It'll start at something like 10pm EST tonight (just under 3 hours from this post's time) and go on for 24 hours.
The results will be an average of scores given by competing members in the competition, and also anyone who posts in this post by midnight tonight (5 hours from this post). Competing members in the competion will be weighed double. Also, in order to give a score (either competing or just posting), there must be at least a brief comment for each category.
Scores are given out on a scale from 0.0-10.0 in the following categories:
Theme
Originality
Completeness
Graphics
Gameplay
Overall/Personal Preference
There will be three main points to the compition. First is theme. The theme will be revealed at 10pm. It will be random, and I will explain how that is so at 10pm when it is chosen.
Second is Originality. You should strive to make something different. Either genre-wise, art-style-wise, or whatever.
Third is completness. For this competition, completeness refers only to wrapping the game up. Length does not matter, as long as you could pull the game off as, for instance, a demo or something.
All three 'featured' categories are also up to reader interpretation. As a final rule, when scoring a game, you will not be allowed to score your own game (and if you have an alias don't use it, although I really have no way of knowing).
I'd like to wrap the top three games (if we get that many) into one app for download here, but we'll see if I can even get anyone to participate. If not, I'm going to do it alone and win I guess.
So, anyone game? Or does anyone have questions, suggestions, comments?
The issue with waiting 24 hours is that its going to bleed into monday, and for anyone in summer school, or people working (like myself), are going to lose that day. However, the solution is to make it a 48-hour competition.
So a new rule, this is now a 48-hour compo. Maybe an admin can change the topic? It starts now officially, as three is good for now, maybe we can get some extras along the way.
The end time is 10:00pm EST, August 6th.
First I will explain my idea for the theme so that I can prove I did not think of it beforehand. I took the last person to comment's name (Pixelthief), split it into two words, and wanted to find the first interesting concept that came up in google. The first entry was:
"Stop Thief Screen Saver free download. Pixel Paradox makes NO ..."
So, the theme for the compition is:
PARADOX
Interpret and use it however you want. I look forward to everyone's entries!
I made a little application once that timed when MMF was open, after a given period (in my case 72 hours) it would beep and shout at you. It's open to cheating but you actually get a flexible 24 hours to make a game.
That's quite interesting. Although the reason I wanted to have this comp was more for a fixed timeframe, so that maybe a decent short game or two will actually be released by Monday night.
And we are well underway for the compo. We have three entrants so far, and 1/4th of the time is gone. Anyone care to share your concepts?
I don't want to ruin mine, but its kind of an action-puzzler...
I apologize.... but you still have a little more than 24 hours!
The thought came to me yesterday, so I posted it to see if there was interest. I didn't want it to go into the week if possible, and we had 3-4 people by this morning, so we just took off with it. And to be honest, I didn't think I'd have more than one response, as my reasoning was that if people wanted to do it, that there would have been more frequent posts on the boards trying to start them.
I will plan much better next time. Also, I'm coming up with some other ideas also that I'll throw out after this compo is over, just some additional random stuff to keep the community energized, and I'll see if anything catches on.
I'd so fookin' love to do this. Game makin' is the one thing I can sit down for ages with. That game demo I posted in another topic was mostly done in one 12 hour sitting.
Check out my Telekinesis'em'up Thread and the ALICE Machines -
There's just one thing I hate with these quick game competitions: By the time I realize it exists, most people are halfway through their game, lol.
Disclaimer: Any sarcasm in my posts will not be mentioned as that would ruin the purpose. It is assumed that the reader is intelligent enough to tell the difference between what is sarcasm and what is not.
@ Muz- Yup, exactly. I guess most people are in the same boat though. That's why it would be better to announce a competition like this at least 1 day before it starts. Oh well, I suspect people would be using already half-prepared games or engines, making it difficult to compete with if you are truly going from scratch.
Blargh, I think Im out. I was aiming way too high with my prince of persia-clone. Levels take waay too long to make :c
Might just enter the engine though, if thats allowed? x'D just for fun
Going to have to shelve my game, have plans for today. It was going to be a platformer called Paradoxia with various in jokes and impossibilities in it.
if you're comfortable with it, please submit whatever you finish by this evening.
Seeing that this got the reaction it did, lets plan to have another next weekend.
It'll have a new theme/twist, a much earlier announcement, and a even a better incentive (not that dc points arent enough!)
I'll elaborate more tonight when I don't have to type on a damn cellphone.
Ricky: haha, nice play on words there. Looks like you're the winner so far I was planning to make PARADUCKS, but all I had was a fancy name about half an hour to make a game!
As there are only two entries, I'll extend the deadline 12 hours to 10am EST Teusday morning in the hopes that some peeps will upload there abandoned games. I will post a reply at 10 to cut off submissions, and then open up reviews for a day or two to see who wins.
and uh, I might sleep and wake up before I finish it, so It might be a quite a few hours, but in all fairness I'll have put in no more then 5 hours work total.
Just a heads up, its going to be named "Paradoxysm"
Though this is the cutoff, Hempuli and Pixelthief still have a couple hours to upload their games. If they don't get them up in a couple hours then we'll move on without them.
well, this is the cutoff. I'll make a summary post tonight, but everyone should play the entries and give your scores and comments below. Try to contain your reviews in one post, so it easier to keep track of. Also, if your in the mood, help out you fellow competitors and give them some comments, or even a full review, on their game's page.
Theme: 5
Though it had nothing to do with the actual theme, it was a clever play-on-words that will net you half the points in my eyes.
Originality: 7
Obviously I've never played a game about two docks, but at the same time, I have played games where you sort objects. But the theme bleeds into this category nicely, so you get a 7.
Completeness: 10
The game is complete, it has high scores and all. Full points.
Graphics: 3
The colors are clashing, and the graphics themselves are very dull. It's wrong because I'm holding this to full game standards, but oh well.
Gameplay: 3
It was fun the first time, but I had no desire to play again and beat my score, which says a lot when scoring in a category called 'gameplay'.
Overall/Personal Preference: 4
Not a game I would recommend to anyone, but still mildly fun for a minute or two. And it is complete, so that is exciting! But it is my least favorite of the three I can score.
Final Average Score: 5.3
Paradoxysm
Theme: 3
Not quite sure where the theme came into play here, other than the title of the game, and the black and white-ness.
Originality: 5
Quite original, unfortunately it is also QUITE similar to another game with a very similar title
Completeness: 10
Complete game (at least up to the point that I couldn't beat).
Graphics: 8
Graphics are good and go well with the atmosphere, though the animation was a little glitchy sometimes.
Gameplay: 8
Very fun to play, though the platform movement was kinda glitchy.
Overall/Personal Preference: 8
Again, it was very fun and accomplished, but it was quite hard. I still loved it though, and it was my favorite of the three I can score.
Final Average Score: 7
Paradox - Random Difficulty
Theme: 3
Other than the title, this doesn't really relate to a paradox.
Originality: 3
Not very original, as there have been many many shoot-um-up before this one.
Completeness: 10
Fully complete, high scores included.
Graphics: 5
Decent graphics, though a little 'newb' shines through, it was still nice.
Gameplay: 5
Fun to play, but only once or twice, as there are only two types of enemies, and no reason to try harder except to get a better score.
Overall/Personal Preference: 6
I like this to a certain extent. It was my second favorite of the bunch I could score.
Final Average Score: 5.3
So my final order (excluding my game) is:
1) Paradoxysm
2) Paradox - Random Difficulty
3) Pair of Docks
Disclaimer: Any sarcasm in my posts will not be mentioned as that would ruin the purpose. It is assumed that the reader is intelligent enough to tell the difference between what is sarcasm and what is not.
Theme: 6
From what I can tell, its a minigame compilation with a sort of intentionally user-unfriendly air to it; several require extremely non-obvious solutions to win. At the same time, its got a theme.
Originality: 7
To that extent, the minigames heavily borrow from the bullet-hell genre; massive amounts of projectiles that you need to dodge. While thats not all that original, the fact that you can use simply tricks to bypass some is.
Completeness: 10
From what I can tell, theres no real way past the "red bubble" minigame, so I'll just assume it has a complete finish.
Graphics: 5
The most absolute basic vectors it can get by with, but the varied speed of the lines makes it prettier to look at then it could have been.
Gameplay: 7
I have a thing for mini-games, but they didn't differentiate themselves from one another. Though the "blue bubble" minigame was a nice twist.
Overall/Personal Preference: 8
Given the amount of time, it probably fit the theme the most of the 4 games presented, and it held my attention for quite an impressive time considering my normal 5 minute span.
Final Average Score: 7.2
Paradox: Random Difficulty
Theme: 3
I don't think it had anything to do with a paradox, but at least it was named right.
Originality: 5
A blend between the twitch space shooter games and the bullet hell games; tons of projectiles but also tons of enemy ships. At least its not adhering directly to the archetype of either.
Completeness: 10
Had a menu screen, a death screen, and you even bothered to alter the game menu to allow for powerups/not.
Graphics: 7
The ships were actually pretty well drawn, and from what I could tell, the powerups too. The giant ugly gradient bars and background, were not -_-
Gameplay: 5
It wasn't too drab to be boring; it held my attention to play through it till I died, but it was certainly repetitious. Only 2 different enemies, both with the same attack patterns. It could have used some simple expanding on that concept.
Overall/Personal Preference: 6
I was a bit turned off by the gradients, but then again bullet-dodging is always fun.
Average Final Score: 6.0
Pair o' docks
Theme: 10
It had its own theme, and it stuck to it.
Originality: 5
Played like a mini-game out of something like warioware; the sorting stuffs not all that original, but as in interpretation of the theme it clicked.
Completeness: 10
Had a both menu and death screen, along with built-in instructions on how to play (something the other games all lacked)
Graphics: 6
Butt-ugly but original, I guess it fit the theme. The water could have been done a little better....
Gameplay: 6
I see what you were going for, but the inability to get more then 1 boat at a time hampers it to the effect that regardless of ability it would be impossible to outlast the major waves.
Theme: 6
Although I did not find the game play to have much to do with a paradox, I found myself asking the example question many times.
Originality: 7
Simple, but nothing I have every really seen done exactly the same
Completeness : 8
The game is complete, except I don’t know how to close it.
Graphics: 7
Very simple, but do what they are supposed to do.
Game Play: 6
Its fun, but the fact that you have to redo previous levels when you lose becomes frustrating
Overall/Personal Preference: 5
Not really my type of game
Final average score: 6.5
Paradoxism
Theme: 6
Other than the name, and the use of two colors, I saw no relation to a paradox.
Originality: 9
The graphics style, the game play, the game seemed original.
Completeness:10
The game is complete
Graphics: 10
Although they were simple, they were fluidly animated and clean.
Game Play:10
The game was challenging and fun.
Overall Preference: 10
When you lose you don’t restart the game. That makes it fun. More games should follow this ones example. Game overs aren’t fun, so don’t use them.
Final score: 9.2
Paradox- Random difficulty
Theme: 2
Where is the paradox?
Originality: 5
Doesn’t seem to add anything new to this genre of games.
Graphics: 7
Clean and simple and in good quantity. It gets a little busy on the screen though.
Completeness: 10
With a cool looking menu, options etc… The game is complete.
Game Play: 5
Bullets rain down like rain, removing the dodging element from the game. You have to do absolutely no work to get health and power ups, as they come strait to you. There is no consequences for shooting. This removes a lot of decision making from the game.
Preference: 2
I found the game to be very boring. The music is cool, but puts you to sleep
Overall: 5.1
Best to worst:
1. Paradoxism 9.2
2. Paradoxical 6.5
3. Paradox Random Difficulty 5.1
And I give you the results of the 48-hour tourney!!!
Honorable Mention:
Paradox - Random Difficulty
Third Place:
Pair of Docks
Second Place:
Paradoxical
First Place:
Paradoxysm!!!!!
In case you wonder, I scored based on average ranking, not on actual score. But if you do it based on average score, I think you actually end up with the same results anyways.
Good job guys! And go take a gander at the new compo!