It needs to be zipped, but if the zip contains the installer EXE, it'll be fine (we'll ignore the fact that it was zipped). What we're really trying to get at is the format it would be if it were burned to a CD and put on the market; the user having to copy the files across by hand isn't really as nice as an installer that autoplays. (This is why I was saying that people can use ISO if they want).

You'll usually create an ISO with a CDR-burning program, though I believe there are a number of freeware utils out there that will let you do it (even some commandline, letting you incorporate the ISO step into your build process).

The simplest way to test it is to use a virtual CD-ROM drive, though you can of course burn it to an actual CD and test it that way.

I think the problem with an ISO is there are a lot of people that wouldnt know what to do with it so it really cuts down your target audience. Obviously if this was to be submitted to a publisher and distributed on cd's than ISO would be good, but arent the demos going to be open to all of gamedev to download and play? So then a format the general community understands would be better wouldnt it?

Hmm, I would have thought that most people here know that an ISO file gets burned to a CD...

We /could/ do something along the lines of having an ISO version that gets judged, and a download-ready version that the public can try out. (There's nothing stopping you doing that on your own site, after all). I guess we'll see how many people actually end up submitting ISOs.

Look, I'm telling you that your target audience - the judges - are willing to accept ISO submissions, will handle the virtual CD drive issues, etc. I've also said that we'll probably allow seperate 'for judging' and 'for the public' submissions, given that some people also may want to do things like include cheat codes and savegames so that judges can more easily see the whole of the entry.

You're free to ignore that and make a single version if you wish - that's your prerogative, you may not want to grapple with autoplay and disc layout and suchlike. You won't lose points for not submitting on ISO, and a non-ISO entry could happily beat an ISO entry in the polish category.

The reason it's been suggested at all is because some people may find it easier to polish an ISO distribution than a web distribution - you can do things like background installs with ISO that you can't really do with a downloadable (unless you want to run a fileserver or something). It's another avenue to explore for people who wish to do so.

I'm not sure why you're saying "this contest forces all entries to be downloadable." Rule 11 states that there's no formal size limit; you can submit a 400MB package if you want (though as that rule also states, we ask that you let us know first). Yeah, 400MB might suck a bit for members of the public trying out contest entries, but the judges are committed to trying your entry out no matter how big it is, so it doesn't affect your standing in the contest.