Doom3world

Please send all your entries as file or download location to:

cc2@doom3world.org


POLL CLOSED - THE CUSTOM WEAPON HAS WON WITH 17 VOTES (pretty damn few votes anyways).

We'll announce the final rules and guidelines latest on Tuesday, March 3rd - but you can already start working of course :)

Here are the final guidelines for the custom weapon contest - they're rough, they're challenging, but they force creativity and, believe it or not, they contain "common sense" rules as well to avoid a too tight form:

1.) No entries should be shown to the public before the contest closes - please, don't spoil it.

2.) Filesize - since this is everyone's concern: no file size limit, but be aware no one is going to use it if it's too large

3.) No "global domination weapons" - ie please don't create a weapon that gives an opponent in MP the upper hand regardless the skill. The use of the weapon must include either "aim" (well, point a virtual projectile on your pixelated enenmy) or "strategy" (as in proxy mines).

4.) Set the damage, explosion radius, firing rate and stuff to reasonable (!) limits - no sense in creating a machine gun with 1 health point hits and a firing rate of 1000 projectiles per second - that will kill MP packet synchronisation and therefore leads to a failure in the "game ready" compliance

5.) Game readiness - whatever you do, may it be just a set of custom textures to existing weapons and new projectiles to coding a whole new mod around your weapon - it must be the sort of drag, drop, use thing even noobs can handle.

6.) File interference - do not create custom content which potentially interferes with other files. I strongly encourage you to simply prepend "d3wc2_" in front of all files to avoid conflicts and overwritten content.

7.) Copyrights - don't use copyrighted material to create your weapon (of course you can use D3 stock content - that's not a violation) and be aware that all weapons must come with a declaration that you're fine if they, including the source code of any potential SDK modifications, get used in a third party mod or similar as long as you're properly credited. If you only want to show off your work but don't want others to use it, well, what are you doing here? I understand you don't want to give away the best asset of your mod, but in this case it shouldn't get exposed to public before your mod release anyways.

8.) How to define a custom weapon: A weapon which may use D3 stock art / animation / functionality but is altered in a way which is not simply the reconfiguration of existing art / animation / functionality, but an all new "use experience" not present in D3 yet. Example: a shotgun shooting out of the box plasma balls is not a new weapon, but a shotgun with heatseeking minirockets and awsome bullet trails is. The more custom, the better.

9.) Focus on entertainment - this is a custom weapon contest, not an "I am pervertedly cruel" contest. A cow launcher is certainly more entertaining than the Nth representation of splatterorama. But no - it does not have to be a kiss launcher which re-installs world wide love, peace and harmony. However - a weapon can also shoot health points rather than give them away, ever thought of an armor launcher useful for teamplay?

10.) Team ready is a plus - I'm sure no one will be mad at you if you provide team ready content for multiplayer ( you know, the usual color coding red, blue...)

11.) Common sense in terms of usability - do not create something which cannot get used afterwards. A weapon covering 90% of your vision is as usable as a box of matches in hell. Same holds true for for a 10000 health points kill weapon which clears the whole level (well, we could do a boss weapon contest some time later). Common sense is also a reasonable polycount - someting around 7,5k should do fine - there is no merit in downloading a super high res mesh somewhere and simply using it for this contest. Whatever you create - it should entertain and demonstrate your creativity, not your annoyance skills.

12.) Stay clear of any insulting creations - this contest is not meant to transport religious, political, racial, sexual orientation... ideologies. Just - don't - do - it.

13.) Target platform: Vanilla Doom3, latest patch. If your weapon comes in form of a mod, then make sure it's a drag and drop install, but don't forget to include your SDK modifications properly commented to allow others to build on it and learn.

14.) Every entry must come with 4 good screenshots demonstrating your artwork and makes people want to download: A.) Close up as a model + custom ammo boxes (we'll provide a showroom for you to place your weapon and take shots from a fixed position to make it easier to compare). B.) A screenshot showing it on a player model C.) Showing the weapon in action, displaying bullet trails and stuff D.) Either a display of the new projectile or in case of a beam weapon of, well, the beam

Deadline: April 1st (don't worry about timezones). I will post a dedicated email address in the next days for you to submit your work as file or preferrably download location. After the contest all files will be made available here, along with an accompanying thread to showcase them all, voting and stuff.

Please leave your comments at the end of this thread.

Here it is upon popular demand - the next D3W contest.

This is the pre-round, meaning people can determine the constest subject themselves via a quick poll.

The target platform is vanilla Doom3 1.3.1

Here are the poll options:

1.) Custom Weapon

Contenders will be asked to step into the ring with an all new, custom weapon which must get distributed game ready and hassle free for any user obtaining it.
For those lacking modelling and / or animation skills and / or the available tools: An already present weapon model with animations can get used - we primarily and foremost want to see creativity, style, class, humor and ease of use, not a showcase how many grand you've spent for professional software.
However it is mandatory to supply:
- custom textures
- custom projectiles
- custom weapon effects
- custom weapon physics (mass and stuff)
- if possible custom sounds
- all new weapon models and animations will be a plus
- maximum filesize packed: 5mb

2.) Enemy

Creators of new enemies should start splitting the genome and come up with something that puts even outlandish Spore creation to shame. We want you to think what no one has thought before. A creature you don't want to face without your virtual gun greased up for action.
If you pull it off to present a monster which just makes us laugh so hard that we can't pull the trigger before getting forced to respawn, then all our base belongs to you.
For this contest we'll have to discriminate all users lacking modeling and animation skills / tools - unfortunately. A Hellknight with a large eye modeled on top of his skull wont cut it, Imps already have enough eyes too.
If you have your custom weapon already in the box and feel disappointed it turned into a monster constest - don't cry, just attached it to your new creation.
You are asked to supply:
- custom textures
- custom model with animations (if you have to use stock animations for what reason ever, we'll see how this could turn out)
- custom sounds are a plus
- ragdoll effects are a huge plus (ever thought on a deatch animation which removes the model and replaces it with a ragoll ?)
- it should be large enough to spot without a microscope and smaller than your average spaceship
- whatever you do, it must be game ready
- maximum file size packed 10mb

3.) NPC

For those of us being stressed out with life enough and wish for more Sims in Doom3 - here's your chance. The NPC must be interactive upon approach by the player (don't limit yourself to what he does then). All terms and conditions of custom enemies apply, just keep in mind NPCs are supposed not to attack you.

4.) Static Model

This is for the interior designer in you - time to stop hiding in the closet and get out to receive some spotlight! Let's finally hear the song of the unsung hero in level design, usually found only in the footnotes of the the prep's folder. And if you think this contest sounds far too metrosexual for you, then what the heck- build us a cool car! There are far too few Porsche 911 in Doom3 up until now! The world has more to offer than steel plates, crates, skulls, rocks and light fixtures. Always keep in mind - this contest is about creativity and not recreation of what we've seen countless times before, just in a new flashy color...
Here's what an aspiring star designer is supposed to achieve to spice up the living room of the still wealthy:
- custom model (obviously)
- custom texture (equally obviously)
- if it's something supposed to flip over if someone stumbles into, then apply the necessary physics
- custom sounds if necessary / desired
- custom material shader work
- if it's supposed to have an interactive interface, then, well, you know...
- it must be game ready
- it should be large enough to spot without a microscope and smaller than your average spaceship (unless it's a real cool spaceship of course)
- maximum file size packed 10mb

That's it - for now..

The vote will run from right now and expire March 2nd, midnight (no, I wont specify the timezone, so get your votes cast on March 1st to be sure). Every user can cast votes for two options, just in case you feel undecided.

All contest entries must be finished and mailed / made available until April 1st 2009 - no joke.
We will set up a specific email address for this contest where everyone can send either the file to or the link to the download location. Please understand that we don't want to spend all day long hunting for contest entries. Also make sure not to send 50 times "an urgent update" - mistakes happen and we'll take that into account of course.

Once the contest has decided upon we'll present you with the final guidelines and rules (expect some tight limits, but nothing that limits your creativity).

So, good, fine, cool?

Then go, tell your friends and family, pimp the contest around and don't forget to vote!

I submit my vote for a nude XXX chicks of doom orgy addon !!!

Weapons contest time!

mmm... that might be a problem.

5 mbs

I also vote for more file size.

Gentlemen, first please cast your vote then I'll be the last person not to set appropriate limits.
Don't hold this whole thing now hostage by riding a potential file size limit on a unicorn through hell...

ok so if 5mb is not good we'll set it to 2,5mb!

no custom DLL for option 1, 2 or 3? just checking for clarity.

Why wouldn't custom gamecode be allowed?

only reason I'm asking is to decide what I'll do for a weapon/baddie. Not sure what I'd do for an NPC! (static I have a cool idea though)

Bump - time is running.

Personally. I could only make fancy models. No fun experimental weapons or bosses or NPCs.

ever notice how the gluon gun from HL1 is exactly like the lightning gun from Q1 & how the leaches are exactly like the fish... BUT with new models & textures???

Yes, but Half Life is just one big copycat of Doom and Quake anyway. Though no. I've not played that far in Half life. Was too boring.

Guess this means I'll be working on a custom weapon. Yay!

... what if you have no clue how to do a MP weapon/can't get it to work in MP...

Then start a topic with the headline "How do I get my weapon to work in MP"

well, of the 4 I was planning, the coolest 3 would need LMS or opencoop to work then. Getting AI to work in MP isn't easy!

EDIT: to do what I wanted in MP. SP was easy!