Pick a card, any card! Watch your free time disappear with TF2maps.net's 18th Major Contest, Stack the Deck! Choose any four cards (requirements) from the Gameplay Deck, any two cards from the Detailing Deck, and let the show begin! Combine your crazy collectable cards* with your magical map-making abilities to make the best TF2 map you can. Amaze your friends! Astound random strangers! Disappoint Merasmus with subpar slight-of-hand!
And don't forget! Every great act needs a magic word! Yours for this contest is: "Asymmetrical," as in, "Your map must be Asymmetrical." How magical-yet-oddly specific!
So what are you waiting for? Grab your lovely assistants (one other mapper and two asset creators) to join you on stage (in Hammer), and put on a once-in-a-lifetime show (map) to wow the audience (judges + public voting)!
*Yes, you heard that right! You will actually be able to buy these cards as TF2maps.net's first piece of Official Merch! And even better, your entry might get made into a card that will be in the deck! Read on for more details.
Start date: February 17th, 2024 (Right Now!)
End date: July 20th, 2024, 1:00pm EST (18:00 UTC)
Prompt:
Create an asymmetric TF2 map that fulfills at least 4 challenges from the the Gameplay Deck, and fulfills at least 2 challenges from the Detailing Deck. That's right, this time there's two sets of requirements!
Maps MUST be asymmetric. This includes but is not limited to gamemodes such as Payload, Attack/Defense CP, Territorial Control, A/D CTF, A/D PASS Time, Steeltype CP
- Asymmetric variants of traditionally symmetric gamemodes are allowed! You can create a KotH/Arena/CTF/5CP map as long as the layout is substantially asymmetrical
- Sawmill and Lumberyard are not considered meaningfully asymmetric for this contest, at the routing is largely the same for both sides
- Asymmetric detailing of a symmetric layout is not considered valid asymmetry
- Custom gamemodes are allowed
The Gameplay Deck (pick 4+):
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- Map has at least 2 stages
- Map has at least 3 stages (also accomplishes Card #1)
- Map has at least one non-deathpit hazard
- Trains, lasers, saws, cold water that damages over time, etc.
- func_croc and Mannhattan Grinders count as deathpits
- At least one active spawnroom is directly above or below an active objective
- At least one team’s spawnroom never moves, even across multiple stages
- At least one spawnroom can change ownership
- At least one objective in a room no bigger than 512x512
- At least 3 objectives in a single stage
- Goldrush/Thunder Mountain Stage 3, Rumford, Jinn, Mercenary Park
- The map contains a delay mechanic
- Barnblitz turntable
- Routes that open/close based on the state of the game
- Routes that open/close based on the state of the game, like in cp_steel or ctf_underpass
- At least two objectives within 1024hu in hammer of each other
- You may measure capture zone triggers edge-to-edge when checking distance
- At least one objective under another, separate playable space
- This space must be accessible for both teams while the objective is in play
- At least one objective involves a functional elevator in gameplay space
- Hightower's titular towers, Sulfur's final point, Upland's final point, Thunder Mountain Stage 1's payload bridge
- Have an incline of 45 degrees or steeper
- At least one objective involves a functional train, not including payload carts themselves
- Mossrock final, Freight/Well mid, Cactus Canyon, Banana Bay, Traincartbomb
- Have all inclines be shallower than 45 degrees
- Make use of the tf_logic_cp_timer entity
- This is the entity used in DeGroot Keep for the timer on the final point
- At least one of the objectives has unusual cover
- Nipple point, point divided by a wall, concave capture zone shape, etc
The Detailing Deck (pick 2+):
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- Map contains a notable non-stock "hero prop" that a notable section of the map is built around
- Examples include Hydro's Radar Dish, Nucleus's Device, Sunshine's Lighthouses, Goldrush/Badwater/Thunder Mountain/Snowycoast/Bread Space/Jinn/Phoenix's animated finale sequences
- This can either be a bespoke prop made just for your entry, or an existing custom prop
- Map is set in a location other than the United States
- This must be obvious to a casual player; generic desert in line with existing maps like Dustbowl and Fastlane cannot be claimed as "Australia" without Australian roadsigns, flora/fauna, etc.
- Map contains rain, snow, burning buildings, or other major weather/elemental effects
- If you use lightning, be very gentle with any flashing or you will need to provide an Epilepsy warning.
- Your out-of-bounds area(s) should set your map in a notable vista(s)
- Examples include having the map set next to a giant pit, on top of a cliff, in space, underwater, in a deep valley, next to an ocean, inside a volcano, inside a giant cave, among huge skyscrapers, etc.
- Have visibledetails throughout the map make ambient noises (birds visible in trees, burst pipes gushing water, frogs, etc).
- Examples include Cashworks eagles, waterfalls in Merc Park
- Light areas of your map in notably different looks, based on team. Shade counts as lighting
- RED with lanterns & BLU under a UFO beam, RED lit by torches & BLU lit with spotlights, RED lit with lava & BLU lit with consoles, etc.
- Have at least one notable dynamic detail outside of gameplay spaces. It should be very easy to see
- Examples include using the skybox_swapper entity, a UFO flying around, a forest fire, etc.
These cards aren't just a fancy reskin of a checklist, but they're also going to be prizes! That's right, the winners will be receiving a set of actual, physical cards! Additionally, the top 10 finalist maps will be included as cards in that deck!
The set is expected to contain:
- 15 Gameplay Challenge Cards
- 7 Detailing Challenge Cards
- 10 Finalist Map Cards featuring the 10 finalist maps submitted to the contest
- 1 Card Box
Didn't place and still want the cards? You're in luck there too! We will be making the TF2maps.net Major Contest #18: Stack the Deck cards available to purchase by anyone who wants a copy, as TF2maps.net's first Official Merch. The cards will become available to purchase mid/late-July 2024, during the finalist round of voting (since we have to make the 10 cards based on the finalists first). All finalists will receive a $3 discount code as a prize.
The current projected cost is $14.99 USD (+shipping). These decks are custom-made and will be printed on-demand, so they may take up to a month to ship after ordered. International shipping to most countries will be available. The decks will be available to purchase through the end of 2024. All profits will go towards site and server maintenance. Contest participants can opt-out of having their card included in the deck, in which case the final set will contain less cards.
Contest winners will receive free copy of an exclusive Special Edition of the set, which will also include:
- 3 Foil Map cards featuring the 3 winning maps
IMPORTANT LEGAL JARGON THAT LETS US DESIGN/PRINT/SELL THE CARDS
BASED ON THE TOP TEN MAPS/WINNERS:
By entering this contest you grant us (the TF2Maps.net Staff Team) a non-exclusive, permanent, irrevocable, unlimited license to design, produce, sell, and distribute cards featuring illustrations and text based on the contents of your entry and the usernames of those involved, without further compensation.
When submitting your entry, you may choose to not grant us this license and "opt-out" by including a statement saying you wish to opt-out alongside the other written materials required to enter. If you choose to opt-out, no card based on your map will be designed, produced, or sold, and no mention of the map or its creators will appear in the final set of TF2maps.net Major Contest #18: Stack the Deck cards.
BASED ON THE TOP TEN MAPS/WINNERS:
By entering this contest you grant us (the TF2Maps.net Staff Team) a non-exclusive, permanent, irrevocable, unlimited license to design, produce, sell, and distribute cards featuring illustrations and text based on the contents of your entry and the usernames of those involved, without further compensation.
When submitting your entry, you may choose to not grant us this license and "opt-out" by including a statement saying you wish to opt-out alongside the other written materials required to enter. If you choose to opt-out, no card based on your map will be designed, produced, or sold, and no mention of the map or its creators will appear in the final set of TF2maps.net Major Contest #18: Stack the Deck cards.
- Your map must be asymmetrical
- Your map must fulfill at least 4 challenges from the Gameplay Deck
- If you aren’t sure about one, ask
- Your map must fulfill at least 2 challenges from the Detailing Deck
- If you aren’t sure about one, ask
- Your map must be able to run on any standard TF2 server/Client without any server modifications or plugins
- Your map must be fully detailed to the best of your ability
- Your map must accommodate at least 24 players in a 12v12 gamemode
- This means stock MvM, VSH, ZI, and TR will not be considered for this contest
- Your map must be fully functional:
- Custom content must be packed
- Cubemaps must be built correctly
- The map cannot be fullbright
- The map must have working logic for the gamemode
- Any map made or started before the announcement cannot be submitted
- "Spiritual successors" to past maps are allowed, provided you remake them from scratch. Contact us if you are unsure if your map is too close to a previous map you have made
- Judges and contest organizers can participate and have their entries scored, but they will not receive any prizes and their entries will be withheld from placement
- Limit one entry per person
- This means you may only directly work on one entry, be that for assets, layout, or both
- You may be credited on multiple maps as an asset contributor for non-bespoke assets, but on only one entry as a collaborator (a mapper or creator of bespoke assets). See the Custom Content/Collaboration Rules below for details
- Maps must be uploaded by July 12th, 2024, 1:00pm EST (18:00 UTC)
- Bugfixes will be accepted for up to 24 hours after the deadline
- You may request a rollback to a previously tested version if a game-breaking bug is discovered within a week of the deadline
- Your map must be styled for tf2
- Max 4 collaborators on a map
- All assets (model, texture, particle, prefab, vscript) publicly released before the start of the contest can be used freely and the creators of such content do not count as collaborators (they are “contributors” instead)
- Any assets created and/or released more than two weeks after the start of the contest will be considered "bespoke" and the creators of said assets must be counted as collaborators
- Only two of the collaborators on a map are allowed to work on the actual layout in Hammer. All other collaborators must be asset creators
- You count as a collaborator on your own map
- Create a download for your map in the downloads section of the site
- Post a link to your map's thread in the Contest Upload Thread before the July 12th, 2024, 1:00pm EST (18:00 UTC), along with a picture of the map and a list of all cards the map fulfills
- The Submission Thread will be posted a week before the deadline
- You will have 24 hours after the deadline to issue emergency bugfixes
- You may request a rollback to a previously tested version if a game-breaking bug is discovered within a week of the deadline
Maps will be scored by both a panel of judges (40% weight) and public voting (60% weight). Each map will be scored on two categories; Gameplay and Detailing. Gameplay will be worth 67% of the final score, and Detailing will be worth 33% of the final score.
- For public voting, only ballots that have scored at least 3/4 of the maps will be valid
- Voting will take place in two phases; an initial round to cut it down to the top 10 maps, and a finalist round
- Exact times, dates, and specifics for the voting process will be revealed closer to the deadline
We are hoping to have seven Judges for this contest. If you are interested in Judging and can commit to extensively play testing and providing feedback on all entries, please contact Staff to apply to become a Judge.
| Judge | Known for |
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| @14bit | TF2Maps Senior Staff |
| @Sonoma | TF2Maps Staff, Mannsylvania |
| @Diva Dan | Creator of Brew, Hacksaw, Zombie Infection |
| @Erk | TF2Maps Staff |
| @Kaia | Judging Back To Basics, Yanqing |
| @ScarlettValkrie | Lead comp tester for Sunshine |
| ??? |
All collaborators will receive one of each prize listed, except for the TF2maps Terraformer for First Place (we only have one to pass around). If you have chosen to opt-out of giving us the rights to create a card based on your entry, you will still receive all other prizes.
First Place:
- A Mapper's Medallion (should you not already have one)
- The TF2maps Terraformer (A Collector's Homewrecker that is passed to the most recent winner of a Major Contest, currently held by Defcon)
- You will get to keep it until the next Major Contest has a winner declared, after which you must pass it to the new winner
- The likeness of your entry added to the TF2maps.net Major Contest #18: Stack the Deck card set
- A Special Edition deck of TF2maps.net Major Contest #18: Stack the Deck cards, featuring exclusive foil variants of the three winning maps
Second Place:
- A Mapper's Medallion (should you not already have one)
- The likeness of your entry added to the TF2maps.net Major Contest #18: Stack the Deck card set
- A Special Edition deck of TF2maps.net Major Contest #18: Stack the Deck cards, featuring exclusive foil variants of the three winning maps
Third Place:
- A Mapper's Medallion (should you not already have one)
- The likeness of your entry added to the TF2maps.net Major Contest #18: Stack the Deck card set
- A Special Edition deck of TF2maps.net Major Contest #18: Stack the Deck cards, featuring exclusive foil variants of the three winning maps
4th-10th Place:
- The likeness of your entry added to the TF2maps.net Major Contest #18: Stack the Deck card set
- A $3 discount code for purchasing a copy of the TF2maps.net Major Contest #18: Stack the Deck cards
Gameplay Card back | Detailing Card back | Map Card back |
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More information about the real-life cards will be shared at a later date, near or after voting has been completed.
Want to pick your cards randomly? @Fault in Maps made a way to do so! Check them out here:
https://pickerwheel.com/rig?id=BGhn3 - Gameplay
https://pickerwheel.com/rig?id=WhBzz - Detailing
Want to use the cards in you map? @Brokkhouse has turned them into overlays! Check them out here:
Major Contest #18: Stack the Deck Cards
The cards from TF2Maps Major Contest #18: Stack the Deck, converted to VTFs and made ready for use in TF2. Use them to show players which challenges you're fulfilling! Cards made by @Pdan4 and owned by TF2Maps.net. Published with permission.
Good Luck Everyone!
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