3H-GDC m.II

Alright, we had a little interest in the last Three Hour Game Development Contest, let's see if we can drum up a better responce by sweetening the pot. 1st place: 1 year of GDNet+1 (donated by Prozak) 2nd place: 1 year of GDNet+ (donated by Fruny) 3rd place: 1 month of GDNet+ (donated by capn_midnight) 1Prozak has also offered 1 Amazon item of USD39.95 (the price of 1 year membership) or less as an optional first place prize. That's right, a total prize value of nearly USD85! But really, who can put a price on the honor of being GDNet+ified? Especially those people that don't have credit cards! This time, instead of Saturday, I will hold it on Sunday. We will start at 3PM EST (GMT1900). This gives pretty much half of the globe (and most of the English speaking world) a good block of time to compete. Rules:

1. Coding begins at 3PM Eastern Standard Time, by the GDNet Server Clocks.
2. Coding ends at 6PM, again by the server clock.
3. Submissions must meet a predetermined theme (which will be discussed in this thread) and/or restrictions (perhaps the developer may not use 3D graphics).
4. Submissions must fall under a predetermined size limit. However, given the scope of the projects, this limit should be chosen to be reasonable but very difficult to exceed. I'm initially thinking 10MB.
5. Any Language (C, Java, C#, Python, &#106avascript, Brainf***, I don't care) or API (SDL, Allegro, PyGame, JOGL, etc) is acceptable, as long as you handle all distribution yourself (Ideally include all assemblies. You *may* link to a direct download, but a download page is UNNACEPTABLE. One click should be all I need to download the components I need). Do not assume the Judges have any particular machine setup.
6. Game Makers are NOT acceptable
7. You may use rendering frame, input manager, math library, or sound manager base code that you have written, but no other code. You must post this code in a source tag in the forum on Friday night before the competition to keep the playing field even (anyone may use it if they want). The judges reserve the right to veto your use of such code (hence the need for the Friday night deadline).
8. Judges will judge on a full binary version of the software. They will not compile the software.
9. Judging will be conducted by a panel of non-competitors (open voting didn't work too well last time).
10. Judging will be based mostly on overall gameplay and originallity of game design. Graphics will be a minor part, but mainly in the fluidity of the graphics (stuttering, tearing, flickering graphics will be very bad). We understand that content will be light, that graphics will be underdevloped, that input MIGHT be a bit akward. Gameplay is the key.
11. prizes are listed above
12. ostensibly, winners will post their winning game in the GDNet Showcase.
13. runners up receive nothing.
14. we will attempt to pursue full legal action against nefarious ne'er-do-wells (those that would upload destructive code).

Three hours is plenty of time to make a classic arcade game, or something new with simple gameplay. Check out the previous contest to see what was done. Gameplay is what this contest is about. If anyone wants to volunteer as a Judge, please post here and list your machine specs as well as your pertinent software running on your computer. For example, I'm: Processor: Pentium4 2.4GHz Memory: 768MB RDRAM GFX: Radeon 9800 Sound: SB Audigy 2 OS: Windows XP Pro SP2 Other Software: Java 5, .Net 1.1, DX9c *I believe prizes of greater value require some sort of legallitization stuff. Is there a lawyer-wanna-be in the house? [Edited by - Fruny on July 30, 2005 7:57:31 PM]

Quote:Original post by Ravuya
What do we win if we already have GDNet+?

Everlasting fame?
A donation to a charity of your choice?
A banana milkshake?
A cookie?

I'll be judging too.

Processor: AMD Turion 64 ML-30
Memory: 512MB DDR SDRAM
GFX: Radeon Mobility X700
Sound: something cheap / AC97
OS: Windows XP Home SP2 (32 bit)
Other Software: Python 2.4, Pygame 1.6, Java 1.5, DX 9c and .NET 1.1.

[Edited by - Fruny on July 18, 2005 10:41:12 PM]

Quote:Original post by visage
Personally, I feel like NO PREVIOUS CODE should be allowed. I think that each 3 hour contest should have a theme, and restrictions, such as "unique RPG battle engine using PyGame. Go." Or, "Pong based game using SDL. Go!" The only issue is experience level with the tools. Maybe just a general theme: Pong based game or RPG Battle Engine...and let players do what they will. But I would definitely say: no previous code. Someone could have a DirectInput engine written and post it and I would be unable to use it because I am on a Mac, so it really doesn't even the playing field.

the problem is, this is all pretty much boiler plate stuff. I'm not talking about a renderer, I'm just talking about a window to render in. I want this to be about game DESIGN, not about coding simple framework stuff.

Quote:Original post by Ravuya
What do we win if we already have GDNet+?

the offer for a hot plate of Rocky Mountain Oysters still stands. Find something of comparable value that you think will be desireable and I'll consider it.

We must also consider a theme. I had been thinking "High Seas" or maybe "Deep Space". Space and the sea are pretty barren places, so not a lot will have to go into the environments.

I think that having no base code is a good idea. Or at least, all code must be written by you in those 3 hours, even if its just copying from one file to another by hand.

I can judge also

1.4 ghz amd
ati 9600 a.i.w. 128mb
1 gb ram

Quote:Original post by visage
Maybe they have to be posted 2 days before so everyone can view and have the ability to learn the technology?

Two days, okay, so Sunday... Saturday.. Friday then?

Prize update!
The right honorable Fruny of the north has decided to donate a new 1st place prize: 3 months of GDNet+!