***Mapping contest 05 - Payload map***

grazr

Old Man Mutant Ninja Turtle
aa
Mar 4, 2008
5,441
3,814
I had no idea those simple restrictions would cause so much contraversy; and i'm a little dissapointed about some of the responses. Why? Well..

I can see that people want to be different (good), but arn't willing to think about it enough to be able to use what they have infront of them (bad). The easiest solution of course is to use something custom or significantly different to stand out, aka the gimmick (teleporters, cars, flying platforms or something "for funzies"). For the most part the rules are creating a level field for the contest to be jugded. The idea being to be different whilst using the same content as everyone else (for the most part atleast). Youme is right in saying that people are thinking outside the wrong box here. To many times have i seen "i want to be different, so here's a nightmap". That is not what i call creativity. Yes, they saw a gap "in the market" but there are gaps in the market for reasons. Gambles that don't pay off, weak investments (i hope people make the connection in that analogy). But i'm just reiterating others here.

What i do want to add is this...

I'm doing a Graphic Design degree at University and my current project is to produce a poster for a renowned graphic magazine. The restrictions set out are that it has to be screen printed and we can only use 2 colours.

Not one person complained about these restrictions, no one cried out "you're limiting my abilities, i'm good on a pc, why shouldn't i be allowed to use one? Why not 3 colours? i thought this was a creative course?!". Infact they were welcomed with open arms because with an infinite amount of possible solutions entries/submissions become generic and directionless and unimaginative. The restrictions narrow the playing field and really pit one person against another in an intuative creativity contest. (What better place than to really raise the bar and even learn something).

This is a problem solving matter. You are to resolve a submission that is creative whilst under these restrictions.

The contest itself is the same. There is a lack of quality custom maps. It's a way to flood the custom mapping scene with more stock quality maps. If people are allowed to add gimmick's then it defeats the purpose of the contest.

There will be other occasions for people to incorporate more significant gimmick's. This wont be the only competition to ever happen, so try not to think of it as the end of the world. But, it's not even like you need a competition to release your gimmick map in. If your map is really that amazing it'll be accepted by the community regardless of winning a competition or not. So i don't know what people are so worried about.
 
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toutfou

L3: Member
Sep 8, 2008
136
16
Cool, no worries ;) Thanks for the reply.

There will be other occasions for people to incorporate more significant gimmick's. This wont be the only competition to ever happen, so try not to think of it as the end of the world. But, it's not even like you need a competition to release your gimmick map in. If your map is really that amazing it'll be accepted by the community regardless of winning a competition or not. So i don't know what people are so worried about.

No ones worried, or thinking it's the end of the world. We just have questions and differing view points ;)
 

grazr

Old Man Mutant Ninja Turtle
aa
Mar 4, 2008
5,441
3,814
It's quite alright; the questions are fine but i tended to read these "questions" more as requests for exceptions to the rules than questions in the general sense. (that is just how they appeared to me, though).

Speaking in a general, to everyone; If you're unsure of what qualifies as acceptable then it is probably best left out for another time. For the contests sake. I mean, we're not pushing new idea's here. Just the (single stage) payload gametype. I thought Youme's first post made that clear.

You should all be concentrating on creating a stunning environment that is both beautiful and gameplay friendly. Anything else in consideration to this objective is really a distraction.

New idea's can come some other time.
 
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Oct 6, 2008
1,947
445
Hi,

Ok, I’m looking at entering my pl_bugscanyon map into the question but I need to ask some clarifications before I do:

Re: Gimmicks

Elevators –

I have a river at the bottom of the canyon – the only way out is an elevator – this is a hard elevator to use – sometimes it lifts sometimes it doesn’t – for the most part it doesn’t at the moment and I can’t figure it out. – Is the elevator a gimmick – see screen shots – the last one:

http://forums.tf2maps.net/album.php?albumid=29

Control points –

I’m kind of stuck in what to do – the typical pl map has 3 possibly 4 cap points to it. My map is too large for just 3 caps.

Currently I have a pl_test map working that has 8 points on it – they all work beautifully – the problem is that the team_train_watcher isn’t showing anything above 3 or 4 so this leaves me in a dilemma (see – http://forums.tf2maps.net/showthread.php?t=3994) do I:

1. Make it a 3 cap map and add in a massive amount of cap time to allow the attacking team to get the cart close the next one

Or

2. Put in my 8 caps and make just 3 of them show up on the team_train_watcher to give people an idea of where the cart is on the map. In-between these points on the scale I would have the unmarked ones that the attackers could still cap.

Or

3. Put in the 8 points and have no team_train_watcher period – the text messages I have popping up in the game make it perfectly clear where the attackers are and the train move by and triggers it.

Lastly, although I asked previously, how to you set up hammer so that you can use the posters that must be included in your map to be a contest contender?

Please let me know if these items would disqualify an entry :)

Edit
Re: the hammer setup - I figured it out and have the textures in my map now

Can I pre-release the map to the public?
 
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Inqwel

L6: Sharp Member
Jun 2, 2008
308
59
Well, looks like I'm not going to be able to make it.

I had a power outage while saving the file earlier today and it ended up corrupting my current version. The autosave restored it to a blank slate. My last progressive map only has 1/2 the last check point, while the current one would of had a finished final and a prior point all worked out with details. Its a lot of lost effort now and If I do start over, I would have to eliminate a checkpoint.

All I have left is a picture of the area before I finished it off.


:(
 

Inqwel

L6: Sharp Member
Jun 2, 2008
308
59
I don't know how to do that.
I'm guessing just change .vmx to .vmf?
 
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YM

LVL100 YM
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Dec 5, 2007
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I would assume so, I've never had to do it but I think I remember someone else here talking about it so someone else might know.
 

Inqwel

L6: Sharp Member
Jun 2, 2008
308
59
I've tried and kept receiving an error when loading the map from the renamed .vmx, says there is a corruption in line 1****** (long number) and that it had trouble loading solids.
 
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YM

LVL100 YM
aa
Dec 5, 2007
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Ah, in that case you may well be able to open it up in a text editor like notepad (perhaps one with line numbers might be better) and then find the line and remove said solid, leaving you hopefully with your map minus one brush.
 

Inqwel

L6: Sharp Member
Jun 2, 2008
308
59
Actually using a program called Recuva, A previous save version was found minus one building. Its now been saved and backed up on another PC.
 

Zeewier

L9: Fashionable Member
Sep 20, 2008
619
262
Maybe someone already suggested it;
but maybe, because this is a big contest, it's a cool idea to have some extra "winners" like best balance, most original and/or best optimization. (some of those can be partially based on maths)
 
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Pelf

L1: Registered
Aug 21, 2008
2
1
Cool. I think I will enter. I've been working on a single-staged payload map for a few weeks now. I should have it done by the deadline. I'll post some pics when I get a chance.
 

Inqwel

L6: Sharp Member
Jun 2, 2008
308
59
Maybe someone already suggested it;
but maybe, because this is a big contest, it's a cool idea to have some extra "winners" like best balance, most original and/or best optimization. (some of those can be partially based on maths)

It be nice to at least see some runner ups.
 
Jan 31, 2008
555
1,482
Need to do some proper optimizing on my pl map, then it's ready for playtest :)
Should be done by new-year
 

Fearlezz

L10: Glamorous Member
May 4, 2008
787
476
Oh the mapping here. It makes me go all crazy ^_^