-= What about a new mapping contest? =-

[FraGnBraG]

... Dragon cake! ...

that's brilliant!

[papercoffee]

So the interest is there?
What about that theme ... Dragoncake UT Anniversary.

[Gustavo6046]

dragon cake

I prefer this:

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Anyways, I like the idea. But I'd rather make it a central (or hub) map, with the dragon cake decoration, and have the other maps follow a loose set of limitations. Also, bonus for Assault maps (arguably the hardest to implement)

We should have a proper score system, like a spreadsheet, so the poll is just another input.

[FraGnBraG]

imo -> dragons -or- cake -or- something else ... not both ( seems a bit too silly to me

Maybe no theme - but limit maps to a player count max... like ctf or assault max 6 vs 6. That can control the map size and help on servers...

Assault contest could be fun - however - in my experience, ut assault is the buggiest gametype in 99 and difficult to botpath and balance properly (one team attacks and one defends). So level needs to be more-or-less linear and helps if you like using triggers + dispatchers + movers since you will need to use a lot of those.

Assault is very rewarding for a mapper if everything ends up working properly. Even simple but well made AS can be fun for a while. Large complex AS maps can be
self-defeating and fail to entertain due to bugginess or lack of focused objectives. Assault maps with big open terrain can be a real drag. UT is always best with more shootin' and less runnin', right?

Another thing AS maps can end up playing pretty much the same way from map to map:
spawn, get your guns, run to a place, shoot some things a certain number of times (while you fight the other team) the explode somethings and open a doorway to the next area;
spawn, get your guns, run to a place, shoot some things a certain number of times (while you fight the other team) the explode somethings and open a doorway to the next area;
rise repeat ... get to the end and animate something (if you like)

So the challenge is to make it seem less like a grind...
Anyways, just a few thoughts

I like assault

[EvilGrins]

I say any contest should have maps that include monsters in some way.

One of my faves is an arena styled deathmatch, that has 2 SkaarjWarriors on each opposite side locked in a glass enclosure. They couldn't participate, didn't even seem to know players were there... but it was a nice touch.

[papercoffee]

Maybe no theme - but limit maps to a player count max... like ctf or assault max 6 vs 6. That can control the map size and help on servers...

Ok... who are you and what did you do to FraGnBraG?




I like these Idea.

[Swanky]

Why not just make a potpourri for the anniversary? Don't care about much else. I still do have a few layout ideas sitting around and am bound to do nothing right now, so might as well try and get back into the groove again.

[papercoffee]

So just a mappack and no contest?

[Dr.Flay]

I think Swanky is just suggesting no theme, not no contest.

I guess I should let you all know that I asked Flak if we could have an Epic goodie bag for a prize, so this is now in the pot for the winner

[Chamberly]

Let's take it to the next level: Mapping with movers contest.

Those guys who know a lot about movers can make some serious killer maps. Especially BT mappers does so much with movers but I suggest any gametype due to Mover mapping contest for full intent of mover use and detail of how much more we can learn about them.

This is something I seriously want to see. Just wait and see what those coders do to those movers though.

[Barbie]

Mapping with movers contest.

I predict this will be a headache for some of the participants - Movers and especially their surfaces can be so buggy...

[esnesi]

Suggestion:

Set no limits for the 20th anniversary.
Allow mappers to use their creative freedom.
Dragons, cakes, movers, Assault, DM, MH, packs, everything!
And get amazed ^^

Prevents a lot of discussions right.
Same as AMC i guess.

We might even get some unreleased project which never saw the light before from some mappers.

[Chamberly]

Mapping with movers contest.

I predict this will be a headache for some of the participants - Movers and especially their surfaces can be so buggy...

Keep it going. I want to see a lot more, don't let the talent go to waste by not using it.

[FraGnBraG]

... pot for the winner

did you say **POT**!? how much we talkin' here? enough for everybody? ha ha

[Feralidragon]

I will be very honest with you: October is right around the corner, meaning that we're only about 2 mere months away from the 20th anniversary.

Thus, if we really want to make a positive impact, these maps would have to be finished and released before then, ideally around the same time as the new patch (if it's not delayed).
So, if you keep wasting time in this topic discussing the theme, and whether if it should be a contest and whatnot, which has been going since almost a month already, and very slowly at it, there won't be any time or motivation to do anything beyond barely decent maps, if there's anything defined at all until then, the way things are very sloooowly developing here.

Having that said, on my own end, I would like to finish up and contribute with the map I started for the previous contest (CTF-Blice).
Not necessarily as any contest entry, I don't really care about that, but to at least add to the final resulting pack in celebration of the 20th anniversary at the very least.

So, my advice is: keep things simple.
There's no need for a theme and whatnot, and 50 constraints around what you can map or not, especially in the face of this 20th anniversary of the game, a game known for having given the ability to everyone to be free to create whatever they want in the first place, so this time let everyone do whatever they want to do in their maps.

Just place a reasonable deadline before the 30th of November, and done.

As for the contest side of it, if you really want to have a contest at all, have the whole community vote for the maps this one time, and maybe have the contest itself to only consist of maps created from scratch from now (to avoid the same kind of drama as last year), while the final 20th anniversary pack (which we could call the "20th Anniversary Map Pack" [or "20AMP" for short, for map prefixes]), could have all the contest maps, plus any other maps anyone would like to contribute for the final pack that they started way before the contest started.

The contest could very well start officially this Saturday, and end on November 25th, to give around a week so everyone could vote, and the final pack could be built to be released on the 30th.