Announcing the Community Mapping Competition!

anarchay

19 Posts

July 27 2021 16:00 GMT

Announcing the

credit to Zuratu for the banner!

This contest is over and the results have been announced here! Please discuss the CMC in this thread!

The Community Mapping Competition is a new circuit for melee mapmakers to compete in! The goal of our contest is to showcase the very best melee maps out there. There are many talented mapmakers in our scene, and we aim to bring the best of the best together and grow the mapmaking field with tough competition. Maps submitted for this contest should be designed to be immediately play-ready for tournaments and leagues.

If you wish to submit a map, read this whole post!

Timeline:

      • Submissions will open on August 1st (12:01am EDT) and will continue until August 22nd (11:59pm EDT). Mapmakers will be limited to 2 map submissions per contest.

      • Once submissions close, judging will begin on August 24th and will end on September 7th. If you are a professional player or community figure and are interested in judging, please join our discord here and reach out to the admin team, we’d love to hear from you.

      • Once judging is complete, an announcement post will be made in the following days, and a public spreadsheet of judges scores as well as any feedback judges provide will be in the post. Some judges have chosen to remain anonymous, but their scoring will still be visible on the public spreadsheet, just under an anonymous name.

The Rules for Submissions:

There are no categories but only melee maps will be accepted. Maps are aimed to be immediately play-ready for tournaments and leagues, but creativity is an important part of design, so these features are all allowed:

• Mineral Walls or Golden Mineral Walls

• A maximum of 5 of pathable cliff levels

• Inhibitor & Accelerator Zone Generators

• Non-standard mineral node count or vespene geyser count such as 12mineral node 0 gas bases or 3gas bases (no changing individual nodes or geysers)

• Rich Geysers

• 3player+ spawn (but still designed for 1v1) maps.

• Xel’naga towers that cannot be activated until destructible rocks placed on them are destroyed

These features are explicitly disallowed (anything that makes your map non-melee is also disallowed). If you’re not sure if a feature is allowed, reach out to us:

• Destructible rock towers that destroy geysers/minerals/xel’naga towers

• Neutral creep tumors, neutral buildings, neutral units

• Creep, forcefields, Renegade missile turrets, portals/teleporters, healing shrines

• Custom textures

Restrictions to Submissions:

      • Any map that has been a finalist in TLMC, has been on the competitive ladder, or has been used in the GSL is not allowed to be submitted.

      • Map files and an overview picture will be required for submissions.

      • Mapmakers will be limited to 2 map submissions per contest.

      • Any map that is a finalist in any version of the CMC will not be eligible for submission in future CMC’s.

QA (Quality Assurance) is of extra importance. Maps that have major QA issues will not be accepted until the issue is rectified by the mapmaker (for example, no pathing paint in areas intended to be unpathable, poor visibility in-game, rocks intended to block areas not correctly placed, etc). Maps should be as close to immediately play-ready for tournaments and leagues as is possible. Spend the time testing your map to make sure it is ready.

Judging & Scoring:

Our current judging team is composed of highly qualified mapmakers, and we are reaching out to knowledgeable community figures, streamers, and professional players. If you are a professional player or community figure and are interested in judging, please reach out to the admin team on our discord here. Any mapmaker who is a judge CAN submit maps but CANNOT vote on their map (to address potential conflict of interest).

How does judging/scoring work?

• After the submission period ends, all maps will be looked at by judges.

• Each judge will be given a set of ranked choice votes, where the number of votes is 15% of total submissions, rounded up. For example if there are 60 submissions, (60*.15=9) there will be 9 ranked choice votes for each judge to use, and if there are 56 submissions (56*.15=8.4, rounded up is 9) there will also be 9 ranked choice votes for each judge to use.

• Each judge will use their votes to give maps points. For example with 5 ranked choice votes, a judge will give a map 5 points (the maximum), another 4 points, another 3 points, another 2, and one other map 1 point (all other maps receive 0 points from this judge). They will not be able to give any other map points. This means some maps will receive no points if no judge chooses them in their ranked choice vote.

• Judges can discuss maps amongst themselves during their voting, but cannot directly share their scoring with one another. Discussing maps is highly beneficial for quality judging.

What is/are the judging criterion?

The criterion judges will be using to assign their ranked choice vote is as follows: “Give your ranked choice votes to the maps that would provide the highest quality of games and best gameplay for the competitive ladder and professional scene. Do not take aesthetics into account. Rank the map you think would provide the highest quality games as the highest (maximum points), and continue voting for maps until you have no more points left to use.”

Transparency?

Judge scores will be PUBLIC in a spreadsheet file, alongside any feedback judges provide. However, judges have the option to make their name private. If a judge’s name is not disclosed, a placeholder name (such as Judge A) will be placed in the spreadsheet instead, so people can still see the voting pattern of that judge.

Finalists:

• The finalists are chosen as the maps with the highest average amount of points. The number of finalists for a given contest is determined by 10% of total submissions, rounded up.

• Any ties between maps that would decide eligibility for being a finalist will both be included as finalists (for example with 5 finalists: a clear 1st through 4th place, but a tie at 5th and 6th place with the same average score on 2 different maps. Both the 5th and 6th place map would be finalists making a total of 6 finalists where there would normally be 5).

• There will be tiebreakers for deciding which of those maps gets placed higher. Tiebreaker 1 will be the number of votes a map received (so if map A and B both had a score of 2.4, but map A had 5 votes and map B had 4 votes, map A would win the tie). Tiebreaker 2 will be which map has a larger number of high place votes (so if map A and B both had a 1.8, but map A had a 3rd place vote as it’s highest but map B only had a 4th place vote as it’s highest, map B wins).

If they wish, judges may also choose a map that did not make the finalists as an ‘honorable mention’ which will be noted in the results announcement post. No prizing is given to these honorable mentions, but they will be eligible for submission in future contests.

Prizing:

• The prize pool consists of ~~$200 USD~~ $403 USD. (increased due to donations!)

• All finalist maps will receive an equal percentage of money from the prize pool (so if someone gets 2 maps out of 5 finalists, they will receive 40% of the prize pool).

• If you want to donate to the prize pool, view our Ko-fi page here!

How to Submit:

If you want to submit a map, send an email to communitymappingcompetition@gmail.com with the title “(Submission) Author - Map Name” where Map Name will be replaced with the name of your map, and Author will be replaced with your name. For example, if your map is named Catalyst, and your name is banebustlord1337 your email title will be “(Submission) banebustlord1337 - Catalyst” with nothing else in the title.

If we have any QA concerns about your map, we will reply to your email in the same email thread as the submission. However it is your responsibility to have your map meet QA standards. We will inform submitters of required QA changes, and we will only fix minor QA issues. If you have any updates to your map before submissions are finalized, reply to your original submission email to keep everything contained within a single thread and update the map file & overview (and any other parts of the submission that change).

Copy and paste and fill out the information below into the body of your email:

Map Name: <name here>
Map Dimensions: ###x###
Map Description: <info here>
Main to Main: ## seconds
Main ramp to Main ramp: ## seconds
Natural to Natural: ## seconds
Map Image: <image link here>
Download Link: <dl link here>
Published as:
Published on servers: US/EU/KR/CN

For example, let’s use Catalyst LE (information on that map is available on Liquipedia here (Wiki)

Catalyst LE), this is how the body of my email would look:

Map Name: Catalyst
Map Dimensions: 136x144
Map Description: <info here>
Main to Main: 45 seconds
Main ramp to Main ramp: 36 seconds
Natural to Natural: 33 seconds
Map Image: <image link here>
Download Link: <dl link here>
Published as: Catalyst LE
Published on servers: US/EU/KR/CN

Your map description must make note of any important features (mineral walls and their node values, Inhibitor/Accelerator Zone Generators, any non-standard mineral node counts or vespene geyser counts, Rich Geysers, Xel’naga Towers, any disabled spawns, etc). Describe how the map influences decision making and what actions and strategies it provides for. Though not required, please keep your map description to 70 words or less. We will use your description with your map overview photo if you make it to be a finalist!

If you have any questions please first read through this thread carefully to see if your question can be answered in this post or in the comments of others. If it is not answered, please comment in this thread, or ask a question in our discord here. Lastly, double check that your map image and download link are in working order! Good luck to all submitters!

Legan

Finland580 Posts

July 27 2021 16:31 GMT

Great to see that this is already happening. Hopefully everything works fine.

Andi_Goldberger

Germany1608 Posts

July 27 2021 16:35 GMT

wow great initiative! maybe make a matcherino aswell to raise even more prizepool?

RemCogito

Canada1 Post

July 27 2021 16:51 GMT

Is there somewhere we can donate to increase the prize pool?

anarchay

19 Posts

July 27 2021 17:09 GMT

Is there somewhere we can donate to increase the prize pool?

If you're interested in donating please join our discord here and DM the admin team (me) and we can discuss that.

wow great initiative! maybe make a matcherino aswell to raise even more prizepool?

I'll take a look at matcherino and see what I can make happen, thanks for the suggestion!

nice__username

5 Posts

July 27 2021 17:09 GMT

I want to donate to the prize pool !

vyzion

308 Posts

July 27 2021 21:12 GMT

I know there was a huge thread about the previous judging, I did not get to read through it since it was just too much...but I'm happy to see more maps!

Like Serral said in the last Pylon Show...I'd love to see more mineral patches, gas geysers, etc.!

anarchay

19 Posts

July 27 2021 22:58 GMT

Due to the interest of a few generous folks, I've created a Ko-fi page for the CMC! 100% of Ko-fi donations go directly to the prize pool. It's been updated in the Prizing section of the main post, but I'll include the link for it here!

Agaton

Sweden47 Posts

July 28 2021 08:53 GMT

Nice

Silvanel

Poland4768 Posts

July 28 2021 10:29 GMT

#10

I am glad this is happening.

StarWars1

Germany17 Posts

July 28 2021 11:19 GMT

#11

Thanks for the initiative. Show us how its done.
I donated just to see cool maps.
Please have a tournament or any kind of stream/Vod with games on the submissions.

Legan

Finland580 Posts

July 28 2021 18:20 GMT

#12

The tournament would be great but would probably easiest to just run already happening tournament and have them use the tap maps in their map pool. However that is up to the tournament organizer to choose the maps to their map pool. I'm sure that anarchay would gladly hear from interested organizers.

depressed1

53 Posts

July 30 2021 00:49 GMT

#13

Yo. Here is my submissions. I guess it's okay to post this here.
Koliada. 4P. 152x152. RD 33/40.
+ Show Spoiler +

Theoria. 2P. 134x132. RD 35.
+ Show Spoiler +

Koivusto

Finland542 Posts

July 30 2021 04:54 GMT

#14

Eager to see new maps! GL

washikie

United States752 Posts

July 30 2021 22:24 GMT

#15

yes need new maps!

jpg06051992

United States580 Posts

August 01 2021 00:27 GMT

#16

Damn this is really cool :O Hope to see some of the top maps get rotated into some WardiTv stuff :D

anarchay

19 Posts

August 02 2021 17:41 GMT

#17

Friendly reminder that submissions are now OPEN!

DrunkenJedi

Germany175 Posts

August 04 2021 18:04 GMT

#18

Question is if the intern will ever manage to update the ladder map pool.

Solstice245

United States145 Posts

August 09 2021 00:16 GMT

#19

Well, here goes nothing. I've submitted a map for the first time in a few years.
+ Show Spoiler [Stewart's Ravine] +

MayOnFire

England47 Posts

August 13 2021 08:07 GMT

#20

All submitted, good luck everyone.

[image loading]

anarchay

19 Posts

August 21 2021 19:24 GMT

#21

Reminder that submissions will be closing shortly! We've had a great turnout so far, get your last maps in!

MockHamill

Sweden1798 Posts

August 21 2021 19:57 GMT

#22

I do not see the point of map of any map contest when the ladder map pool stays the same.

NewSunshine

United States5938 Posts

August 22 2021 23:09 GMT

#23

Getting my submission in before the deadline. Here goes nothing.

Servitor
[image loading]

The Bone Grinder
[image loading]

Legan

Finland580 Posts

August 23 2021 00:44 GMT

#24

Submitted! Ended up submitting two old maps as didn't finish decoration of a new map.
+ Show Spoiler +

Tropical Sacrifice
[image loading]

Seaside Resort

[image loading]

Beelzebub1

1004 Posts

August 23 2021 00:56 GMT

#25

On August 22 2021 04:57 MockHamill wrote:
I do not see the point of map of any map contest when the ladder map pool stays the same.

Actually as cool as this is, what exactly is the point of this? Is it officially sanctioned by TLMC or Blizzard? Is the winner of the competition going to be in WTL or something? :O

Legan

Finland580 Posts

August 23 2021 01:27 GMT

#26

On August 23 2021 09:56 Beelzebub1 wrote:

Show nested quote +

Actually as cool as this is, what exactly is the point of this? Is it officially sanctioned by TLMC or Blizzard? Is the winner of the competition going to be in WTL or something? :O

We are trying to create alternative for TLMC as likelihood of Blizzard, ESL, or TL investing their resources to do it is nearly none. Thus, to have alternative we need to provide it first ourselves and prove it to work before having direct involvement from ESL and others. Be the change you want to see, basically. We hope that the finalists of these contests will become alternative pool of maps to be considered when choosing ladder maps. The format also tries to address some of the issues with TLMC.

Note that this is first one of these and there are early plans that we could have more competitions more frequently, but everything is very early at this point.

Zuratu

United States25 Posts

August 23 2021 05:01 GMT

#27

One new and one old submission:

Orbital Arboretum
+ Show Spoiler +

138 x 138

Art Pics
+ Show Spoiler +

Spacelab 2021
+ Show Spoiler +

136 x 136

Art Pics:
+ Show Spoiler +

Agaton

Sweden47 Posts

August 23 2021 08:14 GMT

#28

My entries:

Interitus
+ Show Spoiler +

Mystic's Mirage
+ Show Spoiler +

Drfilip

Sweden592 Posts

August 24 2021 12:14 GMT

#29

On August 23 2021 09:56 Beelzebub1 wrote:

Show nested quote +

Actually as cool as this is, what exactly is the point of this? Is it officially sanctioned by TLMC or Blizzard? Is the winner of the competition going to be in WTL or something? :O

The ladder map pool in the game is very slowly rotating. Having more functional maps being played in the community acts as a way to make it easier for Blizzard to swap them out at a faster pace.

Disregarding the ladder map pool, this helps every single event to change up their map pool.

Team leagues have a history of using other maps. Both of the WTLs (Wardi and World Team League) might use a lot of non ladder maps if there are popular non ladder maps easily available.

AlphaX is hosting a bunch of show matches, fun tournaments and other events. If they are starting to include these maps it will help with map variation.

Having a map sharing community of mapmakers will make it more interesting for map makers to continue and for new mapmakers to try. They get a bigger forum for discussing maps and they have the community supporting them by using their maps.

And, as Legan said, be the change you want to see. If you want new maps, make sure that there exist new maps.
This is in addition to the TLMC, not a replacement.

Beelzebub1

1004 Posts

August 24 2021 13:47 GMT

#30

On August 23 2021 10:27 Legan wrote:

Show nested quote +

Awesome, thanks for clearing that up, some of the submissions in here look like they would make great maps.

anarchay

19 Posts

August 25 2021 18:33 GMT

#31

The judging period officially began yesterday! There are a total of 24 submissions that have been accepted in this contest, with a few others unfortunately not passing the Quality Assurance standard we set to ensure high level maps.

As this contest has 24 submissions, that means there will be 4 ranked choice votes for each judge. This also means there will be 3 finalists, but with as many good maps as we've seen this time, there are sure to be some very good honorable mentions.

Good luck to all mapmakers who submitted to this contest, the competition is fierce.

Beelzebub1

1004 Posts

August 25 2021 19:13 GMT

#32

Been following this thread for a minute now, can't wait to see the finalists and I really hope that Wardi does a tournament run with them :D

anarchay

19 Posts

August 25 2021 19:31 GMT

#33

Our very own judge Skypirinha will be streaming (https://www.twitch.tv/Skypirinha_) a judging/first impression/feedback stream tomorrow at 10:00 CEST!

Wardi

England898 Posts

September 07 2021 14:31 GMT

#34

On August 26 2021 04:13 Beelzebub1 wrote:
Been following this thread for a minute now, can't wait to see the finalists and I really hope that Wardi does a tournament run with them :D

If someone wants me to run a tourney with them its possible, send me a dm I have some space coming up

Drfilip

Sweden592 Posts

September 08 2021 07:53 GMT

#35

On August 26 2021 04:31 anarchay wrote:
Our very own judge Skypirinha will be streaming (https://www.twitch.tv/Skypirinha_) a judging/first impression/feedback stream tomorrow at 10:00 CEST!

I watched the 3 hours in several intervals during the last week. Just finished it all. It ended with a comment of uploading it to YouTube, so I wanted to share the link here.

I liked watching this. It got me back into caring about map layouts. I haven't been very hardcore in watching lately. Can't remember the map names nor how they look. This judging video got me back into it.

And...
Go, go Power Wardi!

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