Iceblade on 4/12/2015 at 16:24
Regarding novices criteria: the line has to be drawn somewhere and the best one (easiest to verify) is whether someone has released a mission by themselves. Since there might be a few authors who have contributed as part of a team project but haven't released any other FMs, I added this rule to include those authors who have team contributions that aren't a large share of the mission's construction.
As for anonymity, there is a reason I used the word discourage; it isn't an enforced rule. However I consceed that there is little reason to maintain it or limit exposure of mission details since the competition aspect is secondary to the release of a first mission and gaining meaningful and categorized feedback on it.
Ricebug on 4/12/2015 at 19:55
@Brethren: I edited my comments. Thanks.
My suggestion: just make this another novice contest. We've had one in the past. Use those rules and don't make it so restrictive. The contestants are supposed to be first-timers. Don't burden them with a bunch of rules. If they make one small, huge, tiny, etc, so what?
Iceblade on 5/12/2015 at 03:55
I tried that, but it was way too restrictive. There also isn't much in the way of rules either - a time limit and a loose size restriction.
slavatrumpevitch on 5/12/2015 at 21:04
"missions that significantly exceed 300,000 cubic dromed units in total volume may be disqualified."
In the earlier thread, 300,000 units was a recommendation. Now it's a loose restriction? What exactly does that mean?
Suppose I just like the open-air feel that high ceilings provide? I'm not adding much work for myself just by making tall, arched ceilings, but it can easily make the volume of an encapsulating brush explode (even if only a single room has the high ceiling.)
Is it OK to treat the 300,000 units as a recommendation (to help us avoid shoddily executed, grandiose plans) or will the volume actually hurt us even after conditioning on quality? (and perhaps disqualify us?)
Iceblade on 5/12/2015 at 23:08
Hmmm.... I didn't think about high ceilings or sky brushes. The idea is to keep authors focused on crafting a small polished fan mission and to avoid too grandiose of a mission design; not to have authors cram everything into an arbitrarily sized area brush. So I've clarified the constructions rules so it is more clear cut what would result in a disqualification. Also I'm allowing missions to have several (4 or less) area brushes (total volume of about 300,000 or less) to avoid issues over missions with unevenly sized game areas forcing the mission over the total due to one region being larger than the others.
Also, a mission with a size disqualification will still be voted upon/graded, but won't be able to win first, second, or (assuming there are more than 5 missions) third place.
* All mission areas (either contiguous or disconnected) should fit in one 300,000 or less cubic dromed unit area brush of any orientation or dimension or several area brushes (of any dimension or orientation) that total 300,000 or less cubic units.
* While 300,000 is not a strict limit, missions that significantly exceed 300,000 cubic dromed units in total volume may be disqualified. Meaning your mission won't be disqualified if its dimensions end up totaling for example 302,000. This is so dimensions don't have to be odd decimal values just keep them at 300,000 or less.
* Nonplayable vertical spaces can exist the mission area brush(s). So inaccessible rooftops, top floor ceilings (scenery only high ceilings), or sky can extend beyond the area brush(s).
Yandros on 6/12/2015 at 05:51
Instead of disqualifying such a mission altogether, you might simply force its scores for the Space voting category to nil (i.e. not let people vote on its use of space). Just a suggestion.
Iceblade on 13/12/2015 at 21:02
How is everyone getting along?
Squadarofl on 13/12/2015 at 21:08
I made a pretty basic layout but right now I'm hit with pure lazyness :D
Grandmauden on 14/12/2015 at 00:30
I've got most of the layout down. Trying to work out a couple of issues with the story.
JarlFrank on 6/1/2016 at 01:34
So, some people who check the Editor's Guild might already know since I've been asking some noob questions and posting some very very early screenshots, but why not post it here too: I'm going to finally attempt my first FM and join this contest! I started about two days ago, and for the first time of playing around with DromEd or Dark Radiant, I actually managed to complete a whole building and a small outside area, so... I'm actually committed to this now. No more excuses, no more "one day I'll make a Thief FM", I'm making one now. :D
Since this is my first real project with DromEd, it'll probably end up sucking, but I'm having fun right now and that's what counts!
