Guidelines/Rules: Halloween Level Design/Env Challenge 2010

[AlexG]

World of Level Design is celebrating its birthday in October. It has been 2 years since first article went live.

To celebrate the 2-Year Anniversary, we are kicking off a month long challenge.

Andy 'Nexusdog' Purnell is the mastermind behind this challenge.


THE CHALLENGE:

• Create an Environment with Halloween Styled Buiding/Haunted House as the Focal Point.
  
• MUST include a reference to World of Level Design as part of the environment. Custom texture or a model. How you incorporate this is completely up to you. It can be a simple logo, custom texture, or 3d model. It can say Happy Birthday WoLD or just simply World of Level Design. Make it part of the environment.
  
• Any Game Editor or Any 3D Modeling Application
  
• Create 3 beauty shots with at least one shot showing a reference to World of Level Design.
  
• WIP thread in WoLD Forums.
  
• You are free to create a explorable environment, a full level for gameplay, or simply a high quality environment for a portfolio.
  
• We want you to really have fun with this challenge and create something you would love.
  
• Remember: Strong Halloween Theme with Haunted House as the Focal Point.

TIME LIMIT:

• Contest runs from October. 02, 2010 - October. 31, 2010
  
• You have the entire month to create Halloween Styled Building/House Environment.

SUBMISSION STANDARDS:

• WIP Log in Challenge Forum: YOURNAME_HALLOWEEN
  
• Final images to be clear (do not show game HUD).
  
• 3 beauty shots, 1 to include WoLD reference.

WHAT TO DO:

• Sign up on at WoLD Forums. It's free!
  
• Begin a new thread on WoLD Forums, YOURNAME_HALLOWEEN
  
• Update WIP thread with your work.
  
• When done, post 3 beauty shots in your WIP Thread. We'll grab them and include them for judging.

JUDGES:

• Public Poll on the forums.

CRITERIA FOR JUDGING:

• Strong Halloween Theme
  
• Focal Point: House/Building
  
• A beauty shot showing a reference to WoLD.
  
• Entries to be judged by registered WoLD forum members in an open public poll.

DOWNLOAD:

Download World of Level Design icons, logos and texts here.

Or create a variation of your own. It is up to you. The zip does contains various jpgs, tga as well as one vmt and vtf for Source Engine, ready to use.



REFERENCES:

Andy 'Nexusdog', created a gallery of collected images for Halloween Haunted House Theme.

Check them out here.



SEARCH TERM IDEAS FOR REFERENCES:

Haunted House
Psycho House
Amityville House
Salem's Lot House
Munster Mansion
Addams Family Mansion









RESOURCES AND TUTORIALS:

HAMMER SOURCE:
Creating Custom Textures in Hammer Source
Hammer Source Based Modeling in 'Propper'

UDK:
UDK How to Take High Resolution Screenshots

Please add your own reference links, ideas, questions and suggestions here.

Thanks everyone, looking forward to everyones work.

PS. Happy Birthday WoLD!

[sarge mat]

Sounds cool. Far too much for at the moment for me to even consider entering though

Good luck to all.

[mehcore]

Just a quick validation on the rules, does the term haunted house only apply to the classic Hollywood style old mansion, or does it span over to carnival haunted house attractions?

[Nexusdog]

Just a quick validation on the rules, does the term haunted house only apply to the classic Hollywood style old mansion, or does it span over to carnival haunted house attractions?

Any building, as long as it follows the Halloween theme. Preferably spooky not comical. Carnival attractions, as in themed attractions, have already successfully been created in L4D's Night Terror campaign. Bear that in mind when creating your project - if it's already been done, it won't be original.

This should be an awesome challenge! I miss good, scary levels.. I am smart enough to know however, that I have too much on my plate to get involved. But, Happy Anniversary, WOLD! I wanted to contribute in some way. So, I took some of my modified props and added WOLD skins to them for use in the challenges to whoever would like to use them. Is there an appropriate place to house them?

[AlexG]

Those look awesome Tron. Thanks!

[WarrenM]

Quick clarification ... you don't need to be able to go inside the haunted house do you?

[AlexG]

Quick clarification ... you don't need to be able to go inside the haunted house do you?

No, not unless you want to.

I would enter, but I am still working on Hammer basics. The best I can do is make a rough safehouse. =(

Something to put on the project que, though.

*Places on que, next to the cobwebs.*

[Reanimated]

I love the theme! I only wish I had seen this a few days ago, as I just started learning UDK after a long break from any mapping following the 11 day contest (damn you civ 5 :twisted: ). I'll probably get started in a few days. I want to figure out if its viable for me to use UDK without any prior unreal experience and still create something competitive (I'm thinking no ;P).

So we only need the 3 screenshots and those will be the sole criteria for the judging? Also if we're making something playable are we allowed to release a version of the map with the screenshots or do we need to wait until after the winner is determined?

[Nexusdog]

So we only need the 3 screenshots and those will be the sole criteria for the judging? Also if we're making something playable are we allowed to release a version of the map with the screenshots or do we need to wait until after the winner is determined?

• The amount of work put into the challenge is up to the individual, but the basic judging criteria to remember is this is a public vote - down to you guys (and no voting for yourselves!).
• Having said that, a video would give a far better idea of the level of detail.
• The entry can be either a shell, with all detailing and work on the exterior only, or include an interior as well, especially if planning on using the project as a jump point for a map.
• Explorable environments are very cool, so those deciding to go this route, consider what is involved - bsp & UDK file submission standards apply, as previous challenges please guys.
• What we DON'T want is any game mode included. Of ANY kind whatsoever. Triggers, etc, are permissible but leave your scavenge and survival modes for another time, please.
• This isn't about a working map, more about composition, imagination and fun - it can be made into a working map after submission.

[Deltathunder]

If I get time.I will try join this challenge.Good luck too eveyone involved.

[Sark]

Are collaborations with other people allowed or does this have to be solely done by you?

[Nexusdog]

Are collaborations with other people allowed or does this have to be solely done by you?

Preferably solo work. While this challenge is just for fun, the benefit is, of course, developing peoples skills just as all challenges we set have multiple benefits.

[Nexusdog]

If any of you are planning on creating a vid for your work, check this site for royalty free music to use - http://incompetech.com/m/c/royalty-free ... nre=Horror