Mapping Competitions: Why do we not have them anymore? - Developers

Hey, so just a thought: Why do we not hold mapping competitions anymore? I mean personally: I don't mind participating in competition even if there is no reward, as long as rules or criteria are interesting I love to make map for it. Like one of my favorite ones (and only ones I actually finished in, I participated in others but always dropped out) - was 512x512 map. [URL="http://gmod.gamebanana.com/maps/114531"]I enjoyed making it. [/URL]Even if I didn't win - it was fun. So how come these competitions have stopped? I mean now that steam has such massive inventory/marketplace and trading structure implemented - rewards can be easily given even things like: winner - card pack of gmod (for example). In past the only reward we had is paypal transfer :v: I miss the old times :v:

I haven't followed this section for a long time but I remember the competitions falling into obscurity because most people would drop out. I have a personal theory that this was just because the competitions gave way too much time to work on something, meaning people would either leave it to the last minute, forget or see the work of those who worked the entire time and just give up thinking theirs wasn't good enough. Bring them back for sure but keep them short and sweet :)

[QUOTE=HiddenMyst;46952322]I haven't followed this section for a long time but I remember the competitions falling into obscurity because most people would drop out. I have a personal theory that this was just because the competitions gave way too much time to work on something, meaning people would either leave it to the last minute, forget or see the work of those who worked the entire time and just give up thinking theirs wasn't good enough. Bring them back for sure but keep them short and sweet :)[/QUOTE] Yeah I remember there was a competition to make best looking cinematic using only hammer, no post editing or any manipulation software. I dropped out after I realized how long that will take me. But yeah most of competitions were pretty big, 512x512x512 map was quite perfect one.

Most of the recent ones I can remember usually fell apart rather quickly or took too long to judge. The last one I remember having here was the 20 brush contest which did have a lot of entrants but I can't remember if it was ever completed. Contests just need a lot of planning and able and willing judges which can't always be found easily, especially with timezones getting the way of things as well.

you could always try the planetphilip contests that they sometimes run on that site if you need some competition.

I'd rather just see little games like the carve only game. Quick. Fun. Nobody gets butthurt.

Maybe if the contest was less eye-candy based, and more gameplay based. It's really demotivating to making a map look the best you can, only to check a content thread and see someone with skill far ahead of you using techniques you haven't fully mastered yet, where their map is objectively better looking that yours. Then one would just think they have no chance at winning so there's no point in finishing the map. If it's gameplay based, the way the map looks is a more secondary aspect of it, even though it's still important.

[QUOTE=paulisdead18;46954153]Maybe if the contest was less eye-candy based, and more gameplay based. It's really demotivating to making a map look the best you can, only to check a content thread and see someone with skill far ahead of you using techniques you haven't fully mastered yet, where their map is objectively better looking that yours. Then one would just think they have no chance at winning so there's no point in finishing the map. If it's gameplay based, the way the map looks is a more secondary aspect of it, even though it's still important.[/QUOTE] Well which do you think of the following options would be better then? 1) Have two winners - best eye candy and best gameplay? or 2) If you post your WIP pics - you are disqualified? Just out of interest?

TF2Maps.net is hosting a [url=http://forums.tf2maps.net/showthread.php?t=23874]72 hour mapping contest[/url] you could try if you like TF2 and staying up for 72h straight :o

[QUOTE=arleitiss;46954531]Well which do you think of the following options would be better then? 1) Have two winners - best eye candy and best gameplay? or 2) If you post your WIP pics - you are disqualified? Just out of interest?[/QUOTE] Not showing any WIP pics would probably help. I would see people post WIP stuff and get criticism to improve it, which sorta defeats the purpose of the map being a solo effort.

[QUOTE=paulisdead18;46954153]Maybe if the contest was less eye-candy based, and more gameplay based. It's really demotivating to making a map look the best you can, only to check a content thread and see someone with skill far ahead of you using techniques you haven't fully mastered yet, where their map is objectively better looking that yours. Then one would just think they have no chance at winning so there's no point in finishing the map. If it's gameplay based, the way the map looks is a more secondary aspect of it, even though it's still important.[/QUOTE] I feel you're approaching these with the wrong mindset. For me the competitions would serve as a great opportunity to test yourself and try something new. I haven't actually participated in any mapping contests on here, but I've found that small challenges help you improve in other areas and challenge you to think differently. I've found seeing what other people do and how they approach the competition also inspire me to try new methods and branch out. If you enter them only wanting to win you're most likely not going to gain much from entering.

FWIW there the first ever Wall Worm mapping contest was just announced. YOu can try your hand at learning to use Wall Worm to build your Source level and use the [URL="http://www.wallworm.net/index.php/topic,1206.0.html"]Amazing Desert Contest[/URL] as your stimulus to give it a try. As soon as I finish adding the DMX exporter into Wall Worm Pro, I'll be doing some videos to help learn some of the new features in WW or coming soon.