Next Contest Or Spring/Summer MapPack?

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Next Contest Or Spring/Summer MapPack?

Post by ASLY »

Who what think about this?
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Re: Next Contest Or Spring/Summer MapPack?

Post by UnrealGGecko »

I'm in with another newbie map, but make it at summer and with less rules. :agree1:
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Re: Next Contest Or Spring/Summer MapPack?

Post by Creavion »

ASLYE702 wrote:Who what think about this?
Too many rules already. I can`t approve that. :nonono:
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Re: Next Contest Or Spring/Summer MapPack?

Post by ASLY »

So nobody cares a new map contest?
Or just a simple UT99Org MapPack would be cool
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Re: Next Contest Or Spring/Summer MapPack?

Post by Creavion »

ASLYE702, Wed Apr 17, 2013 12:05 pm wrote:Who what think about this?
ASLYE702, Wed Apr 17, 2013 1:56 pm wrote:So nobody cares a new map contest?
Or just a simple UT99Org MapPack would be cool
This is a period of time of less than 2 hours.
If you want to attract many participants how about some prize money.
You want THEM to do something: Today even voting is too much work for most of them.
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Re: Next Contest Or Spring/Summer MapPack?

Post by Feralidragon »

Once I had an idea for a mappack with a prize, but it wouldn't be money, but instead it would be something like a custom mutator or weapon of choice.
I never advanced with that, but here goes the idea: perhaps the "judges" of the contest could do a small something (modelling, texturing, code, whatever in the personal liking of the winner, not a big thing though, just something small and rather symbolic) for the winner.

Or the winner could have its username with its own color, style and a "contest X winner" in this forum (pretty much like there are green members and staff, something that would make them standout).

Something like that. A prize doesn't need to be monetary, it could be as easily some sort of appreciation/request token no one else would have otherwise.
Just an idea.
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Re: Next Contest Or Spring/Summer MapPack?

Post by Jetlag »

I'm up for this.. I would fall in the same category as Gex, a newbie map, but I'll give it a go.. I don't see the need for "prizes" though.. I like Ferali's idea with the forum name standing out, but then again even a personalize forum signature would be nice too for the prize..
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Re: Next Contest Or Spring/Summer MapPack?

Post by ASLY »

Cool idea Ferali, BUT
I think not the prize the essense, only the mapping feeling and keep alive UT99 somehow...
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Re: Next Contest Or Spring/Summer MapPack?

Post by Feralidragon »

ASLYE702 wrote:Cool idea Ferali, BUT
I think not the prize the essense, only the mapping feeling and keep alive UT99 somehow...
I would agree with that, if it wasn't the fact that I saw a ton of mappacks failing before and only just a few made it through, when no prizes were on the line.
Hopefully some mappers may join and do such mappack.
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Re: Next Contest Or Spring/Summer MapPack?

Post by Creavion »

Feralidragon wrote:Hopefully some mappers may join and do such mappack.
What about you, Ferali. Your last map was way back. Enjoy the fun of BSP!
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Re: Next Contest Or Spring/Summer MapPack?

Post by Dr.Flay »

:sleep: *Sorry about the length again!*
I suggest productivity is likely to be an issue.
How about the "rules" are based on something like "It must feature a common resource pack" eg WS decos, or...
How about Creavions last Deco pack ?
http://www.gamefront.com/files/9464896/ ... xture_Pack
http://www.planetbunnytrack.com/index.p ... rasTex.zip
http://medor.no-ip.org/index.php?dir=UE ... rasTex.zip
http://unreal-mayhem.com/files/index.ph ... rasTex.zip
http://uttexture.com/UT/Downloads/Mods/ ... rasTex.zip

If a "rule" can expand peoples options rather than limit them (and also keep the overall pack size more sensible), this would be favourable.

Between the WS decos and Crevs pack, you can populate gardens, houses, workshops and anything you can imagine.
FragNbrag makes excellent use of these type of pack, making his maps much more immersive and often interactive.

Other small mods can change the theme of a map completely.
eg. there are some old health replacements that swap them for beer.
1 is available as a mutator, so works in any map. The other 3, are actors that have to be placed or spawned.
All of them can swap meshes, if you map with them.
If you were to install the extra cans and bottles decos, the WS cans and bottles, and the WS and Silveribex street decos, you then even have the vending machines.

Much of the contents of these can be used in a "summer" way. Almost all decos can be utilised as useful movable objects without much effort. Instantly adding more fun and variety.
I'm currently trying to arrange a pack of food decos with the author "bobkakabk BK". He makes mostly mini-mode sniper maps for his clan, such as "DM-lol-Monopoly" which works very well with Chaos, and even better with NW3.
http://www.unrealplayground.com/forums/ ... hp?u=30575

Anyone not sure of the advantages of using decos instead of brushes, should read here http://web.archive.org/web/200502050922 ... Decos.html

:idea: If this is aimed at newbies, then I might suggest that it could be an excuse for some to try something new.
A requirement could be made that all the maps should contain at least 1 interactive or scripted item/event.
eg. a door, lift, mover or trigger.
All of those are things that new mappers should try (and it encourages building booby-traps).
:wth: Although I wish the new mappers would get their heads around zoning first (You can easily add zoned environmental EAX with the new audio renderers).

This does not limit the mapper. Any lack of knowledge for a certain thing can be covered in the "Dev School" section.
If the Dev School and a map pack can run parallel, the topics raised and covered should be exactly what new mappers are currently in need of.
They can "feed" each other for a while. Nice and organic.

As competitive as it should be, we should always keep the vibe "We are all in this together".
eg. if a cool new item is made, it should be posted in the map thread for all to use.
The maps should not be judged on who has the best toys, but who makes the best use of them.
The Xmas maps could have all benefited from sharing the knowledge used in the snow footstep sounds.
If this pack has sandy beaches etc. then adding the footsteps should be a Dev topic, with the pack chosen or made for the compo.
The more use of shared map-pack resources possible, the more likely server admins will be happy so actually host them.
People normally bitch about this and you end up with servers that only run stock texture maps (Booooring! and a waste of creative authors making new stuff.)

:mrgreen: There could be a category for something as simple as; "Best use of a beach-ball" or "best use of a barbecue".
Again the only limit is your imagination. You can put a beach-ball anywhere. (Maybe think of Serious Sam :lol2: )


Anyway those are some thoughts on the topic.
I see too frequently (and agree with other forward-moving people), that the competition rules are often limiting, and usually start an argument before settling down.
The "rules/requirements" should be forward/progressive, not retro/retarded.
More sharing, more options, 1 theme.

But, UT99.org Rule number 1. "It will be educational" :mrgreen:

:idea: Actually worth raising, in light of another thread here, is the use of extra weapons packs.
You usually don't have to manually add them with a well-designed pack such as NW3 or Chaos, unless you have very specific requirements.
Just use the Unreal or UT weapons that will swap by default to the new ones.
Then recommend in your readme "This map is designed to work best with mod-x, please download from www.mod-x"
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Re: Next Contest Or Spring/Summer MapPack?

Post by Creavion »

Flay, your posts are just horrible long, as like an (annoying) speech of an politician. Please don`t write whole books if not required. :ironic2:

I somehow regret I uploaded these plant textures: People completly overlook the fact that I am only the author of the EDITED textures but NOT of the original source ones.
Since this community is unbelievable immature and as obstinate as a mule in terms of credits, this can be somehow problematical.
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Re: Next Contest Or Spring/Summer MapPack?

Post by Feralidragon »

Creavion wrote:
Feralidragon wrote:Hopefully some mappers may join and do such mappack.
What about you, Ferali. Your last map was way back. Enjoy the fun of BSP!
Nah, I won't do any further maps for this engine, too many frustrations when trying to go a step beyond, and many more when you know the engine doesn't let you do that step. Plus, if I did a map, you probably know I would do way more than BSP this time.
Creavion wrote:Flay, your posts are just horrible long, as like an (annoying) speech of an politician. Please don`t write whole books if not required. :ironic2:
Ironically, a guy in the blacklight forums usually posts huge walls of text as well, but the last time, his post was so big, that he put a link to a well formatted 2 pages doc file stored in google drive instead. :lol2: (it was a nice read though)
@Dr.Flay: Btw, nothing against your long posts, as they're certainly helpful. I can't say anything myself since most of the times my posts get bigger than what I intended them to lol (actually one of my resolutions for this year is to write as less as possible in posts). But perhaps you should think in ways to collapse your info to a shorter form for most people to actually read it through, otherwise they will spam the scroll mouse wheel pretty fast and get tired (and again, I did big posts myself so I can't say much, but I am also trying to short them up with each post).
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Re: Next Contest Or Spring/Summer MapPack?

Post by Torax »

aaahhh... why i'm not a mapper :sad2:
that may be interesting. Not for prize but for UT
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Re: Next Contest Or Spring/Summer MapPack?

Post by Creavion »

Torax wrote:aaahhh... why i'm not a mapper :sad2:
that may be interesting. Not for prize but for UT
Well, level design for UT is really simple, compared with other level/map editors.
You don`t have to learn about an external 3D model application (to import content) and most are already satisfied with the default texture content.
You don`t need any knowledge about materials and their constituent parts (normal, bump, displacement, opacity...).
The learning curve is very low, however you will also be limited rather quick with the various engine limitations.
Several years ago even within the prime time of UT2004 UT1 was rather outstanding, but these days of course you can not do anything serious with the engine anymore.
If you want to learn about level design for UT keep in mind, most of the thingy you`ll learn lead directly into dead ends, since modern engines demand other - already mentioned skills and knowledge.
About to be non-active
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Why do I leave? click here
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Thanks to those who visibly supported me until/at the end!
My reactivated account on indiedb.com.
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