[DrunkenCoder]

sign me up for this compo! sounds more than intresting to have a series of engine coding compos and finish it of by actually creating something with one of the entries
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If there's life after death there is no death, if there's no death we never live. | ENTP

[DarkDread]

[Mandrake]

ok, i just got an idea for this project.

Anyway, the new concept will be teamwork over the internet :)

Basicly, when you enter the contest, each contestant will be abe to work on a part of an engine with specefic function/return/args statements that communicate with the other parts of the engine to make a complete RPGMaker.

So, at the beginging of the next contest the groups will be split into teams, with these listing of team-mates:

+graphics coder (map, sprites, etc)
+script engine coder
+map editor coder
+game object coder (NPC, collision detection, hot-spots)
+combat engine coder (player & enemy stats, enemy loading and AI)
+GUI coder (the "basics" of the games GUI)
+input interface coder (joystick/keyboard game interface)
+game engine interface coder (links everything that is part of the game together so that it runs togther)
+character/item/enemy editor coder
+editor interface coder (links all of the edting stuff together)
+Graphics artist (for sample free art libriaries to be used with the engine)
+Sound Technician (for free sample music libraries to be used with the engine)

and whichever team makes an actual working RPGMaker together (with all the peices actually meshing and working) within 92 hours (2 weekends) will win that prize. BTW, of course people can multi-task (do more than one assigned coding project)...

the rules this one will be to simply follow the outlined function/arg objects discussed before hand (of course they can have other hidden objects, functions, classes and etc not available to the other coders...)
I don't know....what do you guys think?

[DarkDread]

I think it's a bit complicated.

Certainly, a good idea... but, I belive, it needs to be simplified.

Of course... how exactly, I'm not quite sure.
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"Goth is a way for ugly people to be interesting."

[DrunkenCoder]

Sounds like a great idea, but given the complexity of a task like that 92hours maybe a bit to short for anyone not having lot's of ready made code to drop into the project. And also defining good interfaces so that everything actually fits togheter and still gives the flexibility needed seems like a daunting task I also guess that getting the teams togheter could prove to be a very difficult task.
Just think about all the issues (or possibilites if you wish ;)) we would have people programming in everything from QB to C++ (and the ones using C++ could actually end up programming in "diffrent languages" because it's such a rich language) we would have Allegro coders needing to cooperate with dumb-assses like me who never have come close to downloading the thing (but I do feel quite at home with VBE2 DX and OGL tho). And these are just some of the things that need to get solved..
would be one hell of an intresting compo tho, maybe it could end up being some sort of community project...
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If there's life after death there is no death, if there's no death we never live. | ENTP

[white_door]

I would have to agree on that one. For a contest like that you will have to limit it to a single programming language + library since all the source code would have to compatible. So it would end up not a "make a rpg maker contest" but a "directx, allegro, SDL or QB contest". And if even a single person doesn't do their job.. the whole thing won't work... this smells more like a massive RPG group project than a contest.. and we know how they are all doomed from the start.

I think it would be more fun to have a series of seperate contests where you pick your personal favorite of the projects from the last contest... and expand with the next step.. it would not even matter if people picked the same project(s). (since you could see how much better they could make it) This would also serve as a form of voting ;) Since the best projects done in each of the steps will be the ones most used. And people would have a good chance to review each project that since in order to add to it.. they will have to read the source code quite deeply..

I don't know about this rule but maybe: no one is allowed to use a project that they submited in the last contest? (to force people to mess with other peoples' code..)

then at the end there will be several really cool rpg makers in different langauges. And people would pick one to make a rpg in it. for the final contest.

this is sort of like the same thing as you suggested.. but it means that anyone can join provided their language/favorite library was used by an entry in the last contest. Also if one or two people don't complete their work.. the whole thing won't be bung.

[Terry]

I accaully hate the whole idea of making an RPG creator, because making an RPG is much more interesting than making an RPG engine. Why don't you just have another compitition like the last one, except longer with different restraints? (The last was dragon warrior style, this one could be say Final Fantasty style or Chrono Trigger style with more playable characters).

I'm totally against this one. It just wouldn't be all that much fun. Besides, what exactly are you going to do with 10 or 15 incomplete or hastly made rpg creators? I just think it's a really bad idea.

Terry

[DarkDread]

Final Fantasy style is a good idea... CT style, unless it's a 192hour 'mini' RPG competiton, wouldn't really be feasable.

...actually... even the Final Fantasy style would have to be limited, so as to allow everyone to work within the time constraints. I'd say, have it 3 characters, versus 4 enemies at most. Enemies cannot be animated, characters may have two attack frames, one standing frame, one dead frame, and one casting/skill using frame of animation.

Even with those limits, it will still take a while... lets face it, coding a 1 on 1 battle engine, is very simple compared to more on more.

Still, I think this might be something we can shoot for. Guys, what do you think?
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"Goth is a way for ugly people to be interesting."

[Rainer Deyke]

I don't like the idea of being tied to a specific style. I like the idea of a fairly open contest, maybe with some theme, where I can use any style I like.

[DarkDread]

True enough... but, if we do that, someone picks one on one dragon warrior, then someone picks chrono trigger style... who's gonna have an easier time?

I don't think that'd be fair, heh.
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"Goth is a way for ugly people to be interesting."

[DrunkenCoder]

[Terry]

I vote for the Final fantasy style game! Although why bother with the graphical restraints?

[DarkDread]

Simple: So people don't try to overdo themselves, and have to spend a lot of time drawing graphics. The rules are created to help keep the RPGs small, and make the chances of finishing them in the time alotted, that much better.
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"Goth is a way for ugly people to be interesting."

[Bjorn]

PLEASE leave that to the game creators themselves to decide. I think it's total nonsense to go restricting the number of animation frames or total number of enemies, etc. Also because it's all dependant on each other. Like, draw many large enemies and you won't have time to do much animation. But if you draw 3-4 enemies small enemies you would be able to animate them very much. Some people draw enemies quick, others pay lots of attention to details. When working with a small team, also more artwork is possible then when working alone.

You can have some rules, but I am against rules that are just for 'protecting' people from workload they 'probably' get themselves into and thus can 'never' finish their game on time. It should not be neccesary.

[DarkDread]

You're right... it shouldn't be necessary... but, because people always overestimate the scope of their project... and then realize they can't finish it... I think that it is, indeed ncessary.
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"Goth is a way for ugly people to be interesting."