**Official Map Contest Details**

[drp]

Maps will be judged on 5 criteria.
Layout
Fun Factor
Balance
Visual Appeal
OriginalityThese will be scored on a scale of 1 - 10 for each criteria.

There are only a few rules you must abide by for your map to qualify.
Map can be either cp_ or tc_
The map must be able to spawn 32 players per server. (doesn't have to be designed to play with 32, but must spawn 32 players nonetheless)
Map must include these decals/overlays (http://tf2maps.net/downloads.php?do=file&id=57) at least 2 times (1 blue, 1 red) in your map. They must also be easily visible.
Map must be done and uploaded by April 30th. It should be uploaded to TF2Maps.net and posted in the 'Contest Submissions' Thread.
Maps should have a mix of both industrial, and miningExtra Points: * Bonus points for making a multi-stage cp or normal tc map * Bonus points for using custom tf2maps.net/TF2Mappers posters (decals/overlays).

Prize:
EVGA 320-P2-N811-AR GeForce 8800GTS 320MB 320-bit GDDR3 PCI Express x16

http://dumpedimage.com/uploads/1/14-130-082-10.jpg (http://dumpedimage.com/)

*Or similar video card available.


Goodluck!

http://tf2maps.net/index.php?pageid=contest

This contest is made possible by gracious donating members along with cash i throw in.
Consider donating a few dollars (http://tf2maps.net/billspaypal.php) and give your wallet a well deserved break. :p

[YM]

OOh very nice, pity my PC is AGP, still, I will enter none the less.

It just so happens that i've started a multi stage map the other day :D

I'm based in England and I will be getting feedback on a local server that are hosting for me, are you going to impose restrictions on map publication? Also, being in England might cause problems prize wise, if I win that is, not likely that I will :P, but still just so you know because it might be important.

I feel like there aren't enough restrictions, but thats probably me being wierd lol
Anyway, I'll shut up and get back to cp_bloodstained :D

[drp]

its early. suggestions are welcome on restrictions, rules.
if worst comes to worst on internation issues, the game prize will be money via paypal equivalent to value of the prize.

[TheBladeRoden]

Aw man, I already have a similar video card. But I shall enter anyway just to see if I can force myself to finish a map in 3 months. :D

[drp]

Aw man, I already have a similar video card. But I shall enter anyway just to see if I can force myself to finish a map in 3 months. :D

should i add a cash alternative of $150? :blink:

[SaerisHawkeye]

mmm, my map may not fit the requirements, lol, seeing as it will be in a japanese style >.< oh well

[jakeparlay]

its early. suggestions are welcome on restrictions, rules.

I would say drop the part about having to be industrial/mining theme. You're gonna get a whole fistful of fresh maps out of a solid contest like this ... why constrain them all to one theme ? :D

everything else looks great though, i'm in

[hacky]

Industrial AND mining? Or can it be either industrial or mining? If it has to be both, how little of either can there be?

[spaceweasels]

That's a nice prize. I'm glad TF2Maps.net is doing a contest. I hope the site gets a lot of exposure for this.

[vegit0r]

Im in :)

edit: point of clarity here, are the BSPs and the VMFs getting scored or just the BSPs?

[YM]

why would they want to look at our .vmf files?

[drp]

Im in :)

edit: point of clarity here, are the BSPs and the VMFs getting scored or just the BSPs?

heh, no just the compiled finished product :)

[MacNetron]

I agree with the posters one page back that the:
- Maps should have a mix of both industrial, and mining
might not be the best package. 'Rule' and 'should have' are a bad combi. Also, industrial AND mining might be difficult to mix.
On the other hand, it's a challenge to get both in :)

<mac starts looking for pencil and paper...>

[YM]

How long have people been working on the maps they are planning on entering? should you limit the contest to maps that have only just been started or started after now? maybe you shouldnt.

[hacky]

All I have done is the structure for my game style. I have absolutely no brushwork done. :D

Still coming up with a layout concept I like.

[Ganon11]

I've only got the most basic of basics of brushwork done, so it's like I'm starting from scratch.

[drp]

How long have people been working on the maps they are planning on entering? should you limit the contest to maps that have only just been started or started after now? maybe you shouldnt.

the 'mix of industrial and mining' was a way to not allow people to submit their older stuff. ill talk to immortal about this. its early, we could change it.

[SaerisHawkeye]

heh, well if it's older work you're worried about, then, don't allow anything that's already been posted and discussed about here? basicly if you've seen or heard of it somewhere before the contest began, that that map is disqualified.

perhaps it would be better if you required people to get their theme or idea approved, so as to build a list of what the end entries will be. (and these would be submitted via private message, not posted in the forums) after being approved, create and add people to a list of approved entrants.

[Paddy]

Well i think it should be include both industrial and minings because that makes it a bit more challenging and ive already got a plan which does it perfectly i think!

[ZargonX]

Well, the map I'm planning to use I just started last week, so I'll assume that's safely within the timeframe.

[Irksome]

edit: Nevermind, I'm an idiot.

[YM]

What are limitations/guildine for posting maps here?
Do you only ever want the final map?
Can we post a thread in the WIP section and get an alpha/beta file uploaded to go with it?
Shall we post it in the 'contest' subsection instead of the WIP bit?
....(insert question you feel needs asking here)

I ask because my map is nearing the playable stage, which is the stange I like to publicise it bit.

[drp]

What are limitations/guildine for posting maps here?
Do you only ever want the final map?
Can we post a thread in the WIP section and get an alpha/beta file uploaded to go with it?
Shall we post it in the 'contest' subsection instead of the WIP bit?
....(insert question you feel needs asking here)

I ask because my map is nearing the playable stage, which is the stange I like to publicise it bit.

posting WIP is your choice actually. but be aware that others might end up taking some of your ideas on design, etc.

the WIP forum is fine for contest wip. nearing the deadline, a temp forum will be made to house submissions.

[What Is Schwa]

"Map can be either cp_ or tc_"

A friend and I have been tinkering with a Control Point concept that required capping in a circular fashion. It isn't linear like all the other CP maps made. Does this qualify?

-Aaron

[trackhed]

thats the rule that made me not wanna enter :P
why is it so?

[hacky]

Is there anything against submitting two or more maps?

[drp]

Is there anything against submitting two or more maps?

if its not in the posted rules, its good!

[drp]

"Map can be either cp_ or tc_"

A friend and I have been tinkering with a Control Point concept that required capping in a circular fashion. It isn't linear like all the other CP maps made. Does this qualify?

-Aaron

yes, thats fine :)

[drp]

thats the rule that made me not wanna enter :P
why is it so?

the playability of ctf has less to offer than tc or cp. :)

[Mindless]

Incredible. Just so happens I've been working on a multistaged map for a month now. I'm IN! Good luck, the rest of you's! =)

[zbandito]

TF started with CTF gametypes, not CP or TC. I think it's unfortunate this contest excludes CTF maps. I would enter otherwise. Let the best map win based on it's own merits! :p

[YM]

Perhaps a later competition will focus soley on ctf?
This seems to make sense to me

[YM]

My map, cp_bloodstained is now in beta, hope you will all enjoy playing on it both before and after the final version.

Download - http://tf2maps.net/downloads.php?do=file&id=163
Play (24/7) - 84.45.84.166:27015
Discuss - http://tf2maps.net/showthread.php?t=795
(in that order preferably)

[drp]

there will be a ctf only contest in the future. ;)

[Tokit]

I would say drop the part about having to be industrial/mining theme. You're gonna get a whole fistful of fresh maps out of a solid contest like this ... why constrain them all to one theme ? :D

everything else looks great though, i'm in

I'm also voting this, I don't want to force a look into my map when I have it on a set theme already.

[Koei]

Is it allowed to work as a team? Me and a friend are working on a map and it's going to be nice.

[drp]

Is it allowed to work as a team? Me and a friend are working on a map and it's going to be nice.

Sure. But if you guys win, you will need to saw the video card in half, not me :P

[Koei]

Sure. But if you guys win, you will need to saw the video card in half, not me :P

Got an 8800GTX, and he an ATI 1600 something. So he'll get the card. If we would win....I hope so. Anyways, cp_depot entered the competition.

[drp]

also, make sure to reserve that map name in our database http://tf2maps.net/reservemap/

edit: oh you already did! good work.

[TheBladeRoden]

also, make sure to reserve that map name in our database http://tf2maps.net/reservemap/

edit: oh you already did! good work.

Say, is there anyway to unreserve a map name?

[drp]

Say, is there anyway to unreserve a map name?

per user, no. but you can pm me and ill go ahead and do that for you :)

[TheBladeRoden]

per user, no. but you can pm me and ill go ahead and do that for you :)

For future reference in case I think of a less cheesy name than freezerburn

[Termaximus]

I guess I read industrial AND mining as industrial OR mining, but reading through thread now I see my mistake. I did see a discussion that the OR might be allowed. Has this been decided? I hope so, because my what I hoped would be contest map (link for Beta 3.0 below) is wholey industrial and I've put a lot of time into it.

[l3eeron]

I wish I could be a part of this....


Im knee deep in the sh** with avantiville though.

Im really excited to see what kind of fruits we pluck from this ripe tree :D

[MangyCarface]

A question on gameplay rating:

Will the judges do this based on a full server playthrough?
Also, won't maps that have been alpha tested gain a bit of advantage in terms of streamlined playing because the players have already seen the territory before?

Maybe the testers that will be accompanying the judges will have to look at each map themselves beforehand...

I mean I don't care that much about it but someone else might. Just some thoughts

[Vilepickle]

Does spytech with a bit of industry mixed in apply for this contest? :I (I won't be bent out of shape if not)

[drp]

Does spytech with a bit of industry mixed in apply for this contest? :I (I won't be bent out of shape if not)

yes it does :D

[FranzderFranke]

where can i upload the map for the contest?

[YM]

since the deadline is fast drawing near I find myself worrying that I may not have bloodstained at a point where I don't want to add any more to it before the 30th.
So what I want to know is "Can I submit an almost complete map for voting and then add the finishing touches to it at a later date?"
I would of course not want the map to be re-judged after the addition of those finalising tweaks because that would be unfair to everyone else.

[drp]

since the deadline is fast drawing near I find myself worrying that I may not have bloodstained at a point where I don't want to add any more to it before the 30th.
So what I want to know is "Can I submit an almost complete map for voting and then add the finishing touches to it at a later date?"
I would of course not want the map to be re-judged after the addition of those finalising tweaks because that would be unfair to everyone else.
you can. but it will be up to the judges to score them appropriately and how they see fit.

[Spike]

Maps should have a mix of both industrial, and mining

I can't understand this rule. Dustbowl has got only mining theme and is an official map. I don't understand this restriction.

[trainRiderJ]

I can't understand this rule. Dustbowl has got only mining theme and is an official map. I don't understand this restriction.

I guess it's probably a little too late for this, but why do those have to be the themes at all? I mean, as long as you have a visual theme that fits the art style of TF2 and it's consistent throughout your map, shouldn't that be good?

[Vilepickle]

I can't understand this rule. Dustbowl has got only mining theme and is an official map. I don't understand this restriction.

If you have one of them it does count. I have a spytech/industrial theme in my map and it is fine.

[kimangroo]

I guess it's probably a little too late for this, but why do those have to be the themes at all? I mean, as long as you have a visual theme that fits the art style of TF2 and it's consistent throughout your map, shouldn't that be good?

gotta agree with trainRiderJ on that. I guess for the first map contest ever you guys wanted quality maps that looked like Valves which is fair enough.

For me though the great thing about custom mapping is that it's not official, you don't have to follow any rules and anything goes. There are many, many different ways to achieve this but at the end of the day if it is fun to play... well that's all that matters to me. (note I hate orange_x because it is not fun to play, but not because it is orange. I love cp_roswell because it is fun to play and is beautiful).

In the future, I was wondering whether "mini" mapping contests to encourage new ideas might not be a good idea. By "mini mapping contest", I mean a contest for which you don't need to make a fully fledged, 32 player, valve textured, final bug free release. A contest that is more like a community brainstorming session.For many beginning mappers (I'm thinking about me here) the problem with a full blown mapping contest, is that if I'm going to enter it, it's going to have to be by forcing the map I'm doing now to fit the contest rules. But if I'm going to spend god knows how many hundreds of hours to make a proper fully fledged map, well I'd rather make it exactly how I want it, rather than to fit contest regulations.

However if there was a mini mapping contest with strict limitations I might be able to roll one out alongside my main mapping project. How about considering some of the following rules for an interesting contest:

1) Small maps only. 4v4 or 6v6. This would be essential to reduce the size of the maps and the time needed to create them. People could make one for the contest alongside their main one.

2) Orange maps only. "WHAT??!??!!?" i hear you say... this doesn't mean that once the contest is over the map can't be textured properly, but it does mean that for the contest itself the mapper's can concentrate uniquely on layout and gameplay. You could still set themes and people would have to focus on their brushwork.

3) King of the hill/Domination/Reverse Ctf etc only. To get more of those custom gameplay maps out there.

4) Any other rule/limitation that would allow people more time to work on the really important part of mapping, making it fun to play. Really quirky rules could be good too, just to get some different maps out there that might be the foundation for something great later.

Anyway, just a few ideas that I thought could be fun.

[YM]

So where are the final maps going to be judged?
We can run them on our custom map server once the deadline is up, just the contest maps so anyone who wanted to play them could hop on any time for the first week in may.

[MangyCarface]

In the future, I was wondering whether "mini" mapping contests to encourage new ideas might not be a good idea. By "mini mapping contest", I mean a contest for which you don't need to make a fully fledged, 32 player, valve textured, final bug free release. A contest that is more like a community brainstorming session.For many beginning mappers (I'm thinking about me here) the problem with a full blown mapping contest, is that if I'm going to enter it, it's going to have to be by forcing the map I'm doing now to fit the contest rules. But if I'm going to spend god knows how many hundreds of hours to make a proper fully fledged map, well I'd rather make it exactly how I want it, rather than to fit contest regulations.

However if there was a mini mapping contest with strict limitations I might be able to roll one out alongside my main mapping project. How about considering some of the following rules for an interesting contest:

I can see this being interesting if the conditions were changed so that each map has to have two closed off areas that could be attached to another map. Then perhaps three are chosen after the contest for good gameplay and connected via these areas into a single map. Each mapper then takes a pass at adding their own style of detail. Would take a lot of cooperation but pretty thorough results I believe

[Vilepickle]

Where's the submission thread? You should probably start one, since the date is coming up. I know I'm about ready to submit my map (final version)... perhaps as soon as tonight :I

[YM]

The tension is killing me!

Any news on how judging is going (I expect it to take quite a while)?
Or perhaps a reitteration of the prize to further increase tension?

[DJive]

We're sorry for the delay:

We know those who have submitted a map for the contest put a lot of hard work and time into it.

Before the contest started we thought it would be an easy "pick-a-winner" scenario however, being all the work you guys put into making these maps, we are trying to match with the amount of effort we take in picking one.

You each did a great job and honestly its hard to vote just 1, would be great to pick 3 =)
*BTW no, im not going to give out the reviewers names*

[YM]

*BTW no, im not going to give out the reviewers names*

Wise move.

[AWESOME-O]

*BTW no, im not going to give out the reviewers names*

Aww just had my baseball bat ready, though its wise.

[Snipergen]

*BTW no, im not going to give out the reviewers names*

Iet ies I!

Good luck to all the contestants