Great ideas so far, but I don't really see why UDK should be mandatory. By allowing a wider array of engines the diversity of work would increase as well. I'm afraid, that if people were using only UDK, we would see mostly indoor scenes. UDK, despite all great updates still does not favour big open spaces due to its, rather primitive, terrain tools.
Also, all popular engines can be downloaded pretty much for free; Sandbox is included with the demo version of Crysis, Unity can be downloaded from its developer website and Source SDK is easily available on Steam. I understand that using only one engine would makes file sharing easier, but not doing so would encourage people to try something new. Hell, if someone made kickass and well documented Unity/Source scene I would by more than happy to download it and figure out how it was done.
Hehe, I said "mostly indoor scenes" I did some work on big landscapes in UDK and while it's certainly dooable it's nowhere near being intuitive. In fact, creating vast but open spaces is rather easy (if you don't mind limited number of terrain materials), but making dense forests can be a pain if you need a high level of control when you place your foliage. Then again, when it comes to terrain I've been completely spoiled by Sandbox, so take my words with a grain of salt :poly142:
So that's an interesting challenge idea: take a level or scene that's exemplary in engine A and remake it in engine B.
It gets you to learn new tools. For every thing that engine A does really well, engine B will have more than one reasonable way to fake it, so you get to compare design techniques with others. Get some really experienced engine B level designers to judge technique.
As to engines in general, UDK and Unity are both free to use and create with. If you can build and run custom levels with the Crysis demo Sandbox editor, without hacks or EULA violations or anything, then that shouldn't be ruled out.
But you can only get the Source SDK if you've bought a Source game like HL2 or TF2, which, perhaps surprisingly, not everyone has. You might not want to make that restriction.
I really like the idea of an anual UDK scene competition. Make sure its ANNUAL. It make a competition look way more legit.
Also, it would be even better if winning prizes were possible (eat3d and gnomon vids) nothing big.
I don't think sponsorship is necessary at the start. Get them going regularly and it will be easier to work sponsorships in later, once the PC crew can go to sponsors and say, "This is how awesome the entries are even without any prizes!" I think trying too hard for sponsorships is one of the things really bogging down other challenges/contests like Unearthly. Meanwhile, many if not most of us are primarily motivated by the prestige of being champion amongst such a badass group of peers, and by having a context to really push ourselves for our best work.
The way some sites display trophies for challenge winners in the forums is really distracting and gaudy, so I'm pretty hesitant to suggest this, but adding a bit of text like "Champ" (or an unobtrusive, simple icon for each win) under the winning poster's icon in the forums could up the ante even further.
Or something similar just shot sweet interesting contests to inspire people and get people to work together creating great art. No sponserships no prizes just fun.
Yeah I think these should be fairly often things like every 1 to 3 months. They don't need huge judging processes and sponsors like Unearthly. It'd just be to have some fun competing with fellow polycounters while growing along the way and that's much easier to do when there's a chance every 3 months compared to every year or two.
3 months is WAY too often. once every 6 months maybe. but have the actual competition last 2months or so. awsome scenes take a long time to make.
A site I used to frequent had these types of competitions every MONTH, including voting and development. Granted most of the entrees didn't create much or any custom content for their entries (It was on source so most of the less experienced people just used Valve's HL2 assets), there was still a fair amount of people entering and submitting nice scenes.
Two month development would probably be the best solution but I don't get why there needs to be a four month gap inbetween them. Doesn't do much good to discuss though because Adam and his team are working on it. Hopefully they shed some light on what they're thinking soon.
just start some comps and see how well they work, and adjust times/constraints and how often they are based off how the community does. I'm sure there's lots of students/people working on their portfolios that would be happy to jump on any comp they can find.
competition idea:
the comp will be split into 2 sections, section one would be creating environment assets for a specific theme. The other section will have level designers taking the assets that people have created and make an environment from them. this way all of polycount can contribute on making an environment and level designers can work on their skills.
also....
I think we should start experimenting with some of the ideas that have been presented. that way we can see with hard evidence what works and what doesn't work. is someone here willing to start an unofficial polycount environment challenge?
There's no way something like this could be bad for the community....
Inspiring, competitive, and practice for our skills. I'm dieing to start making what I want to make but I don't want to start before the contest begins!!
I'm so keen on joining an environment competition
It seems people either want 1 big annual competition to go all out on, or 1 competition every few months...... why not do both? And if the competitions become a big hit, then maybe turn it all into a contest with prizes if need be?
So 1 x Big Annual Comp to show off all our awesomeness
1 x small comp every 1-4 months (to keep in practice and keep that learning curve goin up)
Instead of having just as an environment challenge it should be characters only IMO
Well, there are plenty of character and creature challenges/competitions out there and I thinks that's the reason why poeple here want just a environment based challenge.
Well, there are plenty of character and creature challenges/competitions out there and I thinks that's the reason why poeple here want just a environment based challenge.
Dude, are you at all aware how many competitions go on a year for "Just Character" contests!? It's saturated...
We need some more environment design contests like this!!
I would love an environment based challenge. It would be great to see more challenges in general on this site. How about some long term and short term challenges to choose from?
Want challenges! Do it! Go!
I really want it to happen too but I know we just need to wait for it. Posting here isn't going to speed up it's arrival. I don't think Adam and whoever he put on to help organize it would forget about it.
Replies
Also, all popular engines can be downloaded pretty much for free; Sandbox is included with the demo version of Crysis, Unity can be downloaded from its developer website and Source SDK is easily available on Steam. I understand that using only one engine would makes file sharing easier, but not doing so would encourage people to try something new. Hell, if someone made kickass and well documented Unity/Source scene I would by more than happy to download it and figure out how it was done.
It gets you to learn new tools. For every thing that engine A does really well, engine B will have more than one reasonable way to fake it, so you get to compare design techniques with others. Get some really experienced engine B level designers to judge technique.
As to engines in general, UDK and Unity are both free to use and create with. If you can build and run custom levels with the Crysis demo Sandbox editor, without hacks or EULA violations or anything, then that shouldn't be ruled out.
But you can only get the Source SDK if you've bought a Source game like HL2 or TF2, which, perhaps surprisingly, not everyone has. You might not want to make that restriction.
Also, it would be even better if winning prizes were possible (eat3d and gnomon vids) nothing big.
essentially, what i think many of us want is a polycount versions of this: http://features.cgsociety.org/challenge/
The way some sites display trophies for challenge winners in the forums is really distracting and gaudy, so I'm pretty hesitant to suggest this, but adding a bit of text like "Champ" (or an unobtrusive, simple icon for each win) under the winning poster's icon in the forums could up the ante even further.
UDK Contest: Interesting Corridor
Spec limit: 2048^2 for whole env
etc...
Time Limit 1 month go
Or something similar just shot sweet interesting contests to inspire people and get people to work together creating great art. No sponserships no prizes just fun.
hahaha this would be really awesome or really terrible. after finishing the tf2 challenge, i think it would be cool to do an environment challenge.
A site I used to frequent had these types of competitions every MONTH, including voting and development. Granted most of the entrees didn't create much or any custom content for their entries (It was on source so most of the less experienced people just used Valve's HL2 assets), there was still a fair amount of people entering and submitting nice scenes.
Two month development would probably be the best solution but I don't get why there needs to be a four month gap inbetween them. Doesn't do much good to discuss though because Adam and his team are working on it. Hopefully they shed some light on what they're thinking soon.
the comp will be split into 2 sections, section one would be creating environment assets for a specific theme. The other section will have level designers taking the assets that people have created and make an environment from them. this way all of polycount can contribute on making an environment and level designers can work on their skills.
also....
I think we should start experimenting with some of the ideas that have been presented. that way we can see with hard evidence what works and what doesn't work. is someone here willing to start an unofficial polycount environment challenge?
Inspiring, competitive, and practice for our skills. I'm dieing to start making what I want to make but I don't want to start before the contest begins!!
It seems people either want 1 big annual competition to go all out on, or 1 competition every few months...... why not do both? And if the competitions become a big hit, then maybe turn it all into a contest with prizes if need be?
So 1 x Big Annual Comp to show off all our awesomeness
1 x small comp every 1-4 months (to keep in practice and keep that learning curve goin up)
Either way i look forward to it!
Dude, are you at all aware how many competitions go on a year for "Just Character" contests!? It's saturated...
We need some more environment design contests like this!!
Want challenges! Do it! Go!
Can't wait for this to start. I'm sure Adam and them are doing what they can to get it started.
Last time i participated in one was for game-aritst scene for a movie chalenge, and I had a great time.
Give some love to level / environment artists PC!
Yessssssss......
I am dieing for this competition to start, seriously.
http://www.tdt3d.com/articles_viewer.php?art_id=405
How come nobody is here to keep encouraging this but me! lol =P
If Adam sees that I'm the only one pushing for this contest, then we're never going to have it!