3DRealms UBB Mapping Contest

[widowmaker]

I had the idea from something that ran on one of the unreal sites. Sort of lets kick this mapping into high gear and see what the dedicated DNF fans can pump out in UT2K3.

Just a thought any one interested.

As a reference the following rules would apply.
-Eight Days to work on the map (Saturday to the end of the following Sunday)
-The maps would have a theme to be based on and a specific game type. This would be posted at the start of the competition.

Although there would be no prizes you would have the admiration of the other level designers on the 3DRealms UBB.

So once again is anyone interested in giving this a try?

[Daedalus]

I presume that it's too early for a UT2003 mapping contest, because people with low-end computers (including me) haven't even played the game yet and haven't even seen the editor, because it doesn't run on our systems. Next point is that most people would have to learn how to use the editor first and create their first maps, because they didn't had any or less experiences with UnrealEd so far.

Ask for a contest next year. The chances of many people taking part would be higher then.....

[NutWrench]

If it involved the UT editor, I guess I would be up for it. I agree with Daedalus: UT2003 has only been out for a couple of weeks and a few days isn't enough time to get up to speed on all the new editor features (hardware brushes, terrain editor, etc). Also, I don't have UT2003, yet. images/icons/smile.gif

How about a small UT deathmatch map, and you have from Oct 20 - Oct 30 to complete it?

[Theseus314]

ok. Unreal Tournament UnrealED.

[widowmaker]

In retrospect I suppose that would be more fair to people. So who would be interested in a UT (not UT2K3) mapping contest?

For bragging rights and a tiny bit of respect.

[NutWrench]

Ok, I'm in. images/icons/smile.gif

Should there be any restrictions on add-on or bonus packs? (i.e. should the map be required to run on an unmodified install of UT 436?)

[Bean]

im too busy on my UT2003 endeavor to participate, but i can give some rule suggestions:

-Use only stock textures/content from UT 436.
-Must be ideal for <insert # of players> here.
-10 Days to complete.
-No outside or add-on packs.
-One one person can work on a map.
-No copying content from other stock UT maps. Must all be original work.

[Daedalus]

Count me in, but be warned: I won't make any maps form scratch.

I'll take one of the famous singleplayer maps from Deus Ex or Undying and convert it to a UT deathmatch map, with new textures and perhaps some new areas. Later (next year) I'll convert this UT map to UT2003 with even better textures and stuff.

If this doesn't apply to your mapping rules then count me out then...

[Theseus314]

If you are allowed to do that then I shall not enter. All maps must be from scratch and all work must be done within the time allocated.

Daedalus, don't be so fu*king lazy.

[NutWrench]

Same here. If the maps aren't from scratch then I won't enter, either.

Let's make it a bit easier. How about a small, interior deathmatch map? This way there are no terrain or elaborate skyboxes involved.

[Theseus314]

Either a Domination level or a deathmatch level optimised for 1on1?

[widowmaker]

Well lets start this tomorrow.

Sorry Deadalus but maps will have to be from scratch. I'll post the details at midnight Eastern Time. That is about twelve hours from the time of this post.

My original intent was to get mappers going with the new UED so that they could learn from one another but just seeing what the members of the 3DRealms UBB are capable of should prove interesting.

[widowmaker]

Okay it almost midnight eastern time and here are the specs for the maping contest.

Contest Rules (http://www.chgdesign.com/contest)

Post any questions here.

Ready!

Set!

Start Mapping!!!!

[Daedalus]

Originally posted by Theseus314:
Daedalus, don't be so fu*king lazy.<font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial">Fu*king alright. images/icons/wink.gif

Allowable Components: Only what came in the box plus the most current version of UED2. No bonus packs, no prefabs, nothing constructed out side and imported into the editor.
This must be a new arena created from scratch.<font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial">widowmaker, I don't like to be an ass, but I must say that your contest rules are very strict. I mean prefabs should be allowed imho. You don't really believe that anyone can create a map from scratch in just 10 days which is a) state-of-the-art and b) totally made from scratch. I don't think that even skilled dudes like 3DR could create a ubercool map from scratch in just 10 days, if you understand what I mean. graemlins/wid.gif

Just my 2 centies.

[Theseus314]

Daedalus, I think you wrong.

Let the mapping.. ..begin.

[Theseus314]

FYI I'm probably going to make a 2003 version in parallel to enter in the Unreal Playground compo of the same theme.

[widowmaker]

Deadalus I understand what yuor saying. This si simply an even playing field for anyone who has UT.
I would like to do an open rule contest later with the only rule being "Have it done by..."

[Daedalus]

^No problem.

Today I have re-installed UT and UEd2 on my HD. I will create a small domination map from scratch, just for fun, and see if it's worth or not.

It'll be cool if you also run an open rule contest, because there are lots of old Unreal 1 usermaps (first maps created by fans back in 1998) with ugly texturing and lighting that it would be interesting to port these maps to UT (and later to UT2003) and give them the "touch" they deserve. The authors of those old usermaps won't even bother. I guess they'd be surprised in a positive way that someone remade their maps which were so lame that times. images/icons/smile.gif

[ 10-20-2002, 03:10 PM: Message edited by: Daedalus ]

[NutWrench]

/me has started mapping images/icons/smile.gif

Question: are there any gamma calibration type utilities for UT? How can I make sure that the map lighting on my computer will look the same on someone elses?

[widowmaker]

Oh yes the gama problem. I set mine to level five and test my map in that. I hope that this keeps it generally close on other computers. I had poll a few months ago about what gama setting people use. Most people are in the mid range.
Gama Poll (http://forums.3drealms.com/cgi-bin/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic;f=7;t=005220)

So long as it looks good on your machine in the mid range gama it should work out good for everyone else.

I just reinstalled UT and have started mapping too. It seems strange to be able to work for more than an hour with out it crashing at least once. UED3 is just terrible on my machine, UED2 runs pretty nice though.

[Tip]

Originally posted by widowmaker:
Okay it almost midnight eastern time and here are the specs for the maping contest.

Contest Rules (http://www.chgdesign.com/contest)

Post any questions here.

Ready!

Set!

Start Mapping!!!!<font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial">That link doesn't work. I'd be interested in participating but I don't know the rules. graemlins/tinyted.gif

[widowmaker]

Match Type: Domination

Players: 4 - 6 (teams of 2 or 3 players)

Allowable Components: Only what came in the box plus the most current version of UED2. No bonus packs, no prefabs, nothing constructed out side and imported into the editor.
This must be a new arena created from scratch.

Theme: HALLOWEEN

Deadline: 12:01 AM November 1, 2002

[Tip]

A halloween theme...
/me goes and digs through the textures and decorations to find anything resembling Halloween

[widowmaker]

So how are those maps going guys?

Not to rush anyone but I'll put mine up later today. Since I seem to be running this I don't really qualify, but it may give some of you ideas.

[widowmaker]

Okay as promised here is the map.

My Map (http://www.chgdesign.com/contest/DOM-Graveyard.zip)

Or you can go to the contest page to download it.

[NutWrench]

I can't access your page or map, widowmaker.

My map's nowhere near done, yet. images/icons/smile.gif

[widowmaker]

Hmm. Never had problems like this before. Anyways I put it up on geocities too.

Type this (or copy and paste it into the location bar)

http://www.geocities.com/TimesSquare/Stadium/8697/gravyrd.html

or you can type this into the browser

http://www.chgdesign.com/contest

Both should lead to a page that it can be downloaded off of.

[widowmaker]

So how are the maps going guys?

For those interested I put that UT Halloween map up over at www.unrealplayground.com (http://www.unrealplayground.com)
as DOM-Graveyard. I also put up a UT2K3 halloween map CTF-Mausoleum (it is under beta maps).

[widowmaker]

Hmm. Okay new question. Is anyone actually working on anything for this contest or has everyone given up on it?

[Wild Falkon]

I'll work on something, but it will take plenty of time - I'm not fully 'with' the editor quite yet.

Perhaps you should get concrete rules down, and ones that can be enforced, then maybe the contest will go on and be fair.

[Daedalus]

Yes, I'm working on a map, too. The major geometry is done (from scratch!). Now I'm doing the lighting, texturing, sound and music choice, weapon and item placement, pathways for the bots and stuff...

[NutWrench]

I won't be finished in time for the deadline tonight.

[widowmaker]

No matter. Since there are so few people in this we can extend the time until Monday. That gives everyone another weekend to work on their maps.
Would that help?

[Theseus314]

I shall also be a little late..

[Daedalus]

One more question I forgot to ask:

I read the rules, but how is "Halloween theme" to be understood? Does it mean that the map has to include pumpkins, bats, cemetaries and stuff?

I'm asking, because I'm not sure if my map will fall under this category. My domination map is sort of ancient theme. The action takes place in a huge cavern, if you like to know exactly. Unfortutanely the stock models (meshes browser) in UT don't include bats which I could put inside. However, I could put some brush inside which has the shape of a huge pumpkin.

Would that be "Halloween theme" enough?

[widowmaker]

It is entirely up to you. Whatever brings a bit of halloween flavor to the level.
The map does need something that gives it that halloween feel though.
Since this isn't a really serious competition I don't think it will make to much of a difference.

[widowmaker]

Well times up. So what has everyone got?

[NutWrench]

I'm still working on mine when I can, between my job and school stuff. I think that a week or two turned out to be hopelessly optimistic (in my case, at least). I'm sorry I couldn't finish in time for the deadline. It's going to be cool. Trust me.

If it makes you feel any better, I'll credit you as the inspiration for the map. images/icons/smile.gif

[widowmaker]

That is okay. Mmm mabye if it is really cool though. LOL

I think that this community is pretty much at a stand still when it comes to level design right now. Those who are here and actively mapping are probably into MaxEd. I almost ended up there to but chose to keep my self focused on the Unreal engine and UED.

I'm having fun in the Unreal community for the moment. Plenty of active mappers there.

Life will return here when DNF is done. I don't really expect much until then.

This kind of killed my idea for a Christmas contest.

[widowmaker]

I am deeply saddened by this. Not even one person came up with anything. Well so much for that idea. I won't be trying to start anything like this again. images/icons/frown.gif

[Daedalus]

^^Same what NutWrench said. Exams and school make my mapping proceed very slow. I'm sorry that it takes so long though.

Another time factor is that my map consists of high-detailed terrain geometry made with TerraEdit, thus I have to fight BSP holes, garbage vertices and crap. Sometimes it makes me very demoralized. I don't know about UT2003 editor, but UnrealEd1 and 2 don't handle brushes consisting of 2000+ polys very well imo.

The other problem is that huge pumpkin of mine which I made and intersected in UEd2. Guess what it is...you guessed it...BSP holes...it's too detailed (1200+ polys) and UEd2 doesn't like this. Grrr! graemlins/mryuck.gif

I think I should cancel this one and better design a scary catacomb map with hallways and stuff (lightning included ofcourse)... this would make mapping a lot faster and I wouldn't need to cope with those damn BSP holes.

[Theseus314]

I'm running behind simply because I'm starting at a new job and I'm having to put all my energy into that for a while.

I will be finished one day however.

[widowmaker]

That is all fine. I'm not worried about anything anymore. Maybe we'll try this again next year, but with a lot more time so everyone can get their maps done.

It is good to know that there were a few people who bothered to start on a map. I was beginning to think you guys don't like me anymore. images/icons/frown.gif

[Night Hacker]

I just started back into UT mapping again (not UT2K3) but I don't think there are alot of mappers coming to this forum to be honest, I didn't even notice the UnrealEd forum until the other day.

I wouldn't mind a more open contest, the strict rules of no add-ons was too much though, I think limiting to everything that comes with UT-Game Of The Year edition would be good, as you can download all the add-ons to make your UT the same as the GOTY Edition (as I did). I also downloaded a ton of prefabs, although I would happily stick to from scratch as that is more of a challenge, but how do you know someone didn't use a prefab? Kind of hard to enforce. I also have never created a Domination map, I doubt it is hard though. I think a simple contest with rules like DM level, maybe with an outdoor theme (or indoor, or space etc... a theme that is less specific). One way to avoid limiting someone to the basic install files only would be to not place limits, use prefabs etc... any add-ons all you like, but it must be an OUTDOOR DEATHMATCH level, it must be done by a certain date and it should have everything needed to play it and be no more than XX megs in size. This way a person could use whatever they liked, but they would have to include it all in one zip file and it would all count towards the total size limit, no additional downloading should be required.

I think prefabs are okay, but I am against porting complete levels. That doesn't require any talent, skill or imagination at all, and of course it wouldn't really be your level. It would have to be a never before done, original level, that is a true test of skill in my books.

Anyhow, maybe we can all get together in the new year and give this another shot, I know I would take part. But I don't expect a large number of people.

[widowmaker]

Your right there are not that many mappers around here right now. I've moved on to UnrealPlayground and do my UT mapping and talk about it over there.

The mappers will be back when DNF is out. I can't see many of them returning before that.