Valve DM Map Contest

I'm just curious to see how much competition I might have. I imagine those 3-5,000 dollar prizes will generate quite a bit. I'm not sure myself that I will enter, but it may well be worth a shot.

I voted no. I would if I could, but I'm exempt. One of those retail version draw backs :rolleyes: (bastards)

Apparently somebody on the VERC forums did the sign up page and
was given an entry number of over 2200! If that sort of number of
people are signing up on the first day, it could be see insane number of
entries. Of course, not everyone who signs up on some online form will
actually complete a map and enter it, but its still an indication of
the sort of interest level in the contest.

I'm certainly planning on entering, probably with a heavily modified
remake of my HLDM map Echo. With only a month to make the level and
plenty of other things to be doing over that time, I doubt I'd have
time to make something entirely new.

EDIT: Crono, how does the retail version make you exempt? Surely they wouldn't cut you out like that?

I'm thinking up on some idea's and I'll probably enter, if I get enough time to do a map that is.

And about finishing maps, that's a true point ReNo... I'll sign up once
I'm done with my map. No need to make promises that I'm not sure of I'm
capable keeping.

Now where are those interesting combine textures... and where's that console command that returns the texture I'm looking at...

// CP falls back into mapping murmling...

I would if i could, but it's 18+, so I'm a bit screwed there... :sad: I wanted 5000 dollars! Think of the nerdy things I could buy with that...

I doubt too many of those 2200 are actually any good... ph34r the killbox spammage! Man I pity the people who have to sort out all those maps...

Oh well :rolleyes: I'm still gonna make a map (or 50) :biggrin:

ReNo, you would think so, wouldn't you? But apparently I'm a "bad, unimportant, customer" because I bought a retail copy.

Clause 1 of the rules:

1. Eligibility. The Contest is open to individuals or groups of individuals (each an "Entrant"), each of whom must be (a) a subscriber to Half-Life 2 via Valve?s Steam service; and (b) at least 18 years old at the time of submitting their Contest Entry. The Contest is open worldwide, except where prohibited by law. Employees of Valve or its affiliates (the "Contest Sponsors"), and their immediate family or household members, are not eligible to participate.

Honestly, I'm getting sick of this s**t.

[EDIT]
Also, be aware whatever you send them you lose all rights to.

I'd sex up Zeromancer for it but I don't even have HL2... eventually I'll update my s**t, but until then, meh.

What I'd like to know is if each entrant is limited to a single entry.
Considering its possible to enter group efforts, it could be fun to
have a snarkpit collaboration thing as well as our own serious entries.
The contest rules page isn't too revealing on this front - opinions?

sigh

4. Contest Entry Requirements. Each Contest Entry must consist of a map for a single level of Half-Life 2 Deathmatch

Have you read the rules?

Also, This might stop you from putting up any map information on this site:

Contest Entries may not have been previously published.

Basically, this contest is an easy way for VALVe to create a map catalog for HL2DM.

I would if not for Mr. No-Compete, regardless of how clunky and impossible it is to use Hammer. :razz: I'll have to settle for just doing environmental scenes and planning my Squirrel-Pack for Q4. :smile:

I didn't read it as that to be honest Crono. That says an entry is one
multiplayer map, it doesn't say a person can only have one entry. I'm
also not convinced that retail buyers are exempt, I think it just means
you need to have a steam account with Half-Life 2 on it to be eligible
to enter.

ReNo said:
I didn't read it as that to be honest Crono. That says an entry is one
multiplayer map, it doesn't say a person can only have one entry. I'm
also not convinced that retail buyers are exempt, I think it just means
you need to have a steam account with Half-Life 2 on it to be eligible
to enter.

Then wouldn't it just say "A suscriber to half-life 2"? Since you have to have steam to play HL2 and all ...

Maybe, you can register more then once, but what I quoted says is that you can only give one map per enterance. But, whatever, give it a try if you want.

<DIV class=quote>
<DIV class=quotetitle>? quoting Crono</DIV>
<DIV class=quotetext>Also, be aware whatever you send them you lose all rights to. </DIV></DIV>
You don't lose the rights to your map. Unless I read it wrong the only maps they'll keep are the contest winners, and then you're getting paid cold hard cash (or steam-bucks I dunno). Besides, it's not like Valve will get a cease and desist order on you if you release your map to the community, and if they do release a bunch of them officially without paying for them, well that's free publicity for the mapper.

I'd like to enter but it's a little too soon after the release and too little time in which to build something i'd be happy to release (especially as I haven't had a play with the new editor yet).

I also interpreted that retail HL2 owners are exempt - it's the way they use the word 'subscriber'.

<DIV class=quote>
<DIV class=quotetitle>? quoting Crono</DIV>
<DIV class=quotetext>I voted no. I would if I could, but I'm exempt. One of those retail version draw backs :rolleyes: (bastards) </DIV></DIV>
Wait a second!!! what "retail version drawbacks?" You mean that if I bought my copy at wal-mart i cannot enter the map contest?!!

You don't lose the rights to your map. Unless I read it wrong the only maps they'll keep are the contest winners, and then you're getting paid cold hard cash (or steam-bucks I dunno). Besides, it's not like Valve will get a cease and desist order on you if you release your map to the community, and if they do release a bunch of them officially without paying for them, well that's free publicity for the mapper.

Right, but it wouldn't surprise me in the least, to be honest.

Wait a second!!! what "retail version drawbacks?" You mean that if I bought my copy at wal-mart i cannot enter the map contest?!!

That's just how it looks by the way they worded the rules. Which I'm sure were worded that way to confuse people. It plainly says half-life 2 subscribers VIA steam.

If you interpret that as "if you use steam", you have to think about that for a second, you HAVE to use steam, you don't have a choice, so the only alternative (that I'm aware of) is that you bought it through steam.

There is another alternative - you own HL2 but haven't bothered with
Steam (and yes that means you haven't played HL2). Pretty unlikely
scenario but rules have to include such things, so perhaps the wording
just means you have to have both Steam and HL2, which isn't
necessarily true from just owning HL2.

ReNo said:
There is another alternative - you own HL2 but haven't bothered with
Steam (and yes that means you haven't played HL2). Pretty unlikely
scenario but rules have to include such things, so perhaps the wording
just means you have to have both Steam and HL2, which isn't
necessarily true from just owning HL2.

But how would you map for HL2 if you didn't activate through steam? You can't get the SDK otherwise.

To be honest, I just don't think Valve gave this much thought into the
rules. By what they said, I reckon they mean "entrants must have a
steam account with HL2". I hope for your sake I'm right, its really
f**king lame if I'm not :sad:

Yes how do you get the SDK with the retail version?

Spartan 34 said:
Yes how do you get the SDK with the retail version?

Steam, just like everyone else.

ReNo, I know. I hope I'm wrong, but something tells me I'm probably not. Based on the segregation of the two types they've already done, I don't see how this would be surprising in the least.

I might do a remake of Paralaxion, with the kind of effects the map truly deserves. If it's heaps different to the original I'm not submitting a previoulsy published map.

It'll be interesting to see what people come up with, considering how little experience people have had with the source engine, and also the limitations associated with the existing HL2 materials. Its essentially industrial, city or industrial. :razz:

<DIV class=quote>
<DIV class=quotetitle>? quoting Agent Smith</DIV>
<DIV class=quotetext>I might do a remake of Paralaxion, with the kind of effects the map truly deserves. If it's heaps different to the original I'm not submitting a previoulsy published map.

It'll be interesting to see what people come up with, considering how little experience people have had with the source engine, and also the limitations associated with the existing HL2 materials. Its essentially industrial, city or industrial. :razz:

</DIV></DIV>
I bet a lot of ppl will take advantage of the desert theme that is available with the current textures. Especially, because there are so many pre-fabricated rock models that you can use. Plus the barren trees really help out with that "wasteland" look that lots of folks will want.

Contest Rules said:
? quoting Contest Rules
NO PURCHASE NECESSARY.

[...further down...]

The Contest is open to individuals or groups of individuals (each an "Entrant"), each of whom must be (a) a subscriber to Half-Life 2 via Valve?s Steam service;

Wtf...? Either purchase is necessary or it's not. The origional purpose of having a "NO PURPOSE NECESSARY" clause is to allow people to enter the contest without actually buying anything, so as to comply with the various laws around the world that require this (such as the in the UK).

Perhaps its to allow entrants who didn't buy anything, but stumbled across a steam account and a copy of HL2

<DIV class=quote>
<DIV class=quotetitle>? quoting ReNo</DIV>
<DIV class=quotetext>Perhaps its to allow entrants who didn't buy anything, but stumbled across a steam account and a copy of HL2
</DIV></DIV>
lol

They basically couldn't be arsed to make any maps themselves (HL2DM being a quick day-job after everyone started complaining) and this would be the best way to create community interest :/

Forshame on them using such underhand tactics, I'd never do such a thing

As long as "Enter" never means "Must Finish" I'll give it a shot :smile:

No :sad: Gotta finish Classic first.

Formed a small group with Izuno and Stratty.... Ill post progress shots as we continue to move through the map.

I personally want to stay mapping for HL1 I hope everyone isn't going to leave me in the dust as the only one mapping for the classic.

C'mon half-dude, why limit yourself? Join the bandwagon already!

I just got my little entry ticket thing, and the number is up to almost 4,000 now. Seriously though, I'll be very disappointed if someone from Snarkpit doesn't get one of the prizes!

I wasn't going to sign up until I definately had something to submit,
but I'm beginning to worry they might stop giving these out if they are
up to that number already, so perhaps I will get one now!

Ill sighn up if I can solve my problem over in the HL2 editing forum
that says contents_solid, IM NOT ASKING ANYONE TO SOLVE IT HERE, I m
pointing out that there is a new post over in the HL2 editing forum.

I'm 17 years old, goddammit.

(not to mention that I'm a slow, sloppy mapper, too :razz: )

I doubt I will, I've got other stuff to do lol.

<DIV class=quote>
<DIV class=quotetitle>? quoting Forceflow</DIV>
<DIV class=quotetext>I'm 17 years old, goddammit.

(not to mention that I'm a slow, sloppy mapper, too :razz: )
</DIV></DIV>
Ditto, but I'm 16 lol.

i voted no, as my bloody win XP was delayed like another day or something

can't even begin yet :'(

well ,and i suck at mapping ofcourse..... but thats none of your business

Why would the age limit be at 18? What's to gain from not letting younger people develop? You're considered old enough to work at a job at 16, why should this be different? Furthermore, game ratings aren't law, they're suggestions - if a parent can say, "Hey, my kid can handle the game, it's alright" shouldn't they be able to say, "Hey, my kid can handle developing maps for the game, it's alright"? And it's not like there's potential physical hazards from mapping.

So in summation, if someone gets disqualified due to age, that would be uberlame. A worthy map is a worthy map, regardless of who makes it.

It's probably to do with the large cash prize side of things, rather than the potential RSI-risks :wink:

Why shouldn't 16 and 17 year olds be allowed then? They're allowed to get full-time jobs. Should Valve be farming for new in-house talent (as I would suspect they might be), they could legally take a job offer.

if i had to hazard a guess it would be the age issue of the game itself.

you cannot have a contest that encompasses an age group that is not legally allowed to purchase the game without parental consent.

valve is not going to monitor which parents said "Yes" or "No"

just a thought.

I'd say your most definately right there Orph.

Since HL2 has been rated at R 18+ they cannot legally allow gamers under 18 to participate in an official contest, as the contestants would need to have HL2, therefore a breach of the rating system because Valve would be "encouraging" younger players to buy the game. It would open a whole can of legal worms for Valve, and after the distribution licensing issue with Vivendi thats the last thing Valve would want to do.

Yep, I'm entering. I don't got a snowball's chance, but meh, wth. :smile:

do you think everyone on the team developing the map would have to be
18+? because if my brother entered and i did most of the mapping he
could just get a cut for letting me use him... but i guess thats
probably not the case. and it might be considered fraudulant for him to
enter a map that i made. and, since i wont win, the matter of who
recieved the credit for making the map would be screwed up too. oh
well, i dont really have a problem making maps for free.

btw, best of luck to those who do enter, i really hope someone here gets a prize/recognition!

another btw, i think that the contest is open to those who own hl2 and
use steam, not just those who bought it via steam. it was worded
crappily though. i also hope im right, for all those who got the
retail's sake. i bet there are many, many quality mappers who got the
retail, it would be absurd to exclude them.

/edit

last time i checked an M rating was 17+, so i think its the prize mony thing.

I don't think I've ever seen a substantial contest that didn't have the 18+ requirement. I dono why though. There must be a federal law against it.

I don't see why someone couldn't use the name of one of their parents or legal guardians.

I might give this a try but it doesnt give me much time to get the map finished! At the rate im going it'll be lucky to be done by 2006!:P Not sure of the standard their looking for but I suppose you dont win if you dont try!

Last time I checked, you can't be held to a legal document unless you're 18. Meaning, if they allowed people younger then 18 to enter, those people could violate every rule after entering and there isn't much valve could do, besides get humiliated in court if they took it that far. I'm not sure how jobs work however, but I know they're different then contractual obligations.

However, this is only in the US. I have no idea how it works in other nations.

That sounds plausible.