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Update #1: Jan. 16, 2011 - Work In Progress

Update #2: Feb. 11, 2011 - Winner/Runner Ups

Every new year brings new possibilites and opportunities. It is up to you to make this year your best. I want you to look back on 2011 with a sense of pride and accomplishment. Don't leave anything to chance.

Winter 2011 Challenge is now live.

What are World of Level Design Challenges?

It is a way for you to get better and improve creating level designs and game environments. Challenges are set up to make you work on a certain aspect of the process. Each challenge has a specific focus to make you work on aspects of game environment creation.

No matter if you are a beginner or a professional level designer, everyone is encouraged to participate. What you take away from each challenge is only up to you to discover. You will only find out how much you have improved when you go through a challenge.

Discover how better you actually are by joining the first Challenge of 2011.

I want to thank Alex 'Smog' Shaw, who is the mastermind behind this challenge.

THE CHALLENGE:

Create a playable level in any editor of your choice.

You will be given two reference images to choose from; you must select one based on the type of environment you wish to create - rural, or urban.

You must recreate the building in the reference image you have chosen and it will be the focal point of your map.

2- PART CHALLENGE:

Winter 2011 is a 2-Part Challenge.

You must complete Part 1 before you can continue Part 2.

PART 1: till Jan. 16, 2011

You have no more than 15 days to:

• Plan your level
• Gather more reference images based on the focal point image you chose
• Draw the layout
• Block-in your map
• Integrate gameplay mechanics
• Test pacing and flow of you level
• You must not detail the environment at this point
• Deadline for Part 1 is January 16, 2011
• Must post WIP on the forums (WoLD Forums are no longer available)

You can not begin Part 2, until January 16, 2011 and until you have posted work-in-progress in WoLD Forum

PART 2: till Jan. 31, 2011

You have no more than 15 days to:

• Detail the map
• Refine gameplay mechanics based on your experiences during the testing of the map
• Deadline for Part 2 is January 31, 2011
• You must submit and release your map

REFERENCE IMAGES:

• Choose one of the two reference images below
• It will be the focal point of your map
• Design around the focal point

Flickr: photo credit newagecrap.

Flickr: photo credit Lodewijk van den Broe

TIME:

• Part 1 Start/End Date: Jan.1 - Jan. 15, 2011
• Part 2 Start/End Date: Jan.16 - Jan. 31, 2011

SUBMISSION STANDARDS:

• WIP Log in Challenge Forum: YOURNAME_Winter 2011
• Final submission images should not show in-game hud on screenshots

HOW TO ENTER/WHAT TO DO:

• Sign up on at WoLD Forums. It's free! (WoLD Forums are no longer available)
• Begin a new thread on WoLD Forums, YOURNAME_WINTER 2011

JUDGES:

JUDGING CRITERIA:

Did you follow the 2-part process?
2-Part process of planning, blocking in and gameplay integration following by detailing must be followed. It is the main point of the challenge.

Aesthetics/Theme/Style:
How well the map integrated winter, snow, or new years.

Detail:
How well the map is fleshed out.

Gameplay:
Is the level fun? Is it fair?

Lighting:
Is the lighting consistent? Does it follow a palette or is it messy?

Texturing:
Are the textures aligned properly? Scaled properly?

Reference Image:
How well has the image been recreated?
Has it been integrated into the environment, or does it look out of place?

Plan:
How well did they follow their original plan?

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