The Stronghold Trifle

This contest takes place in three stages: landscape design, castle design, and story/scenario scripting. Each stage has two weeks for entries to be submitted, followed by a week for judging. The winner for each round will be announced at the start of the next stage. The winning map from each stage continues on to the next stage to be built upon. For example, the winning landscape map will be used for everyone in Stage Two to build their castle upon.

Contest Results:
Stage 1 – Landscape Design
Stage 2 – Castle Design
Stage 3 – Story/Scenario Scripting

Stage 1 – Landscape Design

The challenge: To create a suitable site for a castle in a fertile river valley.

Guidelines:

Maps should be Invasion type and 400×400
All map editor tools under landscape may be used, except for signposts. Do not place signposts.
Buildings, ruins and troops may not be placed.
Maps will be judged in the following categories: Fulfils the Challenge, Originality, Aesthetics

Stage 2 – Castle Design

The challenge: To build the best castle (out of wood or stone).

Guidelines:

Contestant may not change the landscape in any way, except for dead tree replacement (or removal to make room for the castle) and replacing parts of rivers with bridges.
Only tools from the buildings section of the editor may be used (i.e. no landscaping)
Do not place troops.
Do not place signposts.
Maps will be judged in the following categories: Originality, Aesthetic Quality, Practicality

Stage 3 – Story/Scenario Scripting

The challenge: In this stage the contestants must provide the following for the map: name, story, instructions for play, and scripting.

Guidelines:

The map type can be changed to fit the story/win requirements.
The map should be reasonably challenging.
Story should be both original and entertaining. The map entry should include both the story and instructions in separate .txt files. The instructions can be in the form of a help file or a readme file, with as much information as you think is necessary or desirable. The in-game story area should include an aspect of the story or instructions, or a combination of both.
Length is not important for the story – it’s the content that counts.
The following (and only the following) changes may be made to the map itself:
**signposts may be placed
**dead trees (if there are any at this stage) can be replaced
**troops may be added to fit your scenario
**animals may be placed if they fit the story/scenario
Maps will be judged in the following categories: Playability, Balance, Usefulness and integration of scenario instructions, Story