Game Programming Contest
by William Ulrich · in General Discussion · 10/09/2003 (5:50 pm) · 6 replies
I'm hosting a game programming contest on my website and bulletin board. Top prize is $100 with $25 going to the top two runnerups. The basics of the contest is: C/C++ using the Direct3D API for Windows. Oh, did I mention you've only got 3 weeks?!
Game Programming Contest
Game Programming Contest
#2
10/10/2003 (7:58 am)
That's okay. I'm trying to make this an ongoing event so there will be more contests. Hopefully I'll be able to get some sponsors and advertisements (no popups though) on the website to further this along in the near future.
#3
Let people use whatever programming language and APIs they want so long as what they send you is all in one installation file or zip file and doesn't require anything else. Obviously, you would also have to require that they not send you any pirated software.
There should be SOME limitations because you shouldn't let people post games made with some sort of gamemaking program. It should only be programs they made themselves.
I don't know how much you should pay attention to my opinion though. I'm working on other things, so I don't have time to stop and make a little game in 3 weeks. I already don't have much programming time because of my 2 jobs anyways. After all, I want to pay off my college debts sometime this century.
10/10/2003 (9:36 am)
You should "widen" the contest.Let people use whatever programming language and APIs they want so long as what they send you is all in one installation file or zip file and doesn't require anything else. Obviously, you would also have to require that they not send you any pirated software.
There should be SOME limitations because you shouldn't let people post games made with some sort of gamemaking program. It should only be programs they made themselves.
I don't know how much you should pay attention to my opinion though. I'm working on other things, so I don't have time to stop and make a little game in 3 weeks. I already don't have much programming time because of my 2 jobs anyways. After all, I want to pay off my college debts sometime this century.
#4
10/11/2003 (3:34 pm)
Okay, there is obviously some interest in a game programming contest (seeing that the post on my bulletin board has managed 78 views in the past 2 days), but I haven't had any confirmed entries. So, let's do a little brainstorming. What's the problem with the contest? Too short of a deadline? That's probably the biggest one. DX only? Yeah, that should be changed as well. Anything else? 
#5
10/11/2003 (5:21 pm)
I would, but I'm busy with my project.. and I think a lot of people [here] are too.
#6
I would want to send you the source code, a jar file, and a .exe that runs the code if you have a good enough JRE. It would all be in a zip file. But you would have to get the JRE (version 1.4 or higher for a full-screen app) yourself.
The whole deadline thing is pointless. You have no way of keeping people from working on a game for 10 months and then sending it in and saying they worked on it for 3 weeks.
That's not a problem with the FIRST contest, but you said you were going to want to have more than one.
I wouldn't be in the first contest though because I've got other things I need to do. This month (and probably next month too) is a busy month for me.
Are people allowed to have teams? I mean, I can do the programming, but the art and music will be a serious problem for me.
If we aren't allowed to have teams, that's fine. The art would be junk, and there would be no music. But it would still be a game.
I think I would probably only spend, at most, a couple days on making a game for the contest. I have 2 jobs and thus not enough time to program as it is.
But I could make a pretty decent little action game over a weekend.
Is there some sort of fee for participating? I don't see it mentioned on your site. I don't see how you could give out prizes without charging a fee, but I wouldn't pay to be in the contest.
10/13/2003 (7:29 am)
DX only is definetly a problem since I would want to use Java. But I would have a heck of a time using Java anyways. I can make a .exe file, but I can't put the JRE inside it unless we're allowed to send setup files.I would want to send you the source code, a jar file, and a .exe that runs the code if you have a good enough JRE. It would all be in a zip file. But you would have to get the JRE (version 1.4 or higher for a full-screen app) yourself.
The whole deadline thing is pointless. You have no way of keeping people from working on a game for 10 months and then sending it in and saying they worked on it for 3 weeks.
That's not a problem with the FIRST contest, but you said you were going to want to have more than one.
I wouldn't be in the first contest though because I've got other things I need to do. This month (and probably next month too) is a busy month for me.
Are people allowed to have teams? I mean, I can do the programming, but the art and music will be a serious problem for me.
If we aren't allowed to have teams, that's fine. The art would be junk, and there would be no music. But it would still be a game.
I think I would probably only spend, at most, a couple days on making a game for the contest. I have 2 jobs and thus not enough time to program as it is.
But I could make a pretty decent little action game over a weekend.
Is there some sort of fee for participating? I don't see it mentioned on your site. I don't see how you could give out prizes without charging a fee, but I wouldn't pay to be in the contest.
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