Graphics "outsourcing" in contest form

by **natty dread** on Sat Mar 12, 2011 1:51 pm

Ok... there are always some mapmakers who are good at either gameplay or graphics. There's a lot of "wasted talent" in the sense that sometimes a map with good gameplay doesn't get through because the mapmaker doesn't have the necessary graphical skills to pull it off. And there are some good graphics artist who have problems with gameplay design, or can't come up with a good enough idea for a map.

So I was envisioning a system, where those mapmakers who have a good gameplay plan designed could "outsource" their graphics design to the mapmakers who are good at graphics.

We have had lots of succesful graphics contests... almost all of them have had plenty of entries from talented graphicians.

So maybe we could do a system like this for the mapmakers who are good at gameplay design to utilize. A mapmaker could design the gameplay, up to the gameplay stamp, and then put the map up for contest - and then the Foundry would hold a graphics contest, in a similar way as the revamp contests. People would vote for the best entry, and the winner map would then go to graphics workshop to iron out the last wrinkles... and then on to FF.

There would have to be a system for this though... not every map should be considered for this, it should probably be reserved for maps that have really exciting and innovative gameplay, but no one to do the graphics...

Is there interest for implementing a system like this?

by **Industrial Helix** on Sat Mar 12, 2011 2:10 pm

So, essentially, you're suggesting that a mapmaker would get a gameplay stamped and then hold his own contest for graphics?

by **natty dread** on Sat Mar 12, 2011 2:28 pm

Industrial Helix wrote:So, essentially, you're suggesting that a mapmaker would get a gameplay stamped and then hold his own contest for graphics?

Essentially, yes, but the Foundry would be involved in this.

For example, a mapmaker could put in his design brief that he wants to outsource graphics, similarly as you have to apply for supersize in the design brief now. Alternately, the mapmaker could apply for outsourcing when he is already in gameplay.

The foundry mods would then make the decision, based on the gameplay merits of the map. If the map has gameplay interesting enough, they could allow the map to move to gameplay with just a basic draft, where the gameplay would be perfected. Afterwards, the Foundry would hold the contest, the same way other graphics contests are held now.

This is just an idea I had. I'm not sure how it would work in practice, and I'm certainly not suggesting that it would be used for every map that fails to create adequate graphics. But it would be an option to be used on a case-by-case basis.

by **rdsrds2120** on Sat Mar 12, 2011 2:47 pm

I think that would be neat. I often have what I think are really neat ideas for maps, but I know that I'd never have the ability to finish them graphically.

If I thought I could get a rough gameplay sketch going, I would have no problem letting someone else do the graphics like that.

-rd

by **WILLIAMS5232** on Sun Mar 13, 2011 6:50 pm

i'm for this, i have no past activity in the map makers dept. but i do have a map that i am pretty excited about that i am trying to get some interest started on. i just do not get the whole graphics thing. i've downloaded "gimp" have messed with it for about 2 weeks now, and am still no better off. after watching several youtube videos i still can't make a basic shape. it's actually pretty irritating.