All the mods that were created and released as part of a PlanetPhillip.com or RunThinkShootLive.com mapping competition. Some were part of a series, others were individual competitions.
Follow these releases via RSSMapping Competitions/Challenges started in January 2010.
Approximately 2 or 3 are run every year.
They vary in length from 10 days to, in some cases, 90 days.
The current average length is 19 days - that is 3 complete weekends.
Some competitions have prize money, others some games and sometimes no prizes at all.
In 2014, the name was changed from "Competition" to "Challenge".
This was done to encourage more mappers to enter.
Around 8 Days before a challenge starts an announcement is made on the site and Twitter.
Each challenge has a very specific theme.
The tag Mapping Challenge can be used as a search filter on any of the PLAY archive pages.
You can also view the Mapping Challenge entries via the PLAY archives Table View or their own special page.
For this Experimental Mapping Challenge, entrants had to make a map that lasted just 72 seconds, but they only had 72 hours to make it!
A lot could happen in that time, so don’t think it will be easy.
In addition, you might need to learn the correct route, actions or sequence before you can actually finish it.
There are 12 official entries and 1 bonus entry for you to play.
Here is the second mapping challenge in the Mesa Cup.
The release contains 4 entries.
For this challenge, entrants needed to make a tram the main conceptual element of their entry. There was no actual requirement for the player to use the tram though.
For full details of the announcement, please see the original theme announcement.
Total Downloads: 1,59828th August 2018
14 Comments
and 6 recommendations, 3 say "Maybe?"
When the going gets tough, the tough get going!
You are about to fight against the meanest, smartest and cruelest bosses in Ville history.
Only the strongest will survive. Will you be one of them?
Total Downloads: 4,19711th August 2018
20 Comments
and 10 recommendations, most really enjoyed it!
Half-Life 2 has been around for longer than 13 years, but many will agree that the game has still not lost its charm. However, as Episode 1 and 2 came out, people switched their focus to the new environments and gameplay that were introduced.
NostalgiaVille seeks to balance out the scale by re-introducing the classic environments of Half-Life 2 in the modern day.
Play through 8 official entries and 1 bonus map in this special 2018 mapping challenge.
Total Downloads: 11,15415th July 2018
39 Comments
and 15 recommendations, most say "Play It Now!"
Play through two entirely different maps in this experimental mapping challenge.
Claustraphobia puts you mostly in vents, while Misgnomer takes you on a journey with a twist at the end.
Total Downloads: 2,3242nd May 2018
29 Comments
and 9 recommendations, 3 say "Play It Now!"
Without the Gravity Gun, Half-Life 2, its episodes, and many many mods would be very different. It was revolutionary and a LOT of fun to play with.
This challenge features the gravity gun, and adds some new functionality which was optional for mappers to use.
You play through a variety of settings and ideas.
Total Downloads: 3,31217th April 2018
42 Comments
and 10 recommendations with no significant bias
For this Experimental Mapping Challenge, entrants had to make a map that most would consider beautiful.
Of course, beautiful is generally considered visual but in this case, the atmosphere was also important.
It was hoped that some would even try environmental story-telling.
The mod contains 7 official entries and 3 bonus entries.
This mod requires the Source SDK Base 2013 Singleplayer “Upcoming” beta branch activated.
Total Downloads: 2,52810th March 2018
15 Comments
and 9 recommendations with no significant bias
Here is the first mapping challenge in the Mesa Cup.
The release contains 5 entries.
For this challenge, entrants needed to create a map whose main layout is a loop: the player must return to where they started. As usual, it was the journey that counted.
For full details of the announcement, please see the original theme announcement.
Total Downloads: 2,9893rd March 2018
27 Comments
and 8 recommendations, most really enjoyed it!
For this Experimental Mapping Challenge, entrants had to make a map no larger than 1,000,000,000 Hammer Units. In the real world, that would be a cube about 20 metres long, wide and high.
The actual proportions of the map were left to the mappers. The limit was the cubic capacity.
This limitation forces mappers to think about how well they use the space.
The mod contains 13 official entries and 3 bonus entries.
Total Downloads: 2,84211th February 2018
19 Comments
and 8 recommendations, 4 say "Play It Now!"
Explore a variety of coastal areas and locations in the first challenge of the Lambda Cup 2018.
You will find 14 official entries, along with 3 bonus maps.
Total Downloads: 5,9823rd February 2018
107 Comments
and 17 recommendations, most say "Play It Now!"
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Total Downloads: 2,63215th September 2018
20 Comments and 8 recommendations, 4 say "Play It Later"