The Hammer Cup 2016

[blackdog]

So I just found out by chance that the HL2 site RunThinkShootLive is running an HL2 (obvs) mapping competition, but this time mappers compete on the long run. The contest is spread across 5 challenges (themes) and map makers need to enter at least 3 of these in order to win. Map are awarded different points for top 3, then there are bonus points.

Competition has already started, first challenge is long gone, the second has just started (18th feb) and there's time until the 7th to submit a map themed "Liberate", as usual open to interpretation.

All details here: http://www.runthinkshootlive.com/thc/thc16 winner takes home the Gravity Gun replica! A big deal for nerds

Edited February 21, 2016 by blackdog

[Logic]

I was about to make this tread, but glad you did.

This competition is great. The content might not be that polished, but for a 19 days mapping competition it's hard to complain. A few submissions per competition is usually pure gold.

I'd wanted to join in on this cup, but time is always a factor 

[blackdog]

Didn't want to, but spent an hour and half yesterday watching the play through of the first challenge and must say there were a couple really good, in terms of polish and ideas.

Simce I've found out about it, my mind has been spinning thinking of the current one.

[blackdog]

Do you guys know if there's anything to be particularly careful about when creating this maps? They require to be playable with just EP2 installed... but am I wrong or the SP SDK, pulls the "base" etc, so content from HL2? Does EP2 automatically pull all the base HL2 content as well?

I wish they cleaned up the mess they created with the Episodes, when I last tried to participate in one of the competitions I had to start Hammer separately cos from the SDK launcher just bugs out.

[Logic]

Do you guys know if there's anything to be particularly careful about when creating this maps? They require to be playable with just EP2 installed... but am I wrong or the SP SDK, pulls the "base" etc, so content from HL2? Does EP2 automatically pull all the base HL2 content as well?

I wish they cleaned up the mess they created with the Episodes, when I last tried to participate in one of the competitions I had to start Hammer separately cos from the SDK launcher just bugs out.

The models that you can access in EP2 are almost all reused from the original HL2, since Valve reuse most of the props. As long as you create a new project in Hammer for EP2 you should be fine

[blackdog]

Yeah, I know they reuse, that's why I wanted to make sure the EP2 executable pulls all the necessary content files.

[Logic]

Yeah, I know they reuse, that's why I wanted to make sure the EP2 executable pulls all the necessary content files.

That's beyond my knowledge  

[blackdog]

Bump. Theme for Challenge 3 announced: backtracking.

Quote

We would like you to create a map where the player interacts with an area and then has to backtrack through the same area, but the area must have changed.

http://www.runthinkshootlive.com/posts/the-hammer-cup-16-challenge-3-backtrackville/

Deadline is 18th April @ 11:00 GMT

[blackdog]

Deadline is tomorrow night.

Damn another challenge I have to give a miss started an interesting concept but too late. And I thought I was laying out too much (as proper size of map) so I started from scratch, from the final room... just to realize the day after that there was only the weekend to work on it, and even if I had a clear idea of everything I wanted, there would never be the time to script everything.

Well, at least the theme was very interesting and I'm thinking of putting it in the pipeline and see if I can catch up on it in my own time.