Cutstuff CTF Competition 2: That's My Horse! ---FINISHED---

[Dr. Freeman]

It was declared that on the dark night of April 11th 2016, that Cutstuff would come together to make some maps for everyone's favorite and most played game mode.
CTF.



wait that's not right

Cutstuff CTF Competition 2: That's My Horse!


i don't know why it's called that don't whip me dad

Hey everyone, I'm Dr. Freeman, and welcome to the Cutstuff CTF Competition 2! Even though it's been freaking forever since the first one, I don't even remember when that was.

So what is this all about, you might be asking. Well luckily, this shouldn't be that hard to explain. It's simply a competition to make a CTF map in 8 Bit Deathmatch. How exciting!
There really isn't a gimmick besides that or anything, so usually where I'd have a few paragraphs explaining everything, I'm already done.
"But Freeman! No one even plays CTF anymore! What's the point?!"
i mean you're not wrong. it is really rare to see a server. But after two Finish That Maps, three Jams, and an INSPIRE, sometimes it's nice to mix up the type of maps you're making. And it's been a long while since CTF maps have been a thing. So why not have some fun?

Of course, like everything else there are some rules behind what's going on, so lets' go over them!

-It's a CTF map. That obviously means the map must be made with the Capture the Flag gamemode in mind. Two flags on opposite ends of the map. A spawn for one flag CTF. All that great stuff.

-As is expected, the maps also must have a symmetrical layout for that CTF goodness. Of course, there can and probably should be some texture differences on both sides so you can tell them apart.

-As always, if you don't use 8 Bit music i'm replacing it. have some class.

All the maps will be due on 11:59 PM, July 19th. No need to sign up, a finished map will be the sign up.
Now, you might be wondering why the hell it's due all the way in July when it's only mid April, that's like 3 months. WHAT KINDA SHAM ARE YOU RUNNING?!

To put it simply, this is a busy time of the year for a lot of people. There's school, there's work, there's probably some other things I don't know about. I think it's important that everyone has plenty of time to make something of quality and not feel like they're time crunched. So to account for all of this, I'm giving an incredibly open timeframe to make a good map. That doesn't mean you have to spend the entire time working on a map. Finish it in the first month if you want, or maybe you're busy but you'll have more time once June rolls around. I think it's important to make sure people have the time to make these things. Even if it means we'll be waiting a while to actually play on the maps.

Speaking of playing on the maps, this is indeed a competition and not just a for fun Jam. When everything is finished, servers will be put up for both CTF and One Flag CTF, and people will rank the maps from their favorite to least favorite. Judging will be entirely community based this time around and we will be lacking our usual panel of judges. Mostly because our usual panel of judges have elected to just have it be community based this time around.
"But wait, people can just band together and rig a winner then!"
i mean i guess
if you can get the numbers to make sure that one person wins a medal and nothing else. congrats then?
But at the very least, when voting does come around, I will not partake in it myself. It somehow feels fair that way even though it really doesn't affect anything.

If you're a winner, hey you get this piece of work.
If you're a runner up, get this instead. Cool.

Have some fun! Make some good maps! Don't only capture those flags, capture the hearts of the masses as well!

[King Dumb]

Not only will I be participating in this competition (lets go bby), but I'll also be putting together some fun CTF-related activities over the course of the competition to increase exposure to my favorite game mode, get people more hyped about new CTF maps, and maybe spread some sick CTF knowledge that people can use in their maps!

Stay tuned for these things!

[Watzup7856]

SIGN ME THE FUCK UP DUDE I'M ALL IN FOR THIS SHIT. I'VE ALWAYS WANTED TO MAKE A CTF MAP

[Rui]

I've always felt way too intimidated to try out mapping but symmetrical being one of the key aspects sounds like a helping hand, hopefully. It might be cool having a CTF map be my first map, too? Assuming I haven't made my first one by then.

I might have a lot more free time than what I already have soon so I'll try to take the first stepping stone eventually.

[Bikdark]

Judging will be entirely community based this time around and we will be lacking our usual panel of judges. Mostly because our usual panel of judges have elected to just have it be community based this time around.

I can already smell the rigging.

[Galactan]

I don't even have a coherent idea yet but I'll participate anyway.

[fortegigasgospel]

Well since I'm better at mapping then the last time I made a CTF map (which was last CTF compo) and I do love me some CTF, I'll give this a go.

[Turbodude]

CTF LIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIVES

Looking forward to the CTF events to transpire and these upcoming maps!

[Knux]

CTF Competition

Yes.

Due July 19th

Yes!

Judging will be entirely community based this time around

...Oh, nevermind. Thought there was something good happening.

[Turbodude]

Judging will be entirely community based this time around

...Oh, nevermind. Thought there was something good happening.

For the sake of conversation and my curiosity; what makes a community judgement such a bad thing, and what would you rather have in its place?

[fortegigasgospel]

TBH I'm curious too, Knux usually polls good in the community vote iirc.

[Knux]

For the sake of conversation and my curiosity; what makes a community judgement such a bad thing, and what would you rather have in its place?

Wow, okay. I didn't think I needed to explain this one, but I will anyway.

"But wait, people can just band together and rig a winner then!"
i mean i guess
if you can get the numbers to make sure that one person wins a medal and nothing else. congrats then?

This thing right here.

The last time a mapping competition was made in which community votes determined the winner, this is exactly what happened. See, the issue here is that when you throw around the word "competition", it is heavily implied that there will be a set of judges who know what they're dealing with and know what to seek in what they're judging. Fact of the matter is that (with no offense implied) most of the community doesn't know what a good map is. Sure, they can vote for their favorites, but the mappers who spent real time and effort into their maps will be overlooked and nobody is going to learn anything from it. And since there are no actual judges around to give feedback on how to improve the maps, it all amounts to a waste of time after realizing that all the time and effort spent in making your competition map was for nothing. It doesn't even help that the prize for the competition are some meaningless pixels to flash at everybody on your forum posts, but I sure as hell wouldn't call the community's favorite map an architect just because they liked it. If we're going to use specific tastes which vary from person to person, this ain't judging for shit - it's throwing around bias and just making those who didn't win the oh-so coveted medal feel like total shit. Any sane person would assume nobody's got time for that, but hey, if someone still wants to participate in this for whatever fun they might find in doing so that's fine too. I sure as hell aren't, though.

[Gumballtoid]

For the sake of my own curiosity, to which event are you referring? After three Mapping Jams, two FTMs, and INSPIRE, it's kind of hard to keep track of which one did what and how.

[Knux]

My bad, I guess I should've been specific, but it was the first (and before this one, the only) CTF competition.

That brings me back to the argument I made back then, long ago, when they added the super massive and over detailed maps such as Deserted City to the core. That's another story, though.

[Bikdark]

Given the cliquishness of this community, I find it astounding that ANYONE would think community voting would be a good idea. There exist very few groups of people that value quality over camaraderie in this community, so it's a given that they'll vote for their best friend rather than the guy they don't like who has an INFINITELY better map -- simply because they don't like him. Bring back the panel of completely unrelated, unbiased judges, please.