How useful is it to create submaps / levels right now?

[G-Bee]

Since the game is still in full development, I'm wondering if there are going to be changes made in the future that might render currently created submaps/levels useless?

I was actually holding out on pre-ordering so that I could make use of the funding thermometer, but the level editor seems too much fun to keep it waiting!

[Gorlom]

I don't think anything will be rendered uselees. A submap might need updateing with new art if the artist replaces something with new art. But it wouldn't be useless and it shouldnt bee to difficult to just change the art of the affected tiles.

Why would you not be able to make use of the funding thermometer if you preorder?

[G-Bee]

Why would you not be able to make use of the funding thermometer if you preorder?

Well, I was under the impression that you could participate in the funding thermometer by pre-ordering as well as donating. I now see that only donating is mentioned in the community-involvement thread, but I remember Chris talking about pre-orders as well a while ago.

[Gorlom]

He gets money from preorders (that he then reinvests into the development) so more preorders will affect the funding thermometer in the way that he wont need to set the goals on it as high.

Imo you shouldn't hold off to contribute if you want to contribute because a feature tracking your contribution is yet to be implemented. Besides you're already showing off your badge on the forum =)

[G-Bee]

He gets money from preorders (that he then reinvests into the development) so more preorders will affect the funding thermometer in the way that he wont need to set the goals on it as high.

Imo you shouldn't hold off to contribute if you want to contribute because a feature tracking your contribution is yet to be implemented. Besides you're already showing off your badge on the forum =)

Yeah, I actually held back my preorder because at some point Chris asked us not to preorder until the funding thermometer is active. I think it was to make sure that the real X-Com fans would not have spent all their money before the thermometer is in place (and I suppose he had enough funding at that moment to keep going for a while).

[Gorlom]

That .... sounds odd. I don't recall anything like that. When was this?

[G-Bee]

I think somewhere in nov/dec 2011. Can't find the thread anymore, but I do recall it clearly. Then again, I could be wrong! But it really doesn't matter anymore, as I'll get my pre-order soon anyway so I can mess with the map-editor.

[Chris]

Yeah, no need to hold of pre-ordering until the funding thermometer is active. We are working on it, but we'll get the pre-order money either way. You can always donate a few extra dollars on Kickstarter afterwards when the thermometer goes active if you so desire.

Also, the terrain editor is a pain in the ass to learn but it's very powerful once you have. And we're just adding an Undo button to it so it's a bit less frustrating to use. Realistically at this point we won't be making many more changes to the tile mechanics so if you want to start mapping, please do. We've not finished generating the tilesets but it'll just be a case of adding more tiles in the future rather than replacing the old ones.

[Gauddlike]

If the tile art gets replaced (at least by one with the same name) it should automatically update any submaps that use it.
Creating the maps is actually quite fun when you get into it.
If I had enough attention span I would have completed a few by now...

[G-Bee]

Thanks for the comments! I'll be getting my preorder soon, and hopefully I'll be able to show off some cool submaps/levels.