TF2Maps.net 72hr Contest #4 - Prelim questions!

When is the best time for the 72hr Contest?

  • Mid to Late May

    Votes: 6 15.0%
  • Early to Mid June

    Votes: 16 40.0%
  • Mid to Late June

    Votes: 18 45.0%
  • Early to Mid July

    Votes: 14 35.0%
  • Mid to Late July

    Votes: 11 27.5%
  • Early to Mid August

    Votes: 7 17.5%

  • Total voters
    40

Fruity Snacks

Creator of blackholes & memes. Destroyer of forums
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Sep 5, 2010
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TF2Maps.net 72hr Mapping Contest #4

It's been a long time, how have you been?

I'm back to host yet another 72hr contest (HOLY COW!). But I need to ask you all a few questions first...

1. Using the above poll, people tell me which time region over the next few months is best for you. (you may pick more than one)
2. Are the rules from last year sufficient?
3. Is there anything new you might want to add to this years contest (a specific theme, for example)
4. Want a fanta, don'tchu you want a fanta?

Also post anything else here that you feel you want to add or discuss.
I will need some donations (once again) for games, I still have 3 from last year, but need some more.

Thanks guys!

Previous rules:
RULES
  • Respect the time limit! You may NOT start making your map in Hammer in ANY way shape or form before it starts. We cannot effectively restrict this, but take this into consideration; This contest is meant to challenge your skills at working effectively and quickly coming up with good solutions. If you cheat, you're only demonstrating your own lousyness to yourself. That doesn't feel good.
  • You MUST have the map done and submitted before the 72hrs run out. This is very important, because there is no "grace period". Done means done.
  • Any physical size allowed.
  • Any gamemode is allowed, you are welcome to use a non-stock gamemode (such as CSF or Tug-of-war), but choose wisely.
  • You cannot use an already-started map or assets from it. However, you can begin sketching out a layout and planning before the contest begins (this is recommended if you want to make a large map). If you have an old vmf lying around that you want to use, you'll have to remake it from scratch.
  • Maps must be able to spawn 32 players (16 per team).
  • Any amount of detail is allowed. However, it's a good idea to concentrate on gameplay and making sure everything works in time for the deadline.
  • No collaborations are allowed!
  • Custom content is allowed, but only if it's made entirely by yourself using your own resources OR it's made by someone else who has already made it available to the public. However, please remember that very large file sizes are unnecessary and very annoying to download, so keep your map small by avoiding too much custom content.
  • You are allowed to use A Boojum Snark's resource library and other such packs and prefabs, such as the lighting library.
  • You are allowed to use Fr0z3n's Map Start-up Prefab
  • You are allowed to test your map as many times as you wish during the 72hrs. There will be impromptu's hosted by staff/members throughout the 72hr time period. If you have the time to have your map tested, it is HIGHLY recommended
  • Your submission MUST follow this naming convention: <gamemode>_<nickname>_72 (You don't have to use your full forum name, but make sure it's recognisable as your map. For instance, I would name mine cp_frozen_72). For multiple entries (or if your map for previous competitions had the same name), append a number at the end of it (i.e. cp_frozen_72_2).
    In previous contests we had a lot of maps that did not follow this convention. That won't be tolerated this year. (For realz)
    DO NOT USE CAPITAL LETTERS IN YOUR FILE NAME!
  • You may submit as many entries as you want, but you'll have to judge for yourself whether this is wise.

DISQUALIFICATIONS
Your map will be disqualified from the competition if it breaks the follow rules:
  • Your map does not follow the set naming convention
  • Your map crashes the server/clients.
  • Your map includes assets/sections that are from other maps (this includes anything you've made)
  • Your map is fullbright/TOO dark (That is, it is impossible to see/decern other team mates and surroundings)*
  • Your map is a trade map
  • You have broken any of the preivously mentioned rules
*This will also include maps that are too BRIGHT on LDR AND HDR(it has happened)

JUDGING
After the 72hr mapping period is over, I will check maps for incompatibility issues, make disqualifications, etc. If you suspect that a map has broken a rule (or 2) please contact Fr0z3n ASAP. After that is done (should be about a day and a half), I will open up the voting.

  • IF, there is MORE than (or equal to) 20 entries, we WILL be doing a preliminary round of voting. You will be asked to list 5 - 10 of your favorite maps (in no particular order). Any votes with less than 5 maps will not be counted. Any votes with more than 10 maps listed, the first 10 maps will be used. After prelim voting is over, the top X* maps will move on to official voting. *Number of maps to move on will be determined based on the number of entries. The cut off will be annouced if/when preliminary voting occurs.
  • If there is less than 20 entries, then preliminary voting will be skipped, and we will move to official voting. For official voting you will rank the top THREE (3) maps. You also MUST explain why you chose those maps. Just one sentence will do.
  • The length of each judging period will be determined at the time of judging based on the number of entries.

STREAMING
You are encouraged to stream progress of your work. If you are planning on streaming, you can PM me the url to your stream. On the day of the contest, I will make an annoucement that has all of url's to all the streams. If streaming, please keep it some-what clean. No Porn or adult pictures, videos, sounds.
 
Last edited:

phi

aa
Nov 6, 2011
832
1,815
Yeah, if we didn't restrict/disallow KOTH maps they would literally end up being like 95% of the entries again. I'd like to see people do 72hr CP maps rather than KOTH for sure.
 

GPuzzle

L9: Fashionable Member
Feb 27, 2012
638
414
Yeah, guess we are probably going to do this in June or July.

Also, if this is going to be a 72hr contest without KOTH, then it's going to be an actual challenge to basically anyone.

GODDAMNIT KOTH, WHY THE HECK DO YOU HAVE TO BE SO TACTICAL (ABLE TO BE SOMETHING THAT DOESN'T DEGRESS TO TDM) AND FAST TO MAKE AT THE SAME TIME?
 

Bloodhound

L6: Sharp Member
Jan 3, 2011
316
489
Well, you gotta say, that there was a reason, why last years entries was like 95% KOTH.
STAR's contest was running at the same time, and most people wanted to scrap their KOTH map for it.
 
Mar 23, 2010
1,872
1,696
Exactly midjune
 

Fruity Snacks

Creator of blackholes & memes. Destroyer of forums
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Sep 5, 2010
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Alright, so people hate KotH, then open question:

Besides the "we're sick of playing KotH maps and there are a ton of them" reasons as to why you hate KotH, could people provide me some other constructive (not to start a flame war) reasons as to why KotH shouldn't be included?

I'll hold my opinions on this til later, I've been away for a while so I want to know what you guys are thinking.
 

Harribo

aa
Nov 1, 2009
871
851
I think keeping koth is a good idea, it allows people of all skills to participate, how about not allowing someone who has made a koth map in a 72hr contest before to do so again?

Tbh I think people should be able to make whatever they want and if people are going to actually fall back into koth then they are only screwing themselves over and wasting a opportunity.
 

Micnax

Back from the dead (again)
aa
Apr 25, 2009
2,109
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how about not allowing someone who has made a koth map in a 72hr contest before to do so again?

This is pretty reasonable. I felt like I was going to auto-lose last time because I entered a CTF map surrounded by KOTH maps (which is quite comparable in popularity and I'm surprised I even got past the first voting stage).

Restricting KOTH will make people actually want to explore the other gamemodes TF2 has, like Payload, CTF and normal capture point maps.
 

fubarFX

The "raw" in "nodraw"
aa
Jun 1, 2009
1,720
1,978
I feel that banning koth would force the creativity we want to see in a contest of this nature. a lot of gamemodes can be easily made in that time frame. plr comes to mind, same applies for ctf, sd, cp, hell even pl. its fine if you guys want to make koth, but you have to be serious about it.
 

Fruity Snacks

Creator of blackholes & memes. Destroyer of forums
aa
Sep 5, 2010
6,394
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I'll still listen to feedback and chat about what I think should happen still, but I'd like to point that koth_arctic came out of the 72hr contest last year, didn't do /that/ well, but still took 1st in the STAR_ contest.


If we were to limit to say, 5 (arbitrary number), gamemodes... what would you guys like to see?
 

Bloodhound

L6: Sharp Member
Jan 3, 2011
316
489
I don't thing that a game mode restriction is the best solution.

Since everyone apparently hates KotH maps here, there won't be much entries.
(Does that make sense?)

And if there is a KotH map, and if it's good and creative, who cares about it being a KotH map?
And if it's bad, then it's just another bad map, that wouldn't get much testing.

If everyone who hates KotH is creating a non-KotH map, then we already should have enough diversity to survive the playtests.