Mini-Game Mapping Contest #4 - Poll

[-Kobas-]

Puzzle & Mystery
Contestants are challenged to create Puzzle mini map for Warcraft 3 game that will be full of Mystery.
Contestants are free to pick and work on any map type (defense, RPG... without cinematic and terrain/template maps) as long as they bring mystery feeling into it.
Show us unique riddles, cool puzzles and awesome gameplay.


Welcome to the poll for Mini-Game Mapping Contest #4! Please read through the rules before voting!

• Each user can only vote once in the poll. (remove this for a multiple choice poll)
• You cannot vote for yourself. If a voter has the same IP as the author then the vote will not be counted and it may result in the disqualification of the entry.
• You cannot create multiple accounts to vote for an entry in the poll. If a voter has been found to be using multiple accounts none of the voters votes will count in the final result.
• You cannot bribe users for votes. Contestants who break this rule will be disqualified and given negative reputation.

• First Place: 45 reputation points and your entry on the award icon
  
• Second Place: 30 reputation points and an award icon
  
• Third Place: 15 reputation points and an award icon

• mckill2009 (Maze Raider)
• KayS (The Core of the Mirror)
• eubz (Great Dungeon Escape)
• DeathChef (Forest Assasins)
• Ahimtar (The Plagium)
• -Kobas- (Hunted)
• Figueiredo00 (Catacomb of Elend)

• Magtheridon96
• x3GlikE

Concept (Base)	Does the mini-game follow the contest's theme?	/10
Concept (Puzzling)	Is the mini-game cohesive, regarding the puzzles? How well were the puzzles presented?	/30
Concept (Mystery)	How well is mystery presented, how good secrets were?	/30
Going Green	How well does your map make use of limited space, be it file size or terrain size.	/10
Playability	Is the map bug/lag free?	/10
Aesthetics	How well does the map look and overall feel of the 'environment'?	/10

• 70 % of the winner shall be determined by the contest's appointed judge(s).
• 30 % of the winner shall be determined by the results of a public poll.

Inviting your friends to vote for you, bribing random members with rep and otherwise cheating with the VB poll system will get you DISQUALIFIED, BANNED from future contests, -REPPED, and possibly INFRACTED. So don't do it!

This includes, but is not limited to, sending PMs out to various users, getting other people to send those PMs, advertising this contest on other sites with the intention to gain more votes (whether it is explicitly stated or not), and so on. If you are suspected of cheating, the staff will notify you and interrogate you (hopefully) over PMs. <3​

 

[Skycraft]

I'll begin testing these lovely maps soon, then I'll make completely evil reviews on them.

 

[Vengeancekael]

I'll begin testing these lovely maps soon, then I'll make completely pony reviews on them.

 

[KayS]

Here is a Zip file with all the entries. If you are a little lazy...

 

[busterkomo]

• Magtheridon96
• x3GlikE

Hey...

 

[-Kobas-]

If you want I can list you as well.

 

[KayS]

I'll begin testing these lovely maps soon, then I'll make completely pony reviews on them.

I want to see that Pony Review!

 

[Bugz]

Voting for this map: Figueiredo00 (Catacomb of Elend)

It felt most interesting, and was really funny and mysteries was not easy solved

 

[KayS]

I've voted for Figueiredo00, but my second option was the "The Plagium" by Ahimtar... I think the people don't play attention at the begining because it seems boring, but at the end it's a great job.

 

[Ahimtar]

thanks a lot!
.
.
.
so i tested those maps, these are my reviews :

mckill2009 (Maze Raider)

nice puzzle, quite logical and so on... but for some reason it felt a bit stereotypical... if i was a judge i would test it further, maybe it is fun, but i didnt have enough time and will to get through the start, sorry also, what is the mystery here?
but anyway, it can be fun if someone likes this kind of games and seemed to work well

KayS (The Core of the Mirror)

well, epic. it really seemed mysterious and those puzzles were well planed (although 2 times the same picture wasnt the best choice and those key things sometimes went "on" but sometimes just flashed...) but it had powerful athmosphere the cameras were very good, and animations were great im probably gonna vote for this one...
btw, unloCked

eubz (Great Dungeon Escape)

eh, is it really your entry? i mean, the "puzzles" and so werent that bad, but those items and those creeps spawning... the whole map just felt really RANDOM to me (i like those, when i was younger i created a lot of maps like that [too bad i didnt know how to work with trigger editor, so they never worked as i intended to ]) also maybe add more doodads so its nicer... a few times i got stuck in the creeps which couldnt kill me and i was just waiting for them to die, also the archmage and the quest was weird... but for some reason, i liked it and played through it till the end conclusion- quite nice map, but there are much better ones in this contest

DeathChef (Forest Assasins)

ok i didnt try it with nobody, but looked at the concept and so on and it seems nice i highly appreciate the idea, as its the only one really multiplayer map in the contest and i loved the music choicement so, its quite cool, but there are better maps... anyway its not a waste of time, maybe someday i will return to it with somebody to play with

Ahimtar (The Plagium)

OMG THA BEST THING EVAR MADE!!!!!!!!!!!!!

-Kobas- (Hunted)

WOW, is this still w3? looks like a whole new game (great idea with the interface)... the whole moving thing and rooms and inventory was solved genially to say something negative, the conversation with the golem was a bit too fast... and, wtf, the spider on the bed freaked me out and did nothing? anyway i dont know, i didnt get past that
btw, floWer

Figueiredo00 (Catacomb of Elend)

great athmosphere and terrain, skippable cinematic, also a good light source idea, but it felt annoying when i didnt see anything in the "5 switch" room and i mistakenly moved through the square and had to do it again (also its weird when someone stands on the square but has to leave it and get back)... and i found a kind of bug at those traps- when i saw the door opening, i clicked behind them - niedron run there while camera changed and he suddenly died, wtf i had to go all the way from start... next time i saved it, but (the brazier puzzle was great ) then i got stuck at those wraiths, and once when i tried it i somehow turned niedron to be owned by computer (i couldnt do anything)... those walls were weird, sometimes i could see through or some units attacked me through them, but that wasnt so bad. i ended at the mavus part, because when i use my summon spell as mavus, i instantly lose
guess it maybe could be the best map out there, but it definitely needs more work (and more time though, which i know you hadnt)
btw its two more, not more two

 

[Skycraft]

Ahimtar, if you aren't done yet then don't post it.
There's still a while to go, take your time with your reviewing.

 

[KayS]

KayS (The Core of the Mirror)

well, epic. it really seemed mysterious and those puzzles were well planed (although 2 times the same picture wasnt the best choice and those key things sometimes went "on" but sometimes just flashed...) but it had powerful athmosphere the cameras were very good, and animations were great im probably gonna vote for this one...

Thanks!

btw, unloCked

Aaaauuu... What a shame :S

Ahimtar (The Plagium)

OMG THA BEST THING EVAR MADE!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Figueiredo00]

Voting for this map: Figueiredo00 (Catacomb of Elend)

It felt most interesting, and was really funny and mysteries was not easy solved

I've voted for Figueiredo00, but my second option was the "The Plagium" by Ahimtar... I think the people don't play attention at the begining because it seems boring, but at the end it's a great job.

thank you Bugz, im glad that you liked. it was the objetive after all.

Kays, i voted to your map. as i said before in the contest Thread ,i really liked the atmosphere that you created, and the whole thing with the doodads, it was incredible and original, and awesome to play.

 

[KayS]

Kays, i voted to your map. as i said before in the contest Thread ,i really liked the atmosphere that you created, and the whole thing with the doodads, it was incredible and original, and awesome to play.

I know, It's fantastic to find good mappers who have a good sense of competition, There many participants who doesn't vote in the poll and who don't want to do it

 

[Ahimtar]

Ahimtar, if you aren't done yet then don't post it.
There's still a while to go, take your time with your reviewing.

sorry, i was about to write the review but in the middle i realised i got to go, so decided to do it like this

anyway, im still not sure whom to vote for, probably Core of the Mirror but im not 100% decided

 

[Figueiredo00]

Ahimtar

it's incredible your ability to find bugs on maps

really, i tested the map many times, and i can't belive how you found so many.

anyway, the bug that sometimes happened is the archers shooting through the walls. there is one spot with malus that this might happen. but its something rare.

you lose control of your unit is weird too, i don't have a trigger to do that just by entering into a region. anyway, thank you for the review and the grammar correction

 

[Magtheridon96]

Ok guys, Im in Lebanon
Im going to test all those maps as fast as possible (But unfortunately, my typing speed has decreased by 300% )
I'm down to 22 words a minute :/
Ill recover in a day or so
I judged 3 maps till now
4 more to go ^^

 

[Bugz]

I think that the judges vote are quite impotent, since its a close run

 

[SA Dashie]

DeathChef (Forest Assasins)

ok i didnt try it with nobody, but looked at the concept and so on and it seems nice i highly appreciate the idea, as its the only one really multiplayer map in the contest and i loved the music choicement so, its quite cool, but there are better maps... anyway its not a waste of time, maybe someday i will return to it with somebody to play with

This seems to be the mistke that I always make when I enter a mapping contest is that I make it multiplayer which means that alot of poeple can't test it which brings down my votes and also makes it a bit more harder for the judges.
Also if you did play it with multiplayer you would notice that I like detail making it 100% bug free and I also had plenty of time because during most of the contest time was public holidays.
I may test the maps some time soon and vote for someone....

 

[eubz]

thanks a lot!

eubz (Great Dungeon Escape)

eh, is it really your entry? i mean, the "puzzles" and so werent that bad, but those items and those creeps spawning... the whole map just felt really RANDOM to me (i like those, when i was younger i created a lot of maps like that [too bad i didnt know how to work with trigger editor, so they never worked as i intended to ]) also maybe add more doodads so its nicer... a few times i got stuck in the creeps which couldnt kill me and i was just waiting for them to die, also the archmage and the quest was weird... but for some reason, i liked it and played through it till the end conclusion- quite nice map, but there are much better ones in this contest

Thanks for this one dude...

 

[Ahimtar]

it's incredible your ability to find bugs on maps
really, i tested the map many times, and i can't belive how you found so many.
anyway, the bug that sometimes happened is the archers shooting through the walls. there is one spot with malus that this might happen. but its something rare.
you lose control of your unit is weird too, i don't have a trigger to do that just by entering into a region. anyway, thank you for the review and the grammar correction

i was also surprised and yes, i think the creep thing was at the malus part
and the lose of control, it was right after the cinematic, i think i clicked somewhere like right top from the place, activated mana shield (and maybe misclicked keybind, idk) and suddenly like wtf i cant do anything, tried to target myself and realised its not mine unit

This seems to be the mistke that I always make when I enter a mapping contest is that I make it multiplayer

probably yes

Thanks for this one dude...

np

 

[KayS]

It's really difficult to reach Kobas in the polls... :S

 

[Vengeancekael]

Catacomb of Elend:

Review by Ironside Vengeancekael
----------------------

Positive Features:

- Has description
- Has loading screen

Negative Features:

- It don't work

Additional Information / Conclusion:

I'm stupid.

Rating: 4/5
Vote: For Myself


Wait sorry, wrong review form.

Catacomb of Elend Review:

Terrain:

The dungeon looks awesome, very dark, creepy and atmospheric. You've almost used custom models only, which is kinda good here, because they really match. Some more broken doodads and such would have made the dungeon more ancient looking.

Cutscenes:

The cutscenes are all smooth, the unit movements as well, they don't run into each other and the camera work is also nice, although more camera movement would have been nice, but you can always see what's going on in the cutscene.

Gameplay:

The puzzles in the beginning are really easy, but that's good because the player won't start off with puzzles that are really hard to solve and he hasn't found out how the puzzles work. By adding some action and 5 units who have their own skills, the map isn't boring in the beginning despite the easy puzzles, but then when the map starts, the 5 units get seperated and you're only controlling one unit. The puzzles get harder and more interesting, you make switch puzzles harder by adding an order to them and you introduce new puzzle mechanics. The player will also have to think faster because of the poison, making the map more fast-paced and you also add bigger battles to the map, and you have to avoid some of them using stealth.

Story:

The player might get confused in the beginning, but it still gets more interesting due to the addition of new characters being introduced to the game and things get clearer afterwards.

Polishing:

The map is very polished, there are sound effects for almost everything, really telling you you're doing something when for example you step on the wrong switch. The item descriptions are kinda short and contain grammar errors, but that's nothing too serious.

Overall:

I really enjoyed playing the map, I loved the battles and puzzles, there's a big variety in the puzzles and the character swapping makes the map more interesting.
Rating: 5/5

Oh wait I had to write a pony review, ah well.

 

[Aeroblyctos]

Isn't it a bit unfair that the creator of this thread is also a competitor?

 

[Bugz]

Aslong as he isnt judge he can join right?

 

[Vengeancekael]

Isn't it a bit unfair that the creator of this thread is also a competitor?

He doesn't have power over the contests section anyway, he can't delete/edit posts, etc.

 

[Aeroblyctos]

Yea but he's the creator of the whole thread, that give him free advertise.

 

[Bugz]

Yea but he's the creator of the whole thread, that give him free advertise.

I dont think that anyone is like this:

1) Checking Thread

2) I am a lazy ass and i just vote for whoever that made thread..

So no.. i cant see the reason why it should matters

 

[Vengeancekael]

Ooo, maybe 1-2 users will vote for him, the poll doesn't count as that much anyway. I'm surprised we still have polls for contests.

 

[Aeroblyctos]

"Ohh, a competition poll! Okay let's see... There are some entries. Nah too lazy test. One of the contestants is a moderator, he has high rep amount and he's even creator of this whole competition! Maybe if I... Maybe... I'll vote for him and maybe... Just maybe... He'll give me rep!"

*votes Kobas*

And here we go!

 

[Bugz]

"Ohh, a competition poll! Okay let's see... There are some entries. Nah too lazy test. One of the contestants is an administrator, he has high rep amount and he's even creator of this whole competition! Maybe if I... Maybe... I'll vote for him and maybe... Just maybe... He'll give me rep!"

*votes Kobas*

And here we go!

No one is that dumb..

 

[Vengeancekael]

Well, he has a point there, there are users who do that, but we can't really do anything about it.

 

[Aeroblyctos]

How much is the percentage of poll compared to reviews? I mean in points.

 

[Bugz]

70 % of the winner shall be determined by the contest's appointed judge(s).
30 % of the winner shall be determined by the results of a public poll.

Is it that?

 

[Xezko]

kobas, you need to make a walkthrough of your map, im stucked as hell lol

 

[Aeroblyctos]

Is it that?

Oh yea, oh yea, oh yea. My mistake.

Well it's okay I guess.

 

[Bugz]

I think that the reviews should be more impotent, there are a reason they are judges

 

[-Kobas-]

kobas, you need to make a walkthrough of your map, im stucked as hell lol

Few tips:
Collect key after goblin disappear.
Book is below table in the basement.

 

[Xezko]

Few tips:
Collect key after goblin disappear.
Book is below table in the basement.

i already did all of that but,

Spoiler

i have the gem, but no idea how to open the jewerly box.
I also have the flower, the bottle, the golden skull and the star. but i cant figure out what i need to do in order to make the potion with the items.
I think i've checked everywhere for more items.
no idea what to do next :/

 

[Ahimtar]

thanks, i didnt find the book either


btw, YAAY! someone voted for me!

 

[Vengeancekael]

The Plagium

Review:

Terrain:

The terrain in general is ok, nothing too special and you've chosen a fitting UI skin. However you haven't used any custom models at all and have placed useless barrels all over the map to fill it up. The map isn't really beautiful, but it's passable since the island looks a bit ancient and lost. There are also some weird things, for example one of the gates is burning, that's just silly and after it's destroyed, the fire just disappears with it. You've also picked the wrong fire model for the switch trap, the fire disappears after some time and then reappears.

Cutscenes:

Only one, in the ending and there isn't even any camera work, just one static camera object. Cutscenes could have been used for when you triggered something, then you would pause the units and zoom in on the opened gate. An intro would have also been nice.

Gameplay:

The puzzles in the beginning are really, really easy and you're just showing the player what the 3 characters can do themselves. Your ideas for the 3 family members are neat, yet I don't understand why the wife can go through walls. I also saw a switch somewhere that I didn't even have to step on. The level commands are a neat idea, that way you don't have to constantly save the game and you've prevented cheating by not using the same command base.
The map is just too short and thus doesn't contain too many puzzles. The only interesting and most complicated puzzle was the one with the rolling doors and the switches, you really had to use the 3 characters' abilities to pass them.
And kinda weird how the dad can destroy some of the gates, but not all of them.
There are some things that don't make sense, for example how did the mysterious man trigger the fire trap, he didn't play an animation or was the trap timed?

Story:

You don't really want to concentrate on the storyline, you just pass these puzzles until an archmage pops up and tells you why you're on the island, then the map is over.

Polishing:

You've colorized the characters' names when they say something, that's neat, but the game doesn't play any sounds when you step on a switch.

Overall:

It's a neat puzzle map, with interesting features, but a terrain with lacking doodads and things that don't make a lot of sense. The last puzzles are complicated and fun to solve, yet the map is just too short and the storyline isn't very interesting.
Rating: 3/5

I kinda wanted to vote for your map when I was half way through, then the map was over. I should probably post these reviews all together.

 

[Figueiredo00]

@ Vengeancekael

it's always good see what were the impressions of the public.
i was enjoying creating the map, and seeing the triggers working properly. But i had no idea how the users would react while playing the map.

I'm pleased that you liked, thank you for the pony review

 

[Ahimtar]

@vengeancekael well... thanks a lot! its my first serious entry in a contest so im pleased to see positive response

my response

The terrain:
about the custom models... ive been once looking for some and didnt find almost nothing which fitted, one ruinhand, the UI and one thing i forgot what it was... i should have been more precise but i felt like it looks okay and i guess you didnt get the gate types (yes, i should have written it somewhere in the context ) - man can only destroy the small gates, so this fire was like an indicator that you can destroy the gate, because its already mostly destroyed (and i didnt know how to show it so i decided to make it burn)... the fire model on trap - i didnt test it after the last change, so maybe it does that, thanks for notification... and sounds on switches could have been nice, i didnt even think of that

Cutscenes:
Well, at first i thought they were not allowed, so i kind of skipped the first part and did the whole map without them... the last day i decided to add them, so i forgot about the first part, and did the last part quite simple. the cameras when you open a gate- i felt like its not that needed.

Gameplay:
well, yes, the first puzzles were just a show-off, and i really didnt know what to give the woman so i gave her some secret power the switch you didnt have to step on was there, yes, but it was just to trick you you have to get over the wall or to fill the space i was also surprised about the amount of puzzles, i somehow filled the space too early, but was too lazy to rework it all so i let it be. and the fire trap was timed, i also realised later that it just starts out of nowhere... i agree, i should have made some additional effect of triggering the trap

Story:
yes, its kind of a secret, you are in a middle of ruined temple, there is a mage who talks about some key, a ruin hand which tells you something more, and some random orcs... its on your own fantasy to realise whats going on

Overall:
well, i liked your review, you pointed out a lot of things i just forgot or was too lazy to do... i think that the main point, why my map isnt enough success is that i chose too small map size, but i realised it at the end and i didnt have space for everything... i wanted to put another 2 puzzles there which i already have made in my head and one small additional storyline, but there wasnt space for them... nevermind, thanks

 

[Magtheridon96]

Umm.. Kobas, I'm stuck
I even checked your triggers to see how I could win, but there's nothing!
There isn't even a "potion" in the object editor D:

 

[Xezko]

Umm.. Kobas, I'm stuck
I even checked your triggers to see how I could win, but there's nothing!
There isn't even a "potion" in the object editor D:

i'm stuck too D:
is even possible to finish the game? Q_Q

 

[KayS]

He said that his entry was unfinished. In the deadline of the contest...

 

[Bugz]

Funny he got 7 votes with unfinished map xD, i see some corruption in there p.p, or people that think they can get rep for voting :s

 

[KayS]

Funny he got 7 votes with unfinished map xD, i see some corruption in there p.p, or people that think they can get rep for voting :s

Maybe, Only Maybe... But the idea and the execution were impressive...

But Not his fault...

 

[Xezko]

good to know wasn't me the guy who cannot solve the map :b

well, i voted for your entry KayS, it was really well done and it was fun and hard at the same time. the terrain was pretty good and other than occasional typos, it was the best map imho.
good luck to everyone, i had lots of fun playing your maps, guys

 

[KayS]

good to know wasn't me the guy who cannot solve the map :b

well, i voted for your entry KayS, it was really well done and it was fun and hard at the same time. the terrain was pretty good and other than occasional typos, it was the best map imho.
good luck to everyone, i had lots of fun playing your maps, guys

Thanks sir