To celebrate the (somewhat belated) release of the map editor, Celestial Heavens is pleased to announce its first Heroes V map-making contest! The contest is called 'A Little Challenge' because a little challenge is exactly what we are giving all you map-makers out there. You mission is to make a small sized map using the new editor in approximately three months. The contest begins today and closes on 1 January 2007.

The reason for having a small sized contest is to encourage as many entries as possible. The contest guidlines strongly suggest that you try to have your map bring out an interesting concept, theme or story and the small size should allow you to do this without having to spend months and months populating a large map.

There's something else which should encourage a large number of entries... prizes! We are offering up to three copies of Heroes Complete, and the number on offer is dependant on the number of contest entries.

Full details of the contest can be found on the Contest Page and if you have any questions then feel free to ask in the comments there.

So, to all you first time or veteran map-makers out there - have fun and get to work!

Update: Robenhagen has kindly put together a banner for the contest. There's a small version here and the full version on the contest page.

Status: Closed

Rules
This is a Heroes of Might and Magic 5 map contest open to anyone who submits a completed Heroes 5 map matching the contest requirements before the closing date. The general rules are as follows:

• Map submission closes 1 January 2007. No modifications or new versions of the map will be accepted after this time for the purposes of the competition so please make sure it has been play tested and polished. Please have your map in on time, no submissions will be accepted after that date.
• Maps should be submitted according to the normal procedures. If you do not receive an email confirming receipt of your map within approximately 24 hours of submitting it, then send an email directly to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
• Submitted maps will also be posted on the site as normal maps.
• The Heroes 5 standard game editor should be used. No expansion pack maps will be accepted.
• There is no theme as such, but the contest is designed for small maps only. This includes tiny (72x72) as well as small (96x96) maps. A two-level (underground) map is acceptable.
• No multiple-map campaigns.
• The maps should have a central concept and will be judged based on how well they achieve this concept (see below) as well as general evidence of proficiency.
• The decision of the judging panel (Psychobabble, Wimfrits and Robenhagen) is final.
• There will be prizes awarded, depending on the number of submissions. There will be one prize if there are five or fewer submissions, two prizes if there are six to ten submissions and three prizes if there are greater than ten submissions.
• The judging panel reserves the right to disqualify any submission on any grounds (among other things, this will prevent the prize pool being artifically inflated by bogus submissions).
• Prizes will be copies of Heroes Complete, subject to availability. In the unlikely event that up to three copies of that package are unavailable, Amazon gift certificiates will be awarded.
• Multiple submissions from the same map-maker will be accepted, although no more than one prize will be awarded to each entrant.

Small Map 'Concept' Details

The purpose of this map contest is to encourage a large number of map makers to try out the new map editor. To make it easy for as many map-makers as possible to enter, contest entries are limited to small size maps only. Small maps can be very fun to play, but are not particularly well suited to a simple, standard, mirror-image, ‘build up your town and then go conquer the enemy's town’ type of map. A good small map has a well defined 'concept' and implements this concept well.

There are a lot of small size maps for Heroes 4 which meet this description. Looking over them, Charragaust (artifact hunt), Duel Arena (set piece battles with pre-selected armies), Fanelia’s Plague (extremely tough final hero with a short buildup phase), Final Exam (beginning bonuses selection and scripted story), Freeing the Lady (rescue the princess race), Hero Wanted (RPG-esque hero map), Lunch (megadragon map), Malcolm in the Middle (siege setup), Plan B (Puzzle map), Poker (you play poker!), The End of the World (Noah’s Ark quest), The Life of Hobbit and Trapped Inside the beast (single creature) and Treasure Mountain (resource race) all had good concepts – and that's just out of the small maps I played.

The point I'm trying to get across is that your map should try and bring out an idea. It can be something simple like an obliesk hunt or a good story or something more complicated like heavy use of scripting in an otherwise normal map. You don't need to come up with anything particularly creative, but your map will be judged much better if you can come up with some sort of concept – provided the map design implements that concept well.

Judging Criterion

The judging criterion are as follows (in approximate order of importance):

• The map's concept and how well it is implemented.
• Overall playability and enjoyment of map.
• Map-making skill (good placement of objects, lack of bugs and glitches, appropriate player rewards, advanced scripting).
• Graphical quality and detail.
• Player difficulty level. If the map is too hard or drastically too easy it will weigh against the map.
• Innovation in overall design, graphics, quests and scripting.

Good luck and have fun!

Current Entries

Action and Reaction	Coming Home	Dragon's Cape
Dragon's Legacy	Fury of the Elements	Might Makes Right
ShadowKnights	Tales of Silentia	The Deciding Blow
The Keymasters	Triple Trouble