This experimental mapping challenge has two aspects.

For this challenge, we would like you to find a partner and work with them on the entry. As part of your entry, you MUST include a readme that states what each person did.
Your partner does NOT have to be another mapper, but can be. They could be an environmental artist, a modeller, a sound/music artist, a texture artist – it’s YOUR choice.
It’s impossible for us to define or check how much each partner does, but we would like to feel it’s a minimum of 70/30. Meaning that the junior partner does at least 30% of the work.

Phillip’s Note: “Remember, the Experimental Mapping Challenges (EMCs) are a chance for mappers to try something new. Not just in WHAT they produce but HOW they produce it. I would like to think that in a few years time, mappers who entered the challenges can say that they learnt, improved and benefited from doing so. Working in a team is something that people often have to do, sometimes against their will, but it can be a useful experience.”

For this challenge, we would like you to take one aspect of Half-Life, Half-Life 2, Ep1 or Ep2 and take it to the extreme.
Firstly, that doesn’t mean simply adding hundreds of enemies or set the whole map a standard vent.
We accept that thoughtless and over-use of any aspect of any game can produce boring maps, so the judges hope for clever intepretations of the theme.

You may set your maps in whatever location you choose and they can be as short or as long as you want. Think carefully about the games above and try to find some aspects that will produce some unusual and interesting maps.

Here is an example, although we hope you consider other things.
Exploding Barrels. Imagine a map whose only form of attack was with exploding barrels. Perhaps the enemies are behind defenses that your weapons can not penetrate or maybe barrels must be placed against walls to progress. Or even a puzzle where the barrels must be placed in certain places to allow a chain-reaction. That might lead to some fun maps.
Simply adding lots of exploding barrels to a level is not what we are looking.

You just have to find an aspect that interests you and take it to the extreme. Remember, this is an experimental mapping challenge and therefore it is about pushing the limits. GOOD LUCK!

11am UTC Monday 16th April 2018

PLEASE READ THESE CAREFULLY!

Use the RTSL Mod Template to build your entry.
Maximum two maps per mapper per competition.
The map must be original, meaning it was built specifically for the challenge and is completely original work, and therefore must not have been released publicly before.
The map must run in a system with only SDK Base 2013 singleplayer, set to “upcoming Beta”. installed.
By entering the competition you grant PlanetPhillip.Com & RunThinkShootLive.Com the right to release the map as part of The Extreme Team Experiment Mod.
Maps must not appear before the release and for one month after the release of the mod.
No assets from retail games other than HL2, HL2: Ep1, HL2: Ep2 and Lost Coast are allowed.
Other assets are allowed with written permission from their original authors, which MUST be included in the entry AND MUST BE ABLE TO BE USED IN MONETISED VIDEOS
All files submitted MUST be in lowercase and any custom assets must have unique names, both folder AND files.
Entered maps MUST NOT affect other maps in ANY way – full bright, change in gravity etc. Entrants MUST reset to default changes otherwise the map will be disqualified.
Phillip’s decision is final and no correspondence will be entered into about it.
The map MUST have a proper name.
The map MUST have a proper filename: MapName_tet-emc.bsp
Please submit a mapname_readme.txt with your entry. Even if it is just your name and your entry, although you should try to create a proper one.
All entries must be sent to: [email protected] no later than the deadline.

The Experimental Mapping Challenges (EMCs) are a chance for mappers to create experimental gameplay and design. Themes reflect this and the whole challenge is much more relaxed than the Lambda Cup and Mesa Cup challenges – even though the time frame is much tighter.

No prizes are awarded. It is just a chance to have some fun and practice various mapping themes and skills.

As always, if you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to ask.