Yes, ladies and gentlemen, it's finally here. Contestants have until July 24th to craft the best adventure map that their Minecraft skills will allow them to do! Maps may be of any theme or use any mechanics, but there a few basic rules that contestants must follow:

1.) Vanilla Minecraft only. Contest entries cannot require mods, though contestants can recommend texture packs for use with their maps.

2.) Maps must take -at least- 15 minutes to complete. Longer is usually better, though short but sweet is better than tedious and lengthy.

3.) Maps may be created in creative mode, but they must be converted to survival for judging.

[Prizes]
1st Place: Steam game of the winner's choice costing $10 or less.
Runner-up: TF2 Item pack

[Judging Criteria]
Presentation: As is the case with almost any Minecraft competition, aesthetics will play a major role in how your map is judged. Sweeping vistas and detailed interiors are going to be much better than bland corridors.

Gameplay: How fun and creative the map is. Puzzles, interesting combat scenarios, and non-linear exploration are things to consider including in your map.

Story: Though not required, a well-crafted or even very basic story can add a lot to the map's atmosphere. A developed plot is not needed, though it is strongly recommended that your story have some sort of basic premise.

Length: Though 15 minutes is the minimum, longer adventures are always better as long as the game could be kept interesting.

[Tips]
If you don't know what to include in your adventure map or don't have any idea as to what the typical adventure map entails, watch this adventure map playthrough:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E4i99Yu9tZQ

If you're struggling to come up with ways to include exposition in the game, you could use the common technique of submitting several text files in addition to the map which would be opened and read once the player receives a prompt in-game (often via sign).

Again, the deadline is July 24th. Good luck and happy building!