GravityGunVille Mapping Competition

1st August 2011

Single Player First Person Shooter Maps and Mods for Half-Life 1, 2 and Episodes 1, 2 and 3

I am pleased to announce my new mapping competition.

I have created a special page for the event, which contains everything you need to know.

If you have an questions, please don’t hesitate to ask.

GravityGunVille

If you run or are involved in a website, especially a non-English one, please consider posting this on the site or in the forum – thank you!

Lizard’s WIP Screenshots

Click on the thumbnails below to open a slightly image.
WARNING: The screenshots contain spoilers.

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Radu Tanasie’s WIP Screenshots

Click on the thumbnails below to open a slightly image.
WARNING: The screenshots contain spoilers.

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Radu Tanasie’s Second set of WIP Screenshots

Click on the thumbnails below to open a slightly image.
WARNING: The screenshots contain spoilers.

GravityGunVille GravityGunVille GravityGunVille GravityGunVille
Samuli Jääskeläinen’s WIP Screenshots

Click on the thumbnails below to open a slightly image.
WARNING: The screenshots contain spoilers.

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Matt McDaniels’s WIP Screenshots

Click on the thumbnails below to open a slightly image.
WARNING: The screenshots contain spoilers.

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67 Comments

  1. Did you have professional judges like that on the previous ones.

    I like how you’ve set it up this time. Will try to spread the word about it.

    1. No, the previous competitions didn’t have pro judges.

      Thanks for helping spread the word. Please let me know which sites/forums you post to, so I can follow the thread and answer any questions.

  2. Hec

    Coool!!, I feel like a classic is coming up!!!, Whether, and only WHETHER mappers start doing their work, and I hope we could have more than 4 entrys at least!!

  3. k00pa

    I see if I can make something for this competition.

    In my opinion crowbar is so common that it should not be taken away. So, does the crowbar count as weapon?

    1. Good point about the crowbar. Yes, you can have the crowbar, GG AND one other weapon.

  4. Shadowmancer471

    Bit too busy on current projects (and general things irl) to enter, however I think that the theme is an *excellent* one. Open ended, yet with the perfect challenging restrictions.

    Hope you get more entries than all the previous competitions combined!

  5. I like this theme; the Gravity Gun is such a powerful tool that can lead to all kinds of interesting gameplay scenarios.

    I’ll try and whip something together as I’ve been intending to enter every single competition! Working in the industry now though so free time is an issue…

    1. Very glad to hear you might enter, even gladder you are now working in the industry – congrats.

      1. Thanks! It’s great fun but a lot of work, so unfortunately my Source mapping has hit a brick wall.

  6. zonbie

    Can I use Portal assets?

    1. As long as a player who only owns Ep2 could play it.

  7. The Joker

    Count me in, Phillip. I’ll throw something at you =)

  8. k00pa

    Another question about “limited” ammo. If I have a puzzle that requires grenade, am I allowed to give the box with unlimited grenades? I can’t really make grenade puzzle with limited grenades, too easy to miss all the grenades and get stuck.

    I can make it so that player does have limited ammo for enemies, but unlimited for puzzles, I assume this is ok?

    1. Well, if you did that then grenades would have to be your weapon, otherwise the player could solve the puzzle then stock up on weapons. Under normal circumstances I would agree that a puzzle within limited grenades would be wrong but perhaps that’s the solution here.

      Although, I have to say that if you include grenades that has to be your weapon, otherwise other modders could say they included the pistol to shoot a padlock and then included a grenade to kill a sniper etc etc. There would be no end to it.

      So, in conclusion, if you sue grenades they will be your extra weapon.

      I hope that answers your question.

  9. MisterAddy

    I hope to enter this competition but I’m a bit of a n00b on Source so it depends if Hammer decides to behave for me or not! Hope you get more entries this time.

  10. Possibly.. but it’s me, I never get anything finished. So the chances of me entering is 20%

  11. MisterAddy

    Two questions. If there are Combine Soldiers in the map that drop SMGs when they die, do they count as the extra weapon? If they do, does anyone know how to make them disappear?

    1. Apparently there is a flag or property to stop that happening.

  12. Mazur

    JPMaz Studios is entering this competition.

    1. Great, we look forward to playing your entry.

  13. Jonathan Thompson

    A friend and I will be making a mod for this. Our first time! But we have been wanting to do one for a while. Hopefully I will have time for some custom and/or dynamic music in it!

    1. Great, hopefully this will be the motivation you were looking for.

  14. Last night I was mapping for this and then I went to bed… I had a dream I was actually in a map! I was walking around trying to get a lift/elevator working, it was not made for humans, but for transporting water. It was a tiny lift difficult to fit into and it was in a small room. Basically, because the mapper/me was just ‘testing” the map, the lift wasnt finished and designed to work. The small room began filling with really hot water, and I was in it, trying to get into the lift which was tiny, then the lift began filling with the really hot water. I thought to myself, oh no there is no way out and im actually in my map, this water is gonna be painful. But then I remember thinking, I will just turn the computer off!! And so I held the off button down for 5 seconds and the dream ended.

    lol. Thought you might like to read it.

  15. As with the Strider competition, I’d love to see the idea I had earlier put into mod format (perhaps in an abbreviated form). If there are folks who want to do something but don’t yet have an idea, I would be happy to provide. 😀

  16. Hemuuuli / SJ

    I will be entering this one as well. I have already planned out a lot and have recuited some friends to help me with custom content and voice acting. This will be the biggest source map from me so far.

    The theme of this competition is great and I hope we’ll see loads of creative entries this time.

  17. Pingback: Garść informacji…

  18. Mega Sean 45

    I’m no mapper, but I’ve started making maps already for this contest. The first level is finished and a success! The second level is a quarter-done, and the third and final map hasn’t started yet. I’m doing good at the maps right now, but I’m having troubles with some stuff. Like I can’t trigger_levelchange to work that well. That’s not all, I’m making a helicopter battle for using it’s bombs against it, and that’s huge trouble! Mah last problem is, I’m making a battle with Combine Guards combine from the corners behind a forcefield and attacking. I can spawn the guards, but I can’t get them to walk around the corner to attack. So far I’m doing good though, I’m trying to make this entry as fun as possible, I do not care if I win or not, I just want this to be a good one, plus I like to advertise for mah series on youtube as well. Help me out, and I’ll add you in the end credits!

    1. sndxr

      There’s a tutorial for level changes here: http://www.halfwit-2.com/?page=tutorials&id=85

      I’m not sure about the chopper. What problem are you having with it?

      If you put an npc_enemyfinder somewhere where it can see the player and set it to the same squad as the combine then they should move out and attack.

      1. Shadowmancer471

        If it still does not work, you can use an aiscripted_schedule

        Set the targetname to !player and ensure there’s info_nodes placed correctly
        Then activate the schedule with the output ‘startSchedule’

        If you want the guard to go to a point other than the player, place an info_target, then replace !player with the name of the info_target

        —————————————————————————————

        This should force the guard into going to the target. However, the schedule allows the mapper (and player if you set it so) to interrupt the schedule if required

        Hope this helps!

  19. Can I use a changelevels? I thought that must be a single map O.o . Crammed into it 40 minutes of gameplay. Compilation = 7 hours.

    1. Yes, you can submit as many connected maps as you want.

  20. Where can I give you wip screens?

    1. Please email them to me and I will add them to either the main post or as a comment.

  21. Lizard’s WIP Screenshots

    Click on the thumbnails below to open a slightly image.
    WARNING: The screenshots contain spoilers.

    Single Player First Person Shooter Maps and Mods for Half-Life 1, 2 and Episodes 1, 2 and 3 Single Player First Person Shooter Maps and Mods for Half-Life 1, 2 and Episodes 1, 2 and 3 Single Player First Person Shooter Maps and Mods for Half-Life 1, 2 and Episodes 1, 2 and 3 Single Player First Person Shooter Maps and Mods for Half-Life 1, 2 and Episodes 1, 2 and 3
  22. MisterAddy

    Those screens look good. You’ve got me worried since most of my map is still dev textures! 🙁

  23. Radu Tanasie’s WIP Screenshots

    Click on the thumbnails below to open a slightly image.
    WARNING: The screenshots contain spoilers.

    GravityGunVille GravityGunVille GravityGunVille GravityGunVille GravityGunVille
  24. Quantumdylan

    Wow. Those are some seriously good looking maps. Boy, mine seems kinda ehhh right now…

    Great job guys! Keep up the great work!

  25. Samuli Jääskeläinen’s WIP Screenshots

    Click on the thumbnails below to open a slightly image.
    WARNING: The screenshots contain spoilers.

    GravityGunVille GravityGunVille GravityGunVille
  26. Lizard’s Second Set of WIP Screenshots

    Click on the thumbnails below to open a slightly image.
    WARNING: The screenshots contain spoilers.

    GravityGunVille GravityGunVille GravityGunVille GravityGunVille GravityGunVille
    1. andyb

      Heh Looks like a portal map

  27. Radu Tanasie’s Second set of WIP Screenshots

    Click on the thumbnails below to open a slightly image.
    WARNING: The screenshots contain spoilers.

    GravityGunVille GravityGunVille GravityGunVille GravityGunVille
    1. Herr_Alien

      Good luck Radu!

      1. Radu

        Thanks, I’m gonna need it considering how behind I am with mapping.

  28. neozyem

    Count me in, I started late so my map might be kinda short. Looking forward to playing the other maps though.

    1. Great, I look forward to playing your map.

  29. Matt McDaniels’s WIP Screenshots

    Click on the thumbnails below to open a slightly image.
    WARNING: The screenshots contain spoilers.

    GravityGunVille GravityGunVille GravityGunVille GravityGunVille
    1. Interesting. Seems like quite a few mappers have gone for an abstract feel, or at least outside of the usual setting. It’s going to be fun to play!

  30. Noface

    I wont make it yet again xD Well, I might… but.. college and stuff…

    BUT, a nice few maps WILL be ready eventually to play standalone.

  31. Mega Sean 45

    Alright, I need some help again. In the map I’m making, we start up with the regular Gravity Gun, but near the end we use the Super Gravity Gun. Okay first of all, the levelchange thing didn’t work out so well so I made it into one big map instead. Env_global turns the regular Gravity Gun into the Super Gravity Gun, but now the Super Gravity Gun is in the whole map, and I need to find a way for the env_global to just be a trigger, so we can still use the regular Gravity Gun, but the next part we can use the Super Gravity Gun! Almost done with the map other than that, not the best to tell the truth, but it’ll still be fun!

    1. Mega Sean 45

      You know what? Nevermind, I found an alternative. Thanks anyway. 😉

  32. Mega Sean 45

    Hey Phil I gave you some screenshots if you didn’t notice on your email. Did you get them yet?

    1. Radu

      He is on vacation.

  33. Noface

    haha 12 hours left and ive got a few hours work but college in the morning so cant stay up, nvm, if I dont get it in time then it will be standalone..

  34. Well, times up fellow mappers.

    I got my entry in but had a little difficulty naming it as Phillip wanted.
    The closest I could get was lowerthebridge_pp_ggville
    Names any longer would cause the cubemaps would not build.
    Did anyone else have that sort of problem?

    Also there is also the possibility that sometimes combine soldiers would drop Grenades when they die even though all the “Do not drop Grenades” and most “Do not drop weapons” flags are checked for all combine in the map. I tested settings forever but couldn’t stop it happening occasionally in game. I think it happens if you kill them just as they are about to throw a grenade at you. They simply drop them if they are holding one when they die. If that disqualifies the map well so be it. I’ll release it stand-alone.

    It’s been a busy 50 days.

    Hope you guys like it.

    Cheers

    1. Radu

      I had the same problem with the name, but managed to shorten it just so that I can build cubemaps.

    2. I’ve uploaded some screen shots here if anyone is interested.

      http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10150382307227806.415328.762362805&l=80ca207518&type=1

      Phillip can’t do it he’s on holidays…

      And it looks like this comment won’t go up until he’s back.
      Not to worry.

  35. Frohman11

    I would really appreciate atleast a another hour for the counter , my map is nearly finished but I have to skip a lot of detail work for the last half hour.

    1. Radu

      I originally had planned to make four maps, but ended up with just two due to busy schedule.

  36. Frohman11

    Ok thanks to the “time limit” I had to destroy the 4th map , skip the glass elevator to the top of the tower.
    Removed RAD in the last level.
    Removed Advanced AI from the last level.
    And so on…

    But still made it , its broken destroyed unfinished and not even worth a coinflip probably.
    But thats what you get if you work under pressure.

  37. MisterAddy

    Afraid I wasn’t able to finish my map to a high enough quality that I was happy to release. I would rather continue to work on and extend it instead of releasing a buggy, ugly map. Sorry I didn’t enter but hope you guys will play whatever I do release!

    1. Noface

      I agree, I am doing the same. I dont want a broken map to be released, the competition is motivation enough to start it, now just to end it 🙂

      1. Frohman11

        Well I have relased my buggy ass map as a “demo version” to the mappack named “The Tower” that im making right now.
        Of course I cant live with the knowledge that I have created a that shitty project.
        So I relased it as a “demo version” so you get a small story idea.
        Now im working on a extremely polished , unbugged and perfected version wich will be later on PlanetPhillip and ModDB for download.
        While this mappack has 3 small maps.
        I will make it 4 , incluiding 1 outdoor area.
        And a load of custom content that I could not have done since I was only allowed to use things that are made by myself.

  38. Radu

    I’d like to say that everyone, including me, who didn’t manage to finish everything on the project or polish it enough shouldn’t blame it on the time limit or pressure. It was simply a matter of planning and organisation, which we didn’t handle too well due to other external factors.

    1. Hemuuuli

      Thats true. I was fortunate enough to be able to put most of the planned content into my map but I didn’t have time to do proper playtesting. It is sometimes hard to plan ahead – especially when something unexpected happened. I had to code a fully working game for school project at the same time when I was finising my ggun competition map. Bye, bye freetime. 😀

    2. Noface

      That is correct, we had far enough time.

  39. Mega Sean 45

    I was able to finish the map. I had to shorten it though to one map, because levelchange didn’t work. Thanks anyway SNDXR and shadowmacer. The water isn’t gonna be that good in the map. I added some custom music and I have mah own end credits. Thanks Leon Spy-Maps for helping me with the custom music and thanks Phil for bringing up this contest, I hope mine gets accepted, it’s the first map I ever finished. Mah map might not be a winner, but it will be fun. Look for a couple of secrets when you play mine. Also the Helicopter battle is a little broken, the turret guns to bring down the chopper don’t go streight, but the shooting can aim right at the chopper if you know what I mean so it is possible to destroy it. Also one more tip: play mah map on easy mode first, the last part of the map is full of Combines and Hunters, but there are places where explosive barrels spawn.

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