- Nov 25, 2008
- 782
- 845
Yes I agree, there were quite a few of them that had SO much purple and black that I literally couldn't even get a good look at the room cause it was so overwhelming.
***Mapping Contest #7 Voting thread***
- Thread starter YM
- Start date
Vander
L8: Fancy Shmancy Member
- Feb 16, 2008
- 506
- 215
I tried to come up with a fair method for myself to judge the entries. I reviewed every entry and graded each one 1-5 on 5 different criteria:
layout
lighting
detail
originality
style
Averaged points together for a final score. Points subtracted for errors. No score given to entries without cubemaps built (I discarded those entries. Nothing personal to the authors, but they were a pain to look at). A score of 3 represents average. Took the top 5 and picked my favorite from their entries:
5.0 = Youme
4.8 = VFIG #2
4.8 = Pitto
4.6 = Nameless
4.6 = A Boojum Snark
I gave my vote to A Boojum Snark. It was a tough decision, but I just kept coming back to his entry. Well done all of you!
layout
lighting
detail
originality
style
Averaged points together for a final score. Points subtracted for errors. No score given to entries without cubemaps built (I discarded those entries. Nothing personal to the authors, but they were a pain to look at). A score of 3 represents average. Took the top 5 and picked my favorite from their entries:
5.0 = Youme
4.8 = VFIG #2
4.8 = Pitto
4.6 = Nameless
4.6 = A Boojum Snark
I gave my vote to A Boojum Snark. It was a tough decision, but I just kept coming back to his entry. Well done all of you!
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Vander
L8: Fancy Shmancy Member
- Feb 16, 2008
- 506
- 215
Dude. It's one of 28. Lots of good competition too.
(Not to mention you're the only one self-plugging your entry. That could be a turn off for some voters. :thumbdown
Just be cool and let the votes roll in man. Let your work speak for itself, you have one of the better entries (in my humble opinion). Be happy that you're name has been mentioned so many times. If my name had been mentioned as much as yours has been I would be ecstatic. :cool1:
- Nov 25, 2008
- 782
- 845
I feel your pain... I feel it...:crying:
But I can't complain cause it is my first ever anything that I have actually finished. Lol
But I can't complain cause it is my first ever anything that I have actually finished. Lol
Nutomic
L11: Posh Member
- Feb 7, 2009
- 888
- 177
Dude. It's one of 28. Lots of good competition too.
(Not to mention you're the only one self-plugging your entry. That could be a turn off for some voters. :thumbdown
Just be cool and let the votes roll in man. Let your work speak for itself, you have one of the better entries (in my humble opinion). Be happy that you're name has been mentioned so many times. If my name had been mentioned as much as yours has been I would be ecstatic. :cool1:
I didn't even vote at all, don't know why you think so. Okay, I think I should be a bit more patient, sorry for complaining :mellow:
Wow, a lot of entries - some of them really good, some with more room for improvement but that's totally normal. One thing I noticed in almost all of the maps is that there is no info_observer_point. Maybe for the next contest of that type you should add a rule to add one observer point. Also a few don't have built cubemaps or missing tonemap_controllers (or didn't set them right so the HDR lighting is overbright). I ended voting for Youme because of the clean visual style and well executed detailing.
Here's some feedback and comments of what I noticed while walking around in your intel rooms. If you want to have more detailed feedback send me a PM and I can upload some screenshots for you.
A Boojum Snark
|really interesting and well executed theme. great 'underground' atmosphere. glowing 'B' on the floor looks awesome. nicely detailed. slightly too dark, could use more light. mark the intel area with some signs.
ABBAttoir |water in the middle of the base and intel underwater doesn't feel right. think about a real reason why the intel could be underwater and then develop further visual & architecture ideas (example: underwater spytech base). only one path to intel. remove railings because they're blocking the fighting area.
Apom |perfectly executed architecture, looks really nice and fits with TF2. mark the intel area with some signs. a little bland because of no environmental details and buildings.
BigRexy |interesting and well executed theme. got stuck on moving platforms while jumping. custom wall material is too detailed for TF2 in my eyes. could use more light to highlight intel area. add some intelligence signs.
BladeMasterPsi |wooden material looks a little odd, use metal instead. add some metal beams, detail brushes and vent / pipe props. some size issues (ceiling feels too low in some areas). missing cubemap or custom material.
cornontheCoD |well executed theme. prop error - missing model. floating props (not sunk into the wall). add some intel signs. extend doorways to 192 units (imagine 3-5 players fighting through a 128 units doorway - just doesn't work too well).
Drexen |quite well executed theme. fix cubemaps and HDR lighting. some texture misalignments. add some intel signs. move 'RED' overlay to center of the room.
dullestbulb |a little too dark, could use more light. feels quite narrow. add some intel signs. fix HDR lighting.
Ezekel |nice atmosphere. quite well executed theme. doubling the size might work better for gameplay. only one path to intel.
Fearlezz |well executed theme. avoid repetivity (remove some of the many computers and chairs). could use more light. remove railings in the middle of the room if possible because they're blocking a lot of the fighting area.
ikem |well executed and interesting underground atmosphere. some small glitches (overlapping props & brushes, lighting). 'Top Secret' door is stretched. add some intel signs. remove some railings. ceiling feels quite low, maybe increase height by 64 or 128 units.
Jazz |slightly too dark, could use more light. add some intel signs. add more detail props and brushes because it feels a little bland. only one path to intel.
Lss40 1 |not too bad. maybe add some metal beams. place the intel on the floor. only one path to intel (maybe replace that 'mirror' panel on the wall with a doorway).
Lss40 2 |quite well executed. could use some wooden beams on the outside of buildings. add a couple more detail props. func_detail the ramp to the intel.
MrMuffinMan |well executed theme. nice spytech/corporation atmosphere although I didn't expect an egypt setting when I first walked towards the windows. fix cubemaps. add a couple of vent & pipe props to the big room as well as more metal beams.
MungoKing |probably won't work too well as intel room because of the small size (maybe double the size in all 3 dimensions). add some paths to enter the room. lighting too yellowish.
Nameless |really interesting and well executed theme. great 'mountain valley' atmosphere. add some intel signs. change purple lighting to neutral white. some texture misalignments. extend doorways to 192 units (imagine 3-5 players fighting through a 128 units doorway - just doesn't work too well).
Nubcake |quite well executed theme. no intel in the room. fix HDR lighting. missing custom material. platform below the desk looks a little odd (maybe remove it at all).
omega322 |quite well executed theme. mark the intel area with some signs. add more details because it feels a little bland. fix HDR lighting.
Pink_Panther |space is an interesting theme but it doesn't look perfect here, yet (mostly because of the skybox). could use more light. mix of BLU and RED props. add some windows to show more of the space sky. take a look at ctf_moonwalk.
Pitto |interesting and well executed theme. slightly too detailed in some areas (visual noise) so remove some detail brushes. could use more light in some areas. add more intel signs.
Sgt Frag |very well executed theme. mark the intel area with some signs. strange yellow lighting on the big glass windows. add soundscape.
Tech |well executed theme. only one path to intel. mark the intel area with some signs. add a couple more beams and details.
Vander |quite well executed theme. ceiling feels quite bland. only one path to intel. mark the intel area with some signs. prop columns are quite dark. could use more light. func_detail those stones that are broken out of the wall.
Velvet 1 |well executed theme. feels too narrow at all (probably won't work to well for gameplay). only one path to intel. think about the position of the info_observer_point.
Velvet 2 |really interesting and well executed theme. mark the intel area with some signs and overlays. move lights above the desk up (64-128 units). fix cubemaps (pick faces of the glass materials). only one path to intel. think about the position of the info_observer_point. maybe change floor material to a dark non-reflective one.
Void |quite well executed theme. a little bit too dark, could use more light. mark the intel area with some signs. add some metal beams and overlays.
Youme |really well executed theme and detailing. cliff edges feel a little too smooth, could be more rocky. env_sun maybe less yellowish but a little more orange.
Here's some feedback and comments of what I noticed while walking around in your intel rooms. If you want to have more detailed feedback send me a PM and I can upload some screenshots for you.
ABBAttoir |water in the middle of the base and intel underwater doesn't feel right. think about a real reason why the intel could be underwater and then develop further visual & architecture ideas (example: underwater spytech base). only one path to intel. remove railings because they're blocking the fighting area.
Apom |perfectly executed architecture, looks really nice and fits with TF2. mark the intel area with some signs. a little bland because of no environmental details and buildings.
BigRexy |interesting and well executed theme. got stuck on moving platforms while jumping. custom wall material is too detailed for TF2 in my eyes. could use more light to highlight intel area. add some intelligence signs.
BladeMasterPsi |wooden material looks a little odd, use metal instead. add some metal beams, detail brushes and vent / pipe props. some size issues (ceiling feels too low in some areas). missing cubemap or custom material.
cornontheCoD |well executed theme. prop error - missing model. floating props (not sunk into the wall). add some intel signs. extend doorways to 192 units (imagine 3-5 players fighting through a 128 units doorway - just doesn't work too well).
Drexen |quite well executed theme. fix cubemaps and HDR lighting. some texture misalignments. add some intel signs. move 'RED' overlay to center of the room.
dullestbulb |a little too dark, could use more light. feels quite narrow. add some intel signs. fix HDR lighting.
Ezekel |nice atmosphere. quite well executed theme. doubling the size might work better for gameplay. only one path to intel.
Fearlezz |well executed theme. avoid repetivity (remove some of the many computers and chairs). could use more light. remove railings in the middle of the room if possible because they're blocking a lot of the fighting area.
ikem |well executed and interesting underground atmosphere. some small glitches (overlapping props & brushes, lighting). 'Top Secret' door is stretched. add some intel signs. remove some railings. ceiling feels quite low, maybe increase height by 64 or 128 units.
Jazz |slightly too dark, could use more light. add some intel signs. add more detail props and brushes because it feels a little bland. only one path to intel.
Lss40 1 |not too bad. maybe add some metal beams. place the intel on the floor. only one path to intel (maybe replace that 'mirror' panel on the wall with a doorway).
Lss40 2 |quite well executed. could use some wooden beams on the outside of buildings. add a couple more detail props. func_detail the ramp to the intel.
MrMuffinMan |well executed theme. nice spytech/corporation atmosphere although I didn't expect an egypt setting when I first walked towards the windows. fix cubemaps. add a couple of vent & pipe props to the big room as well as more metal beams.
MungoKing |probably won't work too well as intel room because of the small size (maybe double the size in all 3 dimensions). add some paths to enter the room. lighting too yellowish.
Nameless |really interesting and well executed theme. great 'mountain valley' atmosphere. add some intel signs. change purple lighting to neutral white. some texture misalignments. extend doorways to 192 units (imagine 3-5 players fighting through a 128 units doorway - just doesn't work too well).
Nubcake |quite well executed theme. no intel in the room. fix HDR lighting. missing custom material. platform below the desk looks a little odd (maybe remove it at all).
omega322 |quite well executed theme. mark the intel area with some signs. add more details because it feels a little bland. fix HDR lighting.
Pink_Panther |space is an interesting theme but it doesn't look perfect here, yet (mostly because of the skybox). could use more light. mix of BLU and RED props. add some windows to show more of the space sky. take a look at ctf_moonwalk.
Pitto |interesting and well executed theme. slightly too detailed in some areas (visual noise) so remove some detail brushes. could use more light in some areas. add more intel signs.
Sgt Frag |very well executed theme. mark the intel area with some signs. strange yellow lighting on the big glass windows. add soundscape.
Tech |well executed theme. only one path to intel. mark the intel area with some signs. add a couple more beams and details.
Vander |quite well executed theme. ceiling feels quite bland. only one path to intel. mark the intel area with some signs. prop columns are quite dark. could use more light. func_detail those stones that are broken out of the wall.
Velvet 1 |well executed theme. feels too narrow at all (probably won't work to well for gameplay). only one path to intel. think about the position of the info_observer_point.
Velvet 2 |really interesting and well executed theme. mark the intel area with some signs and overlays. move lights above the desk up (64-128 units). fix cubemaps (pick faces of the glass materials). only one path to intel. think about the position of the info_observer_point. maybe change floor material to a dark non-reflective one.
Void |quite well executed theme. a little bit too dark, could use more light. mark the intel area with some signs. add some metal beams and overlays.
Youme |really well executed theme and detailing. cliff edges feel a little too smooth, could be more rocky. env_sun maybe less yellowish but a little more orange.
You don't need to make it sound hypothetical :](Not to mention you're the only one self-plugging your entry. That could be a turn off for some voters. :thumbdown
@ GarbageMan
The lack of signs and observer points is due to this being all about looks and detailing, and they aren't necessarily intended for gameplay. (and least that's why they slipped my mind, not sure if I would have added them if I had thought of them though)
The lack of signs and observer points is due to this being all about looks and detailing, and they aren't necessarily intended for gameplay. (and least that's why they slipped my mind, not sure if I would have added them if I had thought of them though)
Nutomic
L11: Posh Member
- Feb 7, 2009
- 888
- 177
Don't know, maybe you're angry because I got some votes already, didn't look yours up, but I didn't vote for myself, I didn't vote at all, as already written.
If you don't believe it, I'm sure Youme can look it up, so stop trolling now.
Vander
L8: Fancy Shmancy Member
- Feb 16, 2008
- 506
- 215
Yeah, it didn't occur to me until I was looking through everyone's entries that I only made one route to the intel. Doh! Practice makes perfect I suppose.
@ Nameless: Dictionary.com says: "Plugging - Informal. to mention (something) favorably, as in a lecture, radio show, etc.: He says he will appear if he can plug his new TV series."
I meant you were asking for votes. Didn't imply you voted for yourself. BTW, I feel your pain man. This will be a tough competition to win. Lots of good entries.
@ Nameless: Dictionary.com says: "Plugging - Informal. to mention (something) favorably, as in a lecture, radio show, etc.: He says he will appear if he can plug his new TV series."
I meant you were asking for votes. Didn't imply you voted for yourself. BTW, I feel your pain man. This will be a tough competition to win. Lots of good entries.
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Holy crap lol. This could have been a regular prize-winning contest Mad props to everyone who particpated!
Mad props to everyone who particpated!
Nutomic
L11: Posh Member
- Feb 7, 2009
- 888
- 177
Yeah, it didn't occur to me until I was looking through everyone's entries that I only made one route to the intel. Doh! Practice makes perfect I suppose.
@ Nameless: Dictionary.com says: "Plugging - Informal. to mention (something) favorably, as in a lecture, radio show, etc.: He says he will appear if he can plug his new TV series."
I meant you were asking for votes. Didn't imply you voted for yourself. BTW, I feel your pain man. This will be a tough competition to win. Lots of good entries.
Oops sorry for missunderstanding you, I'm no native english speaker :glare:
This won't happen again :/
If only our server events were this popular :glare: However, we now have prefab spawns and intel rooms
All we need is a couple more contests to make prefab bridge/crossing area and 1 room of a main base. Then we could hold a major contest, "Who can make the best map using a combination of prefabs." :thumbup:Got lots of votes. But as you read through almost everyones post, they were based on screenshots. I cant speak for everyone, but I know most the new things I tried had nothing to do with what can be captured in a screenshot.
And with that...
I want to thank those that took the time to look through all the maps.
The other problem is that people voted based on unequal criteria. I have asked twice now for criteria to be posted about how the maps should be evaluated...and nothing.
Vander posted what his/her critera was and some scaling of the few top maps.
(for those thinking that im bitching because i am not winning...i wouldnt vote for my map from the list anyways, theres others that are much better quality)
dullestbulb
L1: Registered
- Mar 20, 2008
- 20
- 1
I knew lighting would be my downfall...guess it's off to the tuts I go...:bored:
Also on terms of unequal voting practices...
My voting was based strictly off of detailing--because in the rules thread it was made clear the competition was about detailing...functionality has nothing to do with this competition. Therefore, I didn't count off for things like bad frame rate, cubemaps (even though building them correctly isn't hard, and looks poorly if you don't fix them), optimization, etc. I voted for the entry I thought looked the best, and I was honest about it. Having said that, I think the lack of voting criteria caused people to vote against maps for functionality issues, like the cubemaps thing--when the rules clearly stated that functionality was not a requirement. Just the little things that peeve people off.
All that aside, I'm excited to see what Monday's competition announcement is...ctf map maybe? Would make sense I think.
All that aside, I'm excited to see what Monday's competition announcement is...ctf map maybe? Would make sense I think.