Future Contest suggestions

[Dodger]

Yo buddy and I had this discussion about how to do if we make this singleplayer map and using the puzzles.

Let me give you one big important question: what about if we work in teams? HUH? I mean it's so timesaving and all...

think about this.. we can allways team up

[Sentura]

How about... A MAZE

Make a singleplayer map in a limited space where you are not allowed to use monsters and have to try the player on puzzles

[merkaba]

I had an idea for a contest a while ago, but decided it might be a bit too weird.

The idea was to make a labyrinth. That is, the old classic 'on a rail' labyrinth with one path and a destination (it is a common misconception that a labyrinth is basically a maze. This is not true; a proper labyrinth has just one path). The creative freedom would come about through the optional use of custom art assets, and the ambience/setting you wish your labyrinth to reside in. EG you could make it try and heighten the player's sense of fear as they approach the centre, increase a players awareness of an issue or science progressively, make the player enter some lucid 'otherworldly' state of mind...whatever. The basic principle is that you walk a straight path and the act of walking this path results in some mental response or another, be it intelligent, psychological, psychedelic, emotional, etc. It should also peak at the centre as well, or else offer something different and conclusive. Obviously the classic conclusion to a labyrinth is to have a minotaur there!

Told you it was weird.

[insta]

That sounds like an excellent idea merkaba. When do we do a poll for all these ideas?

[Zyn]

HalfQuake anyone?

[Sentura]

Iit is a common misconception that a labyrinth is basically a maze. This is not true; a proper labyrinth has just one path

http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/labyrinth

[merkaba]

HalfQuake kicked serious arse (only played HQ Amen though).

BTW I didn't realise someone had already suggested a labyrinth idea! Although my suggestion has no real place for puzzles as it is a straight line thing; unless on the path you are given many clues about how to solve a puzzle at the centre!

Or there could be a set of progressive puzzles to complete as you walk the labyrinth; I don't think puzzles should be a requirement though - it's just another idea.

[merkaba]

Iit is a common misconception that a labyrinth is basically a maze. This is not true; a proper labyrinth has just one path

http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/labyrinth

You see how common a misconception it is, then? :roll:

[Campaignjunkie]

I think the "one puzzle" is the best idea; it keeps the focus on design / gameplay, and you can interpret it to be a labyrinth or a room where you wait 20 minutes or whatever you want. But then it's also kind of general, which defeats the purpose of a contest to place constraints and foster creative solutions.

Sentura: Read up on the history of the labyrinth, first. Merk is obviously referring to the classical labyrinths - most commonly Greek / Roman / medieval.

[Sentura]

it isn't. the term labyrinth is just a leftover from greek. It's the same as a maze. Think of the minotaur labyrinth. Do you think so many people would die finding the right way if it was just a straight line? ...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Con% ... otauro.jpg

[merkaba]

Hmm yeah that makes sense. I personally consider a labyrinth to be as I described, as otherwise it is simply a maze. I didn't realise that the minotaur's labyrinth was actually a maze though.

From wikipedia:

The term labyrinth is often used interchangeably with maze, but modern scholars of the subject use a stricter definition. For them, a maze is a tour puzzle in the form of a complex branching passage with choices of path and direction; while a single-path ("unicursal") labyrinth has only a single Eulerian path to the center. A labyrinth has an unambiguous through-route to the center and back and is not designed to be difficult to navigate.


This unicursal design was wide-spread in artistic depictions of the Minotaur's Labyrinth even though both logic and literary descriptions of it make it clear that the Minotaur was trapped in a multicursal maze.

[Sentura]

yeah look at the last paragraph there. "modern scholars" (whoever they might be) actually use the term in a wrong sense, since the first actual labyrinth (of the minotaur) described was a maze.

[merkaba]

Okay, I conceed. I'm not changing my contest idea though as it is still valid!

Sorry to have caused this little argument in this thread.

[Sentura]

yeah was a bit of a sidetrack... sorry for being pedantic :>

[Buddy]

Good it's cleared, otherwise there would be another "idiots arguing" thread created

Anyways, while I like Merkaba's idea I'd prefer still the good ol' small sp map concept.