Sorry your browser is not supported!

You are using an outdated browser that does not support modern web technologies, in order to use this site please update to a new browser.

Browsers supported include Chrome, FireFox, Safari, Opera, Internet Explorer 10+ or Microsoft Edge.

Geek Culture / Planning for the 2007 Text Adventure Competition

Author
Message
Alquerian
18
Years of Service
User Offline
Joined: 29th Mar 2006
Location: Reno Nevada
Posted: 15th May 2007 21:48
Link
Zen - you are right, now is the time to get your ideas on the table and for them to be discussed. I am indifferent to whether there is a welcome/intro screen which displays the help or controls etc., so long as it is text based I don't see any issue with it. Having an external document, booklet or whatever hasn't been discussed so I suppose it is open for discussion. I am not going to have one, however getting the document to the judges would be your first problem. I am sure others will offer their 2 cents on the matter. Anyone have any suggestions for Zenassem on this one?

Visit the Wip!
Back to top
Profile PM Email Website
zenassem
21
Years of Service
User Offline
Joined: 10th Mar 2003
Location: Long Island, NY
Posted: 15th May 2007 22:00
Link
I don't want to give away my idea, but I won't have any opening screen or titles, credits, etc... the game will take a first person omniscient (sometimes) narrative, and in the beginning you are dropped right into a puzzle of sorts. Hence, the need for a manual that one would need to read in order to complete given tasks.

I was thinking about including the document in the game's docs folder. with a simple read-me instructing them to print out the document, or read it in word or what have you.

So perhaps we could all include a simple readme file if there are any special instructions to the judges.

If I can't do the above, I'll have to code a document reader. Not that the manual is a huge Volume or anything, but more like a small manual (smaller than DBpro's manual) but similar in content.

I thought I would ask, because others could see special instructions to judges as cheating or not wanted, as well as additional documentation. If it's overkill, I can easily cut back my plans in this area. So it would be good to know soon before I put too much effort into it.

Back to top
Profile PM Email
Dr Manette
18
Years of Service
User Offline
Joined: 17th Jan 2006
Location: BioFox Games hq
Posted: 15th May 2007 22:12
Link
We should allow basic maps that show exits and pathways only. Obviously text based and also optional. The maps shouldn't affect the scoring in any way, so people who have them get points that others don't get.

Background images where not allowed, I thought, because we agreed on not having media...


BioFox Games...http://www.biofoxgames.com
Join our forum: http://biofox.aceboard.com
Back to top
Profile PM Email Website
Dazzag
22
Years of Service
User Offline
Joined: 26th Aug 2002
Location: Cyprus
Posted: 15th May 2007 23:10
Link
Hmmm. Still don't like the idea of maps. Personally I always liked those adventures where you could go from anywhere to anywhere instantly as long as you had been there before and there was nothing stopping the path now. So for example if the church was 10 moves north of the school then instead of typing ten N's all you had to do is say "goto church" and it gave you a sentence something like "You make your way north to the church" before actually showing the church location description and actually putting you there. Nice.

Cheers

I am 99% probably lying in bed right now... so don't blame me for crappy typing
Current fave quote : "She was like a candle in the wind.... unreliable...."
Back to top
Profile PM Email Website
Cash Curtis II
19
Years of Service
User Offline
Joined: 8th Apr 2005
Location: Corpus Christi Texas
Posted: 15th May 2007 23:20
Link
Quote: "So for example if the church was 10 moves north of the school then instead of typing ten N's all you had to do is say "goto church" and it gave you a sentence something like "You make your way north to the church" before actually showing the church location description and actually putting you there. Nice."

There's no reason you can't include shortcuts like that in your game. If you've been to a location, there's no problem allowing the game to instantly take you there. The map, if you have one, would just update to show the new location. All a map does is keep the player oriented. The worst thing about IF games is getting lost. There's simply no need for that, it doesn't improve the game any.


Come see the WIP!
Back to top
Profile PM
Hobgoblin Lord
19
Years of Service
User Offline
Joined: 29th Oct 2005
Location: Fall River, MA USA
Posted: 16th May 2007 00:06
Link
Quote: "The worst thing about IF games is getting lost. There's simply no need for that, it doesn't improve the game any."


Unless that is the point of the story a maze etc, or the character the player controls has no short term memory

On the media vs no media (what type of media) debate, why not allow it? Matt EE has media doesn't it. Having media does not always make a game better, if it is there for no reason but to make it look pretty. Just don't judge on it, or if that is impossible do not judge on how good it is but on if it was used appropriately. No reason someone should not be able to inclue a nice looking UI if they want to (as Zen posted above), just remember the judging is on the story not the polish.

http://forum.thegamecreators.com/?m=forum_view&t=73324&b=8
My RPG WIP, check it out
Back to top
Profile PM Email Website
aluseus GOD
17
Years of Service
User Offline
Joined: 19th Mar 2007
Location: I\'m here. Now I\'m there. I keep moving
Posted: 16th May 2007 00:33
Link
Quote: "Quote: "But its still completely text!"
How in the world is:

Quote: "graphics and there will be mini platform levels."
as you say

Quote: "still completely text!"
?? "


Hwo will it still be text, why, I draw the text to create the world.
It's still a text adventure with you reaching certain spots and the game asking you hwat to do...

Your signature has been deleted by a moderator because this joke is getting old.
Back to top
Profile PM Email Website
Cash Curtis II
19
Years of Service
User Offline
Joined: 8th Apr 2005
Location: Corpus Christi Texas
Posted: 16th May 2007 00:54
Link
Quote: "It's still a text adventure "

It is not a text adventure, and certainly not at all what this contest is looking for. If you entered that you'd simply be wasting your time because your game would fail all of the grading criteria.


Come see the WIP!
Back to top
Profile PM
Gil Galvanti
19
Years of Service
User Offline
Joined: 22nd Dec 2004
Location: Texas, United States
Posted: 16th May 2007 01:08
Link
On the allowing maps debate, I don't care if it's not judged, but I don't see anything wrong with adding an ASCII map of surrounding locations (One of the actual room may be too much). People can just ignore it if they want to, but some people want it. You might as well just include it, so you can make both groups happy.


Back to top
Profile PM Website
zenassem
21
Years of Service
User Offline
Joined: 10th Mar 2003
Location: Long Island, NY
Posted: 16th May 2007 01:10
Link
Perhaps we can get a poll posted asking participants how they feel about each part. Obviously the contest organizers/judges have the final say, but it might be easier to get feedback on how everyone feels. The poll doesn't have to be too intense but could include options like:

Regarding Media
Should still image media be allowed? Y or N
Should image media affect scoring? Y or N
Should there be a size limit on image media? Y or N
Should there be a color limit on image media? Y or N
Should there be a limit to the number of image media? Y or N
Should image media be limited to a map/compass purpose? Y or N

Should audio media be allowed? Y or N
Should Audio media effect scoring? Y or N
Should Audio be limited to sound effects and not musical Scores? Y or N
should there be a size limit to audio media if allowed? Y or N

Should additional help files, manuals be allowed? Y or N
Should the documentation have an effect on scoring? Y or N
Should there be a limit to additional files? Y or N

Game Text:
Should custom fonts be allowed?
Should font presentation effect the score?
should custom bitmap (graphical fonts) be allowed?

Adventure:
Should there be a limit to the length the adventure should take? Y or N
Or should there be a limit too how long a judge can play a particular game? Y or N

Grading:
What percentage of scoring should the story be awarded? 0-100%
What percentage of scoring should text handling mechanics play? 0-100%
What percentage of scoring should overall presentation play? 0-100%
What percentage of scoring should the puzzle design/solutions play?0-100%
What percentage of scoring should originality play?

etc...

I think you get the idea. I'm just suggesting this so that the organizers could have a way of tabulating what the entrants would like the competition to be. Again, the final decision would be theirs regardless of the info collected.

Back to top
Profile PM Email
Gil Galvanti
19
Years of Service
User Offline
Joined: 22nd Dec 2004
Location: Texas, United States
Posted: 16th May 2007 01:37 Edited at: 16th May 2007 01:38
Link
Regarding Media
Should still image media be allowed? N
Should image media affect scoring? n/a
Should there be a size limit on image media? n/a
Should there be a color limit on image media? n/a
Should there be a limit to the number of image media? n/a
Should image media be limited to a map/compass purpose? n/a, Only simple ASCII maps of surrounding areas.

Should audio media be allowed? Y
Should Audio media effect scoring? N
Should Audio be limited to sound effects and not musical Scores? N
should there be a size limit to audio media if allowed? N

Should additional help files, manuals be allowed? Y
Should the documentation have an effect on scoring? N
Should there be a limit to additional files? N

Game Text:
Should custom fonts be allowed? Yes
Should font presentation effect the score? No
should custom bitmap (graphical fonts) be allowed? No

Adventure:
Should there be a limit to the length the adventure should take? N
Or should there be a limit too how long a judge can play a particular game? N

Grading:
What percentage of scoring should the story be awarded? 20%
What percentage of scoring should text handling mechanics play? 10%
What percentage of scoring should overall presentation play? 20%
What percentage of scoring should the puzzle design/solutions play? 25%
What percentage of scoring should originality play? 25%


Back to top
Profile PM Website
Hobgoblin Lord
19
Years of Service
User Offline
Joined: 29th Oct 2005
Location: Fall River, MA USA
Posted: 16th May 2007 01:46 Edited at: 16th May 2007 01:48
Link
My answers to the poll



http://forum.thegamecreators.com/?m=forum_view&t=73324&b=8
My RPG WIP, check it out
Back to top
Profile PM Email Website
Dr Manette
18
Years of Service
User Offline
Joined: 17th Jan 2006
Location: BioFox Games hq
Posted: 16th May 2007 02:06 Edited at: 16th May 2007 02:07
Link
My answers:




BioFox Games...http://www.biofoxgames.com
Join our forum: http://biofox.aceboard.com
Back to top
Profile PM Email Website
Alquerian
18
Years of Service
User Offline
Joined: 29th Mar 2006
Location: Reno Nevada
Posted: 16th May 2007 02:39 Edited at: 16th May 2007 02:41
Link
My thoughts:



Visit the Wip!
Back to top
Profile PM Email Website
Darth Vader
19
Years of Service
User Offline
Joined: 10th May 2005
Location: Adelaide SA, I am the only DB user here!
Posted: 16th May 2007 07:02
Link
Quote: "safe for the very limited 'create your own adventure' storybooks)"

I have almost got the complete series of those books! There great!

My poll answers



Back to top
Profile PM Email Website
Cash Curtis II
19
Years of Service
User Offline
Joined: 8th Apr 2005
Location: Corpus Christi Texas
Posted: 16th May 2007 07:22 Edited at: 16th May 2007 07:24
Link
Should still image media be allowed? N

Should audio media be allowed? N

Should additional help files, manuals be allowed? Y
Should the documentation have an effect on scoring? N
Should there be a limit to additional files? N

Game Text:
Should custom fonts be allowed? Yes
Should font presentation effect the score? No
should custom bitmap (graphical fonts) be allowed? Yes

Adventure:
Should there be a limit to the length the adventure should take? N
Or should there be a limit too how long a judge can play a particular game? N

Grading:
What percentage of scoring should the story be awarded? 20%
What percentage of scoring should text handling mechanics play? 20%
What percentage of scoring should overall presentation play? 20%
What percentage of scoring should the puzzle design/solutions play? 20%
What percentage of scoring should originality play? 20%


Come see the WIP!
Back to top
Profile PM
Dazzag
22
Years of Service
User Offline
Joined: 26th Aug 2002
Location: Cyprus
Posted: 16th May 2007 09:12
Link
Getting complicated again. Why not just have two forks. So basically the main winner has to be media free, but a side competition allows media and cannot win the main competition.

As for grading, I dunno, I would go barmy as a judge if I had to think of all those different areas. Personally I always end up with inconsistancies when I do things that way. So basically you review 10 games then realise that the overall winner was not the one you liked the most and wanted to play. It is a difficult thing, but I suppose it is whatever the creator of the competition wants to judge on. I would just play it for a minimum of, say, 3 hours, then give it an overall score based on how I felt the whole game felt. End of.

Cheers

I am 99% probably lying in bed right now... so don't blame me for crappy typing
Current fave quote : "She was like a candle in the wind.... unreliable...."
Back to top
Profile PM Email Website
Cash Curtis II
19
Years of Service
User Offline
Joined: 8th Apr 2005
Location: Corpus Christi Texas
Posted: 16th May 2007 09:25
Link
Quote: "I would just play it for a minimum of, say, 3 hours, then give it an overall score based on how I felt the whole game felt. End of."

Don't be afraid to give me more than 100%. And I'd also understand if you refused to play any other games after you played mine.

I already know how I'm going to do it, regardless of the specifics. I'll make a proper IF game, with a few additions that make gameplay a little easier. You'll be able to toggle them all off since none of them are critical. However, I guarantee that everyone will want to play with the extra features on.


Come see the WIP!
Back to top
Profile PM
Dazzag
22
Years of Service
User Offline
Joined: 26th Aug 2002
Location: Cyprus
Posted: 16th May 2007 09:52
Link
Quote: "Don't be afraid to give me more than 100%"
I wouldn't be. If I was a judge. Which I'm not.

Quote: "I'll make a proper IF game, with a few additions that make gameplay a little easier. You'll be able to toggle them all off since none of them are critical"
Yep, thats the way I would do it if I was going to do one. Don't need the prize so just make the game I want. If that means you don't win then fine, at least everyone knows how good it is. Just to add an interesting idea, I saw something the other day that was basically a text adventure in 3D. Ok, so nothing to do with this competition at all, but sounded cool. And a bit more up DB's alley. A 3D Valhalla (anyone get that Mary reference?) would be awesome.

Quote: "I guarantee that everyone will want to play with the extra features on"
Cool. Generally I find when people are dead confident they at least have something interesting up their sleeves. Feel free to code yourself to death to bring me a next gen gnome ranger beater

Cheers

I am 99% probably lying in bed right now... so don't blame me for crappy typing
Current fave quote : "She was like a candle in the wind.... unreliable...."
Back to top
Profile PM Email Website
entomophobiac
22
Years of Service
User Offline
Joined: 1st Nov 2002
Location: United States
Posted: 16th May 2007 12:29
Link
Should still image media be allowed? N
Should audio media be allowed? N

Should additional help files, manuals be allowed? Y
Should the documentation have an effect on scoring? N
Should there be a limit to additional files? N

Game Text:
Should custom fonts be allowed? Y
Should font presentation effect the score? N
should custom bitmap (graphical fonts) be allowed? N

Adventure:
Should there be a limit to the length the adventure should take? N
Or should there be a limit too how long a judge can play a particular game? N

Grading:
What percentage of scoring should the story be awarded? 20%
What percentage of scoring should text handling mechanics play? 20%
What percentage of scoring should overall presentation play? 20%
What percentage of scoring should the puzzle design/solutions play?20%
What percentage of scoring should originality play? 20%
Back to top
Profile PM
zenassem
21
Years of Service
User Offline
Joined: 10th Mar 2003
Location: Long Island, NY
Posted: 16th May 2007 14:58 Edited at: 16th May 2007 15:52
Link
Here are my responses. I'll tabulate the results so far. This will give us a baseline of what many of us think so far.



Poll Results!!! # of participants = 9

Regarding Media:
Should still image media be allowed? Y=3 (1 turn off option) / N=6

2 out of 3 Y's
Should image media affect scoring? Y=1 / N=1
Should there be a size limit on image media? Y=0 / N=2
Should there be a color limit on image media? Y=0 / N=2
Should there be a limit to the number of image media? Y=0 / N=2
Should image media be limited to a map/compass purpose? Y=0 / N=2

Should audio media be allowed? Y=5 / N=4

4 out of the 5 Y's
Should Audio media effect scoring? Y=0 / N=4
Should Audio be limited to sound effects and not musical Scores? Y=0 / N=4
should there be a size limit to audio media if allowed? Y=0 / N=4

Should additional help files, manuals be allowed? Y=9 / N=0
Should the documentation have an effect on scoring? Y=3 / N=6
Should there be a limit to additional files? Y=0 / N=9


Game Text:
Should custom fonts be allowed? Y=8 / N=1
Should font presentation effect the score? Y=3 / N=6
should custom bitmap (graphical fonts) be allowed? Y=4 / N=5


Adventure:
Should there be a limit to the length the adventure should take? Y=1 / N=8
Or should there be a limit too how long a judge can play a particular game? Y=1 6hrs / N=7


Grading:
What percentage of scoring should the story be awarded? avg 36.6%
What percentage of scoring should text handling mechanics play? avg 11.6%
What percentage of scoring should overall presentation play? avg 15%
What percentage of scoring should the puzzle design/solutions play? avg 20%
What percentage of scoring should originality play? avg 16.6

Back to top
Profile PM Email
Dazzag
22
Years of Service
User Offline
Joined: 26th Aug 2002
Location: Cyprus
Posted: 16th May 2007 15:26 Edited at: 16th May 2007 15:27
Link
Stuff it. Might as well answer those questions myself while I'm at it.



Cheers

I am 99% probably lying in bed right now... so don't blame me for crappy typing
Current fave quote : "She was like a candle in the wind.... unreliable...."
Back to top
Profile PM Email Website
zenassem
21
Years of Service
User Offline
Joined: 10th Mar 2003
Location: Long Island, NY
Posted: 16th May 2007 15:37 Edited at: 16th May 2007 16:58
Link
Great I just tabulated! LOL! I'll figure your answer in a minute.

It looks like most of us agree on everything! Which is good. The areas that seem to be split or close are:

-Audio media

-Custom Bitmap Fonts
(This one may have thrown some people off? as Allowing custom fonts was favored. But I'm not sure if people wanted to allow creating their own bitmap fonts, and being able to paste them as transparent sprites) May have to clarify...

Either that, or people understood, and they wanted to be able to use custom fonts on their machine, and provide them, but didn't want to open the box to allowing people to create personal bitmap fonts.

Back to top
Profile PM Email
Benjamin
21
Years of Service
User Offline
Joined: 24th Nov 2002
Location: France
Posted: 16th May 2007 16:29
Link
Quote: "I'll figure your ans in a minute."

I think you spelled two of those words wrong.

Tempest (DBP/DBCe)
Multisync V1 (DBP/DBCe)
Back to top
Profile PM Email
zenassem
21
Years of Service
User Offline
Joined: 10th Mar 2003
Location: Long Island, NY
Posted: 16th May 2007 16:45
Link
Yeah my spell checker is in Firefox2 which has been crashing on me since I added a form-save plugin. So I need to reinstall. Just using ie7 temporarily.

What's funny is... I'm not the best speller when I'm writing or typing. But I can spot when a word doesn't look right when some one else posts. There are a lot of words that I do worse when I think about them. If I don't overthink them I tend to spell it correctly. There are other words that I can hardly remember seeing. for instance...

"dieing" just doesn't look right to me.

Though...

"dying" looks just as wierd, and I think of it as to dye, or to color.

I'll have to look at an online dictionary but is "dieing" a word????? Off the top of my head I couldn't answer for certain. Strange, right??

Back to top
Profile PM Email
zenassem
21
Years of Service
User Offline
Joined: 10th Mar 2003
Location: Long Island, NY
Posted: 16th May 2007 16:50
Link
OK found my answer.

dieing is a word, but it means to tool/manufacture something.

dying is indeed a word, and can mean cease to live.

I would have put my money on dieing!

Back to top
Profile PM Email
Benjamin
21
Years of Service
User Offline
Joined: 24th Nov 2002
Location: France
Posted: 16th May 2007 16:52
Link
Don't worry about it, you wouldn't have wanted to 'correct' the two words I was looking at.

Tempest (DBP/DBCe)
Multisync V1 (DBP/DBCe)
Back to top
Profile PM Email
Diggsey
18
Years of Service
User Offline
Joined: 24th Apr 2006
Location: On this web page.
Posted: 16th May 2007 19:49
Link
Regarding Media
Should still image media be allowed? N
Should image media affect scoring? -
Should there be a size limit on image media? -
Should there be a color limit on image media? -
Should there be a limit to the number of image media? -
Should image media be limited to a map/compass purpose? -

Should audio media be allowed? N
Should Audio media effect scoring? -
Should Audio be limited to sound effects and not musical Scores? -
should there be a size limit to audio media if allowed? -

Should additional help files, manuals be allowed? Y
Should the documentation have an effect on scoring? N
Should there be a limit to additional files? N

Game Text:
Should custom fonts be allowed? Y
Should font presentation effect the score? Only if it affects gameplay
should custom bitmap (graphical fonts) be allowed? N

Adventure:
Should there be a limit to the length the adventure should take? N
Or should there be a limit too how long a judge can play a particular game? N

Grading:
What percentage of scoring should the story be awarded? 75%
What percentage of scoring should text handling mechanics play? 10%
What percentage of scoring should overall presentation play? 5%
What percentage of scoring should the puzzle design/solutions play? 5%
What percentage of scoring should originality play? 5%


VISIT MY WEBSITE!
Back to top
Profile PM Email Website
Dr Manette
18
Years of Service
User Offline
Joined: 17th Jan 2006
Location: BioFox Games hq
Posted: 16th May 2007 22:50
Link
Quote: "Don't worry about it, you wouldn't have wanted to 'correct' the two words I was looking at. "


Haha, nice

Quick question about "proper english". Say we wanted to use a dialect for a character instead of correct english,

ex: How is th' adventure goin' (instead of) H
How is the adventure going.

Obviously, the second one is the right way to say the sentence, but for story telling purposes, the first is better.


BioFox Games...http://www.biofoxgames.com
Join our forum: http://biofox.aceboard.com
Back to top
Profile PM Email Website
zenassem
21
Years of Service
User Offline
Joined: 10th Mar 2003
Location: Long Island, NY
Posted: 16th May 2007 23:51
Link
Quote: "Don't worry about it, you wouldn't have wanted to 'correct' the two words I was looking at. "


I just got it!!!!

Back to top
Profile PM Email
Dazzag
22
Years of Service
User Offline
Joined: 26th Aug 2002
Location: Cyprus
Posted: 17th May 2007 01:10 Edited at: 17th May 2007 01:10
Link
Quote: "Obviously, the second one is the right way to say the sentence, but for story telling purposes, the first is better."
I have seen loads of stuff for speech and descriptions in a game (ie. no worries for a NPC to say that), but can't remember anywhere that would allow that sort of thing as a command. Essentially anything the game describes (the story) can be said however you want, but generally the commands are in proper english (or whatever language you want to use; I've seen a welsh adventure when I was a kid). If you see what I mean.

Cheers

I am 99% probably lying in bed right now... so don't blame me for crappy typing
Current fave quote : "She was like a candle in the wind.... unreliable...."
Back to top
Profile PM Email Website
Dr Manette
18
Years of Service
User Offline
Joined: 17th Jan 2006
Location: BioFox Games hq
Posted: 17th May 2007 01:30
Link
Quote: "but can't remember anywhere that would allow that sort of thing as a command"


I actually just meant for a character talking, not a command necessarily. The judges should be able to tell when someone is using a dialect and when it's just misspelled.


BioFox Games...http://www.biofoxgames.com
Join our forum: http://biofox.aceboard.com
Back to top
Profile PM Email Website
Matt Rock
19
Years of Service
User Offline
Joined: 5th Mar 2005
Location: Binghamton NY USA
Posted: 17th May 2007 06:31
Link
I haven't abandoned this, I promise! I'm sort of in "crunch time" with EE coming out on Friday so I've been too busy for lengthy posts, but I should have time for a proper response saturday after the storm passes, hehe. Sorry


"In an interstellar burst, I'm back to save the universe"
Back to top
Profile PM Email Website
Alquerian
18
Years of Service
User Offline
Joined: 29th Mar 2006
Location: Reno Nevada
Posted: 17th May 2007 20:25 Edited at: 17th May 2007 20:29
Link
Edit : Nevermind

Visit the Wip!
Back to top
Profile PM Email Website
zenassem
21
Years of Service
User Offline
Joined: 10th Mar 2003
Location: Long Island, NY
Posted: 21st May 2007 02:31 Edited at: 21st May 2007 06:48
Link
I'm a bit stuck on what I am going to do.

I could hardcode(even if the story, items, etc. are being loaded into structures from files) everything... but in the end it would be more beneficial to code a text adventure creator tool.

I can just see myself getting stuck going overboard on what I need to do. I guess since we have such a headstart I'll work in both directions. As the story gets more complex I know that I'll be kicking myself for not coding my own GUI creation system. It's the old coders dilema.

A) Spend a week or couple of weeks coding a tool that in the end will ease the dev process especially near crunch time.

OR

B) Give in to having fun coding the adventure right away, only to wish I had done it right from the beginning.


There are some things that I need to know before I plan too much.
[1] When will the competition actually start?
[2] Am I allowed to begin now?
[3] Will we be allowed to use any type of windows gui elements? (for example blueGUI)
I'm basically referring to drop down boxes, text/message windows, input boxes and the like. For instance, a drop down box to click on previously visited locations. If not, I'll need to know what graphics even if coded are allowable. I know no decisions have been made yet but it would be good to know as soon as possible. I'd like to have some transparent plains/sprites with text on top, but this may go against the medi/graphics decision.
[4] Will we be able to use scripting (whether it be our own, or an established language like lua/python)?

Back to top
Profile PM Email
BMacZero
18
Years of Service
User Offline
Joined: 30th Dec 2005
Location: E:/ NA / USA
Posted: 21st May 2007 06:35
Link
I agree with everything that's been semi-established so far, I just want to make sure that when all the rules are decided, they are advertised well so everyone know what they are doing. I'd like to start but I'm going to play it safe.


"Of course you should fight fire with fire. You should fight everything with fire!" —Jaya Ballard, task mage
Back to top
Profile PM Email Website
Dazzag
22
Years of Service
User Offline
Joined: 26th Aug 2002
Location: Cyprus
Posted: 21st May 2007 09:14
Link
Quote: "but in the end it would be more beneficial to code a text adventure creator tool"
Yep. Can you see the 3D map coming together?

Quote: "Am I allowed to begin now?"
Well that's given the game away a bit Seriously though, how are we going to tell? I could write 100,000 lines of code and you really wouldn't know if I started in 1995 or can type really fast and have given up my life to work on this 24/7. And there are ways around file creation date stamps. Plus do you really want to eliminate Diggsey? He seemed so excited...

Cheers

I am 99% probably lying in bed right now... so don't blame me for crappy typing
Current fave quote : "She was like a candle in the wind.... unreliable...."
Back to top
Profile PM Email Website
zenassem
21
Years of Service
User Offline
Joined: 10th Mar 2003
Location: Long Island, NY
Posted: 21st May 2007 11:03
Link
@Dazzag, Got a good laugh from that!!! Even if it was indirectly at myself. Funny how things can make so much sense when typing them!!!!

Back to top
Profile PM Email
Dazzag
22
Years of Service
User Offline
Joined: 26th Aug 2002
Location: Cyprus
Posted: 21st May 2007 11:19
Link
Quote: "Funny how things can make so much sense when typing them!!!!"
Yeah, I know what you mean. Personally I have very little time, so am seriously trying to avoid this. On the other hand I have been far too lazy with DBP in recent times (used to be 24/7 *years* ago in DBC, and only really done a few VB plugins for the editor when DBP came out... ).

I might bung together something small for this. But I started yesterday, and practically break every rule there is so far Stuff it, is fun.

Cheers

I am 99% probably lying in bed right now... so don't blame me for crappy typing
Current fave quote : "She was like a candle in the wind.... unreliable...."
Back to top
Profile PM Email Website
zenassem
21
Years of Service
User Offline
Joined: 10th Mar 2003
Location: Long Island, NY
Posted: 21st May 2007 11:36
Link
I started setting up all my UDT's; knowing I probably won't use half of the variables.

At this point the hard part is deciding the structure of storing the data (regions, rooms, InterRoomConnects, items, objects, NPC's, Timers); then these break down into (name, number, description(numof, numofdescriptions), isHidden, isTakeable, isTaken etc...

While I tend to divde a larger types into a combination of smaller UDT's; the problem comes in when I know I'd like to have a UDT array inside another UDT which would then also be an array, and then I realize I can't do that.

So more than likely I'll wind up withm some form parallel arrays, and linked lists, with some Elmer's holding it all together.

Back to top
Profile PM Email
Fallout
22
Years of Service
User Offline
Joined: 1st Sep 2002
Location: Basingstoke, England
Posted: 21st May 2007 12:02
Link
Quote: "Yeah, I know what you mean. Personally I have very little time, so am seriously trying to avoid this. "


Yeah, same here. I've decided not to enter the compo. Unfortunately a combination between not having much time, and having the motivation of Mr Motivator's arch nemesis. I made a start but found I was making it way too complicated, so instead of simplifying the design, I just canned it.

Hard work does indeed pay off in the future, but laziness pays off right now.


Back to top
Profile PM
Dazzag
22
Years of Service
User Offline
Joined: 26th Aug 2002
Location: Cyprus
Posted: 21st May 2007 12:06
Link
Currently I am just focusing on the interface. As I am unlikely to have the time to also flesh out a full story etc then I am going to produce a simple MUD with, hopefully, the ability of the user to create their own adventure. So the user gets allocated, say, a 10x10x3 location grid (3D map... yes....) when they register, and they can setup their own map with objects, puzzles, NPCs etc. Everyone can then play on their map.

Not quite sure yet on the dynamics of how that would all work exactly (not the code, but the way the game would play. I mean whats to stop someone creating an adventure that gave them the ultimate weapon and then they complete the game themselves), but is more fun to code. And ok, so it's not exactly what the competition wants, but nevermind; I always wanted to do a MUD, even a simple one.

Cheers

I am 99% probably lying in bed right now... so don't blame me for crappy typing
Current fave quote : "She was like a candle in the wind.... unreliable...."
Back to top
Profile PM Email Website
Diggsey
18
Years of Service
User Offline
Joined: 24th Apr 2006
Location: On this web page.
Posted: 21st May 2007 18:36
Link
@Dazzag
Maybe the one I give in is not the one I am working on

Anyway, somebody should have said that we weren't allowed to start yet. They announced it!


VISIT MY WEBSITE!
Back to top
Profile PM Email Website
Tom J
19
Years of Service
User Offline
Joined: 4th Aug 2005
Location: Essex, England
Posted: 21st May 2007 19:10
Link
As far as I am aware, the competition starts in either June or July.

Back to top
Profile PM
Matt Rock
19
Years of Service
User Offline
Joined: 5th Mar 2005
Location: Binghamton NY USA
Posted: 23rd May 2007 20:48 Edited at: 23rd May 2007 20:50
Link
Phew! Okay, I read through everything I've missed. I'm sorry for being so flaky about this for the last few days, the EE release has been eating up every ounce of my free time lately... this press release stuff has been killing me. Except Monday, I'll be pretty much in-accessible on Mondays this summer from May through October as we'll be playing football ("soccer"), sore legs and all. Anyway, onto the subject at hand. I'm going to make official rulings on everything, based on popular opinion (and a few opinions of my own, of course).

Yes, you're allowed to start now (or previously). As long as you don't enter the exact same game that you entered last year, I'm cool with it. As Dazzag pointed out, there's no way us judges could tell when you started working on your projects. If you started working on a project for last year's competition and didn't finish it on time, feel free to enter it this year... that's fine .

The competition is going to officially begin in the first week of June, and will run until October, allowing extra time this year for finals and whatnot so everyone has ample time to work on their entries. I'm not sure of precise dates yet, but you'll find out what they're going to be when I make the Competition's official thread .

Okay, the rules:

The game is not allowed to use media* for any purposes other than a HUD/ GUI, which is defined in the following rule. Alternatively, you're allowed to use media if you'd like to win the "kudos award" (title pending, hehe) for "best media," but this will make you ineligible for the main award and any of the prizes we distribute to the winner of the competition. If you'd like to have media in your game but you're still hoping to win the main competition, include an option to turn media off.

The game is allowed to have a HUD/GUI. The image used must be static (cannot be animated), and the same HUD/GUI must be used on all screens. Also, the HUD cannot contain images that depict the location, characters, or otherwise the environment in any way. Judges will determine if an image used for a HUD/GUI breaks this rule.

Your game must come in executable (EXE) form. You may include files and folders, but the game cannot be run directly from a website (can't be a "web game" that is playable only on a website).

The game must be controlled using only the keyboard. You can employ mouse usage in the game's front-end only. If you plan to include mouse control, the game must have an option to not use the mouse and only use the keyboard for input.

The game can only be written in DarkBASIC, DarkBASIC Professional, Dark GDK, PlayBASIC, or any other programming language/ environment available for sale from The Game Creators as of the date this contest ends. All plugins, extensions, expansions, DLLs, etc. may be used in the development of your game. Please include a list of all plugins used!

You must include source code to show that you made this game yourself. If you would like to keep this code secret from other contestants, you can e-mail the entry to me personally, and I will not steal your code, nor will I distribute your code to anyone who isn't a judge (and the judges won't steal your code either). Alternatively, you can rem out blocks of your code that you wish to remain secret (in moderation, of course), so long as you include in a rem statement that a block of code has been remmed out, and include a brief description of what the rem'd code did.

One entry per person. You are allowed to submit group entries (games created by a group/ team), but no one in that group/ team may submit another game to the competition.

Judges and TGC employees can't enter . Kind of goes without saying I think, lol. This doesn't include TGC's mods, of course. Sorry Lee, but TeX10 can't be entered

* = "Media" includes, but isn't limited to, sound effects, music, 2D or 3D art/ images, animations, videos, sprites, models, etc.

Am I missing anything here? I think this keeps the rules simple while still covering all of the bases


"In an interstellar burst, I'm back to save the universe"
Back to top
Profile PM Email Website
Tom J
19
Years of Service
User Offline
Joined: 4th Aug 2005
Location: Essex, England
Posted: 23rd May 2007 21:04
Link
Cool, One week from now the competition officially begins

Back to top
Profile PM
zenassem
21
Years of Service
User Offline
Joined: 10th Mar 2003
Location: Long Island, NY
Posted: 23rd May 2007 21:08 Edited at: 23rd May 2007 21:25
Link
@Matt Rock,
I'm cool with that!!!




I'll have to use my nogg'n

But I think you made the most out of all of our suggestions. Thanks for taking the time Matt. I'm sure everyone appreciates it. I'm just glad it's decided and we can all now concentrate on working within the parameters set. Great Job! Really excited about the Compo (wasn't around much last year). Also nervous about some of the competitors.

@Dazzag, Not really sure if you ever fully stated if you are "in" or "out". Honestly, I hope your in. I enjoy reading your writing. I the style/flow, witt & humor; and thathas been limited to the scope of posts. I can only imagine how you would go about presenting/narrating/scripting an interactive story. No pressure, I understand all about time-constraints. But I still hope you are in, or even submit a basic outline.

Back to top
Profile PM Email
Zotoaster
19
Years of Service
User Offline
Joined: 20th Dec 2004
Location: Scotland
Posted: 23rd May 2007 21:21
Link
Sooo, am I a judge, yeah?

Back to top
Profile PM Email
Dr Manette
18
Years of Service
User Offline
Joined: 17th Jan 2006
Location: BioFox Games hq
Posted: 23rd May 2007 23:07
Link
Awesome, we have actual rules now! Now all I need is a story... preferably a good story.


BioFox Games...http://www.biofoxgames.com
Join our forum: http://biofox.aceboard.com
Back to top
Profile PM Email Website
Matt Rock
19
Years of Service
User Offline
Joined: 5th Mar 2005
Location: Binghamton NY USA
Posted: 24th May 2007 01:03
Link
Yeah Zotoaster you're one of the judges, that is if you want to be one, hehe.

Glad you guys like the rules I set up, hope they work for everyone


"In an interstellar burst, I'm back to save the universe"
Back to top
Profile PM Email Website
Back to top

Login to post a reply

Server time is: 2024-11-18 19:32:46
Your offset time is: 2024-11-18 19:32:46