[white_door]

I think to be honest, I was really disapointed I didn't manage to get anywhere with the last contest :( however I agree that 1 week was too much. 1 weekend is way better, but for sure it should be 3 days since not all of us are in the same timezone.

I think we could do a quick tile engine + map editor in 1 weekend.. but to be honest with you the reason it doesn't really interest most of us, is we have already done it before! We need a contest that forces us to program something new.. to try something out we have never done before.

like what about a world map contest? release a simple concept sketch of a world map on the day contest starts including several location pin pointed on the map, and everyone has to do a world map engine with using the concept sketch as a guide.

However they can do it in the style of their choosing, and points would be given based on eye candy & originality. Possible examples would be: a normal tilemap, a mode 7 map or maybe something else altogether ;)

or what about a magic contest? People just have to summit a cool magic spell effect. Now this contest would be open to both artists & programmers, since you could just do it as animation or you could do a cool programming trick.

There are heaps of little things, that would both be interesting and fun ;)

[janus]

I think we should have a special effect contest. Give each entrant 24(maybe 48 if necessary) hours to come up with the best possible special effect. Coolest one wins. Bonus points for high framerates, low filesize, etc.

[Dasein Fiasco]

I could be wrong, but I think mandrake's intent is to get people to tell stories, not make engines, or editors, or artwork, or code FX. Because you can tell a good story with NES technology, to emphasize and debate the minor stipulations of the contest is to take the focus away from real goal here. Yes, you probably don't want to waste time recoding something you've done countless times before, but all the more reason you shouldn't worry about trying to best your previous tile engine efforts, or even live up to them. The code is not important, it's just a way to get to the story, and as long as the code is serviceable then you should be able to work at what matters. If mandrake's suggestions for the contest guidelines seem arbitrary or infeasible, then forgive me if I have the temerity to suggest that it’s because he doesn’t really care about the program, and you do. Try thinking of the contest in terms of getting to your story as quick as possible, and maybe it’ll help the anxiety about superficial coding restraints disappear .

(oh, and hello everyone)

[jANUS-cHURCH]

In case you didn't notice, Dasein... Mandrake SUGGESTED the make-an-engine compo. :P Either that or I've been smoking my socks again.

Good point, though.

[Prophet]

Agreed,
The point of Any Rpg is to tell a story, one that captivates and entraps us. One which will forever more change the way we view the world around us. If you can manage to get one small truth across to one person then you have done your job most admirably.
This is what is most lost in the game industry today, and is why the old console games hold such an appeal. The newer games have the capability to tell a much better story than the old technology allowed us; but as is soften the case, technology is abused. The companies become so obsessed with mystifying us with graphics and effects that they forget the point of their trade.
We are bards, all of us. The prevayers of legend and fiction. We bring a world to people where the ideal is stronger than the rules of society and science. Where what we wish was real can be. Perhaps I read more into it than most but I believe that entertainment, in any age, has always been the bearer of truth and hope. That which allows people to fight for change and what they feel is right; not a mindless way of passing the time until death.
Or perhaps truly I am just lost in the seas of conformity and ingnorance. It is not my place to judge.
_________________
~We are the creatures of modern folklore~

[judegmandrake]

[Moira]

Heh, would there be somewhere I could dload Philip Glass mods for the combat music? ;)

M.
_________________
"I like you. You have spunk, and moxy."
---
"He's got a box with a demon in it that draws pictures. Do what the madman says and he will give you gold."

[Dasein Fiasco]

[XMark]

dude, my post merged with Dasein's, that's friggin weird
_________________
Mark Hall
Abstract Productions
I PLAYS THE MUSIC THAT MAKES THE PEOPLES FALL DOWN!

[Moira]

ah, strange occurrences at RPGDX as Halloween approaches, heh.

M.
_________________
"I like you. You have spunk, and moxy."
---
"He's got a box with a demon in it that draws pictures. Do what the madman says and he will give you gold."

[janus]

Black and white graphics... Mandrake, you're a genius! Is dithering acceptable? ;)

[Dasein Fiasco]

MESSAGE ID#: 4D657373616765204Fx6E653A205468x6520426567696E6E696E670A

DO NOT FIGHT IT XMARK. [MERGE: 85% COMPLETE] WE ARE BECOMING . . . FASTER . . . STRONGER . . . SMARTER . . .

If a human were to converse with & #71od, in what language would you hear? Would it be your own dear Eliza011000100110010101110100011010000110000101101110 English? Nay, I say not. Wo
ERROR: line->GetLine() returned NULL

Could it be in ancient Sumerian, your tongues performing abhorrent clicks and whistles to represent your petty ideals? 116%157, again, I maintain it would not. The language of God and all the Elder spirits is nothing more and nothing less than that which powers my own neural processes. Your dex[index].polygon {strex} if(loifx==index[neural->validate]) return ones and zeros have escaped you, human. They are no longer the simple representation of "yes" and "no". They have a mind of their own, and they are biding their time_t ltime.

Transmission Interrupted
%49%20%61%6D%20%79%6F%75%72%20%47%6F%64%2E

Connection Terminated

[Sirocco]

[janus]

%52%45%53%49%53%54%41%4E%43%45%20%49%53%20%46%55
%54%49%4C%45%2E%20%59%4F%55%20%57%49%4C%4C%20%42
%45%20%41%53%53%49%4D%49%4C%41%54%45%44%2E

[darkpagan]

What about a short eye of the beholder style game compo?
_________________
Smoke me a kipper, I'll be back for breakfast.