Level of the Month (LOM)

Grace · Post by **Grace** » 10 Mar 2012, 09:27

Hey guys! As promised, today marks the return of a once great competition in the Elasto Mania scene! Yes, Level of the Month is returning.

The aim of this competition is for titan designers to come together in a battle of levelmaking, trying to make the best level they can for the competition. Each month will be themed, that is - the levels are to be designed with a keyword or style in mind.

This is how the level of month is to be arranged:

- There will be one LOM hosted per month. (Naturally...)
- The theme will be released on the 1st of each month.
- You must use one of the following LGR's: (Hollow, default, HighQ or Sky)
- The levels need to be sent to me in their finished forms (Name them whatever) and i will rename them. Please do not share them. The deadline is Midnight on the last day of each month (EET) but please try and send before this.
- At some point in the first week of the next month (during primetime) the levels will all be battled by myself. All names and logo's will be removed so that no-one knows who made each level. Battles will be held for an appropriate battle length (Longer than the average battle, however.)
- After the battles are held, others will have a week to vote for their favourite levels. Votes should be sent to me or other jury members in a private message either here, on EOL or on IRC (if i'm online.)
- The results will be posted both on EOL and on Mopolauta, and names will be released. The levels will be released as a pack.
- LOM Jury is currently comprised of: Haruhi, niN, Ville_J, Lee
- I will be maintaining a set of statistics and a points table/kinglist. Points system to be decided later (when we know how many people participate.)

The voting system is as follows:
1) Send me or one of the other LOM Jury members your top 5 votes. 1st = 5pts, 2nd = 4pts and so on.
2) The votes will be tallied up. If the top2 or 3 are equal in points, the Jury will vote on their favourite levels. If one of the jury members is the designer of one of these levels, they will be excluded from this vote.
3) The top 3 will be announced in EOL, the levels released and full results posted on this thread.

-

The theme system will incorporate a wider variety of things than the old system to keep up with the updated online version of the game.
Don't feel you have to design a huge level! A good hoyla level can be just as strong as a 2 minute epic, design what you think is the best level for the theme. Try and be creative.

--

The theme for April 2012 is Nature.

Lousku · Post by **Lousku** » 10 Mar 2012, 10:13

Haruhi wrote:without further adieu

*twitch*

Grace · Post by **Grace** » 10 Mar 2012, 11:31

Removed it for you

Lousku · Post by **Lousku** » 10 Mar 2012, 13:01

Could have just changed it to "ado".

ville_j · Post by **ville_j** » 10 Mar 2012, 14:31

Haruhi wrote: - The theme will be released at the end of the first full week of each month. (Sunday)

Are you sure you didn't just include this rule to make it seem more acceptable that you announce the theme just now? What's the point in this, it can take up to whole two weeks off from the month to design the level (I take the deadline is the last day of the month because next week are the battles of the levels). But if there is some good reason then OKIIZ!

I am very many excited and hopefully I am not the only one participating this competition!

Tigro · Post by **Tigro** » 10 Mar 2012, 15:09

all levelmaking programs allowed? rad´s, ale, smibus.. ?

Grace · Post by **Grace** » 10 Mar 2012, 15:32

Ville_J wrote:
Haruhi wrote: - The theme will be released at the end of the first full week of each month. (Sunday)
Are you sure you didn't just include this rule to make it seem more acceptable that you announce the theme just now? What's the point in this, it can take up to whole two weeks off from the month to design the level (I take the deadline is the last day of the month because next week are the battles of the levels). But if there is some good reason then OKIIZ!

I am very many excited and hopefully I am not the only one participating this competition!

Nope, that was the plan all along. Sunday of the first full week.

At worst, you'll have 2 weeks to design the levels, but in nearly every case you'll have nearly 3 weeks.

Tigro: Yes ofc.

Orcc · Post by **Orcc** » 10 Mar 2012, 16:16

Level of half month competition

Igge · Post by **Igge** » 10 Mar 2012, 16:26

Why not just have the deadline on the last day of the month or so, and then immediately follow it up with the next theme?

Tigro · Post by **Tigro** » 10 Mar 2012, 16:51

sounds clever..

ville_j · Post by **ville_j** » 10 Mar 2012, 17:56

Orcc wrote:Level of half month competition

I very many laughed at this. I think the theme should be announced as soon as it is possible for you to announce it. Two weeks is a very short time.

Grace · Post by **Grace** » 11 Mar 2012, 01:10

Okay teh. Old LOM competitions never ran for a whole month btw.

Anyway, adjusted. Go make levels.

Grace · Post by **Grace** » 11 Mar 2012, 22:53

Jappe wrote:shit system

Don't participate then.

zebra · Post by **zebra** » 12 Mar 2012, 07:17

Should default lgr be used?

Grace · Post by **Grace** » 12 Mar 2012, 13:16

Feel free to deviate from default LGR, but please include your LGR in the file you send me.

ville_j · Post by **ville_j** » 12 Mar 2012, 13:53

Haruhi wrote:Feel free to deviate from default LGR, but please include your LGR in the file you send me.

Whhaaat??

Lousku · Post by **Lousku** » 12 Mar 2012, 14:08

Instawin to whoever bothers making an LGR.

LGR of the Month!

Grace · Post by **Grace** » 12 Mar 2012, 14:33

LGR has nothing to do with it. If you want to spend the time making one, feel free, but it's LEVEL of the month.

If pictures are changed to something related to the theme, they are still just pictures. I would hope that the community votes the best level as the best level, not as the one with the best accompanying LGR.

For instance -> The mario LGR may be a great LGR, but the Mario levels are pretty shit.

ville_j · Post by **ville_j** » 12 Mar 2012, 14:55

If lgr has nothing to do with it, why allow other than default? If this is the way then.. ok. Any other things we should know before start making levs?

Orcc · Post by **Orcc** » 12 Mar 2012, 15:06

I think it'd be best to only allow the default lgr. Surely it's the lev that matters, but in LOM graphics are big part of it. For example, default lgr only allows a set amount of colours to be used, so it'd give unfair advantage for a person to make a LOM lgr with many different colours.

Also when the levs are battled I assume nobody can be bothered to download some special lgr for the battle. Then with the default lgr the lev will look like shit.

Unknown · Post by **Unknown** » 12 Mar 2012, 20:34

Orcc wrote:I think it'd be best to only allow the default lgr. Surely it's the lev that matters, but in LOM graphics are big part of it. For example, default lgr only allows a set amount of colours to be used, so it'd give unfair advantage for a person to make a LOM lgr with many different colours.

Also when the levs are battled I assume nobody can be bothered to download some special lgr for the battle. Then with the default lgr the lev will look like shit.

I agree

Tigro · Post by **Tigro** » 12 Mar 2012, 22:27

+1. it isnt supposed to be .lgr making competition. but i wont mind if some other lgs that are commonly used would be allowed (highQ etc. even without pics..)

Lousku · Post by **Lousku** » 12 Mar 2012, 22:39

Alternative commonly used LGRs like HighQ wouldn't make any difference because they don't add any pictures.

Haruhi: Themes make this contest mostly about visuals, less about playability. Since we're already rating visuals, it'll be hard to ignore a special LGR. I don't think anyone is planning to put in the effort for a theme LGR, but if you allow it, someone might. Just disallow it.

Grace · Post by **Grace** » 13 Mar 2012, 00:53

OK. I don't have the worries you guys have with it, and if someone is putting more time into an LGR they deserve to not win for their level.

Custom LGR Disallowed because of community outrage. Z if you are already making one, sorey.

8-ball · Post by **8-ball** » 13 Mar 2012, 03:15

No reason to really disallow custom LGRs because they are not even an advantage. Most people won't even download them so the levels will most likely look shit to them. Some people will but it will always be advantageous to just use Default LGR.

Grace · Post by **Grace** » 13 Mar 2012, 04:40

Xarthok wrote:No reason to really disallow custom LGRs because they are not even an advantage. Most people won't even download them so the levels will most likely look shit to them. Some people will but it will always be advantageous to just use Default LGR.

I agree, but again, this is a community event. If the community at large thinks it's a bad thing, it's a bad thing.

zebra · Post by **zebra** » 13 Mar 2012, 07:33

Yep, maybe it's better this way. Elma people are very simple people and don't bother downloading some lgr's anyway, at least not in a battle

But this is quite important decision. If custom lgrs had been accepted, this would have been a lot harder and time consuming contest.

ville_j · Post by **ville_j** » 13 Mar 2012, 09:56

Haruhi wrote:
Xarthok wrote:No reason to really disallow custom LGRs because they are not even an advantage. Most people won't even download them so the levels will most likely look shit to them. Some people will but it will always be advantageous to just use Default LGR.
I agree, but again, this is a community event. If the community at large thinks it's a bad thing, it's a bad thing.

Lol that is totally a wrong way to think about this. You are saying that you expect most people to not really care about the level and probably play with high details off and voting for the winner. If this is the case it sure will be a shit competition.

Grace · Post by **Grace** » 13 Mar 2012, 12:51

Ville_J wrote:
Haruhi wrote:
Xarthok wrote:No reason to really disallow custom LGRs because they are not even an advantage. Most people won't even download them so the levels will most likely look shit to them. Some people will but it will always be advantageous to just use Default LGR.
I agree, but again, this is a community event. If the community at large thinks it's a bad thing, it's a bad thing.
Lol that is totally a wrong way to think about this. You are saying that you expect most people to not really care about the level and probably play with high details off and voting for the winner. If this is the case it sure will be a shit competition.

Interesting to think that so much could be read into such a simple statement.

All i am saying is that you guys decided it was not a good thing to allow LGR's. There wasn't any "expectation" from me.

I like your abstract way of thinking though. Maybe apply the same creativity in your level.

ville_j · Post by **ville_j** » 13 Mar 2012, 13:48

You did write 'I agree' (Xarthok's comment) which means you are expecting most people not to play the level as it is meant to be played to be in position to fully rate the level. I don't know how else could one interpret that statement.

Grace · Post by **Grace** » 13 Mar 2012, 14:53

Ville_J wrote:You did write 'I agree' (Xarthok's comment) which means you are expecting most people not to play the level as it is meant to be played to be in position to fully rate the level. I don't know how else could one interpret that statement.

Hmm... well let me try and explain.

"I agree." can be expanded to "I agree that there is no advantage to using a custom LGR" because i would vote based on the level, not on the LGR. If you do NOT agree that the level is what is inherently important in a competition about what is the best level, then don't vote.

Regardless of whether it's a custom lgr, i'm more focused on how they:

1) Interpret the theme and turn this into a level design
2) Let the level remain playable and fun.
3) Think outside the square.

Needless to say, someone who creates a custom lgr for pictures or textures relating to the theme would be getting a low vote from me, based on the stated criteria.

1) They haven't turned it into a level design, they've just used pictures.
2) If they decided to do the classical trick of making polygons the exact shape of a picture, this effectively minimises playability and hinders point 3.
3) It's not very creative, in fact it's damned obvious.

The reason i originally allowed it is because it opens up some unique possibilities regarding specific themes that are very creative and very cool ideas, but are very difficult to implement without custom pictures. However, like i said in my last post, this is a community contest and so what the community thinks is the best idea is the rule that will be put in place.

Back to your comment. I hope this has explained that my "I agree" was to the part about custom LGR's.

I hope that's clear?

Igge · Post by **Igge** » 13 Mar 2012, 15:04

On a totally unrelated matter, I think this competition would be way more fun with "physical" restraints, rather than abstract ones. I'd be much more interested in "Who could make the best level with only 90 degree angles?" Or "by using only triangles?" Or even things like "best no-gas/volt level". To me those aspects of levelmaking are way more interesting than "Who can best incorporate "love" or "anger" into their level, by making you ride on hearts or driving inside an f7u12 face respectively.

Though I guess maybe that goes against the entire idea behind the competition itself. I never participated in LOM before so I'm not quite sure about the whats and whys. These are just my two cents anyway.

ville_j · Post by **ville_j** » 13 Mar 2012, 15:52

Ok I did not understand you agreed on just one part of the quote you used. Good points there in both Haruhi and igge posts, I believe this is a bit different LOM than it used to be and there will be some closer to 'physical' themes, like pipe or ff or whatever. I wouldn't personally like 'triangles only' kind of themes.

Grace · Post by **Grace** » 13 Mar 2012, 23:10

Igge wrote:On a totally unrelated matter, I think this competition would be way more fun with "physical" restraints,

Orcc · Post by **Orcc** » 25 Mar 2012, 23:50

Is it har gott last week already ;o

Grace · Post by **Grace** » 26 Mar 2012, 06:07

Yeap. Deadline is fri.

ville_j · Post by **ville_j** » 26 Mar 2012, 07:09

Quite random dödline. But I have yet to start teh lev.. or I already spent 2-3 hours making level starts but nothing really turned out anything good so we'll see if I can make something for this theme or not.

Bjenn · Post by **Bjenn** » 26 Mar 2012, 08:07

I didn't know this month had a theme because I didn't read it in the first post and not in any post after either. Now I saw first post was edited with a theme o,o good to know =D

Orcc · Post by **Orcc** » 26 Mar 2012, 08:46

The theme was there all the time o_O Maybe just a bit hidden between the rule lines, but you need to read the rules carefully dawq!

Grace · Post by **Grace** » 26 Mar 2012, 14:08

Bjenn wrote:I didn't know this month had a theme because I didn't read it in the first post and not in any post after either. Now I saw first post was edited with a theme o,o good to know =D

In fact theme was first part of teh thread, have elaborated since.

I would say from now on i will announce teh theme, but i did, so i don't take any blame

Anyway, still have a week to do teh, you can do eeeeet.

zebra · Post by **zebra** » 26 Mar 2012, 20:34

I agree with Igge. Would be nice to have some other kind of restrictions than only a theme.

Grace · Post by **Grace** » 27 Mar 2012, 03:11

zebra wrote:I agree with Igge. Would be nice to have some other kind of restrictions than only a theme.

Igge · Post by **Igge** » 27 Mar 2012, 05:57

zebra · Post by **zebra** » 27 Mar 2012, 06:25

For example some years ago in ballelma or whatever it was back then, we made levels which consisted only of three vertices. I mean, only one polygon with 3 vertices. It's amazing how different kind of levels you can create even with such a settings.

abruzzi · Post by **abruzzi** » 27 Mar 2012, 06:34

zebra wrote:For example some years ago in ballelma or whatever it was back then, we made levels which consisted only of three vertices. I mean, only one polygon with 3 vertices. It's amazing how different kind of levels you can create even with such a settings.

show some bestsellers

Igge · Post by **Igge** » 27 Mar 2012, 07:29

zebra wrote:For example some years ago in ballelma or whatever it was back then, we made levels which consisted only of three vertices. I mean, only one polygon with 3 vertices. It's amazing how different kind of levels you can create even with such a settings.

Every level is a triangle? Or do you mean a 3-vertex polygon inside a "background polygon"?

During some snaab session in belma I'd first make a 3-vertex level inside a background poylgon, then the next balle would be a 4-vertex lev, then 5, then 6 etc. Don't remember exactly how many I made, but each was entirely different from the last.

Zweq · Post by **Zweq** » 27 Mar 2012, 10:33

I thought that strictly defined restrictions was a great idea. Say, a level with 3 triangles and 2 apples would be preeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeetty interesting

Igge · Post by **Igge** » 27 Mar 2012, 10:39

Grace · Post by **Grace** » 27 Mar 2012, 11:54

OH FOR FUCKS SAKE DO I NEED TO MAKE THE WINKY FACE MORE OBVIOUS.

Lukazz · Post by **Lukazz** » 27 Mar 2012, 12:02

Zweq wrote:I thought that strictly defined restrictions was a great idea. Say, a level with 3 triangles and 2 apples would be preeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeetty interesting

i'd love that kinda "competition"!