Let's throw in train assault cp (or how the hell snowplow's gamemode should be called) and tc_ on unused gamemodes contest list
Contest idea thread!
- Thread starter FaTony
- Start date
I've been working on something with this theme for quite some time.
- Mar 6, 2013
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I'd call snowplow cp. It's not complicated, that's all it really is.Let's throw in train assault cp (or how the hell snowplow's gamemode should be called) and tc_ on unused gamemodes contest list
TC is a good one though. I'd add points for innovation (payload based, deviation from hydro style) to try and spice up the quintessential dead game mode.
Here's a contest I'd like to see: fresh theme contest. A major judging factor would be on how unique, pleasing, and complete the visuals and ambience are. This would likely be based against all official maps and maybe significant community ones.
Now this doesn't require custom assets as existing ones can be cleverly used, but they will help. I'd consider allowing use of orphaned or personal alpha maps since thorough detailing of new themes is very time consuming.
I want to encourage creation and use of unique themes as they are far more memorable and rewarding to both the creator and the player.
Now this doesn't require custom assets as existing ones can be cleverly used, but they will help. I'd consider allowing use of orphaned or personal alpha maps since thorough detailing of new themes is very time consuming.
I want to encourage creation and use of unique themes as they are far more memorable and rewarding to both the creator and the player.
Weve gotten ALOT of new themes rescently, space, japan, jungle, arctic/frozen, alien invaded, swamp, classic desert, industrial complex's, japan city, japan classical country (suijin), hell, I dont really think a contest is going to bring forth anything that we havent already gotten...
You'd be surprised...I have at least 4 themes lined up that i've never seen in another map on this site
You're right that we do have many, but there's still many more possibilities. If anything the abundance of assets paves the way for even more combinations.
What I strive for is an immersive and awe-inspiring atmosphere. Duplicating a theme from an existing map exactly can't easily provide that. The original map already took most of that glory.
The easiest way to achieve this is by remixing an existing theme. For example, I remember when sawmill was released. It was heavily based on the Alpine theme that came with lumberyard, yet it still provided a very fresh and unique feeling as though it was entirely brand new.
Through a thoughtful combination of lighting, architecture, sound, textures, models, and more, you can make your map stand out and be memorable to all who play it. That's the contest emphasis I want to see.
Has there been any thought of doing a small contest for new wall art for maps? Something like new in game posters, signs or calendars for maps. A lot of that sort of stuff gets reused in a lot of maps and I think seeing some fresh content would be nice. For example both red and blu have one calendar that often shows up in their spawn, I would love to see some new calendars with different art/dates.
I've seen a few posts mentioning Mayan temple traps so maybe a trap design competition would be cool. Theres plenty of places to get inspiration like Indiana Jones movies or the millions of Tomb Raider games.
Maybe have the choice to make a hazard that would work in a normal TF2 map or alternativey create some other kind of puzzle that wouldn't be suitable for the flow of a multiplayer game but would still be fun for the testers to try to solve or maybe these could be seperate categories to make scoring easier
Maybe have the choice to make a hazard that would work in a normal TF2 map or alternativey create some other kind of puzzle that wouldn't be suitable for the flow of a multiplayer game but would still be fun for the testers to try to solve or maybe these could be seperate categories to make scoring easier
Idk how much interest there would be for a contest like this but what about something focused on learning.
Here's what I mean by this. Contestants would work in a group of 2, one "expert" mapper and one "inexperienced" mapper. Both people would work together a map for a few months and then there would be a vote to see which team created the best or most interesting map.
The goal of this contest is to help middle of the road mappers to improve their skills in mapping, level design, problem solving, and communication.
How would it work?
"Expert" mappers who are interested in the contest would be put onto a short list while "inexperienced" mappers would be put into a pool. Pooled mappers would include links to their current or previous projects with a prerequisite of having at least one project.
After a specific cut off date, "expert" mappers would then go through the pool and decide who they want to work with. This way no one gets paired up with someone they don't want to work with or someone who first opened hammer yesterday.
Teams would then create whatever kind of map they wanted as long as it kept to TF2's core game modes (cp, a/d, and so on) and after 2 or 3 months the maps would be run on the server so people could vote on them.
What makes a "Expert" mapper and an "inexperienced" mapper?
To me, an Expert mapper is someone who's been mapping for a long time with multiple released or release candidate projects. If someone has a map that has been made official then all the better.
An Inexperienced mapper is not a complacently new mapper or someone who has no idea what they are doing. To me an inexperienced mapper is someone who's been mapping for a while, with multiple developed but not necessarily finished projects.
Example: An Expert would be someone like Crash while an Inexperienced mapper would be someone like myself.
What are the main goals for this contest.
The main goal for this contest is to help bring the community together as well as being a learning experience.
What are the Risks for a contest like this?
The largest risk is that "expert" mappers would be completely uninterested in this idea. I imagine that some of them would be completely uninterested in working with someone with low experience instead of someone they can reliably trust not to make mistakes. Since "expert" mappers can pick their partners I would hope there would be a low chance of this happening.
The idea of this contest is not for one mapper to make the whole project for the other. How work is split would be up to the teams but I would hope they try to do so equally instead of "expert" mappers taking only a overseeing role or "inexperienced" mappers only working on one room.
Here's what I mean by this. Contestants would work in a group of 2, one "expert" mapper and one "inexperienced" mapper. Both people would work together a map for a few months and then there would be a vote to see which team created the best or most interesting map.
The goal of this contest is to help middle of the road mappers to improve their skills in mapping, level design, problem solving, and communication.
How would it work?
"Expert" mappers who are interested in the contest would be put onto a short list while "inexperienced" mappers would be put into a pool. Pooled mappers would include links to their current or previous projects with a prerequisite of having at least one project.
After a specific cut off date, "expert" mappers would then go through the pool and decide who they want to work with. This way no one gets paired up with someone they don't want to work with or someone who first opened hammer yesterday.
Teams would then create whatever kind of map they wanted as long as it kept to TF2's core game modes (cp, a/d, and so on) and after 2 or 3 months the maps would be run on the server so people could vote on them.
What makes a "Expert" mapper and an "inexperienced" mapper?
To me, an Expert mapper is someone who's been mapping for a long time with multiple released or release candidate projects. If someone has a map that has been made official then all the better.
An Inexperienced mapper is not a complacently new mapper or someone who has no idea what they are doing. To me an inexperienced mapper is someone who's been mapping for a while, with multiple developed but not necessarily finished projects.
Example: An Expert would be someone like Crash while an Inexperienced mapper would be someone like myself.
What are the main goals for this contest.
The main goal for this contest is to help bring the community together as well as being a learning experience.
What are the Risks for a contest like this?
The largest risk is that "expert" mappers would be completely uninterested in this idea. I imagine that some of them would be completely uninterested in working with someone with low experience instead of someone they can reliably trust not to make mistakes. Since "expert" mappers can pick their partners I would hope there would be a low chance of this happening.
The idea of this contest is not for one mapper to make the whole project for the other. How work is split would be up to the teams but I would hope they try to do so equally instead of "expert" mappers taking only a overseeing role or "inexperienced" mappers only working on one room.
That would be a really awesome and interesting idea! I could see an expert getting frustrated trying to teach an inexperienced player, and that would show in their place in a contest- which isn't necessarily a bad thing. It encourages patience and teamwork. I think it would be cool to have the inexperienced user plan the main layout and have the expert help push an alpha, but have the beginner mostly responsible for updating to play tester's needs. I think that would really put them in an expert's shoes.
I love this idea, but 2 things strike out for me:
1. To little 'expert' mappers around that would EASILY be outnumbered by people like myself who would love ot be in this kind of contest, unless you didnt plan on a 1-1 ratio
2. Time, not that 2-3 months isnt enouph for a learning lesson, but for an expert mapper (most likely a site admin who has other things to do other then map) its alot of time to spend dedicated to 1 project/1 person.
This would be cool, but should not be a contest, basically same things come up like what Dave said. Instead there should be a 1-1 Community Jam for two man maps.
The suggested time of 2-3 months was an estimate, not an exact time period.
The idea of it being a contest would be in hope of gaining the interest of expert mappers. If people would be willing to do something like this outside of a contest then all the better.
I also understand that there would be more inexperianced mappers than expert mappers. Not everyone who would want to partake could at one time. There's nothing that can really be done about that and would have to be something that anyone signing up would have to understand. If an expert doesn't pick you to work with then you'll have to try harder to gain their attention next time.
I'm glad to see some support for this idea so far. It would need a lot of planning if something like it was ever to happen.
Malachite Man
L6: Sharp Member
- Oct 16, 2015
- 378
- 225
I have a idea for a contest the alternative gamemode contest where you make a map with a gamemode that isn't really reconized those gamemodes are pass time,arena,special delivery,player destruction, robot destructionand payload race i think those gamemodes need to be reconized more.
Payload Race still has it's own servers. Plus it's dm anyways.
Malachite Man
L6: Sharp Member
- Oct 16, 2015
- 378
- 225
I forgot to mention tc and maybe not so much on the payload race part .
Though it would be a neat contest, it still seems unlikely based how unpopular some of the gamemodes are.
