I intend to participate in 4e6. I have a few questions, though. They aren't covered by the rules, since they're more ethical than obligatory. I still haven't gotten into the spirit of the competition, and I thought they deserve to be asked. Maybe it'll help some other newbies. So, Should I post info about my game idea here? Such as genre, graphics details, mechanics, how I intend to fit the elements into the game. If I do, will somebody steal my ideas? Ofcourse this cannot be answered with certainty, but genrally what people participate in this. Also, I'm well aware that more than one man can think of the same thing, so sometimes, something might look stolen but not be. In short, are people, in general, who participate honest? Should I comment on other games when they're submitted, or even when they're still WIP, and just shared in the manner described before? Should I expect some constructive criticisms or comments about my game, when I submit/share it? These are to, basically, guide me through the whole contest. I would either be active in the community, or just make my entry, submit it, and wait for the results. Hope you don't get me wrong.

I've just described my game project in another thread. I don't personally care if my idea gets stolen, because what ultimately counts towards winning is the implementation details of those ideas, and that's something that you can't describe with words. I believe, also, that everyone is going to use their own ideas to get originality bonus points on the contest. So, in the end, I don't mind making my ideas public.

Also, when people post on a forum about their ideas, they should (and often do) expect comments and criticism about them. You get what you (sometimes unwittingly) ask for.

This year, I'm thinking about being more transparent about the whole thing (at least, once we've got a somewhat solid concept going).

Check out LostGarden's Why You Should Share Your Game Design.

Historically, I don't think anyone has had a game design stolen, and a great many people keep good tabs on their progress through developer journals. And, of course, the plus side is that you'll get good advice and useful suggestions. I like commenting on other games whenever possible (especially as the judges do not).

I consider feedback an important part of the design process. You usually don't see things the same way as your audience, and its good to hear the different perspectives so you know what's appealing and whats not. Makes for a better game overall. That is if you actually listen to the comments and adjust your design accordingly.

Don't worry bout people stealing your ideas. If it still bugs you, you can still feel safe that you posted the ideas first, so you can complain legitimately about it, later on, if someone does steal your idea.

Thank you all.

I'll post info about my entry as soon as I have something more than the rough sketches in my head, and I will comment on other entries, too.

Good luck to everybody!