SnD Map Submission Guidelines

[Smalusion]

Welcome to the Map Submissions section for Search and Destroy. Here, you can submit a map you’ve made and offer input on maps submitted by other players!


Submitting a Map:

When you submit your map, make sure to include these!

• The Map Name: Self-explanatory.
• Authors: Players who contributed with the map. This can be a build team name if desired.
  Map Description: Desired in-game description of the map. Keep it to 100 characters or less! If you fail to include this, we’ll make one up!
• Pictures: Include various pictures of your map. Do not use shaders or a resource pack. It’s recommended to have pictures of a general map overview, team bases, and any highlights.
• Download Link: A link to a .zip folder of your map files. Recommended to use Dropbox or Google Drive for this! - This is critical, make sure to include this so that both staff and forum users can walk around your map and fully experience it! Without this, we will not be reviewing your map.

Map Guidelines:

Make sure your map follows these guidelines. Maps that don’t follow all of these may be rejected!

• Bases must be roughly equal in terms of defensibility. It’s not strictly necessary that maps are symmetrical, but opposing sides should have roughly equal landscapes, base entrances, and features.
• Make sure that there are open areas dedicated for fighting, especially around the bases and center of the map. It’s not fun to fight in cramped spaces!
• There must be a fair amount of distance between team bombs. Use your own judgement for this! A player without enderpearls or speed should be able to travel from one bomb to the other within a timeframe of 15-45 seconds.
  For reference, Rival Castles, a larger map, has a bomb to bomb time of 40 seconds, with 200 blocks between the back ends of both castles.
• Your map must be easy and intuitive to navigate. Players should be able to easily locate their team’s base and their enemy’s base.
• Make sure that indoor areas have adequate lighting, as maps start at a random time during games, including midnight.
• If your map has a ceiling, make sure there are clearly visible areas where players can receive their supply crates.
• Each team should have a bomb as well as a nuke in the center of the map. Maps can support up to 5 teams.
• Generally, mobs are not recommended. If adding mobs, please keep it reasonable so players aren't distracted.

Additionally...

• It is not possible to use maps in item frames.
• Worlds created using custom dimensions or custom biomes are allowed, but any ambient effects (particle effects, sky color, lighting, etc) will NOT be imported with your map. In other words, only the terrain will be included in the final version!
• Easter Eggs and secret areas are allowed, but please keep it reasonable. Do not include any secrets that would provide a substantial gameplay advantage to those who use it, such as full diamond armor or 64 steak. Do not include any secrets that provide an advantage to one team only. While players not part of the building process may be featured, consent from that player must be granted. All Easter Eggs and secret areas must be disclosed during the submission process.

Rewards:

The Mapmaker rank will be granted to authors of accepted maps. Mapmakers get exclusive use of the Barricader kit and bragging rights.


Mapmakers who have additional maps accepted will be granted 1000 credits and 600 points.
Mapmakers who make multiple high quality maps may be invited to the build server as well.

Please note that a maximum of 4 players will be rewarded for having an accepted map at a time. For example, if 6 builders work on a map, they must decide who out of them will receive the rewards, though they will all be credited for the map.
Build teams are welcome to build maps, but they are not exempt from this rule.

The Process…
So, how is this done, anyway?

Simple!

Submit your map to the appropriate forums section, with all the required details and pictures.
After some time, go and check out what the community thinks of your map. Soon enough, our “expert” “build team” will take a look at it. If we approve it, great! We’ll let you know and put your map into the game when the time is right.

If we don’t approve it, it’s okay! We’ll let you know why we didn’t approve it and leave your thread open so you can adjust the map to better fit the guidelines. Make sure to take both community and staff responses into account when updating your map.

When you’ve finished revisions, make a new post on your map thread with the details of what you’ve done. We’ll check it out and the reviewing process will repeat until your map is perfectly cooked and ready to go.

Regrettably, not every map can make the cut. Sometimes, a map will have poor gameplay. Sometimes, the aesthetics won’t meet standards.. While we can offer advice, understand that we aren’t here to fully coach you on exactly what you need to do. We’ve got other stuff on our minds! If you cannot or refuse to change your map to meet our standards, we’ll have to reject your map.

Some Last Notes…

• While gameplay is more important than aesthetics, this is not to say that aesthetics are unimportant! A good balance is key, but gameplay should not be sacrificed for aesthetics. That being said... Please make sure your map isn't an eyesore. We don’t want to reject a map for this reason, but it’s possible.
• It's expected that a submitted map is an original creation of the builders. If you follow a tutorial or copy a build, you must alter it so that it looks distinctly your own, and more than just the block palette. You must also include a link to the original tutorial or build.
• Plagiarism, or submitting another’s work as your own, is not tolerated. Those who do this will be dealt with accordingly.