The Dark Mod Great Summer Vertical FM Contest!

[DeTeEff]

Oh lord Sotha! Almost done already?

 

I've pushed myself into a corner and I'm having a quite hard time figuring out a nice/believable story

[Fidcal]

grayman: I see no reason why you shouldn't get it beta tested as normal. There are no rules against it. You might prefer to just have one or two beta testers who are not in the contest.

[stumpy]

Well am using the illusionist tower theme so that when they get telepoted it will be as if the illusionist has pulled the player into another illusion. I've only got a few rooms left which consist of judgement, the players personel hell, and enlightment.

[swordbreaker]

Well am using the illusionist tower theme so that when they get telepoted it will be as if the illusionist has pulled the player into another illusion. I've only got a few rooms left which consist of judgement, the players personel hell, and enlightment.

 

 

sounds really interesting. I'm waiting for this!

Edited July 13, 2010 by swordbreaker

[Sotha]

VOTING: is limited to three categories so will be on gameplay, visuals, and best use of verticality with points 3, 2, 1 multiplying each vote in those categories.

How does this voting work in practice? A forum poll attached to the FM release thread and the highest percentage of points is selected for the end score calculations or is there a closed distinguished committee evaluating the map or what?

 

 

Oh lord Sotha! Almost done already?

Yep. Only a few days to external beta testing. I think I did a pretty good job and the result is better than The Beleaguered Fence. Oh, and if you'd like to call me by title, you can call me master Sotha. Oh well, lord Sotha has a nice ring to it as well.

 

 

I reached the halfway point last night, so I'm on schedule.

 

I wasn't around for the xmas contest. Are these things beta-tested like normal maps, or is testing limited to ourselves, because it's a contest and you don't want to give away too much ahead of time?

But surely this isn't so serious contest that we should be secretive and be afraid someone steals our ideas. There are no prizes or anything. Beta-testing should not be omitted since it generally increases the overall quality of the map drastically.

[Nielsen74]

humm I´l hav to say I´m out as I don´t seem to hav the drive to make a map for this contest

[Fidcal]

Just a reminder as we are around half way and some FMs may become ready early. When you release your FM you should:

 

Start a new thread at the Dark Mod forums headed

FM name by Yourname (2010/M/D) Summer FM Vertical Contest Entry

 

Open a poll. Give it the exact same questions and choices as for the Christmas contest EXCEPT for one change because players need to vote on good vertical useage (which is what this contest is about.) Since this is mainly gameplay and because it is important I suggest it be included in gameplay. But this scores 3 points per vote. Since I seem to have overlooked this in the rules please post in the next day or two (time is crucial now) if you object (eg, you didn't give enough attention to the vertical component because you didn't realize votes on it would be so critical.)

 

If no objections then the first question should read:

 

Gameplay: Good vertical use. Enjoyment. Fun duration. Smooth flow, ect. Versus Bugs. Frustration, Boredom, framelag.

 

It's tedious setting up the poll copying and pasting from another but any difficulty setting up the poll thread just ask me or anyone else to start it.

 

In addition you should open a thread at ttlg but the above header should be preceded with Dark Mod: If you don't have an account then ask me or anyone who does to open a thread for you. This should NOT have a poll but a link to the poll at the Dark Mod forums.

[Bikerdude]

humm I´l hav to say I´m out as I don´t seem to hav the drive to make a map for this contest

do you need a hand Nielson..?

[Nielsen74]

Thanks but no thanks, it´s my motivation that´s laging but thanks for offering

[Bikerdude]

well if your so tmd'd out would u like to beta test my contest map after the next few weeks..

[Nielsen74]

Yer shour I´l test you map for you just pm/email me when you ready

[Sotha]

I was under impression that the verticality comes from the map dimension restrictions. If the map conforms to that, it is 'vertical.' After that it can be evaluated in terms of plot, gameplay and visuals as usual.

 

I have to confess I have great difficulty of assessing 'verticality' as such. I know if a map is good in terms of plot, etc. But it is confusing and arbitrary to evaluate 'good verticality usage.'

 

Whatever the end decision will be I'll need and gladly accept Fidcal's help when my map is released in the next few days.

[grayman]

Fidcal:

 

I wasn't on the thread until after the Christmas contest, and I can't find an example of what should be posted in my entry's thread.

 

And how do I "open a poll"?

 

Could you post link(s) that would help us newbies out?

 

Thanks.

[Sotha]

Ok. The Glenham Tower is now finished and officially in release status.

 

Now I only need "FM Contest Map Releasing for Dummies" -kind of instructions.

What kind of poll? What questions exactly? What was the final conclusion with the verticality score? Can I vote my own work? I've no TTLG login, so I need help there.

 

Once these minor issues are clear, it is releasing time.

 

I wasn't on the thread until after the Christmas contest, and I can't find an example of what should be posted in my entry's thread.

 

And how do I "open a poll"?

 

Could you post link(s) that would help us newbies out?

 

Same thing here, essentially...

[stumpy]

I've covered all of this 'mantling, roping, jumping, stairs, elevators, ladders, dropping' in mine, plus some teleporting to bend reality around a bit until it snapped.

[Fidcal]

Yes, imo entrants should vote on their own FM so it balances out if everyone does it.

 

 

 

Guide to creating a contest entry thread for your FM:

 

I've decided to make the vertical element part of the Visual vote simply so that it is neither over-weighted nor under-weighted. Not ideal but that's it. Decision made.

 

Create your new thread

FM name by Yourname (2010/M/D) Summer FM Vertical Contest Entry

Your first post must at least include the download link clearly

Plus optionally and ideally:

A brief summary (can be taken from your darkmod.txt for example)

Any other known issues you want the player to know about

Even a picture if you want

 

You can post that if you want so its not lost then edit it to add the poll.

 

You need the full editor to add the poll

Select "Manage topic poll" at the top

Poll title: FM name by Yourname (2010/M/D) Summer FM Vertical Contest Entry

Public poll: check

You should see only one question at start.

Click "Add another Question" button twice so you see three questions.

Leave "Allow users to select multiple answers?" BLANK

 

Here are the three question texts you should paste in:

 

1. Gameplay: Enjoyment. Fun duration. Smooth flow, ect. Versus Bugs. Frustration, Boredom, framelag

 

2. Appearance: Vertical use, Visual pleasure, lighting, visual style, deduct bad texturing etc.

 

3. Story & Text: Story. Text. Briefing. Graphic storytelling

 

You will see each of those questions has only one choice by default.

Click the "Add another choice" button 4 times until you have 5 choices

You will need to do that for each of the three questions

These are the choices texts you should type in for each of the three questions:

 

Poor

 

Tolerable

 

Good

 

Excellent

 

Near Perfect

 

When done click "Add reply" or "submit modified post" depending which way you did it to post.

 

Here is an example poll from the Christmas contest.

 

http://forums.thedarkmod.com/topic/10509-fan-mission-return-to-the-city-by-melan-20100110/page__view__findpost__p__206517

[Sotha]

-Thanks for the guide. Looks simple enough. I'll put my map in this evening.

 

I've decided to make the vertical element part of the Visual vote simply so that it is neither over-weighted nor under-weighted. Not ideal but that's it. Decision made.

 

I thought also that verticality is more like a visual thing. Good decision, in my humble opinion.

[Fidcal]

Oh yeah and nudge me if I don't remember and I'll copy your thread to ttlg.com unless someone else beats me to it. They'll have to link back here to vote though. It's just important to prefix the topic name Dark Mod is all or you get players wondering why it doesn't work in Thief!

[Sotha]

Oh yeah and nudge me if I don't remember and I'll copy your thread to ttlg.com unless someone else beats me to it. They'll have to link back here to vote though. It's just important to prefix the topic name Dark Mod is all or you get players wondering why it doesn't work in Thief!

 

Okay it is now released. If someone would put it in ttlg as well I'd be grateful.

[Baddcog]

My hat's in the ring, what the hell.

 

Only have a month but a decent idea I've been plugging away on since last night

 

Basic rule for me, keep it simple. It's not gonna be anything complex but hopefully fun for at least a few minutes of gameplay.

 

I started too fast and was thinking it was 2048x2048 so this morning was mostly readjusting some pathways. But I've got it squeezed into 1280x1280 now.

 

 

[Berny]

Could we make an Autumn contest with the theme: scary maps?

[Nielsen74]

you´r welcome to setup a contest of you´r own you know

[Dragofer]

Yes, I think my mission can fit that. It even fits my intentions . I may be a month late, but then again I have at least another month.

[Baddcog]

Just got my first objective done. Took maybe 10 minutes reading the wiki to figure out, of course it was just a loot total goal but the objectives editor is cool and pretty easy to use.

 

Also got some sounds and a few patrolling AI going, a little cleanup here and there... making progress.

[Fidcal]

Just for the future, you can insert a ready-working objectives prefab. You then need only modify eg, change loot value. Same with startpack. You still need to read the wiki to know how it works but it makes it easier to get started and do the common objectives.