Posts from “Best map for Heroes of Might and Magic III” (2009).

In this topic, all maps created by respected mapmakers registered on HeroesWorld and wishing to participate in the contest for the best map will be evaluated.

To participate in the contest, you must familiarize yourself with the rules below:
1. The map should be 72 x 72 (M) or 108 x 108 (L) in size, with or without a Dungeon.
2. The map can be made in any editor (except WoG).
3. The map must be made personally by you.
4. The map must contain heroes with the nicknames of our forum members.
5. Only 1 map is accepted from each participant.
6. Send the finished map and legend (description) to h3world@yandex.ru, indicating your nickname on HeroesWorld.

Participants should remember:
1. If a player submits someone else's map, they will be disqualified from the competition and penalized.
2. Maps that have already participated in contests and Tournaments will not be considered.
3. Maps made using a map generator are not accepted!

Contest Dates:
Maps are accepted until November 20, 2009, and the winner will be announced on November 30, 2009.

After receiving your map, you will see in the application table that:
• the map has been received and is under consideration – indicated by a bold Nickname.
• the map has been accepted – indicated by an italicized bold Nickname.


Prizes:
1. The monetary prize fund for the Tournament is $150.
2. The award for 1st place is $50 and a prize in the profile and as an avatar on HeroesWorld. The remaining $100 will be distributed among 1-3 places at the discretion of the judges and sponsor.
3. The prize fund may be increased again if new sponsors appear.

Map Evaluation.
Maps will be evaluated according to the following characteristics:
1. Map saturation (i.e., the absence of unfilled space on the map, such as an excessive number of mountain objects or repeating clusters of objects, such as treasure chests, etc.). Maximum score – 15.
2. Number and, more importantly, quality of tasks, mini-quests, paths through the map. Maximum score – 15.
3. Beauty of the landscape, the world as a whole. Maximum score – 10.
4. Speed of completing the map in game time and real time (in particular, there should not be tasks like "use 1 fairy to defeat 1000 golems"). Maximum score – 10.
5. Presence of a plot in the map and its interestingness. Maximum score – 10.
6. Balance, thoughtfulness, and strength of neutral monsters and computer opponents (the map should be designed for players above average). Maximum score – 20.
7. Availability of a description for the map (legend), where the participant describes the scenario of the map and what they deem necessary to write. Maximum score – 10.
8. Personal assessment by the judge. Maximum score – 10.

Judging:
Judges: Dirty_Player, vbn, VDV_forever.

1. Each judge, after testing the map, evaluates it according to each of the 8 points and assigns scores from the minimum (1 point) to the maximum (specified within each point).
2. Each judge must give an objective assessment (summary) to each map. In this assessment, judges must indicate all the pros and cons of the map, as well as draw a conclusion.
3. Judges have the right:
– if there are errors that make the map unplayable, deduct up to 20 points for one error;
– if there are errors, but the map is completed despite these errors, deduct up to 5 points for one error;
– deduct points for moments not included in the above items at their discretion, обязательно indicating this in the summary;
– return the map to the tournament participant for correcting errors and shortcomings.
4. The winner will be the participant whose map receives the highest total score from all judges.
5. To make any changes and additions to these rules at any stage of the Contest, with the exception of changing the principle of the Contest itself and reducing the size of the prize fund (it can be increased if more sponsors are found).

A 4th annual offline Tournament "Best of the Best" will be held based on the "Best Map for Heroes of Might and Magic III", i.e., the map that takes first place in the contest!

For those who made the map in WoG, it is suggested to convert it to SoD using a special program:
/attachments/5148/
The topic where you can ask questions about this program:
/topic/at/107043/

Good luck!

Tell me, sir – the map from the “6.5” tournament is very interesting, but it won’t be eligible for the contest! What should we do?

Drawing a new one, what else can you do...

Wow, I'll participate. I've already started thinking about the map. P.S. Are there any restrictions on the number of players? Can you set it to one or even eight?

Congratulations, friends!
We have another sponsor. :smile12:
The prize pool for the tournament is now $100.
$50 will be awarded to 1st place.
The remaining $50 will either go to 1st place, or will be divided between 2nd and 3rd place in a 3:2 ratio (we'll decide later).

...
4. The map should include heroes with the nicknames of our forum members.
...

Please explain what this means.

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4. The map should include heroes with the nicknames of our forum members.
...

Please explain what this means.

It's an established tradition. :)

I've long wanted to share my thoughts on the topic of an "ideal off-tournament map," and this seems like the perfect thread. Perhaps together we could create something like a set of criteria or a "Guide." For now, here's a start:

Requirements for an Ideal Map

Playing through any off-tournament is, by and large, a test of players on three (just three!) parameters.
1. Knowledge of tricks
This parameter is ambiguous because beginners are at an obvious disadvantage here. But, in my opinion, such tricks should still be present on the map. Preferably, it's good to periodically insert something fresh, beyond the overused "speed boost on neutrals near the flag," etc.
2. Creative thinking
This is a very important section; I'll elaborate. Testing players on this point involves embedding certain ideas and puzzles into the map. The main condition (and the key difference from point 1) is that the solution must be logically deducible, meaning it requires not so much knowledge as the ability to think. Examples:
A) Entomb, map "6,5," genie + fire shield. A perfect classic example of an idea that is figured out by the brain and was intentionally placed by the author. Puzzles can even be hidden in the battlefield terrain, for instance, by placing a key neutral troop and, by changing the terrain type in the editor, achieving a specific battlefield landscape. There's one downside – not every mapmaker has an original idea up their sleeve. But there is another option.
B) Map from the "Best – 2008" tournament, scroll of "Water Walking." Here, the author didn't intentionally put any ideas in, and perhaps didn't even know his map would be used in an off-tournament. But. Even if in a potential form, the idea was embedded in the map. Conclusion. In the absence of ideas, while working on a map, you can insert several micro-bonuses that, at first glance, have no use. If none of the participants bite – no big deal, let it remain just a "map decoration," but perhaps this useless scroll, lonely unit, etc., will help someone come up with a super idea. Dirty used a somewhat similar technique in the map "Terrible Rumor." There was an opportunity to complete a quest to obtain Fly. And although no one, I think, found how to use it beneficially, it's great that the possibility itself was built into the map.
C) Map from the "Best-2009" tournament. If Dirty, when creating this map, had Vanechka's idea in mind, then this is a clear example of an anti-idea. Knowing that unit clones are successfully converted to undead after battle by the Cloak of the Undead King – this is pure knowledge; this idea cannot be deduced logically in any way, and in my opinion, building a map on such "ideas" is absolutely unacceptable. An analogy can be drawn with the selection of questions for "What? Where? When?" All questions based on pure knowledge are weeded out; any answer should be reachable through "general knowledge + reasoning."
3. Turn management technique
What is the best way to test this technique? If the map is for speed, the primary criterion gives accuracy to within 1 day. What about more precise? It turns out there is a way to test this with simply fantastic accuracy! For example, if a map is completed in 2 days and the average number of heroes is 30, then the total movement of heroes will be approximately 2 x 30 x 2000 MP = 120K MP. And the accuracy of the test will be within 100-200 MP!! That is, with an accuracy of 0.01%.
To achieve this, you need: a secondary criterion "Resources" + the highest density of resources on the map. Thus, any 100-200 MP saved through management will be immediately recorded in an additionally picked-up pile of resources. A similar level of accuracy is provided by the primary criterion "gathering undead with necromancy" with a sufficient density of neutrals. Only the time for gathering must be significantly less than the time required to gather everything else.
But the secondary criterion "Parameters" is not as sensitive; its calibration is much rougher. This was shown in the past tournament "Book of Water," where both winners collected the maximum, although the level of optimization was possibly different.

Technical Requirements

1. Map size – very small, object density – very high. The player should be able to completely replay the map countless times within 1 month in search of the optimal solution.
2. Variation in playthrough. Classic techniques – "A long path, but easy. A short one, but no one knows how to get through it." For example, a long land route and a short sea route. Or a short one too, but through a strong Garrison. Etc.

That's all for now. If anyone has something to add – write.

B) The tournament map "Best-2009". If, when creating this map, Dirty had Vanichka's idea in mind, then this is a vivid example of an anti-idea. Knowing that cloned units are successfully converted into undead by the Cloak of the Undead King after battle is precisely knowledge; this idea cannot be deduced logically in any way, and building a map on such "ideas" is, in my opinion, strictly unacceptable.

Hey!:smile30:
Do you think I prayed to Sokol when the idea about progression on a clone struck me in the "Wild Lands"? You're mistaken. It was deduced logically, just not by you. Verified on a calculator and then implemented in practice.

3. Turn management technique.
How best to test this technique? If the map is speed-based, then the primary criterion gives accuracy to within 1 day. And more precisely? It turns out there is a way to test this with simply fantastic accuracy! For example, if a map is completed in 2 days and the average number of heroes is 30, then the total movement of heroes will be approximately 2 x 30 x 2000MP = 120K MP. And the accuracy of the test will be within 100-200 MP!! That is, with an accuracy of up to 0.01%.

You are mistaken again. An absolutely incorrect formula. If you're interested, I can give an example:

Get the angel on the first day. And then count how many moves your heroes made:)

"Best of the Best" is still the most important tournament of the year, so an S-sized map would probably be too small for such an event, while an M-sized map (72 x 72) isn't that big. :)

"Best of the Best" is still the most important tournament of the year, so an S-map would probably be too small for such an event, while an M (72 x 72) isn't that big. :)

Yeah, probably, but it should be without dungeons. Question for the organizers: how many rubles are needed to convert the prize money from dollars to euros (for now, I'm being generous).

Well... There are rules, there's a prize, there are requirements and wishes. But there are no participants.

A question for the organizers: how many rubles are needed to convert the prize money from dollars to euros (for now, I'm being nice)?

Interesting challenge. :) You need P*N rubles, where P is our prize fund ($100), and N is the euro-to-dollar exchange rate, which is 1.43 today. That's 143 rubles. :)

Well... There are rules, there's a prize, there are requirements and wishes. But there are no participants.

Most likely, participants are still drawing maps, refining them, and preparing. Everything will be fine! ;) We hope so... :o

I submitted my map.

Dmitry, your map has been received.
I will add the corresponding information to the table shortly.