Actually it is brilliant. There is one variable to this contest: gameplay. Gameplay should always be number one, but very often people are distracted by aesthetics. Hopefully this contest will make people look at geometry first from here on out.
If you think the colly wall is ugly, take the challenge and make a map where it looks nice. Xzamples, while gameplay is king, a map that doesn't look good is unfinished in my opinion. And you can't say they are not important, as most MLG/ Highly Competitive maps do have fairly nice aesthetic value. Still, I agree that if you can't enjoy the gameplay there is a huge problem that won't be fixed by looks.
The thing about this contest is that, sure it's keeping you from adding flashy aesthetics into your map, but it's also limiting gameplay. Think about it, you have 50 oversized pieces keeps you from layering or putting any kind of wall in the middle of your map. Unless you want to supersize it so that it fits around the size of the piece. In which case, you'd need more pieces. And there comes the other limiting factor here.. You only have 50 of them. Sure, this contest promotes creativity, but it isn't putting gameplay first. All in my opinion, of course.
Aesthetics have a big influence on gameplay. I'm not talking about the flashy, stevo style stuff, but just putting in nice curves and angles and keeping things clean. There's a lot you can do with coliseum walls, and the size doesn't prevent them from showing up as much smaller on the map. The point is to test forgers' ability to adapt to extreme limitations which some people clearly have problems with. Wrong time zone buddy.
Aesthetics are very important, but as you said, gameplay is king. I have seen many solid maps overlooked and many flashy maps with mediocre designs get a lot of attention and it is sad. Almost everybody says they put gameplay as number one, but I see people who are swayed by aesthetics often. [br][/br]Edited by merge: Yes you have to build around the structure of the object, but it's not like the coliseum wall is an abstract shape or anything. There is a lot you can do with a coliseum wall....you'll see. Yes you have 50, but they are very large.
The map I.. not really designed, just thought about for a bit before I began forging my coliseum wall entry. I already had ideas and such, just thought about how I wanted them implement them. I would have drawn it out, but it wasn't really a serious map to me. Anyways, I got it all down in my head and what I wanted the layout to be like. There was a raised platform in the center.. And that was why I couldn't make it. The coliseum wall was too big to fit the size of this platform and I didn't want the map to be supersized, so I killed the project.
You should have realized the limitations of the coliseum wall prior to contemplating a design. Your first design idea doesn't work out, and you choose not to attempt a second?
That's my point, it's limiting you from using tons of designs, therefore limiting gameplay. And I went to bed after that. Haven't played Reach since really
It's limiting the amounts of designs possible, but that doesn't mean you can't create excellent maps with the designs possible. It just means you need a different style map in mind. I was going to forge a room based map, but Gear of War 3 came out, lol.
I would say the limits this contest imposes will bring out great designs that would never have been made otherwise. The person runnign the contest who posted their map pictures on the front page Alreadyrouge's map is a prime example; we often work better under limitations. I still remember making much more interesting designs in foundry than in sandbox just because I had to work around its limits.
glad you like my map :] That is why I created the contest though, so that people are forced to come up with unusual designs and techniques. If not for the prizes, people should have still submitted maps because of the difficulty of the challenge.
Yeah, it was pretty fun to do a challenge like this. Until after I was completely finished I didn't even know there was prizes. Hahaha. But they are good for a contest like this, more people should have entered for sure.
I'm nit really sure why so few people entered. I think for the 5k contest people just deleted some stuff off the maps they were already building, but it might have helped to have some more time and possibly advertisement for this. How long do you expect judging to take? I figure you have a good chance of beating frozenlynx.
yeah i agree that this was a fun and annoying contest but it really got my brain working. it was the first map ive created and released useing less then 30 hours. which i spent like 4 total.