Next Contest 2015?

Kube

Not the correct way to make lasagna
aa
Aug 31, 2014
1,342
1,849
Hey, just wanted to take an interesting conversation on the Steam Chat to the forums. Thought it would do the site some more justice plotted out here.

Here is a copy/paste of the chat:

Code:
10:53 PM - Ido: i just want a contest where the emphasis is on creating something new and interesting
10:53 PM - Ido: breaking out of old fomulas
10:53 PM - [UEAK]Crash: dynamic payload was a fun contest
10:53 PM - Auwi: lets take upward and make it 5cp
10:53 PM - Auwi: that might be cool
10:53 PM - Jethro: let's take upward and make it downward
10:53 PM - ynders??: I try to make my maps interesting
10:53 PM - KubeKing4556: I was honestly thinking what Upward would be like as an a/d map
10:53 PM - Stiffy360 is now playing Team Fortress 2. Click here to join.
10:53 PM - Auwi: theres probably a gamebanana map like that
10:53 PM - ynders??: but they usually end up being way too fucking dumbto be fun
10:53 PM - KubeKing4556: Not deceivingly thinking
10:53 PM - PyroDevil: i tried to make cliffside interesting
10:54 PM - ynders??: I tried to make coniferous interesting
10:54 PM - Freyja: Let's have an a/d contest
10:54 PM - Freyja: a/d of any type
10:54 PM - ynders??: whynot
10:54 PM - Auwi: a/d TC
10:54 PM - Freyja: because people always make symmetrical maps
10:54 PM - Auwi: sounds fun
10:54 PM - KubeKing4556: Yeah, seems fun enough
10:54 PM - ynders??: isnt a/d tc just 3 stage a/d
10:54 PM - Iiboharz/theredder: has there ever been a gamemode-locked 72hr?
10:54 PM - Jethro: a/d of any type?
10:54 PM - Ido: hmm
10:54 PM - PyroDevil: it was untill layl surfed the playerclip and then just had the base jumper and just floated to the bottom
10:54 PM - Ido: that could be neat
10:54 PM - Freyja: payload, a/d cp of 3stage or gorge style
10:54 PM - Auwi: the thing is people are just bad at a/d
10:54 PM - Freyja: exactly
10:54 PM - Ido: 72hr has always been open, iibo
10:54 PM - Seba: are they better at sym
10:54 PM - Freyja: that's why it'd be fun to do Auwi
10:54 PM - Jethro: what about a/d ctf ho ho ho
10:54 PM - Ido: asym contest
10:55 PM - Freyja: It'd force people to not do koth and 5cp maps for a change
10:55 PM - KubeKing4556: green giant
10:55 PM - Ido: just anything asym
10:55 PM - ynders??: yes
10:55 PM - Freyja: Yeah actually Ido, that's better
10:55 PM - Ido: asym arena? sure
10:55 PM - Freyja: because then people could attempt asym koth or something if they wanted
10:55 PM - Ido: yeah
10:55 PM - Jethro: asym 5CP
10:55 PM - Ido: i like this idea
10:55 PM - Freyja: I'd like to see that
10:55 PM - KubeKing4556: TF2Maps presents... the Asymmetrical Contest!
10:55 PM - Auwi: a/d arena might be cool
10:55 PM - Freyja: Everyone always seems to do sym maps
10:55 PM - KubeKing4556: How would that work?
10:55 PM - Seba: can't do symmetrical maps
10:55 PM - Seba: simple
10:55 PM - Freyja: Except don't call it that
10:55 PM - ynders??: I do sym maps because I'm super lazy
10:55 PM - Ido: only rule is that your map can't be symmetrical
10:55 PM - Freyja: Because we already had the a/symmetrical contest
10:55 PM - Auwi: a/d plr
10:55 PM - Ido: the lopsided contest
10:56 PM - ynders??: and bad at mapping
10:56 PM - Noizeblaze: http://puu.sh/emkvD.jpg
10:56 PM - Jethro: did we?
10:56 PM - Seba: yes
10:56 PM - Seba: ravidge hosted it i think
10:56 PM - Freyja: That's the one that crossaint came out of
10:56 PM - KubeKing4556: I do asymmetrical maps cuz I'm super lazy!
10:56 PM - Freyja: and process?
10:56 PM - Freyja: and snakewater I think?
10:56 PM - Freyja: don't remember
10:56 PM - Auwi: not snakewater
10:56 PM - Freyja: everyone just did 5cp for it anyway
10:56 PM - Auwi: it was I think clocktower
10:57 PM - Ido: even if we do an asym contest, i want to push innovation as a thing
10:57 PM - Auwi: and some 4 word maps
10:57 PM - Ido: like
10:57 PM - Auwi: map*
10:57 PM - Jethro: that's... sort of funny, on the wiki entry for it, there's only four 5cp maps
10:57 PM - Ido: make it a judging category
10:57 PM - Auwi: in was in water or soemthing
10:57 PM - ynders??: what was the premise of the a/symmetrical contest?
10:57 PM - KubeKing4556: Yeah, Ido, I second that
10:57 PM - Jethro: or atleast 4 symmetrical maps
10:57 PM - Jethro: which is why i'd assume it was 5cps
10:57 PM - Freyja: One of the winners was copperhead though
10:57 PM - Seba: bonus points for innovation
10:57 PM - Freyja: that was a cool map
10:57 PM - Freyja: ynders: it was just cp
10:57 PM - Freyja: cp of any type
10:57 PM - ynders??: alright
10:57 PM - Seba: was copperhead owly's map
10:57 PM - Ido: i have some ideas on how to revamp the judging system
10:57 PM - Ido: i should write them down sometime
10:57 PM - Freyja: Yes seba
10:57 PM - Freyja: Ido please do this contest
10:57 PM - KubeKing4556: Hold on: making a thread now.
10:57 PM - Ido: i wrote them down in that thread but i never really wrote a complete system
10:57 PM - Auwi: for what kube
10:58 PM - ynders??: maybe I'll do a contest sometime
10:58 PM - Auwi: no an admin will do it
10:58 PM - Seba: write me things and I'll put them in the staff forum ido
10:58 PM - ynders??: I know: training map contest
10:58 PM - Seba: or just pm the admins doesn't matter
10:58 PM - Ido: ok uhh
10:58 PM - ynders??: mwaahaha
10:58 PM - Ido: i wont tonight
10:58 PM - Freyja: No ido
10:58 PM - ynders??: now people have to learn new things
10:58 PM - Ido: and i'll probably be busy tomorrow
10:58 PM - Freyja: Put it in the discussion thread
10:58 PM - Freyja: for this exact topic
10:58 PM - Freyja: That barely anyone used
10:58 PM - Ido: im the last post in that topic atm
10:58 PM - Ido: i think
10:58 PM - Auwi: so an innovation contest then right
10:58 PM - Ido: asym contest
10:58 PM - Auwi: oh kk
10:59 PM - Ido: innovation being a judging category
10:59 PM - Ido: possibly
10:59 PM - Freyja: asym contest with a focus on innoation
10:59 PM - PyroDevil: ^
10:59 PM - Freyja: innovation
10:59 PM - [UEAK]Crash: that said, we should wait awhile before starting any new contests, imo

Some general themes of the chat were to have a contest based on innovation, A/D, or asymmetry. If anyone wants to weigh down in the replies below, that would be very helpful and appreciated.
 
Last edited:

Freyja

aa
Jul 31, 2009
2,994
5,813
If your read the chatlog you notice we were discussing that and said that Asymmetry would be better because it allows people to attempt asymmetrical koth/cp/arena/whatever if they want to.
 

Berry

resident homo
aa
Dec 27, 2012
1,056
1,898
I say this every time the contest topic comes up, but I really agree that it'd be nice to see less of these weird super out there contests (2 skillsets, mercs vs aliens..) and more simple ones (do this/these mode/s, do this/these theme/s etc.)
 

Fruity Snacks

Creator of blackholes & memes. Destroyer of forums
aa
Sep 5, 2010
6,394
5,571
Something that I was considering for everyone is to just NOT have a contest. Go, start your own map, make what YOU want, not what some contest dictates.

EDIT: Should note, I'm not saying that we won't ever have a contest again. But I am saying that, not having a contest could be more beneficial. It lets you guys just do whatever you want without a contest looming over your head.
 
Last edited:

wareya

L420: High Member
Jun 17, 2012
493
191
I'm just waiting for compilepal to update before continuing to work on dkoth_ironwill.
 

killohurtz

Distinction in Applied Carving
aa
Feb 22, 2014
1,016
1,277
I say this every time the contest topic comes up, but I really agree that it'd be nice to see less of these weird super out there contests (2 skillsets, mercs vs aliens..) and more simple ones (do this/these mode/s, do this/these theme/s etc.)

I agree, since simpler contests are more accessible to newer mappers who want to enter something without having to stray from official gamemodes and whatnot. Of course, those "weird" contests are always good for challenging the more experienced mappers, and it's cool to see what people come up with.

Something that I was considering for everyone is to just NOT have a contest. Go, start your own map, make what YOU want, not what some contest dictates.

EDIT: Should note, I'm not saying that we won't ever have a contest again. But I am saying that, not having a contest could be more beneficial. It lets you guys just do whatever you want without a contest looming over your head.

That's an interesting thought, but I'm sure people still like to enter contests regardless, and if they aren't too specialized (like MVA) an entry can always be used to kickstart a new map if someone is out of ideas.
 

Fruity Snacks

Creator of blackholes & memes. Destroyer of forums
aa
Sep 5, 2010
6,394
5,571
That's an interesting thought, but I'm sure people still like to enter contests regardless, and if they aren't too specialized (like MVA) an entry can always be used to kickstart a new map if someone is out of ideas.

Thats what 72hr contest are for :D
 

Bakscratch

Finisher of Maps
aa
Oct 29, 2010
714
1,492
How about a finish a map contest? :V
 

Kube

Not the correct way to make lasagna
aa
Aug 31, 2014
1,342
1,849
How about a finish a map contest? :V

TF2Maps Presents... The Release Candidate Contest!

On a more serious note, I'd like to see a mapping-related-but-not-mapping mini contest, like "Best Addition to the Tutorials Section," "Best Addition to the Valve Dev Wiki," etc. And for a mapping contest, I'd like to see the asymmetrical idea put into action, or an A/D contest.
 

Idolon

they/them
aa
Feb 7, 2008
2,105
6,106
I'm writing up some ideas for the contest right now, and also trying to figure out a schedule. I'm thinking that the contest probably shouldn't start until April at the earliest, probably May.
 

BigBros

L3: Member
Aug 20, 2014
147
31
I would love to see something like the art pass competition again, didnt discover mapping during the time of that comp, and it looked really cool to participate in...
 

Kube

Not the correct way to make lasagna
aa
Aug 31, 2014
1,342
1,849
I would love to see something like the art pass competition again, didnt discover mapping during the time of that comp, and it looked really cool to participate in...

Oh, yeah! I also think that would be a great way to kickstart more communication between the community and Valve.
 

Kube

Not the correct way to make lasagna
aa
Aug 31, 2014
1,342
1,849
An idea I had was a 1 cp a/d map. It's rarely done, and IMO it could work.

Yeah, that's definitely tricky, but I could see how it could turn into something fantastic, especially with some help in playtesting during the competition.