• 🏆 Texturing Contest #33 is OPEN! Contestants must re-texture a SD unit model found in-game (Warcraft 3 Classic), recreating the unit into a peaceful NPC version. 🔗Click here to enter!

Advanced Techtree Contest - Recycle, Revise, Reinvent


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Recycle, Revise, Reinvent
Expand on a race you have created in the past! There is no limit to how long ago you began. Previous entries are accepted. It's all about the level of refinement and quality of ideas. There is no design theme, merely a directive to create a well thought out race. This means you may also start from scratch.


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Contest Rules:
  • No submission may violate any of the Site Rules.
  • If a submission does not follow the Map Submission Rules the creator(s) will be disqualified.
  • All submissions must follow the current theme. If any entry does not fit, a moderator will tell you as soon as possible to avoid confusion.
  • Judges may not participate.
  • The features that may be edited are:
    • Gameplay constants
    • Game interface
    • Object editor
    • Sound editor
    • Trigger editor
  • The map's terrain may not be edited. The current four melee races may not be edited; copy and paste the default units you are about to edit.
  • Marketplaces, Taverns, and item shops may be edited.
  • Participants must download the (to be provided) template map, edit it and then resubmit it as their entry.
Submission Rules:
  • You must show at least one unfinished preview of your submission, before the deadline, as proof that it’s yours.
  • Your submission must be posted before the deadline. The post containing your final submission must also contain the following:
    • Several screenshots of terrain and gameplay.
    • The file in the appropriate format.
  • Your final submission must be bug free enough to test and play.
  • Protected map is not allowed, and won't be considered until the unprotected version is released.
  • Imports may be used in the map, however they must all be credited.
  • The resulting map may not exceed 128MB in size.
  • The map must be named "THW.TC11.<factioname>", and don't forget to also change the internal name.
  • All work must be your own. If you want to use entries from a paired contest you need written consent from anyone who worked with you.
  • Post here if you intend to compete, what race, and if it is a revision of previous work. Please also provide a link to the previous work. If you entered it in a previous contest or have it uploaded to the map section provide the link(s). If you have not previously shared it please attach it to your post.
Helpful Links: Custom Race System, Design Guide for Fifth Race by MCV, How to create Full-working custom race, Guide to make a Race. (Provided by VeljkoM)

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  • First Place: 25 reputation points and your entry on the award icon
  • Second Place: 15 reputation points and an award icon
  • Third Place: 10 reputation points and an award icon
  • Remaining entries: 5 reputation points for each submission (for users with final entries who made it to the public poll)

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  • Kam
  • TBA(s)
If you are interested in judging, please feel free to contact the moderator.

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Theme
How well the various elements of the Faction (including aesthetics, gameplay & design) fit together in a thematic manner such that they feel like they are representative of the given Faction, as well as that of the chosen Contest Theme. Well-fitting & polished aesthetics which complement a cohesive theme will be graded well; poorly-considered or lacking thematic elements will result in a poor score.15

Gameplay
How well the various elements of the Faction work together to achieve the tactical synergy & gameplay style the Faction has, as well as how efficiently each element performs its particular function. Strategic systems that endow an identity to the Faction, comprehensive & well-though-out roles which complement a cohesive Faction will be graded well; ill-considered, insufficient or over-compensating roles will lose points.30

Balance
Indicates how comparable the Faction is in terms of 'playability'; i.e. the ideal Faction should win/lose 50% of the time against others of it's class. Overpowered or Underpowered units/heroes/abilities/etc will result in a poor score; properly balanced elements will result in a good score.15

Creativity
How original the design of the Faction is in terms of innovative ideas, clever implementations, or creative concepts. Innovation and creativity will be rewarded; extensive re-use of existing elements in vanilla factions & poor originality will result in a poor score.15

Development
Should you reuse material from the past, particularly a previous contest, your work will be judged based on how you have progressed since then. Do not expect to score well in this area if you have not made substantial improvements.15

-

Total
/75 or 90
  • 75% of the final score shall be determined by the contest's appointed judge(s).
  • 25% of the final score shall be determined by the results of a public poll.
Won't this mean there is a point advantage for people starting with previous work?

User A is starting from scratch.
Area scores total 68/75 for a 90.6% prior to vote.

User B starts with a previous entry.
Area scores total 72/75 for a 96% prior to vote.
Then, as it turns out, this user did little to improve upon their race. In particular they failed to address specific remarks from past judges.
They receive 5/15 of the additional points for a new total of 77/90 or 85.5% prior to vote.


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The contest shall begin on (23/December/2016) and conclude on (30/April/2017), at 11:59 pm. GMT.
 

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Kyrbi0

Arena Moderator
Level 44
Joined
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Messages
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Is it just me or does this contest have Retera written all over it?
All I gotta do is tear something out of Heaven's Fall and make it great again.
Pfft, perfect for whom? You misspelled "Kyrbi0".

Actually to be honest I only have 2 previous partial Techtree Contest entries... Though I suppose I could use one of the other ~7 races... Then again only one is anywhere near done (Jungle Trolls), and there ain't no way I'm releasin' that baby quite yet...

Probably gonna be finishing my "Chem Cartel" Goblins from the Biome Techtree contest; was pretty excited about that. If I have time.

//EDIT// - Officialized:
Do I Intend To Compete? Hopefully/probably.
What Race? "Alchemist's Union"/"Chem Cartel" Goblins
Revision of Previous Work? Yes, from the Biome-themed Techtree Contest (#10); see attachment below.
 

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Kyrbi0

Arena Moderator
Level 44
Joined
Jul 29, 2008
Messages
9,484
Ah, that's what I was going to say. Well then.

They may just be busy. Fladdermasken has worked with me favorably in the past, but I know he's pretty busy... Pharaoh used to approve/run these things, no clue how he's faring... I think even Moderators can do it, but you just have to find one. Any you're friends with? : )


P.S. Due to the way this Contest was conceived & how it is worded, it's entirely within reason that we can all just agree to 'start' & whenever it "officially" starts, then woohoo.
 
i am in, if only for the fun of it. don't really like or understand the theme tho.

so i can revisit any creation, be it an unfinished contest entry, a finished map, an unfinished thread from the idea factory in 2009 etc? and if so, do i have to start from scratch in the editor or can i modify the existing map?
this also feels pretty unfair for newbies or contest first-timers.
 
Level 32
Joined
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Messages
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Kam and I talked in private with staff and concluded that
1. Official Arena contests should only be started from scratch as they have always been
2. Move the contest elsewhere and rename it
3. Reputation will still be rewarded, but not as huge as official contests
4. We'll make sure another Techtree contest won't be running during this one's up time

Contest approved as a pretty cool side contest! A green notice should be up for it soon.

In case no one has heard of non-Arena contests, there are a few. Here's one for reference:
Mini-Texturing Contest - Skeleton Units
 
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Kyrbi0

Arena Moderator
Level 44
Joined
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Messages
9,484
Kam and I talked in private with staff
Ruh-roh, Raggy.

SCG said:
and concluded that
1. Official Arena contests should only be started from scratch as they have always been
Urg. Let us never step outside the bounds of tradition. : /

SCG said:
Contest approved as a pretty cool side contest! A green notice should be up for it soon.
Awexome. I "will" "be" "joining", and I'm pretty sure that I will be finishing my "Biome: Forest" entry: the "Alchemist's Union" of Goblins. Maybe.
 

Kyrbi0

Arena Moderator
Level 44
Joined
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Messages
9,484
What does this mean?
It means Contests like this, where the Rules allow you to re-use previous works, are not meant to 'official'.

Rence Kristoff said:
and what does Advanced mean, is there anything we're supposed to add to the custom tech tree we will make?
Just a name. Add stuff to your custom tech tree so that it's finished.
 
Sorry for being late. My computer got a hardware failure and was unable to start for a week because of a Windows Update. Good thing my superhero dad patched it all up,but my stuff in Local Disk C was completely refreshed (goodbye LoL ;-;}.

Okay,now that's out of the way,lemme recreate something from my Cthulhu race. Seems like it needs some improvements. :)

Thank you @Kam , for the notifications :>
 
aight so my race is a heavily, heavily, heavily revamped version of the draenei in an old map of mine (Battle For Outland v2.0a). by heavily, i mean, there's basically no resemblance due to the number of idea changes over the past years.

  • Very resilient units that augment one another directly during combat.
  • Low firepower, but in turn excels at pacifying the enemy.
  • The two Aspects of Light and Exile allow for a unique techtree path:
    • Aspects unlock 2 units and a bunch of researches from buildings.
    • Adopting one Aspect unlocks T2 tech. Adopting both unlocks T3 tech.
    • Think of it like instead of upgrading your town hall to T2, you build a building (Shrine). Then that building researches one of two upgrades (the Aspects), either of which will result in you reaching T2.
    • Aspect of Light unlocks a tough unit (Elekk) and a healer (Anchorite)
    • Aspect of Exile unlocks an anti-air ethereal unit (Nether Ray) and an infiltrator (Venator)
    • Hopefully you see that Light = tanky & supportive, Exile = mobile & sneaky
  • Unique racial hero ability: Prayer, which when channeled near a Shrine regenerates mana for the hero.
 
Level 22
Joined
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Messages
6,232
Do we have to use a past idea or is it okay for me to make a new one from scratch?

Also, I don't quite understand the "Balance" section. I don't think it must be balanced with melee races, since it's Advanced techtree contest after all, you wrote "of its class" - but I don't quite understand. And we are to expand any previous techtrees or make a new one. By "balance", did you mean the same faction should win against the other?

If so, can I use some unique production system, etc.?
 
you can use a new one from scratch, but when your entry is being judged the "development" criteria isn't counted, so your entry will be out of 75 instead of 90.

it should be balanced with melee races. "advanced" is just a descriptor that distinguishes this contest from official ones (imo we should've just called this a 'Mini-techtree contest' but too late). you can expand on any prior techtree or make a new one, but see the first part of my response.
tbh most people here aren't well versed enough with wc3 melee to judge balance comprehensively.

you can use a unique production system.


on another note:
friends, do not doubt the power of xgm. that site is a resource haven (translation/credits are a nightmare tho).
 

Kyrbi0

Arena Moderator
Level 44
Joined
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Messages
9,484
you can use a new one from scratch, but when your entry is being judged the "development" criteria isn't counted, so your entry will be out of 75 instead of 90.
Hm. It seems that that should not be the case.

GT said:
it should be balanced with melee races. "advanced" is just a descriptor that distinguishes this contest from official ones (imo we should've just called this a 'Mini-techtree contest' but too late). you can expand on any prior techtree or make a new one, but see the first part of my response.
Yeah, definitely. ("Mini"? Unless we were all supposed to make actual mini-techtrees, I don't see it. Perhaps "Alternative" or "Redux" or "Extended" or "Upcycled" or "Preprocessed" or "Take 2" or "Rework" or something).

GT said:
tbh most people here aren't well versed enough with wc3 melee to judge balance comprehensively.
Lol, I know I'm not. Although, I figure one can usually get around that by simply mirroring Blizzard design as closely as possible, not exceeding the current boundaries/paradigms (no unit with more HP than Abomination, no unit with DD ability, etc).

GT said:
on another note:
friends, do not doubt the power of xgm. that site is a resource haven (translation/credits are a nightmare tho).
Yeah, there's a lot of stuff; just wish it was easier to trawl/search through. And yeah, Credits are insaaaane.
 
Hm. It seems that that should not be the case.

GhostThruster is correct. Entries using older material will be judged with the extra field in order to make it fair to people starting from scratch.

Also everyone needs to post these three pieces of information:
  • Post here if you intend to compete, what race, and if it is a revision of previous work.
Additionally if you are using established work you could save me some time hunting by providing me a link to it or uploading it if it doesn't exist somewhere.
 

Kyrbi0

Arena Moderator
Level 44
Joined
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Messages
9,484
Hm. So I guess what I'm saying is that that's an extra 15 points that someone can get over another person, merely by using a previous work (granted that's the point of the Contest). I could flub up entirely on one section, but because I used previous work I have access to 15 more points than the other guy who just went from scratch.

I guess it feels like it should be smaller, and also less like extra credit (can pull you down as well).

~

When you say "established", do you mean "finished"? I already posted earlier with my intentions & all that, but I never finished & so never uploaded it.
 
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