If mappers want to create new map for COOP od DIE (or adapt their own old production) they are welcome.
Just for your inspiration, take a look at this discussion in the forum
http://www.quakesrc.org/forum/viewtopic.php?t=1266
It's related to the (near) futur difficulty system.
So, the players won't loose their teleporters, but they will loose their inventory after each death.
I plan to reduce drastically the presence of static weapon on the maps, and only let a probability of a drop from some monsters (depending their type) and let some item quest, like the super shotgun in the secret map of the first mission.
It could be fun to create new missions with mini scenario. It will be possible to add teleporter in the startmap or directly in existing map for accessing the news maps.
I can remove some specific (and powerful) items on all maps, and reserve them for missions. I think that with softcore mode the game will turn to an "item quest", like all inventory is loosen after each death.
About the monsters and items added online take a look to this page :
http://wiki.aftermoon.net/index.php?pagename=XmlRules
Look particulary the base1 file, it's the more simple, only some entity are added.
You can also read this thread :
http://www.quakesrc.org/forum/viewtopic.php?t=300
I think that if you create a map with the XmlRules in mind, it can be very fun, with a lot of change at each play.
It could be also possible to add more monsters depending the numbers of players.
Mapping for COOP or DIE could be very fun, you will have a lot of feedback. I will (need work) give you an access to the player's log, you will know who play your map, when, what monsters they kill, where they died ...
And you will (need work) have the possibility to change the XmlRules online, and add or remove monsters, items ... without any new downloading for the players.
Sound fun no ?
Currently I personnaly create XmlRules files by adding entity to a map with Qeradiant, then loading the entity part of the *.map file in a text editor and copy/past and reformat it to the xml file. Xml syntax can be verified with internet explorer (xml content is displayed as a tree) but if you look it with notepad, you will see it is not so complicated (particulary the base1 file).
I plan to create a tool for generating XmlRules file.
Something that let you put your entity with your editor and simply add a field like the line above, then generate an xml file.
"xmlrules" "2players" // for an entity that is present only if there is 2 or more players
or
"xmlrules" "random_50%" // for an entity that has 50% of chance to be present
if you want to test it, save the xmlrules_map_base1.xml file in your coopordie directory, and use this command line :
Quake2.exe +set game coopordie +map base1 +set xmlrules xmlrules_map_base1.xml
You will localy apply the XmlRules file
Feel free to post here any questions related to this subject.