[MAPS] MM8BDM V6C "Bounty" - Signups open! Deadline 01/Feb/2024

[LlamaHombre]

Hey all you Mega Man fans! Are you ready for another mapping compo?



"Bounty" is a map competition aimed at replacing four maps for future versions of MM8BDM: MM2CRA, MM6WIN, MM2FLA, and MMWTMWS.

Download here: https://allfearthesentinel.com/zandronum/download.php?file=mm8bdm-bounty-full-v1a.pk3

Without further ado, the rules are as follows:

Prizes:
- Highest scored maps of each stage will replace the current core map.
- Highest scored map overall will be awarded with a MM8BDM Architect Medal for your forum account.
- Other winner maps will warrant a MM8BDM Architect Runner-Up Medal for your forum account.

Signup Rules:
- Signups are mostly a formality to help me keep track of everything from an organizational standpoint. 9/10 times I will take submitted maps.
- Signups should be done via this thread.
- You can have others sign up on your behalf, so long as they include a full copy of your signup and you are not banned from the forums.
- Signups should include the following: your name, and which maps you are signing up for. 
- You can sign up and submit at the same time.
- You must sign up only for the following maps: MM2FLA, MM2CRA, MM6WIN, MMWTMWS.
- You can edit your signup, but inform me if you do so.

(click to show/hide)

Name: Shadowgate
Maps: MMWTMWS, MM6WIN

Map Making Rules:
- A submitted map must be made by you. If you choose to partner with another mapper, they must submit the same wad as you.
- Maps must be in standard MM8BDM format, and should be designed as if they were MM8BDM v6b maps. For more details on what that all entails, check the spoiler below.

(click to show/hide)

Doom Builder Format
- Game Configuration = Zandronum: Doom 2 (UDMF)
- Script Type = Zandronum ACS
- IWAD = Megagame.wad
- Base .PK3 = MM8BDM-V6B.pk3

MAPINFO
- aircontrol must be 0.5

Spawns
- 32 Deathmatch Spawns
- 16 Light Team Spawns
- 16 Wily Team Spawns
- 8 Cossack Team Spawns
- 8 King Team Spawns
- Player 1-8 starts

Misc
- Map must have 255 brightness across all sectors.
- Diagonal sectors should be either 45 degrees or curved.
- Check the "Block Monsters" linedef action around pit linedefs.

Custom Content Rules:
- You should prioritize the textures that are already in the map! But additional textures are allowed so long as they supplement the existing textures and are easily sourced to a canon Mega Man game.
- New props, including enemy props and gimmicks, may be added. These are subject to the same canon checks that the textures are.
- Custom stage music may be added, but it will not remain if your map is a winner. Boss, intense, and victory themes will be removed instantly.
- Custom content (including props, textures, scripts) must not overwrite any content already in MM8BDM v6b.

Map Submission Rules
- Please submit your maps via Cutstuff PM or Discord DM to LlamaHombre. The former is preferred, and maps can be sent via websites like MEGA or allfearthesentinel.
- If somebody else signed up on your behalf, you may submit yourself or through that person.
- Your map must be either a .WAD or .PK3 file containing your map and all added custom content.
- Your file must be no bigger than 5MB.
- Finished maps must be submitted before the deadline: February 1st 2024, 11:59:59 PM EST (Eastern Standard Time).
- Finished maps can be updated and resubmitted before the deadline.

Judging Rules
- Maps will be judged according to their general strength as a map for MM8BDM v6b / v6c.
- This means a number of factors and modes should be considered. Deathmatch, Last Man Standing, Duel, Teamplay, etc.
- I'll host testing sessions later, likely focused around DM, Scorched Earth, and Duel to make sure every map is tested thoroughly.
- Maps will be judged on the following categories (stolen inspired by CMCP/TTT judging...):
 A) Layout/Spawns (good map structure, good map flow,good spawns for teamplay, good weapon/energy layout). Worth 50 points.
 B) Visuals (good texturing, good art style). Worth 30 points.
 C) Authenticity (representative of the original stage. shows both creativity and restraint as needed). Worth 10 points.
 D) Functionality (working scripts and no map bugs). Worth 10 points.
- Total score is out of 100 points.
- Judges will have one month to finish scoring, subject to extensions or truncations depending on what is needed.
- If judges suspect a map was made to troll the contest, they can vote to ban the map from the contest. This vote must be unanimous.

Judges
- LlamaHombre
- Freems
- King Dumb
- pegg

Old OP and background below:

(click to show/hide)

I almost am. I'm gonna need to ask around a little bit first to get an idea for what everyone wants to see. For some background...

In 2013, Ivory - MM8BDM lead dev at the time - opened up a map competition named "SWBT". It was a smash hit and resulted in some big upgrades to especially the MM7 lineup of maps.
In absense of a Jam or a Mendez-hosted mapping event this year, I'm stepping up to the plate and attempting to host a "SWBT 2" myself. For a few reasons that will be apparent pretty soon, I am opting to call this sequel compo "Bounty".

Originally I was set to do this regardless of MM8BDM dev team coordination or not. After all, I am not currently on the team and as far from Ivory's position as one could imagine. However, many talks through Freems and Trillster have granted me grace to promise the following: this competition is for potential core map replacements.
As a result, I dug a little deeper and polled the team for maps that they would like to see change from. I received a list of 11 maps. This list is a collection of common answers on the devteam to which maps they'd be interested in seeing changes or other takes. Although this is a great start, this is 1) too big of a selection for a reasonable competition and 2) not guaranteed to house every map that could be suspect.

====================

So below, you will find a survey. In my opinion, everyone should take it regardless of whether you intend on competing or not. It will poll you for important information about the aforementioned maps (and give you an opportunity for a write-in vote), and the potential future of this competition.

(click to show/hide)

Survey 1 is here: https://forms.gle/CKY4c5N4h6qXQStR8 Survey 2 is here: https://forms.gle/TAMx6x1fhWKy97S59

====================

The current post-survey plans are as follows:
- In around three days I will analyze the results. Either I will have enough to mark a bounty on certain maps and lock them in place, or the write-ins will shake things up enough to where a second survey becomes needed.
- Regardless, I intend to be done with survey hosting by the start of October. From here, I will lock in bounties on 4 maps and select my judges.
- Mappers will have likely the rest of the year to make as many entrants as desired, though like SWBT they will only have one entrant per map. This end deadline is very malleable and may shift depending on mapper turnout and survey results.
- Rules have yet to be drafted, but will likely combine bits of SWBT's and TTT's rulesets both for mappers and judges.
- Maps not selected for "Bounty" may yet get their day... stay tuned.

====================

Thanks for reading, and please answer the survey!

MM2FLA
======
- Seafra Yeager
- Extus
- Thunderono
- CutmanMike
- Duora Super Gyro
- Mendez
- ForteGigasGospel
- Derek

MM2CRA
======
- Derek
- Duora Super Gyro
- KIWI

MM6WIN
======
- Russel
- Galactan
- Bawby
- Korby

MMWTMWS (last day Feb 10!)
========
- Extus
- Duora Super Gyro
- Kapus
- Pr. Gibus
- FTX6004
- KIWI
- Russel

Maps and signups above! Submitted entries are given colored names.

[Mendez]

#ReworkMM2FLA
Never have I seen a map go through so many fan edits or reworks despite the official map staying almost entirely unchanged. There is a better way to make slippery maps. There is a world where people can slide without bumping into other players or into pillars. That world is possible which is why I am asking YOU, the cutstuff community , to write in MM2FLA for this competition. Thank you.

[MegaVile]

This seems interesting! I have great vested interest in seeing this play out; though likely not as a mapper, personally. I've put forth my survey submission and am excited in seeing where this goes, community input is always real nice to see from this community!

[Allanx]

does this mean MMVPLU finally gets a makeover

[KIWI]

I had previously done my own version of MM4DW1, at that time they told me that they were not interested in changing any vanilla maps. 
But with this event I was wondering if I would return to that map, improving it with a new version so that the judges could evaluate if it will work my map. 

I was always interested in making a map for this game but it never happened and this event could be a good excuse to try it again. 
Also fill out the form you published and if you want me to create a map from scratch, I'm also interested. 

I'm giving you a link and one pic of my old version of MM4DW1 in case you want to download it:

https://cutstuff.net/forum/index.php?topic=11337.0

(click to show/hide)

[TheCaceres]

time to change TITLEMAP

[Tengu]

hi llama

[LlamaHombre]

Hey all, a quick update since I'm sleepy.

I've closed Survey 1 since it's been nearly three days and the vote rate has slowed down significantly. I received 51 responses, which is a lot! It's enough to make some informed decisions for Bounty, and regardless of the incoming results I think there is at least one map that I am safe locking in. You'll hear more about the results for Survey 1 after I close Survey 2 on Friday.

Thank you all so much! I hope you all are prepared for...

Survey 2: https://forms.gle/TAMx6x1fhWKy97S59

This polls the most popular write-in votes. Please fill it out, and thanks again!

[LlamaHombre]

All of the below data will be reported based on the votes received from the two surveys. All things considered, this went really smoothly!

(click to show/hide)

Mega Water S received an average of 3.62, with a median of 4. This makes it one of the higher rated maps on the list, and certainly worth consideration. As a result, I feel comfortable locking in MMWTMWS as one of the four replacement maps for Bounty.


Aqua Man, similarly, received an average of 3.49, with a median of 3. MWS and AQU ended up with pretty similar distributions, but MWS ultimately ended up with more support for a full replacement than AQU.


Top Man has the lowest average of 2.55 and a median of 2. I think there's enough here to suggest that MM3TOP is likely in need of tweaks if anything, rather than full on replacement. I feel more comfortable dropping this one than any other map on the list.


Spark Man, on the other hand, is by far the most controversial map in the selection with a notably bimodal distribution and averages of 3.31 mean and 4 median. I will forgo talking about StDev for the most part, but its worth noting it has notably the highest StDev and by extension the highest variance between votes. Results suggest that a larger conversation about this map should happen.


Not controversial at all, however, is Wind Man. The chart speaks for itself, with a high average of 3.67 and a median of 4. As a result, I feel comfortable locking in MM6WIN as one of the four replacement maps for Bounty.


Clown Man has an average of 2.73 with a median of 3. There is very little to say about this entry, if I'm being honest.


Skull Man would be expected to follow Spark Man's tracks, but it seems to be a bit more generally favorable among players with an average of 2.84, a median of 3, and considerably reduced stdev.


Charge Man has an average of 2.88, a median of 3, and with a bell curve shows probably the most firm stance towards "change could be cool, but replacement isn't needed" of any map on the list.


Frost Man is an extremely interesting case, being nearly as controversial as Spark Man but in the opposite direction. The third lowest mean of 2.63 and a median of 2 lock in Frost as surprisingly "popular"(?). Perhaps there are conversations to be had later, since there were still a number of 4's and 5's, but it can likely be ignored for Bounty.


Dynamo Man holds a relatively low average of 2.61 and a median of 2, with the implication to be made that changes of its base layout would go over better than a full map replacement. Regardless, I can safely ignore it for Bounty.


The amount of support for a full Crash Man replacement is overwhelming, with the distinctly highest average of 3.86 and a median of 4. I feel comfortable locking in MM2CRA as one of the four replacement maps for Bounty.


The chart for mapper interest looks something like this. I think it's a safe bet to say that any of the maps that are in the running for Bounty will have enough mapper support to find a suitable replacement.


Of the write-ins, the most popular responses by far were MM2FLA with 13 write-ins (25% of the vote), MM4PHA with 7 write-ins (14% of the vote), and MM2DW1 with 5 write-ins (10% of the vote).

Speaking of...

Skull Castle Exterior (MM2DW1) sits with an average of 3.36, a median of 4, and a stdev of 1.37. This makes it higher than every entry on survey 1 that isn't Crash, Wind, or the waters. I don't feel comfortable putting this in Bounty with so many competitors that blow it away, but I think a conversation may be in order about how to better refine maps like MM3SPA and MM2DW1 to make them more appealing without sacrificing their niches.


Pharaoh Man sits with an average of 3.57, a median of 4, and a stdev of 1.23. This is plenty to consider it for the running for Bounty, but... it would be the fifth seat map in a four map event. As stands, Aqua and Pharaoh deserve some intrigue and have the survey support to show change is popular, but there's too many others taking top billing right now. Perhaps something to promise later...?


Flash Man sits with an average of 3.64, a median of 4, and a stdev of 1.45. This makes it second place behind MM2CRA despite its relatively high stdev. As a result, I feel comfortable locking in MM2FLA as one of the four replacement maps for Bounty.


And for anyone curious...

(click to show/hide)

That would make the final lineup MM2CRA / MM2FLA / MM6WIN / MMWTMWS!

Here is a (crude) table and chart detailing the results of the survey.

Something to open with right out the gate is that I'm not making another Discord server for this. Put simply, I don't want to moderate it, especially with my role as a judge demanding limited information given to me. Please understand and by all means, discuss the competition and your maps in places that I and the other judges cannot see.

I've updated the original post with the rules. Please read before signing up and working on your maps!
Your deadline is February 1st 2024, 11:59:59 PM EST (Eastern Standard Time).

[Thunderono]

MM2FLA will not know what hit it

might add another map depending on how long MM2FLA takes me but tbh I was really hoping MM8FRO would be here since I have ideas for it

[Mendez]

Name: Mendez
Maps: MM2FLA, MMWTMWS

[Watzup7856]

Name: Derek
Map: MM2CRA, MM2FLA

[__Sidle]

Name: _Sidle
Maps: MM2FLA, MM2CRA, MM6WIN

[YairDude]

Name: Yair
Maps: MM2FLA, MMWTMWS

[Russel]

one map at a time, will update as i go

Name: Russel
Maps: MM6WIN, MMWTMWS