And so it continues…

Welcome to the third of five mapping challenges as part of The Hammer cup 2016.

Theme Details

One of the staple events in video games is the backtrack sequence. A part of the game where you retrace your steps in the exact location but this time something has changed.

The change can be due to new enemies, a violent explosion, time travel, new vehicles etc.

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.

The reason for the change and the exact change is entirely up to you.

The theme is apropos considering the discussion on the PsychologyVille – Just A Discussion post, where people have started talking about seeing sections of Half-Life games before or after certain events.

We had already chosen this theme, so that is perfect timing.

We will allow remakes of any Half-Life game map but they shouldn’t just be copies – put a little personal touch into them.

Of course, we would be more than happy if you created your own design and have a reason for its change. Any reason is acceptable.

Even though time travel does not feature in any of the Half-Life games (unless you consider Gordon’s stasis – in which case every game features time travel – forwards!) we will allow it for this theme – either forwards or backwards.

You could create a map where you are attacking a Combine Outpost and get knocked unconscious and when you wake up you find that the resistance has been pushed back and you are now behind Combine lines. You must return to join your resistance comrades.

Or you could have been sent on a suicide mission to destroy a facility and find yourself still alive after destroying it. The Combine have sent reinforcements and your objective now is to either die in a blaze of glory or make it back to the rendezvous point.

The main idea is to play the same area twice but the second time must be significantly different from the first.

As always, if you have any questions either ask in the comments or if you require a private answer send Phillip an email: planetphillip@gmail.com

Deadline

The deadline for submitting maps is:

Monday 18th April 2016 11pm GMT

That’s 19 days, with 3 full weekends.

General Advice

DO NOT GET TOO AMBITIOUS. If you can’t build it in 2 weekends then think smaller.

Something is bound to delay your progress. Leave time for testing, bug fixing and polishing!

Testing

UPDATE: It seems that the BetaTestersCollective website is currently down.

Feel free to ask RTSL for help.

General Rules

Maximum two maps per entry.

The map must be original and not have been released publicly before.

The map must run in system with only Ep2 installed

By entering the competition you grant PlanetPhillip.Com and RunThinkShootLive.Com the right to release the map as part of the BacktrackVille mod.

Maps must not appear on ANY other website before the release and for one month after the release of the mod.

No assets from retail games other than HL2, HL2: Ep1 or HL2: Ep2 are allowed.

Other assets are allowed with written permission from their original authors, which MUST be included in the entry.

Phillip’s decision is final and no correspondence will be entered into about it.

The map MUST have a proper name.

The map MUST have a proper filename: MapName_thc16c3.bsp

All entries must be sent to: planetphillip@gmail.com no later than the deadline.

Prizes

Steam or Origin games will be awarded to the Winner, Runner Up and third place.

Points for The Hammer Cup

Points will be awarded for each mapping challenge in The Hammer Cup.

All entries will receive 12 points.

First place receives an additional 36 points, second place receives an additional 24 points and third place receives an additional 12 points.

Bonus points can be awarded to all entries.

Bonus: 0,3,6 or 9 in the following categories:

Design (layout, foreshadowing, secret areas, concept etc)

Visuals (lighting, textures, etc)

Sound (ambient sounds, voice acting, special effects etc)

Gameplay (flow, exploration, 3 dimensions etc)

Misc (g-man sightings, humour, seriousness, scares etc)

Check The Hammer cup 2016 for full details of the event, including the prizes etc.