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Which contests would you like to have return next year?

Choose the ones you would be interested in participating in:

17.8% (71 votes)
12.5% (50 votes)
17.8% (71 votes)
11.0% (44 votes)
6.8% (27 votes)
5.5% (22 votes)
8.5% (34 votes)
9.8% (39 votes)
5.0% (20 votes)
5.3% (21 votes)
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KLDC isn't on the list because it's already planned and set in stone that KLDC 2020 will be starting next month. We're just going through its organization right now, but you can expect it in a few weeks.
Alert! Long post coming!
Wordiness of the post is a side effect my boredom which bothered me and I don't remember making a longer one than this.

VLDC
Although the meanings of vanilla became vague - however, all of them implying that no graphics outside of SMW were used in a level or hack - it's still a tradition which we should keep. You can even run it annually. I'd like more limited graphic manipulation in relation to VLDCX to stay (looks are closer to SMW), however I wouldn't mind if we were able to merge or recolor tiles (bigger freedom of manipulation).

CLDC
Make it an annual thing, too. I feel like it's been run not enough times and it should be as important as VLDC or BLDC. Simple and liberal rules of this contest engage the beginners desiring to build levels for contests as many of them wouldn't like to already take part in intricate ones like BLDC or OLDC and wait incredibly long for a next CLDC. It'll be their choice whether they want to participate in these next if they feel prepared for more restrictive tasks, or not. Anyone who knows of CLDC would also enjoy it for unlimited oportunities. If one's extraordinary idea pops up in their head, they won't hesitate to execute it as they don't have to worry about the rules.

BLDC
It's indeed something fresh - VLDC but more biased towards CLDC which turned out slightly more interesting - but it wasn't good enough to be an annual thing. I'd like it to be occasional because it's slightly too similar to VLDC. Using resources provided with the base ROM isn't forced and you still could make a level à la VLDCX, i.e. with merged or recolored SMW tiles which wasn't allowed this year. However, creating a level around slacker restrictions than in VLDC, i.e. making a use of provided resources to create innovations, would also be refreshing.

OLDC
Fresh, but kinda tedious. Although I think it needs to be run in an occasion, I don't object to have one next year. We've only had it once and I didn't manage to enter my level
which was already mediocre
. Even if it's VLDC but even more restrictive, it'll have a group of level designers that enjoy strictly limited tasks more so than more ones as they won't make them think of packing too many things at once.

ALDC
Quite a niche one, but if anyone's still interested in making a dizzy level where you don't need to press anything, heck yes, run it at least once more! Running it either once in a year or two would make people fed up as making a single level for it is such an exhausting undertake already.

12DBCLDC
We haven't had a Christmas contest for a while, have we? It was promised for this year, but I understand Staff's decision not to organize a Christmas this year and I'm looking forward for it already! Either every second year and alternated with HLDC or occasional Christmas (and Halloween) contest is fine with me.

OWDC
I don't know why this isn't a thing appearing once in a year or two, either. It's such an important aspect in hacking as it's preferred to have a lengthy hack with a brand new overworld rather than a edit of the original one. I don't know if we've had more Idols or ExGFX contests than OWDCs.

LMCC
The last time we had it was Summer 2019's C3 and I think what deterred many people from it was that it was run during the event's period. Don't include site contests in C3s anymore, give people time to check out all the contents made by various folks!

As for YILDC, I'm indifferent and we've had an HLDC recently so it may reappear no earlier than in 2021.

What deterred me from participation in the last ExGFX contest wasn't the theme itself, but lack of motivation. I do think that's also because we have not too many graphicians who are around here any more, though. Go for a new form of engaging the new artists, maybe an event where beginners can take part and get some practical exercises.

TL;DR
What we should have next year, why, and how often it should be:
- VLDC (it's a tradition and keep it annual),
- CLDC (the least restrictive of the contests and make it annual),
- BLDC (it's a nice new format, but it should be occasional regardless),
- OLDC (we haven't had one since 2017 and make it occasional as well because it's not as enjoyable to me),
- ALDC (I'm interested in building an automatic level and such a contest must be once in a blue moon),
- 12DBCLDC (Christmas level design contests haven't been around here for quite long, make it every second and alternated with HLDC or occasional as well as HLDC),
- OWDC (it's a rare thing, too rare for an essential aspect, it must be every (second) year,
- LMCC (hosting the last one on the last C3 was a bad idea and it'd be cool to have it once in a while when nothing major happens).

No opinion about YILDC and the earliest time when I'd like the next HLDC is 2021. I wasn't motivated enough to partake in 2019's ExGFX contest and we have few graphical artists nowadays.
I have a Discord server as well! (by joining, you agree to the rules)
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Basically, I believe in peace and bashing two bricks together.

I'd really like to see a Vanilla OWDC. Yes, an Overworld Design Contest but without external resources (such as ASM and/or ExGFX), would be interesting to see how it goes. And yes, OLDC deserves a return.

I'm neutral about anything else.
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2021 TRENO vibe check thread

Extras



I should have something witty to put here (even if it's just to update dated info), shouldn't I?

Advertising Space

VLDC: Keep it, but continue not to do anything pertaining to a collab/compilation unless you're absolutely, positively, no doubt prepared for a massive turnout just in case. (And that is assuming no popular streamers announce any plans of playing the contest entries.)

BLDC: If you ask me, BLDC is always going to have a higher barrier of entry due to the custom resource aspect of it. If this makes any sense, it's basically a more restricted CLDC (which also had a higher barrier of entry). That being said, you may want to work with and around it if ya'll want to give BLDC at least one more try.

HLDC: Always struck me as a CLDC with a forced theme, so maybe change the themes up.

User: Hinalyte / ID: 1553 ~ loading kotori.css
Can we have Summer Level Design Contest for a change?
I may as well just give my insights about the contests in question.

Vanilla Level Design Contest
It's been a tradition for as long as I can remember, so I'd keep it as such. The collabs are cool, but please just do "Top 50" collabs since it'll give people a reason to do their best instead of "oh my level will get in no matter what lul".

Baserom Level Design Contest
I hated it. I tried making a level for it, and I just ended up giving up because of how bugged it was when it first launched (petty reason, I'm aware). Tho, JUMP Team was talking about merging the ASM contest with the idea of BLDC, which then became an idea about making BLDC have more exclusive resources... Here's what I got from it.

So instead of everything coming from SMW Central's sections, everything is built exclusively for the baserom itself (graphics, blocks, sprites, uberasm stuff). This could expand into mini contests in of itself: ASM contests, Graphics Contests, Music(?) contests; etc. The top 5/10/15 winners of each will have their resources be used for the next BLDC, and then the real level designing contest begins with those resources. It'll also be encouraged to use said resources, as it feels unique trying to make entries using whatever the other contests provide.

That's my ideal BLDC anyway. If it was like that, I could see it being an exciting event for a bi-or quad-annual thing. Something super big that works year around.

Chocolate Level Design Contest
Why isn't this annual? I want this to be just as important as VLDC is. Free-for-all, no bars, just do what you like. It's perfect.

Old-School Level Design Contest
I get why this exists, it's because VLDC became a lot more lose with it's rules but it became controversial so this was created as a more "challenging" VLDC. A "Classic Vanilla" Level Design Contest, if you will. I just don't enjoy it as much since I'm more of an artist and I like map16 stuff, but I might give it a shot the next time it comes.

Halloween Level Design Contest
I was first place, and I'm bias but I love Halloween, so I wouldn't object to having it appear more often. Favourite holiday man.

Automatic Level Design Contest
Never a fan of these, and making one is pretty boring. Not my niche.

12-Days Befo-
IT'S BEEN 3000 YEARS, JUST DO IT PLEASE. thanks.

Overworld Level Design Contest
For whatever reason I always keep missing my chance to enter even tho I do try to start one but I just never finish. But I love it anyway, so have it come back soon.

Yoshi's Island Level Design Contest
I don't hack YI so I'm not interested. Maybe Zelda instead? idk

Lunar Magic Creativity Contest
Here's an idea: why not allow custom graphics for once? I get it defeats the whole purpose of just using vanilla SMW to make a beautiful masterpiece, but at the same time this could be interesting for one of these contests at least. Maybe the catch is you can't modify palettes, so you'll have to think creatively that way or something. idk, maybe this is just a hot take, but I'd imagine it'd be hard enough to use every graphic slot and palette to make something grand that'll be good enough as a poster.
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I think an overworld contest is the one thing I'd still move my ass to do something for cause I just love overworld making that much. I'm in to cast a vote for that!
It's easily the best thing I've done
So why the empty numb?
Well, although the calendar has already been posted, i still wanted to post my opinion here, even though it won't really differ that much from the general consensus on the thread:

VLDC
Well, i’ve already said a few times around the forums how much VLDC is a special contest for me, VLDC11 marked the definite beggining of my SMW hacker carreer and my introduction to this community, and my reception here was far greater than i could’ve ever imagined! So that contest will always have a special place in my heart!

As such, i definitely think we should keep hosting VLDC!
Not only it’s a tradition on the site, but it’s also a great format that is easy to participate (anyone with a basic understanding of Lunar Magic can give it a try, to the point where some people use a VLDC as their starting point with SMW hacking, just like i did!) and gives a lot of freedom to the creators (it allows people to utilize the full capabilities of Lunar Magic and SMW, and as such it evolves along with the hacking scene!)
VLDC is a long lasting contest that always manages to stay fresh. Just look at VLDC11, even after 11 years since the first one, the quality of the entries is still increasing, and people still manage to come up with creative and original level ideas!

Another reason why i think VLDC should still be hosted is the fact that it’s a fresh contest among the others hosted in the site. Most contests lean towards the chocolate aspect of hacking (and rightfully so), we have the CLDC, the KLDC, the themed LDCs (such as HLDC), and now, to a lesser extent, the BLDC, all of these are focused on chocolate, so when we get a LDC with vanilla restrictions, it always feels fresh, and when we talk about vanilla LDCs, there’s no better contest than... well, the Vanilla LDC!

CLDC
CLDC is one that, just like VLDC, i think should be hosted annually. For me, CLDC is like the counterpart to VLDC, the big chocolate contest of the site, a contest where everything goes, any kind of custom resource is allowed, and as such it’s the contest that gives the most freedom.
And while we have other chocolate contests in the site, they always have a sort of theme/restriction, like KLDC being for kaizo levels or HLDC which had to be themed after halloween, so CLDC stands out from those because it is the general purpose chocolate contest where you can do anything!
Just like with VLDC for vanilla contests, i think there’s no better chocolate LDC than the Chocolate LDC!

BLDC
BLDC is an interesting format. It’s a bit of a hybrid between VLDC and CLDC, and still manages to be quite fresh when compared to these two.
It’s a nice contest to be a part of, i like the fact that we’re provided easy access to custom resources in a baseROM. (Some of them being significant game-changers, like LX5’s power-ups!)

However, i don’t think it’s that big of a change to become the site’s main contest, and i certainly don’t think it should replace VLDC!
And my main reason for that isn’t even because it isn’t as big of a contest as VLDC, but rather because it doesn’t have the same essence as VLDC. VLDC is a special contest because it uses vanilla resources only, while BLDC doesn’t. Even if it has a similar format to that of a VLDC with only using the provided resources, its focus is and will always be on the chocolate aspect, the custom resources provided within the baseROM, because those are the only thing that make BLDC actually BLDC (because if it was about vanilla levels, then it would literally be another VLDC).
So because of that, i feel like the essence of BLDC feels closer to that of a CLDC (even if the format is closer to that of VLDC), and as such it’s not a contest that should replace the VLDC, but rather they should coexist if possible.

I also agree with what FrozenQuills said, BLDC does feel a bit more restrictive than VLDC due to the use of specific custom resources, and it certainly isn't as newbie friendly as VLDC, as a newcomer i did have a hard time with a few things while working on my level, especially with picking the resources i wanted to use and deciding on my level idea and theme, because the sheer amount of resources available is simply overwhelming (i'm not saying this should be changed though, having a big variety of resources is a good thing, what i mentioned is basically a side effect of this format, which might have an impact on people who want to enter it).

I know this year's BLDC was quite rough around the edges, it was a first time attempt of such a contest format, so some issues here and there are to be expected, but i really admire the efforts of the organizers in gathering feedback with the community to know what could be improved in it, and i'm certain the next time this contest is hosted it will be a lot better and many of these issues will be resolved!

So yea, it's a contest i'd be interested in seeing again in the future, but i don't think it should be a main contest like VLDC and CLDC.

OLDC
Well, i wasn't around when OLDC was hosted, and still haven't played the collab hack with the entries, but i get what the idea for it is.
I think this format would be interesting for a change sometimes, but, due to how restrictive it is, it should be kept as an occasional contest, because it doesn't have as much potential to evolve with the hacking scene like VLDC does.

OWDC
Well, this is one that i entered this year and i had quite a lot of fun making an overworld. I used it as an opportunity to learn about overworld editing since i hadn't tried making one before.
I don't know if i would be willing to enter another one, because making standalone overworld isn't much my thing, but who knows, i'm still new here, so that might change in the future.

As for this contest, i guess there would be a good amount of people interested in it, so it's a contest that should return at some point, but since we had one in 2019, i personally wouldn't say it needs to come back so soon (maybe have it once every 2 years or so)

HLDC / 12DBCLDC
Well, i don't have much of an opinion on these Themed LDCs right now, as i haven't given themed levels a try, and personally i don't feel too inclined to try them in the near future, so it's something that doesn't appeal to me too much.
But it seems that there's a significant interest in them around the community, and since these are contests that can only happen at a specific time of the year, i think we should alternate between the 2 every year (since we had an HLDC in 2019, in 2020 we should have 12BCLDC, then in 2021 HLDC again, and so on).
This way people who are waiting for these don't need to wait too long for a chance at them.

Other contests
As for other contests, i don't really have an opinion on them since they aren't my thing, so i guess i'll leave it for people who have interest in them.
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i understood having the oldc that one time to try something new and in fact i think i supported it at the time. however at this point i think having another one would be a waste of time as at the end of the day it's just a significantly more boring vldc. there's nothing you can do for an oldc entry that you can't do for a vldc entry. sure it's a newbie friendly contest and was really popular compared to other contests for that reason, but the vldc pretty much accomplishes that same thing except with less samey feeling entries and more submissions. i don't see what oldc brings to the table other than having that "pure vanilla" novelty, which i don't think gives it enough of an edge over any other contests.

also if a 12 days before christmas contest were to be held would it have the same format as last time? where you have to make a 12 level hack? if so that format is really superfluous and i imagine anybody would rather just have a cldc-type contest that's christmas or winter themed (correct me if i'm wrong though lol).
CLDC most definitely. Its great and good
Originally posted by idol
Hey y'all, we are currently creating the 2020 Event Calendar, and decided to check up with the userbase to see which contests you'd be interested in participating in. Part of this came from some internal discussions - especially regarding VLDC, BLDC, and OLDC. We intended for BLDC to be a successor to VLDC, but the turnout was less than anticipated. Are VLDCs preferred over the BLDC format? What can be improved on the last BLDC to make it more appealing to you?

Or, should VLDC be retired and instead we host annual BLDC and OLDCs? We're looking for your feedback especially on these three contests, because running all three together each year can be pretty overbearing.

While I have noted CLDC in the poll, I do intend to host and run a CLDC in April of 2020. That being said, if there's opposition or you guys would rather see a different contest, let us know! And, of course, if we have missed any contests or you'd be interested in seeing something new, let us know!


But this is all about levels and overworlds - what about other contests?

For our music contests, Super Famicompo is the replacement for the old SMW Central Idol contests. You can read all about it here.

I know there's been a lot of requests for us to run another ASM Contest, so we're looking on feedback on how we can improve on the Mad Scientist Contest of 2016. Should it be multi-round, or single round? How long should it run? How intense should the rounds be?

And lastly, our ExGFX contest this year got less submissions than usual. For those who are ExGFX artists, did the theme deter you from entering? Or, perhaps, should the format of the contest be updated?

We hope you can leave some feedback below, and throw some votes to the contests you like! It'll really help us in deciding contests for next year and the years after.


I think BLDC and VLDC are just too different, that's everything I have to say :)
"Not all pie sitters cry."
-James Morgan McGill
I'm lazy to elaborate on my opinions now, but I do agree that CLDC could happen more often - it's a very fun contest with lots of freedom, and I particularly have always been a fan of them. It was also nice when I had my first official judge experiment.

OLDC, for me, is also cool because of the opposite - we gotta play with lots of restrictions, but still, this doesn't limit our creativity and chances to win the contest. Might be boring for some because yeah, many people are tired of SMW's original assets. But it's a matter of tastes.

HLDC/12DBC could happen annually, interchangeably - one year we have a Halloween contest, other one a Christmas one. Always wanted to participate of both but never had luck to either get something done or free time.

Well that's all I guess.
MK2TDS
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