MapHaven : HOMM3 Open

Special Restrictions:
Heroes of Might and Magic 3 maps only (any expansion, including Wake of Gods).
Maps are ineligible if they are released to the public before 1 October 2004. Playtesting doesn't count (including MapHaven and Celestial Heavens playtesting schemes.) However, putting a map up on your personal website and announcing it in a forum as ready for everyone to play does count as releasing it to the public, as (obviously) does submitting the map to MapHaven or Celestial Heavens.

Each mapmaker (or group of mapmakers, if a map is a joint effort) may submit only one entry, and every entry must have been playtested - that is, played to completion by someone other than the mapmaker.

Entry Deadlines:
All maps must be received no later than Midnight, December 31, 2004 - Canberra time! (That's about 10am December 31st for most Americans. Check the submission script if you want an 'hours and days' count.) The script will not accept map submissions after this time. It will start accepting map submissions on October 1, 2004.

Contest Categories:
Each version of HOMM3 (Restoration of Erathia, Armageddon's Blade, Shadow of Death, In the Wake of Gods) will be treated as a separate category. Judges reserve the option of combining categories if one category attracts too few entries, or creating new categories (based on map size) if one category attracts too many entries.

Size:
No Restrictions.

It should be noted that the smaller the map the more critical the judgement. In other words, the judges will expect way more event trimming, structure trimming, and overall detail on small and medium sized single-layer maps than they will on maps that are large or huge and contain a full "dungeon" or "underground" area. At the same time, it should also be noted that map makers who produce the largest size of map should ensure that they have enough story-line, action, and detail to keep the Player interested. A bored judge is a negative judge.

Terrain:No Restrictions

Player Positions: No Restrictions.

Win/Lose: No Restrictions. Campaigns may be submitted, so long as the total area of all maps (including underground) is no larger than an XL map (without underground). In other words, four or five small or four medium maps are OK, but four large ones are not.

Miscellaneous Information and Tips:
Be very careful with the difficulty of your map. If most of the judges cannot complete it, you will suffer ... if it is too easy, you may also suffer. You, as the mapmaker, should probably be able to complete the map with no more than about two reloads (idiocy allowance).

Maps that involve significant story and quests will be at an advantage.

Mapmakers are asked to mention in the readme file what difficulty or difficulties the map was playtested at.

General Map Submission Rules Still Apply:
Remember that the standard readme text file must be fully and completely filled out and be included with the map, and the map must have been playtested by someone other than the mapmaker. If the readme text or the map does not meet MapHaven standards and requirements it will be tossed without warning. Because of the nature of the contest we don't have the time to open up a "fix me" dialogue with contestants over readme files or maps that don't follow the rules.

Maps should be submitted to MapHaven normally, and then (without needing to be approved) entered in the competition via This webform

HOMM3 Mapmaking Competition Results
I have many reasons, but none of them actually excuse the amount of time it has taken me to put together some sort of results for the HOMM3 mapmaking competition.

The overall award goes to THUNK. This was not as clear-cut as some might suppose. THUNK just intimidated me and I never finished it. DOOM! DOOM! DOOM! I wasn't the only one who found other maps more enjoyable. However, the judges who liked it generally thought it was the bees knees, and there were slightly more of them. I can see why they'd be pleased - complex, interesting story, on-going challenges, sophisticated scripting, nice layout, etc. THUNK also wins the Hero's crown award.

Underdogs gets the Clover Magic award. It was a darn good map, with one or two flaws, that I really enjoyed; THUNK was held to be better.

For the non-WoG part of the competition, the prize goes to Mystery of the Zodiac. This was another close decision, as some of the Judges favoured Childs of Bhaal over Zodiac. Both maps are worth playing. Many Islands V suffered from a lack of story and a setup that interfered with strategic play - were there 50 monoliths? 100? The judges found the number of monoliths an un-necessary draw on their patience; although it seems other people enjoy that style.

DragonSister

Which of the five maps entered in the H3 Open mapmaking competition for Q4 2004 did you enjoy playing the most? (Play at least 3 before answering. You may change your mind later.)