Level contest - anyone interested?

mette · Post by **mette** » Fri Sep 23, 2005 4:01 pm

Hi all,

I think a level contest would be fun

I'm ready to organize if there's interest in this. I can't promise any prizes eccept the honour of winning. This is what I imagine (mostly taken directly from the original "Small World Contest"):

-----------
The Objective
The theme of this competition is "Small World". Levels have to have size 14x14, and should be as compactly designed as possible. How much puzzle, adventure, challenge, and fun can you make into a small space? Get editing, and find out!

What are we looking for?
Fun levels, 14x14 or smaller (i.e. by using walls or empty space). Custom houses and models are allowed. Levels will be judged on

(a) compactness (remember, "Small World"!),
How effective was your use of space? How many puzzles/challenges/etc were you able to pack into the level? Clearly you can create a tiny level (just Stinky and an exit), but you'll need to balance level size and level fun.

(b) inventiveness,
Did you come up with new ideas to create puzzles or action challenges? Clever little ideas? New ways to combine gameplay elements?

(c) fun.
The most important part, is it fun to play? Note that level difficulty is not a factor. Both very easy and very hard levels can be a lot of fun to play - and that's the most important part.

The Procedure
I will accept level creations (with or without houses/models) until Saturday, October 15th 2005 at 11.59 PM GMT. E-mail your level files as attachments to me untill that date and time. I will post all entries (without names) on October 16th in the Puzzle/Action section, at which point you can play and comment on the entries. Make sure your level does not contain your name.

Every forumite will have the right to play and judge the levels giving points from 0 to 10 to each level. If a person chooses to give points to one level the person must also give points to all the other levels. People not giving points to all the levels will not be counted in the final result. Points must be e-mailed to me no later than October 30th 2005 at 11.59 PM GMT. I will then add up the scores and post a list of total points, levels and forum names.

The Prizes
The honuor of being the winner or maybe some honourary title?

Rules, Rules, Rules... PLEASE READ!
1. Above all - this is primarily a competition for fun! No cheating, no copying, no other nastiness. Play nice!

2. One entry per person only! You are not allowed to submit more than one level... so test it carefully, and make it a good one!

3. You may not post the level for comments or feedback before the competition closes. I will post all entries on October 16th, and you can download/play/comment on all levels after that point.

Have fun, and good luck!!!
--------------------

What do you think? Anyone interested?
Mette

Lillian · Post by **Lillian** » Fri Sep 23, 2005 4:26 pm

Great work as usual Mette - that's why we call you "the lovely Mette"

I'm in Honey-Bun!

kaz67 · Post by **kaz67** » Fri Sep 23, 2005 4:41 pm

A 14x14 competition .. ermm ... let me think ...

Oh .. go on then .... I'll have a go

Kazza

mette · Post by **mette** » Fri Sep 23, 2005 5:30 pm

My e-mail is open

I fogot to add: If you don't want anybody to know you're participating untill the results are in, you can just send me a PM or mail telling me you're in. And then the level by mail of course

And remember to write your forum name in the mail you send me with the level. Otherwise I won't have a clue who made which level

.

Come on now....don't be shy

Mette

kiki · Post by **kiki** » Fri Sep 23, 2005 8:08 pm

I will think about it

Just kidding of course I'm in, Already have my level done.

Willwonka4442 · Post by **Willwonka4442** » Fri Sep 23, 2005 8:22 pm

I cant do that. Im not good at that.

mette · Post by **mette** » Fri Sep 23, 2005 11:07 pm

Are you sure Will? I'm positive it will be FUN

Give it a shot

Oh well....it's up to you

You can allways have FUN playing and judging the entries of course

Mette

P.S. Will, have you read the new forum rules? The big boss Patrick only allows one line of signature text if you use an avatar.

Willwonka4442 · Post by **Willwonka4442** » Fri Sep 23, 2005 11:09 pm

Which one shall i use? My brain is on hold. I'll need to do sum serious planning if i was'nt busy. I'll give it ago! Choose a line dat ill use 4 a sig.

mette · Post by **mette** » Fri Sep 23, 2005 11:12 pm

Which line of your signature? It's up to you

I like "Bonkers Wonkers"

Mette

Bearsland · Post by **Bearsland** » Fri Sep 23, 2005 11:17 pm

Willwonka4442 wrote:I cant do that. Im not good at that.

Hey Will,

It won't be judged on how 'good' a level is. Mette has set compactness, inventiveness and fun as the level criteria.

I have played many different kind of levels over the years this forum has been going. I mainly prefer levels with a big 'puzzle to solve' element to them, but some of the best levels I have played have been straightforward 'get from here to there' levels. Why? Because they looked great or were simply 'fun' to play.

Please enter the contest!

1) It'll be fun
2) The more the merrier
3) You might be better than you think.

Bear

mette · Post by **mette** » Fri Sep 23, 2005 11:23 pm

Well put Bear

Are you entering as well? I'd love to see what your brain would produce

As you said:

Bear wrote:Please enter the contest!

1) It'll be fun
2) The more the merrier
3) You might be better than you think.

Mette

Willwonka4442 · Post by **Willwonka4442** » Fri Sep 23, 2005 11:27 pm

It is Made! just need to test!

Bearsland · Post by **Bearsland** » Sat Sep 24, 2005 12:36 am

mette wrote:Are you entering as well? I'd love to see what your brain would produce

No. I shall do what I do best: be scathingly critical about every level entered; play each over and over and give honest opinions on each and award marks accordingly with your entry criteria in mind.

I reckon "Ol' Misery Guts Maidorn" should enter though; it would be funny if he came last.

Bear

btw. Will, I played your level before you removed it.

Don't post it here; mail it to Mette when you've finished. All the entries need to be posted to the board anonymously by Mette; thus removing any bias, (i.e. friends voting for friends, etc...).

And...

...take your time and produce your best; you've got lots of time. Test it thoroughly; the one you posted could be done without having to use half of the boxes.

Willwonka4442 · Post by **Willwonka4442** » Sat Sep 24, 2005 12:17 pm

Thats why! I emailed it it to her.

Liz Mayhew · Post by **Liz Mayhew** » Sat Sep 24, 2005 1:17 pm

I'll join in as well Mette.

I'm not so good with the 14x14 ones, but I know someone who may have made a few of those!

Willwonka4442 · Post by **Willwonka4442** » Sat Sep 24, 2005 2:28 pm

You make great levels!
Ive played many that i thouroughly enjoy!

Lucky-Luc · Post by **Lucky-Luc** » Sat Sep 24, 2005 3:28 pm

I'll also make one, just have no ideas at the moment

Lucky-Luc

mette · Post by **mette** » Sat Sep 24, 2005 4:38 pm

Great

The list of participants are growing

There's no need to rush anything. There's still plenty of time before the deadline.

I want to ensure everybody that I have no intention of looking at the levels before I post them on the forum. I'll make a system to keep track of which level belongs to who, but I will not look at them before everybody else gets a go. So there's no point in asking me whether or not your level is good enough. Besides I'm not the judge of this contest. We all are

I might even submit a level myself

Mette

mette · Post by **mette** » Sun Sep 25, 2005 7:43 am

Just a wee update:
At the moment we have 13 confirmed participants and 5 "thinking about it" (I'm not telling who

).

This is great

This will be FUN

Mette

Willwonka4442 · Post by **Willwonka4442** » Mon Sep 26, 2005 8:51 pm

Question for whom it may concern why must leve makers level cannot contain his/her/it 's name in the level and can not know who created it?

Bearsland · Post by **Bearsland** » Mon Sep 26, 2005 9:15 pm

Willwonka4442 wrote:Question for whom it may concern why must leve makers level cannot contain his/her/it 's name in the level and can not know who created it?

Here's why.

Bearsland wrote:All the entries need to be posted to the board anonymously by Mette; thus removing any bias, (i.e. friends voting for friends, etc...).

Not suggesting it would happen, and I very much doubt it would happen here, but it can, (pride and all that, win at any cost, etc...). There are people on here who are very close to other members and some with other family members who are also members of this board who could vote for them.

The only way to make it fair to all designers who post an entry (both well known and those not so well known) is to have total anonymity for the levels posted. Everyone starts on a level playing field that way.

It won't necessarily stop someone from cheating or trying to rig the vote, as we've all witnessed recently, but it at least tries to make it fairer.

mette · Post by **mette** » Wed Sep 28, 2005 6:33 pm

Update:

We now have 15 participants, 9 "thinking about it" and 5 levels already stored in my competition folder

There's still plenty of time, so don't rush anything

I'm really begining to look forward to Oct. 15th at 11.59 PM GMT

Mette

Willwonka4442 · Post by **Willwonka4442** » Wed Oct 05, 2005 1:40 am

Any Updates?

That date is after my b-day

mette · Post by **mette** » Wed Oct 05, 2005 9:53 am

OK......here's an update:

18 confirmed participants

8 "thinking about it"

13 levels already submitted

Mette

mette · Post by **mette** » Thu Oct 06, 2005 9:32 pm

EXITING NEWS!

The Wonderific Patrick has agreed to give out a free copy of a Midnight Synergy game to the top three entries in the competition.

So now we have both FUN and PRIZES

Thanks Patrick

Mette

Only 9 days to go now.....

Willwonka4442 · Post by **Willwonka4442** » Thu Oct 06, 2005 9:55 pm

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

kiki · Post by **kiki** » Fri Oct 07, 2005 6:04 am

That is so awesome. Thanks Patrick.

Loirae · Post by **Loirae** » Fri Oct 07, 2005 8:10 am

What? There are games other than Wonderland in existance? Who knew?

Awful thought: What if the top three entries like the other games BETTER and LEAVE US??? Nooooooooooooo!!!!!!

Lillian · Post by **Lillian** » Fri Oct 07, 2005 8:46 am

Thanks Patrick - nice touch

mette · Post by **mette** » Tue Oct 11, 2005 12:05 pm

Only four days to go now...... get your thinking cap on and submit a level. You still have time left

We now have 21 confirmed participants, 6 thinking about it and 17 levels submitted.

The participants range from experienced to unexperienced and from old to new levelmakers.

Join in the FUN

Mette