Mapmaking Competition

[10-Neon]

This poll will help me figure out how large I will make the contest. If there are a lot of participants, I will include multiple prizes for different types of entries and the prizes will be generally larger. If it is just a small showing, I'll keep the competition small, have judging occur on only a few criteria, and award one or two mid-sized mineral awards.
I am currently working on getting a special trophy item made for this contest if enough people participate, if minerals aren't enough of an incentive.

If you are wondering about what the basic rules will be, for now...
-I am restricting the entries to maps made within the contest period (so they're made just for the contest) and
-all maps must be melee-playable.
-They may have additional features in Use Map Settings, like briefings, teams, and sounds, but nothing that would change the fundamental gameplay.
-To keep the maps from becoming money maps, bases and expansions will be allowed to have a maximum of 15000 total minerals (that's 10 clusters of 1500, or 15 clusters of 1000, etc.) and 5000 gas.
-You should try to make all bases balanced- between one another, and between races.
-You may use map editors other than Staredit, but don't stack minerals, place start locations next to minerals, or do anything extremely strange. If you are worried about what I will allow, PM me about it once the contest begins.
-You may use any map size up to and including 128x128. You can only use the higher sizes if one of the dimensions is 128 or smaller, eg. 96x192.

You can start planning maps now, but don't star working on them. You'll have plenty of the to make a full-fledged map when the contest actually begins, which should be within the next week.

[ImaGiNe.]

I am up for it! I support you 10-Neon!

[PowerkickasS]

i ticked 'yes im in' till i realised it's a melee map contest -_-

[zeratul11]

im going to join too.

[zeratul11]

whats the defference of melee (making) maps from other maps. are there restrictions? all i know is that melee maps are not suppose to be campaign maps(not balance mineral bases etc.)

anyone here can explain the rules about melle maps (making them)?

so the design of the map is also important in the overall score? i hope so. i like adding props and stuffs 8)

[PowerkickasS]

What's wrong with melee maps? It's more about creativity than skill ;p

umm....it's EXACTLY the opposite....

[ImaGiNe.]

whats the defference of melee (making) maps from other maps. are there restrictions?
The difference between a melee map and a use map settings (UMS) map, is that melee maps usually do not include triggers other than the basic victory, defeat, and starting minerals, however those are not required unless you are playing the map in a Use Map Settings game type. UMS maps do have trigger conditions and actions and they are almost essential to the game play of the map. Take RPGs and Madness maps for example, if you were to play them on melee, you would not get very far nor will you enjoy it the way that the map creator intended it to be.

all i know is that melee maps are not suppose to be campaign maps(not balance mineral bases etc.)

You are correct sir, however campaign maps usually employ melee mechanics as you must build up your economy to get an effective start.

anyone here can explain the rules about melle maps (making them)?
Here are some tips that will be of great help to you (or anyone else looking to start making melee maps), check them out here by clicking the link at http://www.battle.net/mod/dev/melee.shtml.

so the design of the map is also important in the overall score? i hope so. i like adding props and stuffs 8)

In designing a melee map, you must take into account that no one will actually see the entire map, so focus on areas that will see intense game play.

[zeratul11]

wow. ok i got it. im reading the designer's note right now. thank you so much. my thank you gift :powerup:

yah, ums, like zerg soccer. haha.

i hope they start this competition asap. 8)

[Lord David]

Oh, we can't have UMS? Not even a little mini side competition for UMS? :( That's a shame indeed.

[ImaGiNe.]

Well Battle.net seems to be lacking in the melee department and well, what better way to add into the pool? In any case, I am sure 10-Neon (or some other member) is planning on a UMS map competition.

[paragon]

yes i would participate in this

[Alukard]

i would like to test them

[PowerkickasS]

i'd be surprised to see if anybody can conjure up a workable map with more than one main choke ;)

[Dreadnought]

This sounds like alot of fun count me in ;)

[paragon]

i'd be surprised to see if anybody can conjure up a workable map with more than one main choke ;)

Thats like almost every real blizzard map

[Lord David]

I don't know if anyone's mentioned this idea or not, but wouldn't it be cool if the winning maps were to be posted and available for download here? Something like the whole minerals needed concept that is given to the winners, wouldn't it be cool?

Even if the minerals concept is ignored, then just having the winning maps available for downloaded would be nice. :)