Credits for explosion images: Copyright © 2004 University of Southern California
Introduction -What is this all about?Welcome to a new Official SnarkPit Mini-Competition for 2010!
A "mini-competition" is a leisurely, small-goal oriented design mapping competition that usually lasts for no more than 2 weeks. Anyone who has registered a free account with the 'Pit' is allowed to participate and all entries will receive feedback*
This time, we're going back to our roots and sticking with an abstract goal. We want you to be able to create your own theme the way you see fit. There are no minimum requirements, nor select games you are restricted to design for; as long as the game you design for is a "First-Person Shooter" game, that requires 3D meshes to simulate an environment, it is fair game for this competition. Engine age is not an issue either, although we do ask you use the latest version of whatever engine you're working with, so that others may more readily play your map.
So what is the goal?
Goal: To design a map that encompasses one or more explosions as part of a triggerable event the player may witness or participate in.
*Anyone may leave feedback about your entry, but a select few members will be required to leave feedback for all entries.
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Priority Updates -look to this section for all the latest info.- [Sept. 2]: We received one entry for the competition.
Title: deathrun
Author: Agn0st!C
Game: Counter-Strike 1.6
Download: spmini5_Agn0st!C.zip
*Installation instructions included in download zip file. - [Aug. 24]: Map entries now being accepted!
Also, it would seem we didn't receive ANY judgment proposals anyway. So, I suppose we'll just go about voting the old-fashioned way. Please send all entries to: competitions@snarkpit.net - [Aug. 16]: Judgment Proposals are now being taken! Please e-mail them to: competitions@snarkpit.net
To read more about them, please see the "Judging Criteria" Section near the bottom of this post.
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Mapping Entry Info -When, where, and how you should enter your map.For this section, you only need to know a few things about how this competition is run.
-All entries should be turned in during the second week of the competition (Aug. 21-30). Please zip maps up and e-mail them to:
competitions@snarkpit.net
-Be sure to include a read-me file (use a simple text editor like "notepad" to make a .txt file) for your map that includes your SnarkPit Username, a description of your map, what game it is for, and how to install it for that game.
-Custom content is allowed.
-Please, no collaborative work, each map should be done by one person.
-Be sure to credit all custom content you did not specifically create.
-Your map must be "runnable" in order to qualify. In other words, it must at the very least, work!
-You may submit a map for one of the two categories available (see below).
- Finished
This is an entered map you deem completed. It does not need to be perfect, but finished maps will be judged against other finished maps. - Work in Progress (WIP)
This is for entry maps the author does not deem completed yet, but should still enter anyway for "attempting" points. WIP maps will be judged only against other WIP maps.
[NOTE]: A WIP map is still required to meet all the requirements above in order to qualify. Namely, it still needs to work at least.
[NOTE2]: We're expecting more WIP maps than finished maps due to overtly-modest authors common in design communities, and as such the case, a closed panel of SnarkPit peers may change your map's WIP status to that of "finished" as part of the judging process.
-Maps will be judged on the following categories:
- -Creativity of design:
Originality; How well does the map design show evidence that the author explored methods or ideas that broke free from traditional ideas and concepts, thus showing imagination and creative expression?
-Content:
How well is the explosion presented? How well is the scene within which the explosion takes place presented, if any? Does the explosion look like an explosion or something else entirely? How well did this entry follow the goal of the competition?
-Functionality:
Does the explosion perform throughout completion. Does it have definitive 'start,' 'climax,' and 'end' parts?
-Engagement:
How much did this map "suck you in" and make you want to stick around to watch or play the whole of it? -Was it fun, and did you want to replay it?
-Sentiments:
How do you feel about this map? (scale of 1-5 points)1:I really don't like it, 2:I don't care for it, 3: It's alright, 4: I like it, 5: This is one of my favorites
Each category will be graded on a scale of 1-5:
- fails criteria
- less than satisfactory
- satisfactory
- very good
- exceeds expectations
Points will be added from each category for each judge and then all judges totals will be averaged to determine what that map scores and places.
Judging Criteria -Who gets to judge, and how?Judging for this mini-competition will be done by a select panel of 3 or 5 Pit members. The judging members will be voted on by the community using a hidden voting system to retain prejudices from other members. Anyone is allowed to propose themselves for a judging position. Those who win the vote may not submit a mapping entry into the competition.
Members who wish to judge may apply by writing a 5-7 sentence "judgment proposal paragraph" describing "what makes them a good mapping judge." This will be posted for all members to read come voting time.
All "judgment proposal paragraphs" should be submitted to competitions[at]snarkpit.net with an identifiable header or subject line please by Aug. 22.
After Aug. 22, all proposal paragraphs will be publicly displayed and a voting box will appear in the post below this one. Voting will last one week until the end of the mapping competition (Aug 30).
Selected Judges will be announced, and e-mailed a read-me file containing everything they need to write in order to make proper and consistent judging posts and reviews.
Each judge should either have copies or able to obtain copies for all the games represented by the map entries in order to make valid reviews.
-And that's It!
RewardFor this mini-competition, there is no grand prize for winning, at least not monetarily. Of course, you do receive bragging rights and the experience of mapping for a competition; something of which would be more than applicable for a resume.
[PENDING]: We may indeed have a prize available to the winner with the help of our good member Muhnay, who in the recent "New Contest" thread proposed a possible Steam gift of the Quake games and/or some Unreal Tournament games. We'll just have to wait and see then!
Questions and Clarifications -Any specific questions answered, will be re-posted here.If you guys have any questions, or clarifications, feel free to ask! I'll post clarifications in this section!
-Have fun, and good luck!
I thought about searching for a mapping community and I think I'm in the right place?
(I do have a source version which was in early development so i think I'll start from there.
It's sort of like an ongoing competition to do better than the last entry perhaps? -Or, to simply add your own map to the mix of entries, just for the sake of it. -Why should a competition end? I mean, I don't find anything wrong in being able to critique entries after-the-fact. In-fact, I still have some unfinished entries for competitions that finished up years ago, and some of them I even fleshed out a little to become a working map in their own right, I didn't post them because the competition was over.... but maybe this one can be a little different! 