blorx1
Level: Smitemaster
Rank Points: 920
Registered: 07-18-2009
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File: Flexibility.hold (3 KB)
Downloaded 99 times.
License: Public Domain

The point of this contest is to build an entry with many unique and clever solutions. Each entry should be a single room with multiple solutions, most likely of varying efficiency and complexity.

The basic rules are as follows:
1) Each entry, of which a contestant can have up to three, must be a single, conquerable(as in exitable) room with a staircase to end the hold.
2) Elements that are used differently in every solution are highly encouraged, but if they are used in one solution and not another, there is no penalty.
3) It is also encouraged to use the "viewable from title screen" option on demos of some of the more clever and obscure solutions so that more people can know that they exist, they will be included with the compilation hold.

The deadlines:
Submissions will be open in this topic after June 24. This is a soft deadline, post your entries earlier if you have to.

Submissions will no longer be accepted after July 7th. To be clear you have negative 603 weeks, 2 days to submit your entries.

Sometime after submissions will close, I will open a voting topic with the entries compiled into one hold. I'll get there when that happens.

Prizes of some sort:
I'm a bit poor on mod points at the moment, hopefully I will be able to deliver on these prizes.
To the first place entry, I will award around 5 rank points, 3 for second place and 2 for third. Prizes are subject to change.
Caravel has nationalized this contest, and we're providing the standard full contest prizes! Winner gets a prize from the Prize Pile and 100 rank points. 2nd and 3rd places get 50 and 25 rank points, respectively. Once you've participated in eight contests, you may claim a free prize from the Prize Pile. So even if you don't win, you're still on your way to getting something good.

I know that this is rather unclear, so I've attached a sample hold that should similar to rooms for this contest. It also has two demos which are viewable from the title screen.

If anyone has anymore questions (because I'm terrible at explaining things, or for any other reason) feel free to ask.

Edit: I've extended the deadline for the contest to July 7th so people receiving the newsletter have a bit more time to submit something.

____________________________
If you need to think outside of the box, then you didn't build a good enough box.

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[Last edited by mrimer at 07-01-2013 05:37 PM]

Red-XIII
Level: Smitemaster

Rank Points: 674
Registered: 08-05-2012
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I like the idea but I have some questions

1) For conquerable room you mean exiting the level or killing all monsters and exiting the level? I mean can I use a solution where you can exit without killing all monsters?

2) Do I have to make a demo for every type of solution (3 or 4 are enough?) and make it visible on the title screen?

3) When it's ready, should I post the entry here as an attachment?

____________________________
There's not some other world out there where everything's gonna be okay.
There's just this one, just this rock.
-33th Skywatcher

blorx1
Level: Smitemaster
Rank Points: 920
Registered: 07-18-2009
IP: Logged

Red-XIII wrote:
1) For conquerable room you mean exiting the level or killing all monsters and exiting the level? I mean can I use a solution where you can exit without killing all monsters?

2) Do I have to make a demo for every type of solution (3 or 4 are enough?) and make it visible on the title screen?

3) When it's ready, should I post the entry here as an attachment?

1) I mean conquerable as in exitable. I had imagined that it would involve killing all the monsters but I see no reason why it has to. I think non-killing solutions would be neat actually.

2) I mostly pictured the demo option as something you would do if there were a really clever solution that you didn't expect anyone to find. There is no reason to make a demo for every solution you can find, since there will probably be solutions that even the original architect didn't find.

3) I would wait a couple days to post it, but at the moment, this topic is where I would post any entries.

____________________________
If you need to think outside of the box, then you didn't build a good enough box.

mrimer
Level: Legendary Smitemaster

Rank Points: 5195
Registered: 02-04-2003
IP: Logged

Fun contest idea! I've been looking for the next official contest. Anyone mind if Caravel gives out the usual official prizes to the winners of this contest?

____________________________
Gandalf? Yes... That's what they used to call me.
Gandalf the Grey. That was my name.
I am Gandalf the White.
And I come back to you now at the turn of the tide.

blorx1
Level: Smitemaster
Rank Points: 920
Registered: 07-18-2009
IP: Logged

I see no reason to mind. (In the back of my mind I was sort of hoping this would happen).

____________________________
If you need to think outside of the box, then you didn't build a good enough box.

Pearls
Level: Smitemaster

Rank Points: 777
Registered: 12-21-2009
IP: Logged

It might be interesting to set this up challenge mode style, where the submission needs to be accompanied by a couple of arbitrary rules, like "Don't use X" or "Never take the lower path" or "Don't use this obvious solution," where any unique challenge must be (this is somewhat arbitrary) decidedly different as opposed to close-solutions. It might be comical to see how many of these decidedly different solutions a given architect can supply for a single room, while making most or all of them interesting.

Also, if it's alright, I'd like to supply a guaranteed Pearls Prize in addition to what Caravel supplies. I do this more for me, than for you. Gives me a reason to practice my piano chops.

____________________________
Hey, w-wait, that's the guy who shamelessly promotes his own...

blorx1
Level: Smitemaster
Rank Points: 920
Registered: 07-18-2009
IP: Logged

In a way I had been hoping that anyone judging would be able to do that on their own, but on second thought, it would make it much easier for everyone if architects did something like including a scroll listing possible challenges/ways to solve the room.

When I made the sample room it ended up as more of an accumulation of little tricks that could be used to conserve resources. I think the challenge method would still be compatible with that room and others like it. It is the easiest way to enforce very different solutions while still leaving room for some subjectivity. I still don't think it is necessary if an architect expects players to be able to figure out challenges on their own, but adding a scroll like that is probably a good idea.

On another note, would it be possible to have a submission topic for this contest?

Edit: also, Pearls, feel free to give out your prize. It might be interesting for you to do the LP part of the prize and attempt every challenge included with the hold. That could take a while of course.

____________________________
If you need to think outside of the box, then you didn't build a good enough box.

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[Last edited by blorx1 at 06-17-2013 05:38 PM]

Doom
Level: Smitemaster

Rank Points: 3335
Registered: 07-05-2004
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I'm almost done with an entry. Anyone else in? Are we posting them here or is there a submission topic coming?

blorx1 wrote:
On another note, would it be possible to have a submission topic for this contest?

blorx1
Level: Smitemaster
Rank Points: 920
Registered: 07-18-2009
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I've posted a submission topic. Perhaps I should have been more annoying about asking.

To liven up the forums, if you're planning on entering post here.

____________________________
If you need to think outside of the box, then you didn't build a good enough box.

Red-XIII
Level: Smitemaster

Rank Points: 674
Registered: 08-05-2012
IP: Logged

I'm in as well and I'm almost done I was just waiting for the submission topic to be open.

EDIT: I just read that we must not write our name. What about the level/hold description? I wrote some comments in there without saying my name, should I change it or leave as it is?

____________________________
There's not some other world out there where everything's gonna be okay.
There's just this one, just this rock.
-33th Skywatcher

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[Last edited by Red-XIII at 06-26-2013 08:17 PM]

mrimer
Level: Legendary Smitemaster

Rank Points: 5195
Registered: 02-04-2003
IP: Logged

I'll prepare an Illumination tonight to mention this contest.

Oh! And also the sweeeeeet DROD bundle that's now available, for a limited time only!

____________________________
Gandalf? Yes... That's what they used to call me.
Gandalf the Grey. That was my name.
I am Gandalf the White.
And I come back to you now at the turn of the tide.

Lucky Luc
Level: Smitemaster
Rank Points: 1215
Registered: 08-19-2012
IP: Logged

Okay, I've submitted an entry. If I had more time at the moment, I might come up with something better, but at least I've managed to come up with anything. Looking forward to playing the other entries! (I'll hopefully have more time then)

mrimer
Level: Legendary Smitemaster

Rank Points: 5195
Registered: 02-04-2003
IP: Logged

I've extended the deadline for contest submissions until July 7th (hope that's okay) so people receiving the newsletter will have more opportunity to participate.

____________________________
Gandalf? Yes... That's what they used to call me.
Gandalf the Grey. That was my name.
I am Gandalf the White.
And I come back to you now at the turn of the tide.

---

[Last edited by mrimer at 07-01-2013 05:39 PM]

west.logan
Level: Smitemaster

Rank Points: 608
Registered: 03-09-2011
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Yahoo! Now I can procrastinate a whole week more!

____________________________
-Logan

mrimer
Level: Legendary Smitemaster

Rank Points: 5195
Registered: 02-04-2003
IP: Logged

Ah! Now there's a man who knows how to hurry up and wait!

____________________________
Gandalf? Yes... That's what they used to call me.
Gandalf the Grey. That was my name.
I am Gandalf the White.
And I come back to you now at the turn of the tide.

Godot23
Level: Master Delver
Rank Points: 114
Registered: 02-28-2013
IP: Logged

MY FIRST CONTEST! (hopefully). IT'S SO BEAUTIFUL!

____________________________
Roses are red
Violets are red
Everything is red
My house is on fire

mrimer
Level: Legendary Smitemaster

Rank Points: 5195
Registered: 02-04-2003
IP: Logged

We're happy to have you!

____________________________
Gandalf? Yes... That's what they used to call me.
Gandalf the Grey. That was my name.
I am Gandalf the White.
And I come back to you now at the turn of the tide.

blorx1
Level: Smitemaster
Rank Points: 920
Registered: 07-18-2009
IP: Logged

And submissions have closed. At the moment we have five entries, which is great turnout given that this is a rather difficult contest to build rooms for.

I'll get a compilation set up within a day or so and then set up voting. How much time do people want to vote? I'm thinking around two weeks, but I'm not sure.

____________________________
If you need to think outside of the box, then you didn't build a good enough box.

mrimer
Level: Legendary Smitemaster

Rank Points: 5195
Registered: 02-04-2003
IP: Logged

Not bad! Thanks again for running this, blorx1. Two weeks sounds good to me.

____________________________
Gandalf? Yes... That's what they used to call me.
Gandalf the Grey. That was my name.
I am Gandalf the White.
And I come back to you now at the turn of the tide.

blorx1
Level: Smitemaster
Rank Points: 920
Registered: 07-18-2009
IP: Logged

I've added a topic to architecture for the compilation hold. If you are an architect of one of the entries, I'd appreciate it if you posted there, giving your permission for me to use the entry in a compilation and making any changes you'd like to make to the entry.

____________________________
If you need to think outside of the box, then you didn't build a good enough box.