***Mapping Contest #7 Voting thread***

[Pink_Panther]

Pink_Panther|space is an interesting theme but it doesn't look perfect here, yet (mostly because of the skybox). could use more light. mix of BLU and RED props. add some windows to show more of the space sky. take a look at ctf_moonwalk.

the skybox was a poor attempt. I was mostly going for the effect while concetrating on the room.

Not really sure about your comment of Blue and red mixing. Your saying it needs more, unhappy with the red chairs, etc?

I was going for a different effect than a standard room. Its a space station, so theres no reason to stick to a particular direction of a view. I was basically forced to players being stuck to 'a floor' so i didnt put chairs on 'the ceiling', I had to assume artificial gravity. So, the windows are on the floor and cieling. I bet if you count them all, and compair to a normal map, you would say that I have a rediculous number of windows. They are just not in the traditional locations of on side walls at 40units height to around 90units.

"take a look at ctf_moonwalk." I may do that. But i think you intent was to say you were looking for something with that effect. When I make a map I try to avoid other maps of the same concept. I find it makes people recreate aspects they have seen instead of something new and creative. Sure, you end up with more maps that other people dont care for. But you can sit back and actually say "I created that". I know some would want to argue that point, but thats not my intend. Just pointing out how I make maps.

But, thanks for the review. I like anything i can get that says more than "I like/hate it" without reasons.

 

[Ida]

well executed theme. nice spytech/corporation atmosphere although I didn't expect an egypt setting when I first walked towards the windows. fix cubemaps. add a couple of vent & pipe props to the big room as well as more metal beams.

But I built my cubemaps fully...

That's very strange. I guess that might have lost me some potentional votes.

Anyway, thanks for the words on my room. The Egypt theme was kind of a last-minute addition because I didn't know what to have in the skybox, so I just chose something random. It's quite a nice contrast imo.

 

[Sgt Frag]

Are maps that didn't follow the name criteria dqed? if not people need to read the rules cause it's was quite tedious to rename the few when it should have been done right in the first place.

Mine didn't follow the name precisely and I know someone else had to shorten the name. I was having light issues and it wasn't saving. Youme said it was OK.
Maybe the next contest can just use shorter pre's. irc_ saves alot of letters.

 

[Vander]

We definitely learned a lot from this contest. I'm still blown away by the number of entries. Really looking forward to the next mini-contest. Especially looking forward to cracking open some of the .vmf files and learning from other mappers.

 

[Sgt Frag]

Well, I'm a little disappointed that my map was renamed and the cubemaps broke. I really think running around all of them gave me a better sense of the enviroment.
Maybe these contests can be more about that for voting. Most of the authors put details into the whole room so they can be used later but that's lost in a screenshot, maybe a gameday server map vote. 5 minutes each map, gotta play them all to vote.

Anyway, I thought all of the entries were worthy of a finished map. There were a few that stood out for me and I think that's because I ran around them and saw all the work that had been done.

I thought Boojum's entry was top dog. I think alot of the shape and detail he put iin was lost in the screens. It has a killer skybox outside, room for multiple attacks for a finished map. Great detail all around, especially the floor. Very unique.

I think pitto's is second. Running around it in game was very comfortable and there are details fro every view.

And I might give 3rd to a tie between Velvet and Velvet. Both his entries were great and I think it is mis-represented in screen shot form.

 

[uma plata]

ABBAttoir|water in the middle of the base and intel underwater doesn't feel right. think about a real reason why the intel could be underwater and then develop further visual & architecture ideas (example: underwater spytech base). only one path to intel. remove railings because they're blocking the fighting area.

Thanks for that...it's my first project in hammer I ever finished, so I was kinda focusing on actually finishing it. I guess the idea came out of what I could do with limited skills, to set my entry apart

This is good advice though, I'll def take it to heart for future projects =D

 

[Ceiling Man]

I was going to say #27, but once I played #26, I changed my vote.

 

[RavenStryker]

But I built my cubemaps fully...

That's very strange. I guess that might have lost me some potentional votes.

Anyway, thanks for the words on my room. The Egypt theme was kind of a last-minute addition because I didn't know what to have in the skybox, so I just chose something random. It's quite a nice contrast imo.

I also built my cubmaps fully! O.O
Seems kind of weird that even though some of us built them and checked to make sure they works after the compile and yet they didn't work for some people.

 

[Apom]

The other problem is that people voted based on unequal criteria. I have asked twice now for criteria to be posted about how the maps should be evaluated...and nothing.

I think there is a fairly universal criterium: "vote for your favorite".

 

[Icarus]

I just wish we could somehow narrow the vote down before we decide a final victor.

How about, after this poll is 'over', we take the top 5 or so maps and do a "finalist" vote on that?

It can be pretty lame to lose because of spread out votes due to the overwhelming number of entries.

 

[cornontheCoD]

great job everyone :thumbup1:. I can't wait for both the next mini mapping contest, and the next big mapping contest. I learned a lot of things, and for the next mini mapping contest, I will be sure to get a lot more creative. I added a lot of detail and polish to mine (at least IMO), but I think my entry looks way too "2fort-ish".

 

[TheDarkerSideofYourShadow]

I actually ran through all the maps and took notes on any comments I had. I was looking for style, palyabilty (how many exits, where are they located, where is the intel in the room), and defendability (is there anywhere to place an SG, how many SGs would it take to cover the room, could they be countered easily, is it too easy to defend). So while some of you had beautiful entries, I may speak poorly about it because I can't see it actually being used. Anyways, here's what I've got to say. (TY to Garbageman for the pre filled out table ;-) )

A Boojum Snark |Great detail, from the blinking light on the tower to the patched pant on the ceiling, etc. Interesting use of props. Might be some issues with gameplay (maybe widen some stairs), but it could make for a very interesting map.
ABBAttoir |I'm not a particular fan of the water, because one of the things it does is make it too easy to defend. Maybe if there was a full theme to go with it, it could be really nice (like aqua or something).
Apom |Absolutely beautiful architecture, but I can't see any practical use for it.
BigRexy |Cool SciFi. You'd need to do a whole theme with that, because I don't feel there is anything stock that would really mesh well with it.
BladeMasterPsi |Spoke about this in chat, but the concrete/wood mix is odd. The ceiling is too low at the top. I know you said you were trying to mix two themes, but I don't think it turned out as well as you wanted.
cornontheCoD | Very solid entry that I could see tossing into a standard Valve map. Entrances on opposite sides of the room make it difficult to lock down with just 1 SG. might want to change some of the settings on your props, specifically the beer cans on the floor, because they block SG placement.
Drexen |Interesting entry, though it is a little small, and I imagine it would be difficult to defend.
dullestbulb |More of a corporate feel, which is interesting. It could work, but it feels a bit bland, though that might be fixed by adding a full skybox.
Ezekel |Pretty. Some of the water would fade in and out. I would have to see it in a map to truly judge, because currently the room is too small to be a full intel room.
Fearlezz |The map on the wall was something I found a bit odd. Some detail could be fixed, such as the hazard stripes around the intel, and its possible to get into the prop area, which would be very very bad in a real map.
ikem |Props were amazing, especially the table. A little more headroom would be nice, and you could probably add more detail, such as an alarm to go with your flashing light.
Jazz |While I consider it a nice idea, I'm not sure it would be too practical (defense + entrances). Could add a sound for the platform
Lss40 1 |Not the most practical in terms of gameplay. Very bright. One entrance.
Lss40 2 |Liked this better, of your two entries. However: Entrances? The Blue building? Good style though.
MrMuffinMan |Good, but I don't think there is any way to defend it. Reminds me of the office in rock2.
MungoKing |Too small to be playable really.
Nameless |Looks very good. The lighting in the hallways seemed off. It would be hard to defend, with with the 3 paths you've got going there. Maybe a custom model for the log so you don't have to use the full thing?
Nubcake |No intel present, even though I'm sure it'd go on the desk. I'm not sure this would be too playable with the way its laid out. Overall, there was a lack of detail.
omega322 |Bad download link :-(
Pink_Panther |The mix of red and blue colors threw me off some. I like the idea of guarding the intel, and I think this could be cool in a space map that has a pack of textures/models for it.
Pitto |Very very good. I would change some texturing things, such as switching the braces to metal ibeam textures. I really want to see the full map
Sgt Frag |No bad at all. One entrance was kind of bad, though you have those stairs on the side, even though they don't go to anything right now. Could be interesting if people could enter through the 2nd story, but had to leave during the first, and the stairs on the side were closed part way up (meaning I could hide an sg in there).
Tech |Maybe. A single entrance, though you could probably defend with an SG. That wall texture, which most people used, requires some detail.
Vander |Very nice. It might actually be too easy to defend (I count 4 places you could place an sg and cover the single entrance). Would need something to counter that. Also clip the stairs
Velvet 1 |Very pretty, though a little bright. Its a very quick grab for a scout (hope across the gap). Defending would be difficult, I saw no place where it would be a great spot to put an SG.
Velvet 2 |Also pretty, and easy enough to defend, but you've only got a single entrance to the room (vent entrance?) which might make it too difficult.
Void |Possibly some more detail on the walls (conduits, vents?) Also, is that a HL texture I spot behind the rocket? ;-)
Youme |While you've got gorgeous lighting, I can't see it as a practical intel room, because there is no way I can think of to defend that with how open it is and how the different entrances provide a sightline to nearly all of the room.

Final vote went to ABS, which I kind of knew at the start because of how much it blew me away. The other two that were really good, and I would have voted for if not for snark (read: knock him off before the next contest) are Pitto's and Corn's.

 

[00000000000000000000000]

Why couldn't we vote for two people I wanted to vote for BigRexy and A Boojum Snark.

 

[Nutomic]

Nameless|Looks very good. The lighting in the hallways seemed off. It would be hard to defend, with with the 3 paths you've got going there. Maybe a custom model for the log so you don't have to use the full thing?

I think the log looks ok so, first it's kinda support, and also, you don't really see it ingame.
This is a prefab, for sure, so I can't test the gameplay, but if this is in a map, and it would be imbalanced, it wouldn't be that difficult to remove one entry

€: No idea why I made those lights shine blu, as they should be yellow. Must have been sleeping there :closedeyes:

 

[horsedrowner]

Both Pitto's and Nameless' are great imho. I really love Nameless' view, and Pitto's complexity.

As I'm only a beginning mapper (I just figured out a little about Hammer, lol), this gives me some great inspiration!

 

[Ceiling Man]

I agree with Icarus, we should do a finals poll.

 

[Nutomic]

I think, it would be the best, if we had a jury which tests and rates each map, which would be much fairer and better, because with the voting system, one could easily win just by telling people to vote him, and the jury would really test each map, not only look at the screens, like some people do.

 

[Ceiling Man]

^ That's what I did before, testing and rating each and every map.

 

[Apom]

I think, it would be the best, if we had a jury which tests and rates each map, which would be much fairer and better, because with the voting system, one could easily win just by telling people to vote him, and the jury would really test each map, not only look at the screens, like some people do.

You're taking this way too seriously and are somewhat giving the impression that you want to win at all costs. It's a popular vote, hence people vote, end of story. That's how it was going to be and you were not forced to enter the competition.

TheDarkerSide made a very detailed list of comments (props to him), he discarded a number of entries based on playability issues when the contest was initially announced to be about visuals only. This just shows that different people have different criteria and I think that's the essence of a popular vote, and what makes it fun.

PS: sorry if I sound angry in this post, I'm not angry at what's happening here, but the ETF2L cheater situation is unnerving me

 

[Gadget]

the skybox was a poor attempt. I was mostly going for the effect while concetrating on the room.

Not really sure about your comment of Blue and red mixing. Your saying it needs more, unhappy with the red chairs, etc?

I was going for a different effect than a standard room. Its a space station, so theres no reason to stick to a particular direction of a view. I was basically forced to players being stuck to 'a floor' so i didnt put chairs on 'the ceiling', I had to assume artificial gravity. So, the windows are on the floor and cieling. I bet if you count them all, and compair to a normal map, you would say that I have a rediculous number of windows. They are just not in the traditional locations of on side walls at 40units height to around 90units.

"take a look at ctf_moonwalk." I may do that. But i think you intent was to say you were looking for something with that effect. When I make a map I try to avoid other maps of the same concept. I find it makes people recreate aspects they have seen instead of something new and creative. Sure, you end up with more maps that other people dont care for. But you can sit back and actually say "I created that". I know some would want to argue that point, but thats not my intend. Just pointing out how I make maps.

But, thanks for the review. I like anything i can get that says more than "I like/hate it" without reasons.

About the mixing of BLU and RED : usually in a BLU base you would only find blue-skinned props like those chairs as part of the team fortress visual concept. So just change the red stuff to blue and it'll be fine. And I was talking about adding more light - not props.

I suggested to take a look at ctf_moonwalk because it's usually the first step in every kind of project to do some research on the topic (collect ideas, inspiration and look what others did with a certain theme) - and ctf_moonwalk is the only space map I've seen so far. I explicitly DON'T want you to recreate anything that is part of that map. Just take it as some inspiration if you will.