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.
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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