Contest Rules

[Hellscrag]

UnrealSP.Org Eighth Anniversary Speedmapping Competition

Rules

Entries that don't comply with these rules may not be considered for the contest.

1. All maps must be built from scratch within the six week period of the contest. - While we would like to let you use an existing incomplete map as a base, it wouldn't be fair on the other contestants. However, if your existing incomplete map only consists of a couple of rooms, then it is probably acceptable - please discuss with the judges and the other entrants before proceeding.

2. Do not start building the map before the contest officially commences. - Although planning / sketching / brainstorming ideas is acceptable.

3. All entries must be playable on Unreal 226 or UT 436 without additional engine modifications. - This is so that everybody can have a level playing field. UT entries should utilise Oldskool. The use of external applications such as 3DS to build your map is fine as long as compatibility is maintained. Do not build your map in Unreal 227 if it will render it unplayable in Unreal 226 or UT 436.

4. All maps must be standalone, playable single player maps using stock Unreal / UT pawns and weapons. - This also means that map should have a proper level exit or ending sequence. It shouldn't just "stop" without explanation.

5. There is no restriction on entries' setting or storyline.

6. If your entry spans multiple maps, they should be properly linked together, including by build. - Otherwise they may be considered as separate entries.

7. Entrants should be willing, if the contest produces a sufficient quality and quantity of work, for their maps to be compiled into a larger map pack or compilation distributed by UnrealSP.Org.


Guidelines

These are not binding rules, but failure to work within these guidelines may count against you winning the contest. Among other things, they are designed to minimise filesize, promote technical tidiness and put the emphasis on mapping skill over knowledge of other available assets.

Use of Prefabs

Limited use of decorative prefab brushes is acceptable. However, they should be prefabs either of your own design or taken from stock Unreal / UT maps.

Importing Custom Content

Custom code, textures, music, sound and meshes made specifically for the contest are acceptable.

Otherwise, try to find appropriate textures, music, sound and meshes in the stock Unreal / UT selection before looking elsewhere. Any custom content NOT made specifically for the contest should be made available for other contestants to download. Try to limit yourself to a couple of custom packages per entry to avoid creating hugely bloated downloads that would also make later compilation of all the entries into a single, tidy download unfeasible.

As stated under the rules, engine mods should be avoided. This is first and foremost a mapping contest, not a showcase for the latest fanmade addons to the engine, and exploiting engine mods to elevate your map would be unfair to contestants who have not had the chance to explore them.

Submission

Each mapper starts a thread containing information about their entry. This can either be done in advance, or when the map is finally completed. "Final" downloads must be made available in the first post of the thread by the close of the contest on Sunday 2nd August 2009.

Assessment

Maps will be assessed by a panel of judges and given a score out of 10, and the map that receives the highest average score will be the winner. A full and detailed assessment against the UnrealSP.Org review schema will not be required; however, the criteria listed on the schema will act as broad determinants of quality. Judges will not be barred from submitting maps to the contest, as their submissions can be assessed by the other judges on the panel.

The Prize

Erm... kudos? I would welcome suggestions. At present, I can't think of anything in particular, except possibly for:

• An UnrealSP.Org e-mail address; or
• The opportunity to lead on compiling all of the submissions into a map pack.

(Now welcoming any volunteers to be judges! Judges will need to be willing to play all of the submissions at the end of the contest and award them scores, feeding their scores back to me within a period of about two weeks of the close of the contest. I am happy to put myself forward as a judge.)

[Hellscrag]

Now that we're having a whole forum dedicated to the contest, I'm thinking about changing the submission process. Instead of having people send everything to me (which could create a bottleneck), I'm thinking of letting each entrant post a thread of their own, much like on the Upcoming Maps Page forum. A central Sticky thread managed by the judges could be used to keep track of the individual entries.

[Raven]

Thinking of it right now - rules are good . I'll promote it on unreal.pl when time comes (21 June).

[UBerserker]

I'd suggest promoting it in these days and not when the contest starts, so the people will make good use of this rule:

2. Do not start building the map before the contest officially commences. - Although planning / sketching / brainstorming ideas is acceptable.

[jackrabbit]

just a FYI: I'm building mine on 227 Ued 2.0, but I'm not using any direct 227 only features. This will render playable in both Unreal 226f and UT436. I recommend everyone else to do the same.. but that is just an opinion. Of course, if you have the skills to build it in the UT editor and make it backward compatible with unreal226f.. then go for it (although I've never done that). There is UED 2.0 for UE1, so its better than using the UED 1.0 editor that comes with unreal 226f (another opinion). I guess what i'm trying to say is: forwarding your work from unreal 227 UED 2.0 is most likely easier than back porting it from UT. The best part is that even with UE1.0 you still get the same UT editor with 227.

I'd also like to comment on Shivaxi's "hate group" for people on this forum.... Shivaxi: you've got it wrong, they are just trying to prevent 227 only features from being included with something that is REQUIRED TO BE COMPATIBLE WITH 226F and UT. No-one is trying to bash 227 for what it is, they are just concerned with some side effect that could occur from people who don't understand 227 and all of its features. Because I know what and what not to use when I make a map using the 227 editor, I have the knowledge to be able to make a full compatible map within unreal and UT. If anyone runs into any problems in the future with getting their map from 227 -> UT, PM me and I will be able to at least tell you what you need to change (227 dependent content) in order to make your map fully compatible. The same thing goes for UT when you try to bring Botpack -> unreal226f.... 227 is just another example of how that can happen. (but its the OTHER way around haha!)

[Shivaxi]

I just never read the rules all the way through....missed that bit is all

I do the same too though. WtfS2 is being created via 227 UED. But it's still going to be compat with all versions of Unreal plus UT99.

[Frieza]

Just to be clear, it doesn't have to be compatible with both Unreal226 and UT, just one or the other (and in the case of Unreal226, that means compatible with UT as well).

[Creavion]

Just to be clear, it doesn't have to be compatible with both Unreal226 and UT, just one or the other (and in the case of Unreal226, that means compatible with UT as well).

Uh and I thought at the beginning the maps which would be made in UT would be made compatibel with Unreal at the end.

[Creavion]

The Prize

Erm... kudos? I would welcome suggestions. At present, I can't think of anything in particular, except possibly for:

• An UnrealSP.Org e-mail address; or
• The opportunity to lead on compiling all of the submissions into a map pack.

(Now welcoming any volunteers to be judges! Judges will need to be willing to play all of the submissions at the end of the contest and award them scores, feeding their scores back to me within a period of about two weeks of the close of the contest. I am happy to put myself forward as a judge.)

A bigger PM folder... you can not save that much here, its really tight

[Hellscrag]

Indeed, maps made in UT are not required to be compatible with Unreal. The main thing is that all entries must be compatible with one of the two retail games (with official patches). Unreal 226 maps have the added benefit of being playable in UT.

A bigger PM folder... you can not save that much here, its really tight

That option's not available to me, unfortunately.

[jackrabbit]

Its not required, but with 227 and its "UT like editor", its more than possible to get the compatibility with both Unreal and UT (if you know what your doing!). I would recommend for everyone to shoot for this, because honestly in the end what your going to get is more people that play your maps.... and who doesn't like that?

If not.. I really don't mind.. because were talking about a bunch of separate content that doesn't relate into a larger campaign (yet). If this does happen to come out as a larger official campaign though.. I'm going to push the compatibility for both Unreal and UT much harder.

I guess the only limitation of using 227 editor is not having BotPack.u at your disposal. But worry not... I'm pretty sure we will be seeing a version of BotPack.u for 227 soon. And afterall, if you build your map in UT with botpack.u, if and when 227 gets a working Botpack, UT -> 227 might even play without any conversion needed! .. this is only based on assumption though.

[Creavion]

Sounds like "Unreal Tournament Addon" for Unreal O_o

[jackrabbit]

Sounds like "Unreal Tournament Addon" for Unreal O_o

yep.. and by the "legal rules" provided by Epic and all of its games.. its totally legal to make and distribute publicly. Unfortunatly, this seems to not be the case for UPak.. but.......... i'm now getting the feeling that the next 227 version is just gonna say f&4^ it.

[Shivaxi]

Sounds like "Unreal Tournament Addon" for Unreal O_o

yep.. and by the "legal rules" provided by Epic and all of its games.. its totally legal to make and distribute publicly. Unfortunatly, this seems to not be the case for UPak.. but.......... i'm now getting the feeling that the next 227 version is just gonna say f&4^ it.

Yeah lol...I heard somewhere that 227g will be Upak/RTNP supportive

[Legendslayer222]

Instead of having people send everything to me (which could create a bottleneck), I'm thinking of letting each entrant post a thread of their own.

Does this mean that you can play anyone's entries when ever you fell like doing so?