Welcome to the third ManiaExchange Monthly Track Contest (MTC), December 2011, hosted by MX.

In the MTC, your task is to build a track on a given theme (see below). Later on, all of the entered tracks will be rated by our judges and a winner will be found.

The Details

Let's have a look at the details of the contest:

Theme of the Month: Connect the Blocks: Using a pre-made map with a few scattered blocks, you must connect the blocks to make a track. We’ve had this theme already on TMUX with the United environments - now it's time for Canyon!

Download the base map and unzip it.

Deadline: Tuesday the 20th of December 2011.

Prize:

First place: Showcase on the frontpage*

*You may choose a track to be showcased on the frontpage. It can be a self-made creation or the work of someone else (which has got a maximum of 10 awards already).

The rules:

You have to include the pre-placed blocks in your track. You may not delete them (exception: finish gates, see next point) or move them or change them, and the blocks must be used in the actual track, not just as scenery and not in respawn routes.

You have to use one of the finishes as real finish (end of the track). That means that you may delete all the finish gates which are not your real finish.

The hills, trees and pipelines are only scenery (on one hill, there is a road, of course you have to use that one in your track!). You may expand the hills, but you are not allowed to make them smaller or delete any part of them.

There is a platform which consists of four platform blocks. You do not have to drive on all of them.

You may replace ground with water / hills.

You are allowed to change the direction of the checkpoints.

Author time maximum: 1:45:00.

You may submit ONE track.

Name your track "TrackName (MTC)", where "TrackName" is whatever name you want to give the track. EXAMPLE: "KekX builds stupid base maps (MTC)".

The track must have been uploaded to the exchange between (and including) Sunday the 4th and Tuesday the 20th of December 2011.

General tips:

The "General tips" are just recommendations. You won't get disqualified if you do not follow them, but they tend to help your track and its appreciation by general player population.

Try making checkpoints respawnable.

Ghost replays that show how to drive (GPS) do NOT relieve you of your moral obligation to provide guidance during the race (signs or other visual hints on where to go).

Always provide your track on TMX with a screenshot that shows something from the track, and add a description of what can people expect if they play your track.

Important: To enter a track, simply upload it and post your submission in THIS thread.

The Judging System

A number of judges will rate the tracks on the following topics:

Design – Flow, smoothness, layout, speed, transitions, stunts, difficulty, etc. The general "feel" of the track. Max 20 points/judge

Scenery – Looks, non-driveable blocks, etc. Max 5 points/judge

Media Tracker – All the MT aspects, from the intro and outro to in-game features. Max 5 points/judge

Fun Factor – Sometimes a track can be poor in every way, but still extremely fun to drive. Depending on how fun the judges find your track, a few extra points can be given. Max 10 points/judge

Regarding the final results, the lowest and highest score of each track will be deleted and the average of the "medium scores" decides - if the number of judges is at least 5.

We need reliable and committed judges, so if you want to volunteer as a judge, please send a PM to KekX!

Good luck! If you have any questions, please ask away

yeah finally ^^

what about the start can we flip it or turn it ?

sorry, but what is this kind shit base map? is there actually someone that thought about it before placing some blocks randomly into the buildingarea?
come on, that tunnel with checkpoint in opposite direction as the start...
So you're not able to use that part into the track early
this will mean that you have to get out of the tunnel with a speed above 300 very close to the border of the building area...
Are you allowed to move your track?
this isn't going to be easy that's for sure

KekX says:
You are allowed to change the direction of the checkpoints.

you weren't allowed to do that in the ones before, why just now allow it?

zipperke says:
sorry, but what is this kind shit base map? is there actually someone that thought about it before placing some blocks randomly into the buildingarea?
come on, that tunnel with checkpoint in opposite direction as the start...
So you're not able to use that part into the track early

Chicken?

Exploding Lemon says:

KekX says:
You are allowed to change the direction of the checkpoints.

you weren't allowed to do that in the ones before, why just now allow it?

Why not? It's not like the rules have to be the same as in TMUFX. MX and TMUFX maps aren't comparable anyway, I don't understand why you're asking this question.
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@zipperke: nobody is forcing you to participate, if you can't write a mature comment, please do not comment at all.
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I'm taking a break from hosting this month, please do not contact me about the rules, judging or anything else about this month's MTC.

So, not only do I have to connect all these blocks, I have to do it in creative ways. I also need to make sure it forms a good track. Very challenging...

I have a few many questions though:
- Can I rotate checkpoints 90, 180, and 270 degrees? or only 180 degrees?
- For the GP blocks (like the start, finish, and one checkpoint) can I change them to their other version? (so it switches sides, in a way)
- Theres a large canyon wall near a finish, does that count as scenery?
- Trackmania 2 has two versions for many blocks: an air version, and a ground version. Can I change an air block to a ground block and vice versa?

no one will do a map under 1 minute this time i guess
yeah very challengeing idd.

can we change the four 3-1-1 blocks to turbo or cp´s ?

Track. EXAMPLE: "KekX builds stupid base maps (MTC)
Haha

nice theme again

Ah, great theme guys ! Awesome memories from the MTCs with that theme back in United...

Going for it right now.