Zebas's idea:

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Community Map Competition

Two (or more) teams of 12 members and an angel must each design a map between them in 6 weeks. The team designing the best map will be judged the winners of the competition.

The Rules:

• Each team must consist of 12 members and 1 Angel to lead the team.
  
• Each team has their own thread as well as the main (sign up) thread. [Password threads?]
  
• Each team has 6 weeks from the competition start to upload their maps.
  
• There will be a 5 day grace period between the teams being picked and the competition starting in order for teams to come up with a plan.
  
• Each team has a choice of title and what map type it is (siege, invasion etc) Cede Castle templates or specific colour templates may be used if it complements the story. These must be agreed on unanimously by the team. Polls will be created on request at Jayhawks discretion.
  
• Maps must have a self contained story and will be judged in both playability, story as well as map design - so team work counts!
  
• Maps are 400X400 and must be divided into 12 equal sections and each section is to be designed by one team member. The team leader is not allowed to design a square. Each player may also make their contribution to the scenario or the story at any time.
  
• No squares may be altered by any other player other than that squares designer (without permission)
  
• It is the team leader that is responsible for map distribution and the overall progress of the map. They may also help in scenario design/scripting, the story and playtesting.
  
• Only the team leader and the current designer may hold a copy of the latest version of the map until the map is complete and playtesting commences.
  
• It is forbidden to copy, insult, taunt or in any way interfere with the other team or their map (In accordance with the HG CoC).
  
• Any team breaching these rules will be disqualified
  

A few things to think about
A couple of queries in there such as the Password threads for each team. (This would keep each teams designs a secret) Can individual threads be password protected or should two boards be created temporarily. - Perhaps a bit of thought needed here.

Do you think we should restrict the map type to invasion, or the common 4 (Invasion, Siege, Economic, Siege that) or should we throw it wide open and let templates (ie. Cede Castle and Player colours) be used?

The timings can be altered. Seeing as we took 5 weeks to complete a community map - more time = less fun, but better quality maps. I think either 5 or 6 weeks should be the time limit for the maps.

How long should entries be open for before the competition starts?

Who will judge and run - would Jayhawk be willing? And we need another couple of judges extra.

We need to start this by early February at least or SH2 will be out and some people will lose interest.

Any good?

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Thorium's idea:

I was just thinking and I came up with an idea for a new contest. If someone organizes it I would be glad to participate in it.
The contest would consist of three parts. In fact I guess you could call it three different contests all using the one before it for support. Here are the contests.
1. Landscape design
Contestants would try to design the most realistic landscape based on a preset area type (say fertile river valley). This person can not make any ruins or structures. The winners map gets place in a place for download for next area.

2. Castle design
Contestant try’s to make the best castle on the winning landscape. The castle type that they are trying to go for also can be pre set. People try to make it with changing the landscape as little as possible. The winning map from this category then goes on to the story/attacks category.

3. Story/attacks Contest
People would try to make the best story based on the map and castle (they would also name the map). The only way that the contestant would be able to change the map would be by placing signposts. When the winner of this is determined you should have some really cool maps.

You could also have the landscapes entry’s that are not chosen for the next contest sections open for downloading.

As with all of our maps Alexus does the building while i do th terrain so i'd like to see a terrain contest or something similar to Thorium's idea.
not that Zebas's idea is bad because it's not, but i'd much prefer to work on my own map and be fully in control of what i make and do with it terrain wise.

Quoted from The previous thread:

Thank you Kester!

As I was saying before is there any chance of running both at once - or do we need to choose?

[This message has been edited by Zebas (edited 01-23-2005 @ 06:25 AM).]

I don't know which I prefer. While I aren't much good at making landscapes, I would enjoy putting a castle on that landscape very much.

However, I really liked the Exquisite Corpse thing, and it was great fun watching the map grow.

Do we really have to choose?

On a side note, could the landscape from the landscape competition be altered at all (i.e changing heights so that the buildings fit into the landscape.)? If so, would points be deducted or something?

To make some rules up for the Staged Contest. Hope these are somewhat like what you would have wanted - Thorium (If anyone - especially Throium - wants to edit these in any way feel free)

Stage 1 - Landscape

• Will run for two weeks.
  
• Maps should be Invasion and 400x400
  
• You may use a colour template if you wish
  
• Will chalange contestants to create the best landscape (within these rules) to fit the given brief:
  ie. Find a suitable site for a castle in a fertile river valley.
  
• All map editor tools under landscape may be used- however buildings, ruins and units (except animals) may not be placed. Signposts may be placed.
  
• Maps must be submitted to (GillB ???) before the closing date.
  
• Maps will be judged for 1 week in the following categories:
  -Fufils Brief /10
  -Origionality /5
  -How good it looks /15
  Total: /30

Stage 2 - Castle

• Will run for 2 weeks from the time the winning Stage 1 map is uploaded
  
• Castle should be self sustainable for 1 year by itself in freebuild mode
  
• Contestant may not change landscape in any way.
  
• Castles can be made out of wood or stone
  
• Only tools from the buildings section of the editor may be used (no landscaping) However signposts may be moved.
  
• Maps will be judged for 1 week in the following categories:
  -Origionality /5
  -Aesthetic Quality /10
  -Practicality /5
  Total: 20

Stage 3 - Story/Scripting

• Will run for 2 weeks
  
• Contestants must script the map and provide a suitable name and story.
  
• Map type can be changed
  
• Map should be "reasonably challanging"
  
• Story should be both origional and entertaing. Maps should have the story included in the final .zip file as .txt files and the in game screen should contain "scenario instructions" ie. What the player has to do and why.
  
• Illustrations may be used if it adds to the story however they will not be judged (Its not an art contest)
  
• Length is not important for the story - its the content that counts.
  
• Signposts may be moved - otherwise the map can't be altered.
  
• Troops currently on the map may be moved - but not deleted or created.
  
• Maps will be judged for 1 week in the following categories:
  -Playability /30
  -Balance /20
  -Usefulness and integration of scenario instructions: /20
  -Story /30
  Total: 100

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Jax: If we made it so the landscape could be edited then for a start it makes the first stage almost redundant and secondly its very hard to judge. This competition tasks you to make the best out of what you are given. Allowing later stages to undo work from earlier stages completely undermines the whole thing. The brief at the start is "find a suitable location for a castle" so the winning map will obviously have to have a bit of flat land in a decent location for a castle to be built on.

[This message has been edited by Zebas (edited 01-23-2005 @ 02:59 PM).]

It looks great to me but we might add something like you can't win in more than one catogory.

Fair enough, Zebas. I didn't mean changing the whole landscape, just, say, make some land min height so your walls not bumpy.

Those rules seem fine, however. I am now looking forward to the contest.

PS. Congrats to Thorium for the original idea.

I'm hoping this all goes well and is sarted soon, i can't wait to design a landscape i already have ideas.

Thanks for putting together rules, Zebas - they look good.

Thanks Now we just have to make a decision.
(Both - one of the two ideas - or none) Preferably not the latter.

Thorium: If someones wins in one category why shouldn't they have a go at the next? Its highly unlikely that anyone will win all three - but we shouldn't stop them trying. Makes it more competetive. But its up to you.

[This message has been edited by Zebas (edited 01-24-2005 @ 02:14 PM).]

It was only a suggestion.
How about only allowing two wins max even though its very unlikley.

[This message has been edited by Thorium (edited 01-24-2005 @ 07:04 PM).]

I think if you allow someone to win in more than one event some people will have more of an advantage because they will be able to work with the terrain that they made especially for a castle designed they had planned in their head. It doesn't force someone to build something on to an existing landscape made from someone else.

The new contest is on! Check it out here!

Thanks to Thorium for the idea, Zebas for drawing up a set of rules, and to everyone else for their input!