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A quick games programming competition ?

Submitted by Zaph on
Forum

Just wondering if any programmers would be interested in a short (lets say 1 month) games programming competition with a really crap prize :-)

I've been thinking of holding a small, controlled competition based around some of the ideas I've had from entering other coding competitions over the years.
I don't have any real prizes (maybe just some stuff I won in the raffle at AGDC) so I wanted to see if there would be any interest in it before planning it out further.

The basic idea would be that the comp would be very controlled conditions, and inteded to show a particular side of programming skills as well as general game design ideas.

I'd either hold it in December or January depending on the interest.

What do people think ? I know there are other programming comps out there and there may not be interest in a small one with crap prizes :-)

Some of details I'm currently messing with in my mind:
- Using Java as the language (close enough to C/C++ that people can learn it in a few days if they can already program)
- Target platform would be a mobile phone emulator - or the actual phone if you happen to have one :-) (MIDP 1.0) so that performance is critical. I have a Nokia 6610 so it would probably be that phone :-)
- Limited code/data footprint of 64kb
- Limited total memory footprint of (yet to be decided, maybe 100kb?)
- All entries able to be downloaded and played from the net, but sourcecode is optional.

I'll continue this idea further if there is interest.

Zaph [B)]

Submitted by souri on Tue, 02/12/03 - 4:00 AM Permalink

Anyone interested in this? I think it sounds like a great little event to get going for you coders.. what are your opinions?

Submitted by Zaph on Fri, 05/12/03 - 7:25 PM Permalink

quote:Originally posted by Shplorb

Or alternatively: http://www.disasterarea.net/xmascompo/ =]

I think the focus of that competition is very different - it's not got a lot to do with making games (a little, but only part of the job).
I was hoping there would be interest in a competition specifically geared towards gaming, but I guess there isn't much interest at this stage [:(]

Submitted by J I Styles on Fri, 05/12/03 - 10:03 PM Permalink

I'd like to see this sort of thing get up and going for the coder community - even as a show of encouragement for you lot to get more active [:)]

How about reproduce your own take on the original pong in 2 months? It wouldn't be about nifty effects, or "time attack" (producing something in a ridiculously small amount of time); but rather making an interesting new take on something simple and recognisable in whatever you're comfortable with.

Submitted by souri on Fri, 05/12/03 - 11:44 PM Permalink

I'm kinda disappointed at the lack of enthusiasm by programmers on here! This sounds like an ideal little challenge to get going, and it's the perfect solution to spark up some programming activity on Sumea. It would be great to have the kind of interest for a programming challenge like we do for the modeller challenge, but it really is up to you coders to make it happen (and there are plenty of you on here!)

Submitted by Daemin on Sat, 06/12/03 - 1:26 AM Permalink

Well I would be enthusiastic, but there's a bunch of ideas of becoming an indie floating through my head at the moment, and I don't particularily like Java, although I have done a bit of mobile phone development.

Submitted by phucked on Mon, 08/12/03 - 11:43 PM Permalink

I would probably be up for it, sounds like fun.

Submitted by Kane on Tue, 09/12/03 - 1:41 AM Permalink

i may as well join in as well...[:D]

Submitted by Shplorb on Wed, 10/12/03 - 9:19 AM Permalink

quote:Originally posted by Souri

I'm kinda disappointed at the lack of enthusiasm by programmers on here!

I'd say it's probably because all us coders are too busy coding games at work =]

Submitted by Blitz on Wed, 10/12/03 - 10:05 AM Permalink

I wish! :P
CYer, Blitz

Submitted by Kezza on Wed, 17/12/03 - 7:58 AM Permalink

sorry, work + own project (non phone based)
you won't see me in this one

Posted by Zaph on
Forum

Just wondering if any programmers would be interested in a short (lets say 1 month) games programming competition with a really crap prize :-)

I've been thinking of holding a small, controlled competition based around some of the ideas I've had from entering other coding competitions over the years.
I don't have any real prizes (maybe just some stuff I won in the raffle at AGDC) so I wanted to see if there would be any interest in it before planning it out further.

The basic idea would be that the comp would be very controlled conditions, and inteded to show a particular side of programming skills as well as general game design ideas.

I'd either hold it in December or January depending on the interest.

What do people think ? I know there are other programming comps out there and there may not be interest in a small one with crap prizes :-)

Some of details I'm currently messing with in my mind:
- Using Java as the language (close enough to C/C++ that people can learn it in a few days if they can already program)
- Target platform would be a mobile phone emulator - or the actual phone if you happen to have one :-) (MIDP 1.0) so that performance is critical. I have a Nokia 6610 so it would probably be that phone :-)
- Limited code/data footprint of 64kb
- Limited total memory footprint of (yet to be decided, maybe 100kb?)
- All entries able to be downloaded and played from the net, but sourcecode is optional.

I'll continue this idea further if there is interest.

Zaph [B)]


Submitted by souri on Tue, 02/12/03 - 4:00 AM Permalink

Anyone interested in this? I think it sounds like a great little event to get going for you coders.. what are your opinions?

Submitted by Zaph on Fri, 05/12/03 - 7:25 PM Permalink

quote:Originally posted by Shplorb

Or alternatively: http://www.disasterarea.net/xmascompo/ =]

I think the focus of that competition is very different - it's not got a lot to do with making games (a little, but only part of the job).
I was hoping there would be interest in a competition specifically geared towards gaming, but I guess there isn't much interest at this stage [:(]

Submitted by J I Styles on Fri, 05/12/03 - 10:03 PM Permalink

I'd like to see this sort of thing get up and going for the coder community - even as a show of encouragement for you lot to get more active [:)]

How about reproduce your own take on the original pong in 2 months? It wouldn't be about nifty effects, or "time attack" (producing something in a ridiculously small amount of time); but rather making an interesting new take on something simple and recognisable in whatever you're comfortable with.

Submitted by souri on Fri, 05/12/03 - 11:44 PM Permalink

I'm kinda disappointed at the lack of enthusiasm by programmers on here! This sounds like an ideal little challenge to get going, and it's the perfect solution to spark up some programming activity on Sumea. It would be great to have the kind of interest for a programming challenge like we do for the modeller challenge, but it really is up to you coders to make it happen (and there are plenty of you on here!)

Submitted by Daemin on Sat, 06/12/03 - 1:26 AM Permalink

Well I would be enthusiastic, but there's a bunch of ideas of becoming an indie floating through my head at the moment, and I don't particularily like Java, although I have done a bit of mobile phone development.

Submitted by phucked on Mon, 08/12/03 - 11:43 PM Permalink

I would probably be up for it, sounds like fun.

Submitted by Kane on Tue, 09/12/03 - 1:41 AM Permalink

i may as well join in as well...[:D]

Submitted by Shplorb on Wed, 10/12/03 - 9:19 AM Permalink

quote:Originally posted by Souri

I'm kinda disappointed at the lack of enthusiasm by programmers on here!

I'd say it's probably because all us coders are too busy coding games at work =]

Submitted by Blitz on Wed, 10/12/03 - 10:05 AM Permalink

I wish! :P
CYer, Blitz

Submitted by Kezza on Wed, 17/12/03 - 7:58 AM Permalink

sorry, work + own project (non phone based)
you won't see me in this one