Hey there, SWBFFilers! Our submission deadline for the map contest is officially [b]past![/b] That means that the fourteen submissions we've received will be the fourteen entered in the contest, and the fourteen from which you choose. Best of luck, of course, to those fourteen, but before we start anything, I want to explain a little how voting will work. We're going to have two rounds of voting, each lasting only [i]three days[/i]. The first round of voting will have all fourteen maps, and will go from today until Christmas Eve (Dec. 24). The second round of voting will have the top [b]six[/b] maps from the first round, and will go from the end of the first round to Sunday, Dec. 27. Winners will be announced sometime Sunday or Monday. ...And then here's how to vote. Ever wonder how we choose to rate files here on the site? I know that each staff member has a little bit different approach, but for the most part, we all use a pretty similar rubric. I'm going to break this down, so that you as voters can be the most thorough with your choices - remember, a winning map should excel in [b][i]as many of these categories as possible![/i][/b] [list][*][b]Tech:[/b] The "tech" category looks at the technical aspects that go into a map's construction. If I see some more advanced scripting, or some new modeling, or even a loadscreen, I'll usually bump up a map's "tech" score. [*][b]Quality:[/b] The "quality" category is my category for overall "polish" of a map. It often goes hand-in-hand with "item placement," and reflects a combination of good gameplay, well-done mapping, and general map appearance. [*][b]FunFactor:[/b] This category is the one I use, mostly, to reflect the "gameplay" of a map. Maps where I [i]don't[/i] have to do a lot of running around, maps where there's constant action (but I'm not getting shot all the time either), or maps that are just fun to play - these all excel in the "FunFactor" category. Often maps can look really nice, but lack in the gameplay department. Don't hesitate to "ding" a map for missing one over the other. [*][b]Creativity:[/b] The "newness quotient" of a map. A lot of times, maps can feel like repetitions of old ideas. When they don't, and when I play one and I think "gee, that's an interesting idea!" - that's when they get a boost on the "Creativity" score. [*][b]Item Placement:[/b] This category reflects the technical aspect of mapping. I use this generally to examine object placement - if all the objects are well-placed, and space is well-used, and if the map "fits together" really well, it gets a high "Item Placement" score. As mentioned above, this score often goes hand-in-hand with the "quality" score.[/list] So make sure you play as many maps as possible, and vote wisely! [b]DON'T VOTE BASED ON SCREENSHOTS ALONE! TRY AS MANY MAPS AS POSSIBLE![/b] Map images are posted with this news item, so that you can have a small reminder of which map is which. Now get voting! -Mav