EXTREME w00t mapping challenge!
START DATE 25/03/06 - COMPLETION DATE 25/04/06
RULES OF ENGAGEMENT
GAMETYPE : Capture the Flag
Your challenge, should you choose to accept, is to create a new variation on the theme of w00tabulous style CTF.
There are no limits on theme, it may be inspired by an existing Epic map or something of your own devising.
In short, the rules are as follows.
- Keep it w00t - Map must feature w00t style kickers ,a big non-walkable gap and a fall that results in instant death somewhere between the flags.
- Keep in Simple - Map must have a simple to follow, symmetrical layout and as a guideline be reasonably low poly ( a rough ballpark figure being 250-450.)
- Keep it quick - It must be possible to capture the flag in 18 seconds or less. 15 as a guideline.
- Keep it smart - The Map must have working AI, standard weapon placement, health and pickups.
- Keep it colourful - Map must have clearly identifiable team colouring in bases and throughout map.
- Keep it open - No burying the flag in a hole or bunker - flag area must have a reasonably open area surrounding it. 1024uu3 minimum, with 2048uu3 or above being more desirable.
- Keep it Comical - The name of map must be a memorable/popular phrase/slogan with the word w00t supplanted somewhere. Failure to do so will result it a swift kick to the fork and disqualification.
- Myway or HighWay - Use of non-standard packages (textures/music/sounds) is allowed provided they are embedded in the map file itself. It should go without saying that mappers MUST have permission from the original author to do so. Failure to cite original authors will result in disqualification.
For more expanded explanations with pictures, scroll on..
Keep it w00t
In keeping with the theme, kickers must follow the pattern demonstrated in the existing maps - IE : 128x128 surround, 96x96 centre with team coloured arrow textures.
A texture pack is provided for mappers with a variety of kicker surround textures.
For use with IronBlaydes FallDamageHandler - if you want to represent an area where you can jump down to without injury..
Demo map with embedded animated textures
Also, the map must not have walkable path directly between bases, there must be at least one point where it is impossible to cross without a kicker.
The gap must contain some kind on instant death that will both kill players that fall (preferable with comedy message) and return the flag. How you choose to kill players that fall is up to you, past maps have include radioactive slime, tar pits and the ever popular lava.
Keep it simple
In keeping with the nature of the Extremew00t collection, maps submitted should be kept reasonably low poly (roughly on par with Originally shipped Epic Maps ), a rough guideline for polycount being around 250-300. This is at the mappers discretion, but bear in mind points will be awarded for cunning brushwork and clean geometry.
With the layout simplicity should also be a factor when considering routes. The nature of the gametype relies on fast, easy to learn routes - with this in mind the mapper should aim for a simple floor plan, with a symmetrical layout, but allow scope for more advanced play with more complex routes. This can be achieved with routes only possible via air control or by tricks such as wall dodging or high to low route switching using jumppads to break a fall (For example the high route in w00tious).
Keep it quick
With a rough guideline of 15 seconds for the average time between flags, your map should offer both a fast, dangerous route and a slower, safer journey between bases. Faster times between flags are acceptable but an absolute maximum time between flags of 18 seconds must be adhered to. It must be possible for a player or bot, taking the most direct route to move from one flag to the other in 18 seconds or less.
The limit imposed assumes the time it would take, unhindered, moving via the most direct, fastest route possible.
Keep it smart
Bot support is not optional, bots must be able to reach everywhere humans can, and capture the flag.
The only exception to this is wall dodges - but bots must be able to reach the area accessible from the wall dodge via an alternate, slower route.
Maps must also include at least two weapons and health.
Pickups/Power-ups like Shieldbelt , U damage and Armour are left to the mappers discretion; balance is the aim here and if your map is only small, don't feel the need to cram in every weapon available.
Keep it colourful
Using the empty map provided, entries must include clear team colouring in bases, with team coloured kicker pads and high visibility flag areas. Failure to do so will result in instant disqualification.
Keep it open
The flag itself should not be encroached upon nor too heavily protected.
For example..
BAD - the first image demonstrate what not to do - the flag is very protected and easily defended.
GOOD - The flag is out in the open and can be shot at from further away, to allow a last second shot at the EFC.
Keep it Comical
You know who you are, you people who name maps after obscure words you plucked from the thesaurus, you lovers of prefixes, suffixes, version numbers and square bracket roman numerals.
Step away from babelfish, and hide the greek alphabet - there is no space here for seriousness.
The name of map must be a memorable/popular phrase/slogan with the word w00t supplanted somewhere.
As an example of what's been done before, "The Beatles - Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds" becomes "w00ting in the sky with insta", "Castle Wolfenstein" becomes "Castle w00tenstein", The Rick Moranis Hit "Honey I Shrunk the Kids" becomes "Honey I Shrunk the w00t", Famous Egyptian boy king "Tut Ankh Amun" becomes "w00t Ankh Amun" , Sean Connerys awesome thriller "Hunt for the Red October" becomes "Hunt for the w00t October".
MyWay or the HighWay
Custom content (textures, sounds, music etc. ) is allowed on the explicit conditions that:
- All custom textures, sounds, actors MUST be embedded in the actual map file using the MyLevel package
- You have the authors permission to do so
- They are not from another commercially released game and/or breach copyright
- All custom content is credited in readme.
Failure to credit authors will result in instant and humiliating dismissal.