bet you didn’t see this one coming lmao.
That's right, I'm gonna be hosting this year's OWDC! We've opted to return to a mostly Chocolate format this year, with one notable change to better balance the competition. Check it out:
General Rules
- You cannot add any ASM to your entry, with some exceptions (see below). This also means no SA-1, nor UberASM.
- You may use custom graphics and music in your entry, though it is not required.
- You may work with one (1) partner.
- Your submission must be anonymous. Don't put your name anywhere, pseudonyms are allowed.
- Only submit new work. Do not submit an overworld that was finished or worked on before the start of this contest. Please start fresh!
- Your entry must be playable without additional setup and not require emulator-specific settings.
- You must apply an Overworld Event Debugger patch even if you have no events. Two options are available in the patch list below.
Below are the patches you are permitted to use in your entries:
- Overworld Event Debugger or its alternative, Event Debugger v1.2 **THIS IS REQUIRED**
- Remove Overworld Border Mario
- Overworld Speed Changer or version compatible with Extended Level Names
- Extended "Extended OW Level Names" or Extended Overworld Level Names
- Removing Overworld Lives (you will still have to remove the "x" from layer 3 yourself.)
- Disable the Intro Level
- Multiple Songs on Main Map
- Widescreen Overworld (be mindful that Luigi/Player 2 is not compatible with this patch.)
If you need assistance with any of these patches don't hesitate to reach out on the Discord in
#owdc-spoilers.Tips & Tricks
- Events are not required for your entry but we would encourage you to use them if you feel you have a cool idea!
- Level names are also not required, but their use will be judged if you include some.
- You do not have to use all the submaps in your entry, but we encourage the ambition!
If you decide not to use events, or all submaps or level names, it won't negatively affect your score but if you do, their effectiveness will be judged alongside everything else. In any case making use of all aspects of the overworld that is available to you is strongly encouraged.
Judging + Scoring
We are once again revealing the judges ahead of time, and our lovely overworld experts this year are: AmperSam, Erik, and margot! Remember though, your entries must be anonymous, so please do not share your overworlds with the judges!
As always, scoring is broken into two main categories:
General Design (40 Points)
- Functionality - Does the overworld work? Do the paths connect together? Does any placement of Switch Palaces, secret exits, bonuses, etc, make sense?
- Connectivity - Do the warps and worlds work well together? Is there a logical sense of progression?
- Events (if used) - Do they benefit the overworld created? Do they cause any substantial change to the elements of the overworld?
Aesthetics (60 Points)
- Visuals - Do the palettes work well together? Are decorations present and used well? Do the graphics used clash or fit well together?
- Shaping - Does the overworld look interesting? Does the terrain have varied and interesting shapes? Is there any cutoff?
- Atmosphere - Does the music used fit the world? Does the overworld accurately evoke what it intends to represent (i.e., does the beach look and feel like a beach?) Do the decorations contribute to the atmosphere?
- Perspective - Does the overworld work as an actual space? Is the perspective of the terrain all harmonious?
- Level Names (if used) - Do they work towards the theme of the world?
Scores in both categories will be combined for a total out of 100 points!
Prizes
For the top three there are the gold, silver and bronze trophies and of course the participant trophy for all other participants!
Submissions & Deadline
Please submit a BPS file in this thread by Monday, June 9th, 11:00 PM UTC. You can package your BPS file into a ZIP folder, if you wish. There is no need to include any additional files for your entry (such as a TXT file explaining your entry).
If you want to make an update to your entry after submitting it, edit your existing post. Do not make a new post.
Remember, this thread is for submissions only! For discussion and questions on the contest, please use the discussion thread. We also have #owdc-discussion and #owdc-spoilers on our Discord server for you, too!
Originally known as A Yoshi (2006-2009), Aquifer (2010-2011), and Azurik (2012-2014).
