Mapping Competition

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Re: Mapping Competition

Postby LordDz on Thu Apr 24, 2014 11:08 pm

Give everyone the same mod for download with lighting and pretty stuff added, then we can just add the maps and ship it?
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Re: Mapping Competition

Postby Armageddon on Thu Apr 24, 2014 11:43 pm

LordDz wrote:Give everyone the same mod for download with lighting and pretty stuff added, then we can just add the maps and ship it?

No.
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Re: Mapping Competition

Postby plagueofburia on Fri Apr 25, 2014 12:22 am

How long does one have for this competition?

I would really like to enter what would I need to do?complete a map?

I am working on a map, though I am not even close....there is no way I would have time to finish to enter.

A competition sounds cool however, wish I could work fast.
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Re: Mapping Competition

Postby srredfire on Fri Apr 25, 2014 12:32 am

I'm against using custom code mods. Not everyone here knows code and has access to fancy shit like that.

I'm a bit wary as far as how the grading will go. Not everyone here is industry level designers who can make top of the line models and textures, so I'm hoping that if someone has some sexy level with a ton of custom content it won't be automatically chosen over someone with an "uglier" map, but with just as good gameplay.

Also I think one map is enough.

plagueofburia wrote:How long does one have for this competition?

I would really like to enter what would I need to do?complete a map?

I am working on a map, though I am not even close....there is no way I would have time to finish to enter.

A competition sounds cool however, wish I could work fast.


You should really read like, you know, any of the rules.
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Re: Mapping Competition

Postby plagueofburia on Fri Apr 25, 2014 1:02 am

To be honest I don't think I can enter. I just saw this page passing by, I never went to the competition site, it seems interesting though, just thought I would ask here, that seems like an error I am slowly understanding humans.
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Re: Mapping Competition

Postby plagueofburia on Fri Apr 25, 2014 1:13 am

Roughly 2 months from now, completing this map for this date would be like Frodo making it to mount doom in one film or book, unrealistic, however I will try/or do, I will set up a wip.

I have a question the map I have been making can I use what I have made so far or do I have to start everything from scratch?
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Re: Mapping Competition

Postby Wazanator on Fri Apr 25, 2014 9:24 am

srredfire wrote:I'm against using custom code mods. Not everyone here knows code and has access to fancy shit like that.


And not everyone knows how to make models or textures. I don't see what's wrong if someone wants to go above and beyond to make their level good. Why should those who know how to code be limited while those who know how to create custom assets are not? If this contest involved L4D2, Portal 2, Alien Swarm or CS:GO would you say entrants are not allowed to use Vscripting? Are we going to rule out the use of the particle editor as well? Not a whole lot of people know how to use that.

Someone here could create replacement models for NPC's and voice overs so as to fit the theme of their map and use them under the idea of them being custom content why should someone else not be allowed to make custom entities in code to setup more advanced scene scripting?

I feel it would be completely fair if someone who did coding did it only to the extent so as to improve level design. It's not as if in the time frame given someone is going to be able to not only design a well thought out level but model a new arsenal of weapons and NPCs along with coding them in.
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Re: Mapping Competition

Postby Les_Grossman on Fri Apr 25, 2014 11:11 am

But this competition is about level design, not about who can add more changes to HL2.
And it should be as close to HL2 aesthetics as possible. Adding dynamic shadows, god rays, etc, will change it.
And ofcourse, for who people will be voting? For those mods with all new features, cos they're look better with all those things. Imo standalone mods shouldn't be allowed either, cos u can add some fancy main menu screen (something u can't do with a map).

btw: Hi everyone, I just registered to enter this competition :)
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Re: Mapping Competition

Postby Hollow on Fri Apr 25, 2014 11:22 am

plagueofburia wrote:Roughly 2 months from now, completing this map for this date would be like Frodo making it to mount doom in one film or book, unrealistic, however I will try/or do, I will set up a wip.

I have a question the map I have been making can I use what I have made so far or do I have to start everything from scratch?


Unrealistic? People make entire games in a month. Hell, Ludum Dare is happening this weekend and you only get 48 hours to make something playable to submit.
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Re: Mapping Competition

Postby [Steve] on Fri Apr 25, 2014 12:52 pm

Hey guys, firstly just like to remind everyone to please read the rules before asking questions!
And reiterate the point that this is indeed a level design contest.

pk_hunter wrote:I want that DOTA poster so damn badly, but my Source skills are so unpolished after 2 years of returning to HL1 for The Core. I think I will enter, but damn, I'm basically going to have to relearn everything.
Some of the WIP ideas are just awesome already, guys. Great work.

If you can find the time it would be great to see you enter!

Gary wrote:I'll gladly play and judge entries. I might even half attempt one.

Your welcome to help with the judging Gary, but if you do you cannot submit an entry!

Knights wrote:I think the rules are fair, it keeps this competition fun as not everyone's a coder here. It would basically 1up the competition with others if someone comes in with a completely modified entry. Not that it's a bad thing, though... The one BSP is fair enough too if you've played ep2 some of those maps are pretty massive and memory is not really a problem with hl2's assets. Good luck to the others! :smt023

The rules are fair and the rules are already established, and if you cannot fit everything into one bsp then your probably making something far too big for this competition. Dont just see this as a limitation, but as a challenge.

Armageddon wrote:Well I guess Nick and I will be disqualified.

I dont want to disqualify anyone, and there is no reason to at this stage, but you have to abide by the same rules as everyone else who has entered.
There is plenty of time to remedy your issues and to bring your entry in line with the rules, which I hope you are able to do as I am excited to see what you produce.

srredfire wrote:I'm a bit wary as far as how the grading will go. Not everyone here is industry level designers who can make top of the line models and textures, so I'm hoping that if someone has some sexy level with a ton of custom content it won't be automatically chosen over someone with an "uglier" map, but with just as good gameplay.

Maps with custom content will not be automatically favoured over ones without! and I would again like to stress that you should be sparsely using custom assets as this is not the focus of this competition. Try not to get carried away creating lots of shiny new things, because you level may still suck, even if it is rather pretty.

Guidelines on when you could consider creating custom assets. (This is just a guide and not a concrete rule)
    Assets that help to establish or reinforce your custom theme, or any items that are essential to your puzzle and/or gameplay.

Les_Grossman wrote:But this competition is about level design, not about who can add more changes to HL2.
And it should be as close to HL2 aesthetics as possible.

Well said Les_Grossman,welcome to the forums and good luck in the competition!
Hollow wrote:Unrealistic? People make entire games in a month. Hell, Ludum Dare is happening this weekend and you only get 48 hours to make something playable to submit.

Well said Hollow, there is plenty of time to complete this competition, even enough time for you to enter!
Good luck to those of you entering Lundum Dare!
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Re: Mapping Competition

Postby SparkyMcSparks on Fri Apr 25, 2014 8:43 pm

Little confused like srredfire and Wazanator are regarding the grading (read through all the comments in this thread including the Journey page).

This is a level design challenge as pointed out above, but then it's mentioned to "not focus on using too many custom assets because even if it's the most pretty it may still suck". That statement, along with requirement for needing a puzzle or combat, makes it unclear if this is a level design challenge in traditional sense that a HL2 quality looking map is the main goal or just a general design challenge encompassing both level and script where gameplay is the main goal.

How would a beautiful map with just some generic combine spawners thrown in to shoot at fair against a blocked out map that has avant-garde gameplay using new mechanics for encounters / puzzles in HL2 world?

tl;dr Is the goal for quality of build design or gameplay design?
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Re: Mapping Competition

Postby LordDz on Sat Apr 26, 2014 12:09 am

TL;DR: Focus on the level design, only add custom props if you feel like you really need them. You shouldn't need a custom mod to display your level unless you need the .VCD(?)s to work, and things that Valve destroyed in their patching.
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Re: Mapping Competition

Postby Aus_Karlos on Sat Apr 26, 2014 3:57 am

Ive figured out all our problems to custom content, vcd's, sounds, bla bla bal..
Ive found a way to compile a new scene.image file that stock EP2 will recognize and mount in addition to its existing scene.image file.

First thanks to the blogs in Github (Source Code 2013) i was able to get faceposer working under a 2007 mod. So you need to create a mod from the SDK launcher under 2007, Change the gamedata.txt to reflect prior steampipe update. Then create and place your vcd's in the sourcemod/<mod_name>/scenes folder. Click rebuild Scenes in faceposer to generate the new scenes (You do not need any scenes from Hl2,EP1 or EP2 unless your using them in your map). If faceposer fails to find any scenes its because the vproject has crapped out close faceposer and launch the bat file from SourceSDK 2013 Singleplayer bin folder. Faceposer will launch and then click rebuild. For some reason it will searches the sourcemod/<mod_name> directory. It should then suscessfully build a scene.image file..

Now the awesome part. Create a Folder name it something like ep_pak_0XX (the XX is what ever numbers / Dont rename it to anything under pak_020 it may unmount the core EP2 files) place your new scene.image file in "ep_pak_0XX/scenes/" Then open up the Common Half-Life 2 bin folder and drag the folder over vpk.exe. It will now generate a new vpk archive. Place that new archive in Common/Half-Life 2/EP2/Custom.

Then when you launch the game and load your map the scene files will be found and will play.
You can also pack your custom sounds, textures bla bla bla. (I still need to test if you can place textures and sounds in the vpk archive and the custom map will find them so you dont need to use VIDE or pakrat to pack into the bsp...)

Could this be our delivery system for our maps? Each user submits a vpk contain all the custom content + map. That way when the judges that are judging all they need to do is copy the vpk into the custom folder and they wont have to worry about other peoples custom content overriding other entries. They'll have to swap out each vpk just incase.
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Re: Mapping Competition

Postby 4IF on Sat Apr 26, 2014 8:55 am

I'm really lost in one question - should it be a story of Gordon, or it can be a randome citizen/rebel/combine? Can I just forget about Gordon, and make something intresting in the different location?

PS: Sorry for bad english.
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Re: Mapping Competition

Postby Armageddon on Sat Apr 26, 2014 8:15 pm

You're Gordon, because all view models have the HEV suit. Gordon doesn't talk so you shouldn't worry about anything like that.
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