====== Map and Flag Contests ======

These have been around since 2006. The general format is that several rounds are open in which a panel of judges sets specific challenges, entrants have to make a map or flag based on those challenges, and one is judged the winner. The winners then go forward for a final round to choose the champion.

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==== History ====

In the earlier days of the new board, there were gradually four individual **Map Contests**, won by [[offtopic:Scarecrow]]/[[offtopic:Diamond]] (due to a special last round), [[offtopic:euio]],  [[offtopic:Imperator]] and [[offtopic:Ampersand]] respectively, as well as a less well organised **Flag Contest**. 

The first Map Contest was judged by [[offtopic:Shadow Knight]], [[offtopic:Floid]] and Diamond, while the second was judged by Scarecrow, Shadow Knight and [[offtopic:Doctor What]]. The judges have now been renamed 'the **[[Conclave of Twilight]]**'. The third Map Contest, and the first to use this terminology, was judged by Shadow Knight, [[offtopic:Thande]] and [[offtopic:Analytical Engine]]. Map Contest IV was judged by Shadow Knight, [[offtopic:EdT]], and Imperator.

There is also now an **FH Map Contest**, heavily based on the original Map Contest and originally put forward by [[offtopic:Thande]] due to his being fed up with ridiculous [[alternate history:FH Clichés]] on future maps. The FH Map Contest challenges are set by the **[[Committee of Shadow]]**, initially consisting of Thande, [[offtopic:Nekromans]] and [[offtopic:Othniel]]. The first of these was won by [[offtopic:Lordkraken]].

In 2009 [[offtopic:Scarecrow]] started a new map contest. Unlike previous versions of the Map Contest the new [[Map of the Fortnight|Map of the Fortnight Contest]] is an open-ended contest. Map ideas are submitted in a single thread by all users, and a topic is chosen at random. Voting is not done by committee, but rather by a forum poll. 2009 also saw the creation of an open-ended flag designing contest by [[offtopic:Transparent Blue]], dubbed the [[Weekly Flag Challenge]]. Since then, both contests have never ceased their continuous run and as of 2016, are are the longest-running AH media design contests in the board's history.

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==== Currently active contests ====

**[[Map of the Fortnight]]** - Founded in summer 2009, active since then. 

**[[Weekly Flag Challenge]]** - Founded in autumn 2009, active since then.

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==== See Also ====

**[[Map and Flag Challenges]]**

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==== Navigation ====

**[[Maps and Flags]]**