would like to contribute more to your worthy discussion question than I can. 

I just realized I still don't know how the func_train works. 

The true meaning of civic holiday. 

take it to mapping help pls kthx noob.

seriously. I'd say I've learned alot between both func_ and qmap. I mention qmap because that is around when I started mapping more seriously and I found those forums to be a pirates bounty of mapping help and ideas.

Func_ discussion has a more 'mature' (yes I use this word) standpoint on alot of things, this no doubt is related to it's population of 'veteran' gamer/mappers.

so What have I learned? That mapping is more than just slapping down brushes in a box room for 'fun' it's a fully rewarding experience, that is frustrating at times, yet somehow always worth it. 

- If I think a map will take 3 months to make, it will end up taking 6 months.

- People are still passionate about Quake 1.

- AguirRe is some form of deity.

- I seem to have discovered my evil twin (Kell).

- Quite a bit about bees actually. 

takes years to map, and then it ends in one flashable fawn...
felt great to map for Quake, but then realizing
my failures swept it all gone...
liked the knowhow of func_board, but moans for the Qmap without its selfishness strong...
people argue about maps like chess party settings drawn...
only the joy of the game can widthstand critism's gun...
shall go to heaven straightaway after crumbling
in this editor's dawn...
what I have learned will be my patience & gained know-how for otherone's so long...
pure enthousiasm is stronger than a perfekt designed gown...
better to die with the axe in my hand, than plenty of ammu for poor monster's grown...
I'd better start mapping, 'cause argues turn brown. 

I started being a regular during the early QMAP days when mapping gods like headshot roamed amongst mortals and there weren't really any serious mapping sites/boards in existence. Pretty much everything I know about mapping I've learned from people in QMap, Func_ and #tf. 

the main thing that attracted me here was getting help from the other mappers. yet, new releases.
i'm not sure what exactly i learned...maybe just got to know some people better, because their rants exposed their nature more ;)

and also, i've never created any single thread here and on qboard (apart from my map news). this means i suck at creating new discussons ;) 

...that I am probably the oldest contributor!

And that when I say my latest FMB is 4 weeks from completion, I lie. It has taken 4 months and will be on the streets soon. 

to love again. 

ELEK has a dog named bailey and she likes to eat ice cubes... 

- I wasn't the last "old one" who still play Quake

- To have a critical view about my work, and about the others...

- To find ideas coming from the others games (UT, D3, Q2, Q3, RTCW, HL, etc.. etc..)

- A lot of things about Q1 mapping, and sure it remains again many things to learn

- there are here some very cool people which help you each time you need (special credits to aguirRe, voreLord, Vondur, distrans, etc.. etc...)

- there are also meany one which flame you or insult you each time they can.. (meany credits for those who are able to recognize themselves... bleh..)

That's it... 

Given that I've been reading 'this' board since about halfway through QBoard's life, I've learned far too much to list everything, however, the highlights would be;

> Nearly everything I know about level and game design, both from a techinical and theoretical standpoint.

> There's nothing wrong with elitism, it just means that you prize quality (and tell people when their work is shit).

> The ability to better analyse the good and bad points of levels/games

> To take the internet a lot less seriously. And insult people on it more :)

> (I apologise, but slightly mushy) That there are lot more people like me in the world than I realised.

> To appreciate a far wider range of games and genres.

> That the answer to the question is; Yes, QBoard is dead (but only in name rather than spirit) [free cookie to everyone who knows the reference]





Oh, and calling QMD French is a really, really, really bad idea (as is starting a max payne thread :) 

> (I apologise, but slightly mushy) That there are lot more people like me in the world than I realised.

I realized that a while ago, but it really didn't help any. 

- Quake lives forever =)

- There's always someone here who knows more than you and who can help you

- If you think that everything goes fine in your map some problems will appear immediately

- aguirRe's tools are the best ever created

- Constrictive critics is always good

- something else I can't remember now