I don't think you need to be poking around in source code to realize something is different or unique when it comes to tech. The whole point of these sort of competitions is to foster new ideas, try new things, innovate, and be creative. It should apply to the tech side as much as the art, audio, or gameplay side IMHO.

For example: if a game was completely ray traced, or perhaps a game where all the assets were generated procedurally like .kkreiger. Having a category for technical creativity, innovation, or prowess gives incentive to try new things.

Neither of those things would qualify as "new" tech at all; both have been done before.

Even if you discard the "novel" aspect, that still doesn't answer the important question of what the judging criteria for "technology" would be?

A small suggestion. Perhaps add a judging category for technical prowess, 10pts, 20pts or something to reward those 'games' that might not be as fun or as pretty, but have some awesome new tech

Judges score: 5 pnts(this score is up to each individual judge, with no individual category to hold them down, overall it's up to each judge to define what criteria they will choose for this category!)

Isn't this what the judges score is for, if they like your tech or concept they give the points. Maybe take 5 points away from graphics and move it to the judge points.

It bothers me that graphics is double the worth of sound, both are feedback. True a game will always need some kind of graphics, and sound can be skipped, however good sound can work better than graphics if used right.

Really don't know why this bothers me so much, I always leave the sound in my own games for others to do.

No, Judge's points can be any criteria the judge wants

Yes, that is what I meant. If a judge likes the graphics made by some new graphics tech; they add it to graphics. If a developer makes some kind of interesting world generation tech or new mechanic it would be what convinces the judge to place points into gameplay.

Any tech worth while, will be the tipping point that makes the judge invest the judge points.

aid, graphics are almost always apart of every submission

If it's tried and tested, then it's probably best to keep things as they are for now.

If someone feels really feels cheated by the system, they would say something after the contest. After all that is probably how the current score system was formed.

Sign me up!

Let's make 3D Platformer :ph34r:

Sounds really interesting. I would like to join if possible but I would need to find teammates. I'm only a writer.