Build A Space Game 2009

ID:82298
 
Sep 20 2009, 3:20 am



Well I thought I'd jump on the bandwagon here, seeing as it -is- competition season.

Introducing Build A Space Game 2009. What is the competition for, I ask some of you cry. Well read the name, and you might get a hint.

That's right, you will working to make a space-based game based on BYOND. The idea of this is that you're not entering a 'everyone-for-themself' competition, but entering to achieve an award for working as a team to create a game that many will enjoy. The benefits of this competition is that many games will be created and many of them will be playable and enjoyable. Although only one can take the grand prize (and runner up prizes. You can enter as a team or by yourself, it's entirely up to you. Entries will be accepted as soon as the competition starts, but I don't expect any for at least 2 months. That gives you ample time to get a fun game going.

There are various rules to take into account here, which are listed below:

  • The Contest will last 3 Months, starting 21/09/2009 untill 21/12/2009.
  • The contest will start at 11:59PM GMT on the 20/09/2009, lasting until 11:59PM GMT on the 21/12/2009.
  • Winner(s) will be announced on Christmas Day. (25/12/2009)
  • There will be a top prize, followed by second, third, and 5 runner up prizes.
  • You may use a team of UP TO 5 persons on your project.
  • You may use libraries as long as they are clearly included and labelled within the source code.
  • You must start the game AFTER 21/09/2009 and it must be entered by the 21/12/2009.
  • The entered game should be playable and include documentation, otherwise it will not be counted.
  • There will be a small list of specifications for your game that will be posted when the contest begins. This is to ensure that people don't cheat.
  • If it has been found that your game was started before the set date, or that you're using someone else's work, you will be disqualified.

  • Prizes will include a variety of things, including (but not limited to):

  • BYOND membership
  • Merchandise
  • Hosting and web space

  • Donations for prizes are welcome, simply contact me via the usual means - MSN [email protected] or email me at [email protected].

    I will announce a list of prizes and specifications at midnight tonight, 23:59 GMT (11:59PM).
Sep 20 2009, 3:44 am
I think its a great idea but i don't have the attention span to work on a game for 3 months.
Sep 20 2009, 5:35 am
I never was a team guy.

This is a good idea though. I think there should be more of these to keep the community going.
Sep 20 2009, 7:50 am
What is the purpose of having to submit source code?

I'm making that assumption based on - "You may use libraries as long as they are clearly included and labeled within the source code."

ts
Sep 20 2009, 8:00 am
Players will need to submit the source code in order for the judges to fully verify ownership and that participants haven't essentially ripped off another game.

@ Fugsnarf: You are more than welcome to enter as an individual, 3 months is plenty of time to get a nice game made, even on your own.

@ Drehdog7: You don't need to make the project span the entire 3 months - you are more than welcome to make a game in a week and submit it.
Sep 20 2009, 8:05 am
That really doesn't justify the need to submit the source.

If you mean to compare it to some existing game... you can't because you don't have that games source. If you mean to compare against another submitted game, then it isn't necessary until a potential problem is found. In which case, you could just perform an investigation on those specific games and perhaps the specific source.

Judges won't learn anything from the source except for how things were done. :|

ts
Sep 20 2009, 9:51 am
It is a condition of entry for the reasons I have stated plus any others, including (but not limited to) verification of file-creation dates.

It wont be changed.
Sep 20 2009, 9:54 am
Drehdog7 wrote:
I think its a great idea but i don't have the attention span to work on a game for 3 months.

If it means anything, possibly the most successful contest on BYOND, aside from the 2006 and 2009 GIADs, was the great Iccusion Contest 2006, and it was about one to two months long.
Sep 20 2009, 9:55 am
That's fine if you want to draw the line now. How will you tell if someone creates a new project and copies the source from an old one?

ts
Sep 20 2009, 9:57 am
He won't. Which is why I agree with Tsfreaks here. There's no way to know if someone took another person's source unless you've already seen the source before. I don't even see the issue with that. If it's a good space game, good for them.
Sep 20 2009, 10:16 am
I agree with Fugsnarf. If this contest encourages someone to pull out an old unreleased game and finish it, awesome.

Is it fair? Designing a game from scratch with a motivated team is probably easier than someone trying to build on top of an old project anyway.

Just because someone has a "head start", doesn't mean they will finish or that what they have is anywhere near to winning a contest.

As Fugsnarf says, the "rule" can be easily "tricked" so you might as well not have the rule at all.

While I don't want to beat a dead horse... there hasn't been a solid reason for source submission. This is not the type of contest that really requires "source validation". Perhaps I'm the only one that feels this way. If you get a long list of submissions, good for you. If not, perhaps reconsider. Just a a friendly suggestion.

I won't be submitting one of my own even though I am very interested in space games (I do have a large partial space project) but it's because of available time right now. If I were to be actively developing a space game, I would never share the source. That would be silly.

ts
Sep 20 2009, 10:19 am
What you guys are neglecting to look at is the fact that there are unreleased details that will be announced once the contest begins.

Sure, three months is probably plenty of time to change an existing game to fit these new details, but if you think about it, would that necessarily be more time efficient? To heavily modify something that already exists or to create something new from scratch?

I think that the latter would be more time efficient, because of all of the additional debugging I would have to do from doing the former.


I find it kind of ridiculous that you refuse to share your source code. It's in the spirit of the contest, and frankly, I doubt any narutard would prance along and rip your game off.

I have had 29 downloads of my GIAD's source code since I've released it. I was somewhat worried about the same things you are worried about, but you know what? I look around, and no one's ripped it. Quit being so paranoid. :P
Sep 20 2009, 10:42 am
Are graphics, sounds, music, ect included in the "created after 21/09/09" rule?

Also, will the source code be sent to judges for verification only, or will it be made publicly available?

I think one of the reasons people are worried about releasing their source code (in comparison to GIAD) is that this is a long-term project, and they have much more to lose if the game is "ripped", as it will be more or less complete.
Sep 20 2009, 10:44 am
I think forcing someone to create their own sound and music would be a bit much.
Sep 20 2009, 1:27 pm
You can use sound and music from wherever you want. You'll need to do the icons and code yourself.

The source will only be sent to the judges for verification, and will not be available to the public. Each of the judges will sign an NDA to confirm this.
Sep 24 2009, 5:56 am
Hmm...I should enter this.
Oct 4 2009, 11:45 am
I'm in.