Well, the one thing I cannot stress enough to the judges: Open a dialogue with entrants before releasing results publicly.

I don't know how many contests have failed to do this, and then are surprised when some massive oversight or misunderstanding on their part is pointed out to them, and have to end up changing the scores anyways (or be really unprofessional and not correct their mistake).

Have a question about gameplay? Think something isn't working as intended? Talk to the mapmaker! Don't be afraid of them. The mapmaker can feel involved and see that the judge was fair in his determinations, and the judge can be as accurate and thorough as possible. Maximum transparency and interaction between judges and contestants is key for properly judging a medium that's as complex as this one.

When you think all judging is complete, every contestant should receive the scores and judging commentary first (at the very least for their own map) and be given time to say "hey, you said X and took points off, but are you aware of Y? it's right there man" and then it's easy for you to go "ah you're right, cool story" and update the judging without having to edit anything publicly or go back on posted results.

Also, for multiplayer maps, including the mapmaker in the playthroughs, especially the first one, and at least one total, can really make life better for both the judges and the mapmaker.

Those are my thought on it, anyways. I hope to see a competent and fair judging process, not because there are substantial prizes on the line, but because that's what contestants who've put this level of work into their submissions deserve.

Post has been edited 1 time(s), last time on Jan 16 2012, 7:22 pm by Azrael.Wrath.

zzt, your map has a bug with the fourth stage. I have to reload the map and enter a code if I die at the Warbringer area.

Rofl zzt, learn to test your maps?

I tested that satge myself, and I had no problem. There are two major possibilities:
1. If you mean you can't get to the totem of scourges, it's no problem. You'll find the mine removed when you try again. It's a checkpoint. Just get back to the Warbringer area again.
2. In previous versions of the map, there was a bug that Nefed couldn't go through doors in stage 4. If that's your problem, I'm sorry. I thought I fixed it. It happens quite seldom, so get the code and restart the map.
If your case is neither of them, well.. that's serious. would you like to explain more about that?

Edit: AAAAAARRRRRRG!
I tested other parts of the map, and found some very serious bugs that made some stages impossible. Delete all previous versions.
Download this:
http://www.megaupload.com/?d=YM2O6PG9
Hopefully no one seems to have reached there yet...
@payne: I test my stages. I changed the terrain a little bit after my first testing, and that made the bugs.
I'm really sorry.
Edit:Just to warn again - Don't play this in BNET.

Post has been edited 11 time(s), last time on Jan 18 2012, 2:14 pm by zzt.

Made a thread for my map: http://www.staredit.net/topic/14761/

Finally! Thanks.
I decided I wouldn't play any map until the results come out unless there is a thread.

I gave up updating in this topic. Go to this thread for the latest patch of may map:
http://www.staredit.net/topic/14746/

Is this contest over with and if so where are the results and map submissions?

Yeah, it's over. Results will be out whenever lil-Inferno gets to it, which will probably a long ass time. ;O

Sorry guys, my procrastinating ass didn't finish my RPG.

Shame on you!
I hitch-hiked across Canada just to come cheer you up on your production and to have a private sneak peak on your map!

I wonder who won =3

I wonder who didn't win.

I wonder.

I...

...see what you did there.

Yeah really who won, I pledged all my minerals to the winner of this, I don't know who to give them too. If it comes down to it, I'll just give them all to Moose like I normally do.

Since I entered the contest I can't take up the judging. Oh well, I guess we'll never know who won.

2012 Year Long RPG Judging.

I actually saw what you did there...

lil-inferno has given me permission to judge the contest instead of him; I'll probably be on bnet and will need some players now and again for playing them.