Official Lemmings Forums Contests

[namida]

One thing I'd like to start doing - depending on interest - is running official contests every now and then, perhaps even with some kind of prizes. Nothing huge of course, but something.

How would you's feel about this idea?

[Prob Lem]

This sounds like it could be fun.

What sort of parameters are you thinking of for the contests?

[namida]

This sounds like it could be fun.

What sort of parameters are you thinking of for the contests?

It'd probably be relatively simple things - I don't want to overcomplicate them! I haven't got any specific ideas, but the concept of official contests in general is just a thought to try and, a) encourage more people to get into level designing, b) perhaps bring out some new ideas, and c) possibly to encourage some more content for the newer engines (ie: NeoLemmix and SuperLemmini) since they don't have much yet.

[Pieuw]

Contests are always exciting
I don't have as much free time nor inspiration as before, but if I'm available i'll gladly participate.

[Prob Lem]

Simple is good!

I often find that the constraints of a contest or similar tend to inspire creativity, so I reckon this ought to generate some good stuff.

I'm not very good at level design (and when I do make them, I tend toward the simple-but-atmospheric types of levels that are there to provide breathers in the flow of the typical Lemmings game, as I've always been a fan of them), but I'll certainly give it a try, too.

[namida]

Simple is good!

I often find that the constraints of a contest or similar tend to inspire creativity, so I reckon this ought to generate some good stuff.

I'm not very good at level design (and when I do make them, I tend toward the simple-but-atmospheric types of levels that are there to provide breathers in the flow of the typical Lemmings game, as I've always been a fan of them), but I'll certainly give it a try, too.

Quite likely, I'll do some contests that are based on aesthetics than the gameplay too, so there'll be something for everyone.

[Crane]

I've always enjoyed these competitions, as it teaches us to go outside of our comfort zone with level design.  Some ideas for guidelines (some which have been done already):

1 Minute - Exactly what it says on the tin.
Builderless - No builders allowed.
Commando - 5 lemmings or fewer.
Lone Wolf - One lemming only (an extreme case of 'commando').
Hero Time - One of each skill
Natural - Can only use the Dirt, Rock or Snow tilesets (training people to use the less precise tilesets!)

[namida]

Those are some good ideas.

For the less precise tilesets, we also have Tree, Desert, Sky and Martian if we're doing NeoLemmix (though the first and the last are somewhat borderline).

(The first two could even be used on standard Lemmix, for that matter.)