Blizzard Custom Map Contest

[Krazy]

http://us.blizzard.com/en-us/community/ ... s/sc2maps/

You've conquered the single-player campaign and climbed the multiplayer ladder -- but do you have what it takes to be a StarCraft II custom map designer?

In our first-ever StarCraft II Custom Map Contest, we're challenging you to craft the most fun, creative, and polished custom map that the galaxy’s ever seen.

If you think you've got the skills, fire up the StarCraft II Editor that came with your copy of the game and get started. The Editor is a powerful, robust, and complete development tool, and it's everything you'll need to build your creation. Keep in mind that we’re looking for originality, innovation, and fun, so whether you want to make the next DotA, craft a mini-RPG, or concoct a third-person shooter, let your imagination run wild.

Even if you've got some experience creating custom maps, you'll want to kick your efforts into overdrive for this one, because the stakes are high. We’ll be choosing three winners to represent the best of what the mapmaking community has to offer. If your custom map is one of those selected, you'll win a trip to BlizzCon 2010 (including airfare and accommodations), and BlizzCon attendees from all over the world will have a chance to play your creation in the StarCraft II demo area at the convention. Of course, it can't hurt to have some spending cash while you're in town, so we'll also throw in $5,000 prize money for each winner.

Map makers will have until September 11 to submit their entries. For full details, including submission requirements, check out the contest rules and eligibility page.

Why September 11?

[Legion]

http://us.blizzard.com/en-us/community/ ... s/sc2maps/

You've conquered the single-player campaign and climbed the multiplayer ladder -- but do you have what it takes to be a StarCraft II custom map designer?

In our first-ever StarCraft II Custom Map Contest, we're challenging you to craft the most fun, creative, and polished custom map that the galaxy’s ever seen.

If you think you've got the skills, fire up the StarCraft II Editor that came with your copy of the game and get started. The Editor is a powerful, robust, and complete development tool, and it's everything you'll need to build your creation. Keep in mind that we’re looking for originality, innovation, and fun, so whether you want to make the next DotA, craft a mini-RPG, or concoct a third-person shooter, let your imagination run wild.

Even if you've got some experience creating custom maps, you'll want to kick your efforts into overdrive for this one, because the stakes are high. We’ll be choosing three winners to represent the best of what the mapmaking community has to offer. If your custom map is one of those selected, you'll win a trip to BlizzCon 2010 (including airfare and accommodations), and BlizzCon attendees from all over the world will have a chance to play your creation in the StarCraft II demo area at the convention. Of course, it can't hurt to have some spending cash while you're in town, so we'll also throw in $5,000 prize money for each winner.

Map makers will have until September 11 to submit their entries. For full details, including submission requirements, check out the contest rules and eligibility page.

Why September 11?

Because Saturday is widely seen as the last day of the week.

Edit:
Or I did just ruin your mysterious September 11 conspiracy thing?

[Krazy]

Yes, yes you did.

[IskatuMesk]

meh, you're not gonna be picked for production quality that's for sure

[Krazy]

meh, you're not gonna be picked for production quality that's for sure

Oh burn?

[IskatuMesk]

I meant that Blizzard can't even identify quality for their own game, the judging is definitely going to be skewed.

Though if you read that the wrong way it does sound like a convenient and hilarious TROLL

[Ricky_Honejasi]

What annoy me the most (although I have zero intention to participate in it) about the contest is if you submit the map, there this possibility that you do lose "ownership" of your map regardless if you win or lose (and as always, the odds are rarely in your favor) and no longer can edit your map or something.

While the EULA does mention that you lose ownership for any published map in the first place but that contest gives even more the impression that you are plain sacrificing a map to them, never to see it again except under a Blizzard Logo in a best case scenario.

For Blizzard, regardless if they intend to play dirty or not with the contest, it's probably their first step toward getting their first maps as premium content ... except with the possibility that they give a flat 5k prize to the winners but give zero profit cut to them in the future.

Also, it might be possible that Blizzard would pick out the "winners" as the ones with maps that are most likely to at least attract a lot of custom map players to buy the map on first impressions rather than quality or true interrest.

Ultimately, time will tell about this matter.

[UntamedLoli]

You know the EULA's you've clicked on after running the game for the first time? You don't own your maps regardless of the contest, its probably Blizzard's method of being able to sell them for you.

They also avoid a number of potential legal problems.

[Ricky_Honejasi]

You know the EULA's you've clicked on after running the game for the first time? You don't own your maps regardless of the contest, its probably Blizzard's method of being able to sell them for you.

They also avoid a number of potential legal problems.

Yeah, that's what I was kind of implying in my earlier post (short of the selling part and legal problems).

However, there is still the difference between being still able to update your map and still have anything to do with you map rather losing all ability (and perhaps even creditability) as far your contest map is concerned.

While I could find it tolerable for the few winners to lose their maps in exchange of money, I find it much less fair if it comes to losing your map and you don't get anything due to losing the contest.

[IskatuMesk]

I think you're just being paranoid.

After all, why take some guy's half-assed shitty map when you can bully him into a contract for everything he makes ever, instead?

[New-/Hydrolisk]

Someone should remake "Defend the World Trade Centers" and submit that.

"Defend Emperor Mengsk's Galactic Trade Monoliths from the terrorist group, Raynor's Raiders!

Commander, the enemy is trying to ram various types of aircraft loaded with explosive devices into the Galactic Trade Monoliths! The aircraft you may face include both military and passenger vehicles from Medivacs to Boeings Hercules-class transports to Banshees.

Construct Missile Turrets around Mengsk's Galactic Trade Monoliths and prevent the terrorists from destroying them; should you fail, thousands will die and millions more of conspiracy theories will be spawned!