2022 "Horror for Christmas" Contest

[nbohr1more]

Time for a new contest eh?

 

This contest will almost be a speed build contest since we are shaving a few days off the typical 3 month span of a standard contest.

TDM has no shortage of horror themed missions but since we missed the chance to have a Halloween contest

this is a "gift" to the large contingent of TDM fans who enjoy some horror in their life.

 

I wont go crazy with bonus points in this contest but there will be a few incentives...

The overarching theme of this contest will be placing the player in dangerous locations.

Having to climb down into elevator shafts, narrow caverns pits, etc to acquire loot or trigger objectives.

This theme is meant to be paired with an incentive to use vine arrows to escape (etc).

There is no hard requirement to adhere to this theme but players can judge your theme score using this concept as a baseline.

 

Bonus incentives:

3 Perfect votes added for creative Vine Arrow usage

1 Perfect vote for creative Mine usage

1 Perfect vote for creative Flash-bomb usage

2 Perfect vote for EFX audio

1 Perfect vote for Subtitles

1 Perfect vote for adding Translation string support

As with the previous contest, we may need to add a scaling factor if there is lower than expected participation from voters.

 

Standard Contest Scoring:

Total Points = (gameplay * 3) + (Appearance * 2) + (Story \ Theme * 1)

Max Possible = Total Votes * 5 (Outstanding)

Category Score (%) = Category Points /Max Possible * 100

Total Score (%) = Total Points /Total Max Possible * 100

 

The vote count was equal in all categories for everyone so:

TotalMaxPointsPoss (TMP) = AllCategoryVotecount(ACV) * 30

Full Weighted Score (FWS) = (Gamescore*3 + Visualscore*2 + Storyscore) / TMP

 

Pre-existing maps:

The contest will be for newly created missions.

Authors can use modular assets and prefabs and limited pre-made map sections.

If you wish to use an existing WIP mission, you will need to declare this in your release thread and other participants will need to agree that your mission should be allowed to compete. Otherwise, if multiple authors with WIP missions decide to join we can create a separate scoring for those missions.

The submission deadline will be Christmas Day ( but we can extend the deadline if all participants agree to the request. )

Please declare you intention to join in the fun!

[thebigh]

I'm in!

[RedNoodles]

Nice!

[Shadow]

Can't wait! Christmas will be good this year.

[thebigh]

Got my floor plan laid out on paper, some scripts prepared, and a few new textures and sounds created. Time to open DarkRadiant and really get started. Is anyone else going to participate? I'd hate for it to just be me.

[Dragofer]

I don't think I'll be doing much in the way of mapping until the end of this year, but I'd be happy to assist contest participants with scripted effects.

[Goldwell]

I do have some cut content from a mission originally intended for my Shadows of Northdale campaign. I have wanted to rework it for a while and this seems like a perfect opportunity to put it to good use. So provided folks are okay with that, I will enter. Half of the mission will be brand new and half will be from the existing map.

 

And of course, I have prepared a video!

 

[madtaffer]

Amazing. Who is the voiceactor?

[Wellingtoncrab]

@Goldwellas someone who would never use a WIP as the basis for a contest entry, I whole heartedly object.

<it is of course fine with me>

[Shadow]

Absolutely @Goldwell, @thebigh should be thrilled to have some competition. I just wish I could join to make my own mission but sadly I would have to start modding from noob scratch.

[thebigh]

It's hardly competition. I'm going to get demolished XD

[datiswous]

Just want to mention that there is a bat asset:

I think horror is a nice theme to try them.

[JackFarmer]

On 10/19/2022 at 4:53 AM, thebigh said:

It's hardly competition. I'm going to get demolished XD

I am looking forward to your work and I really liked your first two releases, period!

[Wellingtoncrab]

-=CONTEST COBBLER PACK=-

Need a SPOOKY street for your DRACULA or WOLFMAN?

Mileage may vary but we got a variety of sepia stained sooty, grungy Pavers, Kerbs, Cobbles & More!

 

I'll probably never finish my contest mission in time, but hopefully this helps you finish yours!

DOWNLOAD

[Frost_Salamander]

33 minutes ago, Wellingtoncrab said:

-=CONTEST COBBLER PACK=-

Need a SPOOKY street for your DRACULA or WOLFMAN?

Mileage may vary but we got a variety of sepia stained sooty, grungy Pavers, Kerbs, Cobbles & More!

 

I'll probably never finish my contest mission in time, but hopefully this helps you finish yours!

DOWNLOAD

wow these look great!  I always wished there were more/better choices for these in the base game.  I have an FM in progress but there is no way it'll be ready for the contest, I'm too slow :-(. One of these days maybe the timing will be right.

[Wellingtoncrab]

8 minutes ago, Frost_Salamander said:

I have an FM in progress but there is no way it'll be ready for the contest, I'm too slow

I feel you there!

I have found attempting to participate at least a very good way to get something focused and rolling even if it is somewhat undermined by the inevitable impossibility of it ever being ready in time.

Which is to say participating in spirit is still participating in my book!

[Frost_Salamander]

11 minutes ago, Wellingtoncrab said:

I feel you there!

I have found attempting to participate at least a very good way to get something focused and rolling even if it is somewhat undermined by the inevitable impossibility of it ever being ready in time.

Which is to say participating in spirit is still participating in my book!

Well the main problem is really that it's kind of big, and I'd have to totally change the 'story' to fit with the theme.

Maybe I'll 'participate' by downloading and using your cobble pack regardless 

Edited November 5, 2022 by Frost_Salamander

[Wellingtoncrab]

8 minutes ago, Frost_Salamander said:

Maybe I'll 'participate' by downloading and using your cobble pack regardless 

Good place to start!

[madtaffer]

Could contestants  create some murder mystery story with psychological horror, not only all time seen undead theme ? Wellingtoncrab?

[SeriousToni]

But I like the undead.

[nbohr1more]

Yes, psychological horror is fine. To be clear, the mission doesn’t even have to be horror themed. You could just have a heist set in a late fall season ( for example ). It’s up to the mission author to convince players to give the mission a good theme score so the mission could completely ignore the theme as long as players are happy with its inclusion in the contest in some way. And really, going out late and stealing stuff is also already a creepy activity so any other horror attributes are a bonus to the default creep factor.

[Ladro]

On 10/18/2022 at 2:24 PM, Goldwell said:

I do have some cut content from a mission originally intended for my Shadows of Northdale campaign. I have wanted to rework it for a while and this seems like a perfect opportunity to put it to good use. So provided folks are okay with that, I will enter. Half of the mission will be brand new and half will be from the existing map.

 

And of course, I have prepared a video!

 

This is insane cool!

[thebigh]

Unfortunately it looks like I'll have to drop out. Real life has become unbelievably hectic lately, and I'm finding it harder and harder to set aside any uninterrupted mapping time. I'll still finish my mission eventually, but it probably won't be until about March next year. So look forward to a creepy little set piece around then.

[Acolytesix]

No Beta testing yet for the contest missions? Christmas is just around the corner  

[Goldwell]

Due to a lack of contestants (I think i'm the only one now...) i'm going to be pulling out my entry as well. It's disappointing but I don't want to release a mission for a contest where i'm the only one competing.

 

The mission i've shown off in the what are you working on thread will still see release in the future eventually though when the timing feels right, so I guess not all is lost.