Gp2x Community Game Contest!

[Wite_Noiz]

In the interest of fairness, I think 3.
Although it's unlikely someone will have more than one game to enter, I don't see any point in limiting them.

So if we go for 3, and both Li'l Trooper and Platoons are entered and Li'l Trooper comes first and Platoons second... Then it's fair that you won't be seeing any of that prize money? ^_^

See, in alt 1, both Daid and you guys would get to reap the rewards of the contest, while in alt 3, only me and Daid would get the money. I'd probably feel bad and split it with you anyway, but that's beside the point!

(I have no delusions of grandieur, I was just making a specific example.)

Interesting... I suppose it depends on how you define "entrant".

But you're right. For some reason I assumed things slightly differently and din't read your earlier post fully.
I was primarily thinking of the coder being the limiting factor - but I don't see why that should be the case.

At the extreme, I just wouldn't want one group to blanket the awards. It could have a negative affect and dishearten other developers.

 

[AcidiC]

One prize per developer?

 

[Magnulus]

RULE PROPOSAL TIME!

Let's say we go for Alternative one, with the following restriction:

"If a single team wins more than one award, they will recieve no more than 75% of the prize money while the next runners-up will recieve 15% and 10% each."

Let's define it as a single team if 2 or more people work on both (or all) projects.

Let's give an example:
I'm involved in both Li'l Trooper and Platoons. Both of them are games that COULD end up in the competition. The teams are Li'l Trooper: Daid and Me and Platoons: Vynx, Wite Noiz and Me. These count as separate teams. If Vynx joins up as level designer on Li'l Trooper, both games are regarded as coming from a single team, and we will be eligible for no more than 75% of the cash prizes.

This would reward good, productive developers without punishing the others too much, I think. Sound okay?

One prize per developer?

Wouldn't work, as I said in this post. Too easy to circumvent, and kind of unfair towards just really good and productive developers.

 

[Dzz]

"If a single team wins more than one award, they will recieve no more than 75% of the prize money while the next runners-up will recieve 15% and 10% each."

Let's define it as a single team if 2 or more people work on both (or all) projects.

Hmm, I may not be following this. I suppose the intent is to make sure that some crumbs get left to be spread around if a single dominant team makes all the best games. But by your definition I (who work alone) could still win all the prizes because I am not 2 or more people. Is that the intent?

If you start doing things like "define it as a single team if more than 50% of its members overlap" then I could add bogus team members whose contribution was not very large (moral support, e.g.) to get around that. Still, it might be okay to do it that way on the assumption that A) me winning all the prize money is in reality not a very likely occurrence, and B ) lone developers are unlikely to add bogus team members as part of a nefarious plan to sweep the competition prizes.

I don't have an opinion about what's the best rule, but whatever the rule is it should fit the intent behind its selection.

 

[X-Code]

Ok, this is becoming pointless, there is no need to complicate the rules, there is a need to get them finished :lol:

Lets just do it the simple way, may the best win, if it happens to be the same person in all categories, so be it... If it happens to be one team and different members of that same team winning different categories, so be it... It really doesn't matter, the only thing that does matter this minute is the Judge panel.

It is a competition, I don't mind who gets the prize as long as the donated cash goes to the one(s) deserving it.
.

 

[nem]

Agreed. Games should be judged on their own merits, regardless of who developed them. If one dev team takes all the prizes, more power to them.

 

[Magnulus]

Games should be judged on their own merits, regardless of who developed them.

We're not suggesting downgrading their judgement, just like Dzz said: leaving some "crumbs" for those other devs who did really well but were knocked out by that single talented individual or team...

I'll make a short clarification according to what Dzz said:
"A single team is defined as either one individual doing several projects or two or more people overlap if the teams have more members than one."

By this definition, if I made Trooper by myself and Platoons with just Vynx, that would be two separate teams.

But I do agree that it should be fine that, on the very unlikely event that a single person or team wins ALL the prizes, that's just great luck for him/her/them. I think the chances for that are really slim anyway. I'm simply responding and trying to find solutions that work for everyone based on what's being discussed here. Unless you have something directly against the above suggestion of the 75% and the sharing, I think it would be a good rule to add as it won't hurt you, but it would make others feel more easy about the competition. And again, it's not like it's a likely occurance. It's just covering all possibilities. We've still got all of sunday and monday to discuss anyway.

Ok, this is becoming pointless, there is no need to complicate the rules, there is a need to get them finished.

Yes, but as long as we're not on top of the deadline yet, why should we stop discussing possibilities? No rules will be laid down in stone 'till tuesday morning anyway, so why rush?

 

[Dzz]

"A single team is defined as either one individual doing several projects or two or more people overlap if the teams have more members than one."

If I was interested in sweeping the prizes I'd add my friend Bob to the team for game 1 and my friend George to the team for game 2 and do game 3 myself to trivially get around this restriction. However, as you say I don't know that anybody will enter that many games and even if they do they probably won't all be the BEST games so it seems fine to go on the "honor" system in this regard.

 

[Magnulus]

All right, so due to the relative ease with which you can dupe the "system" if you're a greedy sod, we should basically just go with Alternative no. 1, which to recap is as such:

You can enter as many games as you like, and they will all be eligible for cash prizes. If you enter three games and they are all ranked in the top three, you take all the prizes. (unless you wish to give up the prize money to the next runners-up for added honor points with Ironforge.)

Unless someone comes along to counter what has been done so far, I think we've got everything down.

 

[AcidiC]

It's evil, but the only fair solution I guess...

 

[Magnulus]

It's evil, but the only fair solution I guess...

Think of the amount of work they must have done to finish their three projects, then. Or, if they are many people doing them, how many people are going to have to share it. ^_^

Oh, and don't worry, I'll remove the Ironforge bit in the official release.

 

[DaveN]

I think number 1 is the best, just out of the reason you posted above. If someone really is able to get two of his games in the top3, he really deserves that.

And is the December 11th the definitive date?

 

[X-Code]

Wow, at long last we have reached a semi-final decision :lol: , great, what's next?.


We could change the way in which points are granted to... No, I think it'll be best to leave that alone, anyone want a cold beer?

 

[DaveN]

Here, please

Oh, and this rule with the ports. It says
"a game from a different system that has been modified or rewritten to play on the GP2X"

Now, when is it a port? Is a clone allowed to go in? As an example, would 'Super Maryo Chronicals' be able to enter if it was developed just for the gp2x? Or some kind of a Pong or an Asteroids game?

It shouldn't be too hard to say about it is a port or not, I'm just not sure about the 'rewritten' in there, I mean, the graphics are nearly the only difference between SuperTux and Super Mario. Ok, there are the levels as well, but the other things are really close.

Edit: Off-topic. Just found the bork-wiki hidden in the talent thread. I'm so looking forward to that

Edit2: Is there a filesize limit other than the one with sending the entry per mail?

 

[hammy lite]

All entrants must own the rights to use all media and code in the program.

Well, according to this rule you would have to make the entire program by yourself. So basically clones are allowed because even if they similar to another game the author made everything himself and ports because they rely on code and media not made by himself are disallowed.

The port banning rule is porbably unnecessary, but it does clarify that ports are disallowed.

 

[Dzz]

All entrants must own the rights to use all media and code in the program.

Well, according to this rule you would have to make the entire program by yourself. So basically clones are allowed because even if they similar to another game the author made everything himself and ports because they rely on code and media not made by himself are disallowed.

The port banning rule is porbably unnecessary, but it does clarify that ports are disallowed.

That's not quite true, and it's a potentially important distinction. "owning the rights to use" does not necessarily mean that you created them yourselves. If you get some source code or artwork that says you are allowed to use it in an application like this, you own the right to use it. Ports of many different things would be allowed by the "owns the right to use" clause if not explicitly forbidden elsewhere.

 

[Magnulus]

Ah. Thank you for pointing out that inconcistency. I must have been under the influence of some really good cappucino when I wrote that. I'll have Psy remove the "or rewritten" part.

The point here is that you can make any game you like as long as you are legally allowed to publish it, meaning Supertux would be allowed since it has been coded and graphics... -alized from scratch. I'm pretty sure most judges would give it a bottom score in originality, though, so the competition regulates itself in that manner.

 

[Dzz]

Ah. Thank you for pointing out that inconcistency. I must have been under the influence of some really good cappucino when I wrote that. I'll have Psy remove the "or rewritten" part.

The point here is that you can make any game you like as long as you are legally allowed to publish it, meaning Supertux would be allowed since it has been coded and graphics... -alized from scratch. I'm pretty sure most judges would give it a bottom score in originality, though, so the competition regulates itself in that manner.

Isn't SuperTux a port?

 

[Magnulus]

Ah, just read Dzz's answer...

Yeah, basically, you could enter a Quake port... BUT you'd have to make an entirely new .pak file with all new levels and images and sounds. Should we add a final bit to that rule that the game must be playable in its published form and not require separate files to run?

Isn't SuperTux a port?

Yes, of course it is. *slaps my forehead*
If it wasn't a port from Linux, it would be allowed because it's not based on Mario's actual code or media. Sorry about my stupid examples.

 

[DaveN]

Should we add a final bit to that rule that the game must be playable in its published form and not require separate files to run?

But what's with the guys that use python? Since it's pretty big ( 20mb ) it isn't included in any of the games that use it yet, and it would be annoying for the guys that already have installed it if they would have to download a 20mb bigger file just because the developer isn't allowed to use seperate files.

And will there be any prize for the 'Most Original Game', the 'public's favourite' and the 'technically most impressive game' awards?