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.

Game Design Theory / Text Adventure Competition!

Author
Message
The InTIMidator
18
Years of Service
User Offline
Joined: 22nd Jun 2005
Location: Somerset, UK
Posted: 12th Jun 2006 18:51
Link
Ok so when you say stats, thats like
HP=50
MP=20
EXP=1001
not
key=1
torch=1
potion=6
Also instead of using HP=1 could you say "Feeling really bad, like dead" or HP=5 could be said as "Right as rain!"? It's not really stats... is it?
The InTIMidator

"Press any key ... where's the any key"
AMD Athlon 64 3400, 1 Gb RAM, Radeon 9800 pro, 80GB HDD
Back to top
Profile PM Website
Reaperman
20
Years of Service
User Offline
Joined: 9th Sep 2003
Location: Kent, England
Posted: 12th Jun 2006 19:05
Link
Quote: "Really though, don't use the default font, it's ugly. Just find a standard font that fits your theme. I also suggest using a double-text effect, for example drawing in black a little to the side and down, then drawing in white in the original location gives a nice drop-shadow."


Sorry Van, slip of the keyboard there.

I will be using the standard fonts, which is what I did mean.
And yes, the 3d effect is good to use, as is colour effects etc. It should be interesting to see what people make.

Cheers
Reaperman
Back to top
Profile PM
Reaperman
20
Years of Service
User Offline
Joined: 9th Sep 2003
Location: Kent, England
Posted: 12th Jun 2006 19:13
Link
Question to Matt Rock:

Van B has kindly posted a link to a font chart (very helpful), but as anyone can see, there are some differences in the fonts that are installed on different versions of Windows.

Some, like for example "Arial" are the same in all the versions of Windows, but there are others that are not present.

So I just thought I would ask you, what Version of Windows will you and the other game reviewers by using? Are you all using XP or not?

Just thought I would ask to save any possible problems with fonts used in the game.

Cheers
Reaperman
Back to top
Profile PM
Matt Rock
19
Years of Service
User Offline
Joined: 5th Mar 2005
Location: Binghamton NY USA
Posted: 12th Jun 2006 22:59
Link
Quote: "Well you could allow more entries per person, but limit number of awards per person to 1. I think that this is done in the Dark A.I. competition."

I'll talk it over with the other judges. Suppose if we limited the prizes there wouldn't be a problem with it.

Quote: "If we use DLLs (such as Sparky's D3D Text), would you need to provide that with the exe to show what we have used? Or isn't it necessary?"

We'd prefer it if you'd supply us with as much resources as possible to better score your game.

Quote: "So I just thought I would ask you, what Version of Windows will you and the other game reviewers by using? Are you all using XP or not?"

Two of us are on XP home and one of us is on XP pro. All entries should be fully compatible with XP, fonts included. Next year when we do this contest again, I'll be sure to include a full list of acceptable fonts, and sorry to everyone for the inconvenience with this year's contest

@ The InTIMidator: Please read through my rather long post at the top of this page (page 4) regarding the statistics debate.


"In an interstellar burst, I'm back to save the universe"
Back to top
Profile PM Email Website
Perokreco
19
Years of Service
User Offline
Joined: 5th Apr 2005
Location: Bosnia and Herzegovina
Posted: 13th Jun 2006 01:52
Link
Quote: "
It'll end up being a poor labyrinth game where you say...go left..right...forward... and sometimes you'll fall into a trap...and it is just not going to catch the judges at all..."

No it wont. First this is not an an RPG its an IF. If you are unfamiliar with the genre i suggest that you go to http://www.the-underdogs.info/ and download few IF games. Then you could understand what an IF or text adventure is like.
Back to top
Profile PM Email
Cash Curtis II
19
Years of Service
User Offline
Joined: 8th Apr 2005
Location: Corpus Christi Texas
Posted: 13th Jun 2006 03:18 Edited at: 13th Jun 2006 07:06
Link
Quote: "If you package everything in one folder and send us that folder it will be a lot easier on you and us judges as well. You can use sub-folders as well, if you'd like to tidy up your game, but the zipping rule is definitely staying standard. Not only would it use up time for us to unzip every entry, but we'd be running the serious risk of getting a virus (I'm not too worried about that, but the other two judges are beyond paranoid ) and they seem to think it will be easier to detect a virus if the game isn't zipped up."


Matt Rock, how exactly do you package files into a folder without zipping it up? And how do you send a folder via e-mail?

This is the most ridiculous rule I've ever heard. It only takes 10 seconds to right click on an archive and test it for viruses. It only takes 10 more seconds to unpack the archive. It would take you twice as long to download the file as the archived version, so I don't see how you're saving time.

I don't understand something else. If TGC is the sole sponsor of this contest, why are non-TGC products allowed to be used to make the games? If the winner uses a non DB language, the resulting code is worthless for the community.

[Edit]
The 5 mb limit is also a bit extreme. If I entered, I'd use DBP so that I could reuse all of the text parsing functions. However, my executable would be megabytes bigger than other lighter languages. Therefore, people using DBP are at a disadvantage, as including media to enhance the game would be next to impossible.



Come see the WIP!
Back to top
Profile PM
Chenak
21
Years of Service
User Offline
Joined: 13th Sep 2002
Location: United Kingdom
Posted: 13th Jun 2006 04:13
Link
Don't think it's possible to have a dbpro exe less than 8mbs .

By the way, if you all have windows xp, it treats zip files as folders, unless you have installed winrar or something, which isn't really our fault if it causes an extra 10 seconds to extract.
Back to top
Profile PM
Matt Rock
19
Years of Service
User Offline
Joined: 5th Mar 2005
Location: Binghamton NY USA
Posted: 13th Jun 2006 08:02
Link
We send files from computer to computer throughout my "company" via yahoo mail and we've never had a problem (except when using beta). But after talking it over with the judges (and arguing profusely), it's been decided that using WINZIP and ONLY Winzip will be allowed, and ONLY to send us your game. When the game is unzipped, it absolutely must be no larger than 5MB uncompressed or the entry will be void.

TGC isn't the only sponsor. underware design is submitting a copy of Playbasic as a prize as well, and we're actively looking for other prizes, too. And as I've stated countless times, this contest is more aimed at story development than programming ability (although the latter is pretty important as well). While I'm hoping people submit in DBC/P, if I limited it to just DarkBASIC then people would have complained, and I didn't want that.

About the 5MB limit: It's designed to keep people from loading up their projects with media, so that they focus more on story development and source coding. Media doesn't count towards the score anyway. Also, I've made a decent number of programs that were less than 3MB using DarkBASIC professional and I know a decent amount of others who have as well, so I don't understand why so many people hate this rule. Nevertheless, next year we'll more than likely increase the file size limit to 10mb or 15mb, but for this year, the 5mb rule is static. Again, let me point out that media will have absolutely no effect on your score whatsoever. I'm sorry if this is causing an inconvenience to some of you, but I already feel like we're changing too many rules and that one is going to have to stay as-is.


"In an interstellar burst, I'm back to save the universe"
Back to top
Profile PM Email Website
The InTIMidator
18
Years of Service
User Offline
Joined: 22nd Jun 2005
Location: Somerset, UK
Posted: 13th Jun 2006 11:22
Link
Sorry Matt,
Didn't realise the big post at the top I was just a little peeved off and couldn't be bothered to read the whole thing...sorry...but i think cud jes get away with it...hehe
So we could use MP and HP?? Am I right in saying
That would be cool... and the Stats you were talking about i thought it was health and stuff. I wasn't thinking about the Stamina and Agility sorta games. Though, that rpg compo sounds real gd ...if it happens that is. So i think it would be ok...just need clarification on the HP and MP in battles...
Thanks
The InTIMidator

"Press any key ... where's the any key"
AMD Athlon 64 3400, 1 Gb RAM, Radeon 9800 pro, 80GB HDD
Back to top
Profile PM Website
Dream And Death
18
Years of Service
User Offline
Joined: 21st Feb 2006
Location: The circus! Juggling job, kids and DBPro
Posted: 13th Jun 2006 11:44
Link
Cash:

In order to drop your .exe size, just put a list of .dlls to [exclude] into compiler.ini. Cuts the file size wayyy down!

Hope this helps.
Back to top
Profile PM
Dream And Death
18
Years of Service
User Offline
Joined: 21st Feb 2006
Location: The circus! Juggling job, kids and DBPro
Posted: 13th Jun 2006 12:24
Link
Cash:
Read my question in the main DBPro forum, and you'll see some advice that spooky gave me. Cut my exe from 5.1mb down to 834kb.
Back to top
Profile PM
Cash Curtis II
19
Years of Service
User Offline
Joined: 8th Apr 2005
Location: Corpus Christi Texas
Posted: 13th Jun 2006 14:55
Link
Quote: "Dream And Death "

I actually have quite a few DLLs excluded right now, just none of the 3D ones. I think that my EXEs are down around 3mb, but 834kb is an impressive difference.

My project right now comes in at 8.5 mb with exclusions, but my program is almost 10k lines, so it's not a fair candidate for comparison.

I'm working on my text parser right now, but I'm tailoring it for 3D dependency, so those exclusions wouldn't really be practical for me. I do appreciate the advice though, I always benefit from good ideas.


Come see the WIP!
Back to top
Profile PM
Perokreco
19
Years of Service
User Offline
Joined: 5th Apr 2005
Location: Bosnia and Herzegovina
Posted: 13th Jun 2006 15:39
Link
Will any of the entries be disqualified if they are found to be rpgs not IFs?
Back to top
Profile PM Email
Van B
Moderator
21
Years of Service
User Offline
Joined: 8th Oct 2002
Location: Sunnyvale
Posted: 13th Jun 2006 15:49
Link
Why not post a screenshot and ask if people think it looks too RPG'ish.

\\begin Historylesson

To make an RPG more like an IF, just cut down on the DISPLAYED stats, and use more room description, the line has always been fine because text adventures gave birth to RPG's (MMORPG's for that matter started life as text adventures). I knew a guy who wrote the first graphical RPG on the spectrum - you know how they did the graphics?

Text...

Well a special font system on the spectrum let you make font sets in basic with binary, these were used for graphics most of the time. So from people making fancy fonts for text adventures we got to people using them for RPG maps which evolved into proper graphics from art packages etc. Believe it or not but most sprite designing on the 8-bits was done on graph paper then hard coded as binary.

\\end historylesson

Aegrescit medendo
Back to top
Profile PM Email
Cash Curtis II
19
Years of Service
User Offline
Joined: 8th Apr 2005
Location: Corpus Christi Texas
Posted: 13th Jun 2006 16:16
Link
RPG stats integrated into an IF game would be perfectly acceptable. Zork did it, it just didn't show it. You could take some damage before you'd die. You also had limited numbers of item uses that you could perform before exhausting them. Just try to keep it at a minimum, externally.


Come see the WIP!
Back to top
Profile PM
Dream And Death
18
Years of Service
User Offline
Joined: 21st Feb 2006
Location: The circus! Juggling job, kids and DBPro
Posted: 13th Jun 2006 19:17
Link
DATA 01001010
DATA 01001010
DATA 01001010
DATA 01111010
DATA 01001010
DATA 01001010
DATA 01001010
DATA 01001010

Yes, i still have it! (Bye the bye, although I am deifnately not the guy mentioned above, I did have one rpg published on the Spectrum - Demon Portal, which was on the cover of Your Sinclair in 1991 (Feb, I think!))

VanB's history lesson is spot on. My school at the time was raided for old maths text books, as they already had squared paper. A letter on the speccy was an 8 by 8 grid, which you could custom design with data statements as above! Try designing an isometric wall in 64 binary digits!

The leap to 3D is proving quite a challenge for me at times!
Back to top
Profile PM
Dr Manette
18
Years of Service
User Offline
Joined: 17th Jan 2006
Location: BioFox Games hq
Posted: 14th Jun 2006 04:37
Link
How indept are we allowed to go? I was thinking of having short text "cut scenes" were certain characters talk, and then you choose something to say. Is this deviating too much from a regular text adventure? Also, is having certain items needed for completing the game too much like an rpg? Thanks.

Bio Fox...four guys, one computer, games like nobody's business.
Back to top
Profile PM Email Website
Perokreco
19
Years of Service
User Offline
Joined: 5th Apr 2005
Location: Bosnia and Herzegovina
Posted: 14th Jun 2006 04:43
Link
I think that having certain items to complete is one of the things taht constitute adventures, at least the graphical ones.
Back to top
Profile PM Email
Cash Curtis II
19
Years of Service
User Offline
Joined: 8th Apr 2005
Location: Corpus Christi Texas
Posted: 14th Jun 2006 06:32
Link
Items are part of IF. The object of Zork I was to collect all of the treasures and put them in the bookcase. In order to do so, you had to gather and correctly use many different items.


Come see the WIP!
Back to top
Profile PM
Van B
Moderator
21
Years of Service
User Offline
Joined: 8th Oct 2002
Location: Sunnyvale
Posted: 14th Jun 2006 17:09
Link
DreamnDeath, you may have heard of him, he wrote a good few games - Carnell Software?, Roy Carnell and Stuart Galloway, Roy wrote a book called 'Spectrum Adventures' which is probably a little piece of nostalgic gold by now - it got me determined to start making my own adventures and was probably the first non-kiddies book I ever read.

Sorry for dragging things askew topic (askew because we're talking history here), but I think that everyone entering should do some research into the early text adventures and how they could turn low res text and miniscule amounts of ram into entire game worlds. Colossal Adventure, The Hobbit, Zork series, Level 9 series - these are all well worth checking out for good dialogue and text, Level9 adventures were always a bit difficult for me though , very complex but still great.

Aegrescit medendo
Back to top
Profile PM Email
Perokreco
19
Years of Service
User Offline
Joined: 5th Apr 2005
Location: Bosnia and Herzegovina
Posted: 14th Jun 2006 18:00
Link
I am curretly playing bureacracy. Sick game. I love it.
Back to top
Profile PM Email
Matt Rock
19
Years of Service
User Offline
Joined: 5th Mar 2005
Location: Binghamton NY USA
Posted: 14th Jun 2006 22:07
Link
Quote: "Will any of the entries be disqualified if they are found to be rpgs not IFs? "

We're going to judge it as an RPG if it appears to be cumbersome with statistics... so try to avoid using too many of them (or bury them in the code so that they don't slow the player down from reading, as Curtis and Van mentioned) Hit points and basic, primitive statistics like that are okay, but if you have stats for stamina, agility, charisma, etc., as typical RPGs would have, then I suggest you either hide them or remove them entirely (preferably the latter).

Quote: "How indept are we allowed to go? I was thinking of having short text "cut scenes" were certain characters talk, and then you choose something to say. Is this deviating too much from a regular text adventure? Also, is having certain items needed for completing the game too much like an rpg? Thanks."

As long as these cut scenes are done in text, then I don't see a problem with it (it's just dialogue afterall). The more creative you get with your text, the higher your score will be and the better your chances of winning are, and this seems like a pretty creative solution. Items are okay, but if each item has a ton of stats that make learning to use them an act in their own right, then we'll probably see it as too RPG-ish. But if you have, for arguement's sake, a sword that does 10 points of damage, that's fine. Just try to keep it simple and you'll be in the clear


"In an interstellar burst, I'm back to save the universe"
Back to top
Profile PM Email Website
Black Mesa
18
Years of Service
User Offline
Joined: 25th Mar 2006
Location:
Posted: 15th Jun 2006 07:41 Edited at: 15th Jun 2006 07:42
Link
I know you said that using keyboard characters to represent images such as player location is not allowed. What about using keyboard characters to represent something simple the player sees such as:



Also, just for clarification the technical design criteria is basically the "technology" and "skill level" used to program it so an auto complete function is worth more than having to type the exact string? Am I right? Thanks.
Back to top
Profile PM
Cash Curtis II
19
Years of Service
User Offline
Joined: 8th Apr 2005
Location: Corpus Christi Texas
Posted: 15th Jun 2006 07:48
Link
Quote: "I know you said that using characters to represent images such as player location is not allowed. What about using characters to represent something simple the character sees such as:"

I've seen it done before. In Enchanter, at one point the player is looking at a map of a maze. Without an on screen text representation, such a thing would have been impossible. But, it was just for one part. I doubt anyone would care for a flood of ASCII graphics.


Come see the WIP!
Back to top
Profile PM
Diggsey
18
Years of Service
User Offline
Joined: 24th Apr 2006
Location: On this web page.
Posted: 15th Jun 2006 20:26
Link
When you said "no mouse" are you allowed to have a cursor, so that you can edit the text that you are writing and to have a scroll bar?


There are three types of people, those that can count and those that can't.
Back to top
Profile PM Email Website
Dream And Death
18
Years of Service
User Offline
Joined: 21st Feb 2006
Location: The circus! Juggling job, kids and DBPro
Posted: 15th Jun 2006 21:34
Link
I'm thinking no mouse means no using that thing beside the keyboard. If your cursor and scroll bar work from the cursor keys, I'm sure the mice police won't come an dget you.
Back to top
Profile PM
Les Horribres
18
Years of Service
User Offline
Joined: 20th Nov 2005
Location: My Name is... Merry
Posted: 16th Jun 2006 01:52
Link
Quote: "As long as these cut scenes are done in text, then I don't see a problem with it (it's just dialogue after all). The more creative you get with your text, the higher your score will be and the better your chances of winning are, and this seems like a pretty creative solution."


Confused... Creativity of text? Are you talking about locations of the text, or just what the text says?

Quote: "I know you said that using keyboard characters to represent images such as player location is not allowed. What about using keyboard characters to represent something simple the player sees such as:"


First page of the thread, he allows it.

Quote: "I don't see any problem with using ASCII art, so long as you understand that your media won't be counted into the final score. Also, the idea of a text adventure is that you explore the world by reading text and making decisions, not moving around a map, and your total score will reflect that if you try to use some sort of map. The media can't directly interact with the player and can only be used aesthetically."


My Government sucks, join the rebellion!
One can only know so much, only comprehend the world to a point. After that we exist as impressionable beings. Doing nothing, being nothing, forever nothing.
Back to top
Profile PM Email Website
Darth Vader
18
Years of Service
User Offline
Joined: 10th May 2005
Location: Adelaide SA, I am the only DB user here!
Posted: 16th Jun 2006 05:58
Link
Is it alright to just do a stroy line with a few choices? I mean having completly no stats viewable or in the codes background? So its like reading a book with choices? Also when you say no mouse does that count for the game menu as well?
Thanks!


I have the longest Biog under my profile button!
"You don't know the power of Dark Basic Pro!"
-Darth Vader-
Back to top
Profile PM Email Website
Black Mesa
18
Years of Service
User Offline
Joined: 25th Mar 2006
Location:
Posted: 16th Jun 2006 07:06
Link
He said that the mouse can be used for the main menu and the main menu only
Back to top
Profile PM
Matt Rock
19
Years of Service
User Offline
Joined: 5th Mar 2005
Location: Binghamton NY USA
Posted: 16th Jun 2006 09:11
Link
Quote: "What about using keyboard characters to represent something simple the player sees "

We'd much rather you described the computer as opposed to trying to show it, even with text in limited capacity. While you could get away with this once in a while, your score will be much higher if you take the time to write a description of each scene. Media inclusion is mostly for encasing the text in something... I think I worded that right, but let me know if you need clarification. Anyway, you could do something like that, but it would more than likely decrease your score rather than increase it because we're using this contest to focus more on your writing skills than anything else.

Quote: "Also, just for clarification the technical design criteria is basically the "technology" and "skill level" used to program it so an auto complete function is worth more than having to type the exact string?"

Correct. The technology scoring will show how complex your game is designed and how well-coded your source is. You'll score higher for basic things, like using rem's and making your code "clean," and for more complicated things, such as using a parser as opposed to simple bulleted choices from a list.

Quote: "When you said "no mouse" are you allowed to have a cursor, so that you can edit the text that you are writing and to have a scroll bar?"

You are not allowed to use mouse commands other than for your frontend menu (play/ load/ options/ etc.)

Quote: "Creativity of text? Are you talking about locations of the text, or just what the text says?"

For example, let's say your character falls into a chasm or something, and you cut away to a huge font that flashes that says "ahhhh!" or whatever... that would be more inventive than say writing a sentence that says "you fall into the chasm." You could even move the text along the screen from top to bottom to sort of simulate that falling effect, and that too would be creative (well, not really, because I just said it hehe). In a nutshell, pushing this contest's rules to their very limits (but not beyond them) is strongly encouraged. You can't use media, but you can use text... so try to make that text as interactive as possible, so to speak.

Quote: "Is it alright to just do a stroy line with a few choices? I mean having completly no stats viewable or in the codes background? So its like reading a book with choices? Also when you say no mouse does that count for the game menu as well?"

You could do something basic like that, make the game play out like you're reading a book with choices, but then you'll more than likely be out-scored in the technology department. But if your writing and grammar are excellent, and your story is extremely unique, then you might just win the contest anyway (remember everyone, the technological aspects of your game are only one of four different scoring areas!)


"In an interstellar burst, I'm back to save the universe"
Back to top
Profile PM Email Website
Darth Vader
18
Years of Service
User Offline
Joined: 10th May 2005
Location: Adelaide SA, I am the only DB user here!
Posted: 16th Jun 2006 13:55
Link
Quote: "Quote: "Is it alright to just do a stroy line with a few choices? I mean having completly no stats viewable or in the codes background? So its like reading a book with choices? Also when you say no mouse does that count for the game menu as well?"
You could do something basic like that, make the game play out like you're reading a book with choices, but then you'll more than likely be out-scored in the technology department. But if your writing and grammar are excellent, and your story is extremely unique, then you might just win the contest anyway (remember everyone, the technological aspects of your game are only one of four different scoring areas!)"

What if this was done with all the tech side of stuff? And by book I mean like the "Choose your own Adventure books."


I have the longest Biog under my profile button!
"You don't know the power of Dark Basic Pro!"
-Darth Vader-
Back to top
Profile PM Email Website
Matt Rock
19
Years of Service
User Offline
Joined: 5th Mar 2005
Location: Binghamton NY USA
Posted: 16th Jun 2006 20:41
Link
Quote: "What if this was done with all the tech side of stuff?"

I'm not sure that I understand what you mean there.


"In an interstellar burst, I'm back to save the universe"
Back to top
Profile PM Email Website
entomophobiac
21
Years of Service
User Offline
Joined: 1st Nov 2002
Location: United States
Posted: 17th Jun 2006 00:33
Link
How harsch is the rule about no animation? Is it ok to fade in/fade out using a solid white or black overlay image? For effect?

And again; I've read somewhere that it was only supposed to be 5mb, while the original post states that there's no restriction - which entry counts?
Back to top
Profile PM
Dream And Death
18
Years of Service
User Offline
Joined: 21st Feb 2006
Location: The circus! Juggling job, kids and DBPro
Posted: 17th Jun 2006 00:49
Link
The original post doesn't say that there is no restriction, but this contest was being discussed in another thread and the 5mb rule was mentioned there. However, Matt Rock has several times specifically said that your game files (and any savegame files it generates) must be under 5mb).
Back to top
Profile PM
Perokreco
19
Years of Service
User Offline
Joined: 5th Apr 2005
Location: Bosnia and Herzegovina
Posted: 17th Jun 2006 04:48
Link
Quote: "(and any savegame files it generates"

Hpw dp you mean any savegames it creates. Anyone can play the geam and make 600000000 savegames to go over 5mb limit. Please explain.
Back to top
Profile PM Email
Dream And Death
18
Years of Service
User Offline
Joined: 21st Feb 2006
Location: The circus! Juggling job, kids and DBPro
Posted: 17th Jun 2006 09:04
Link
[Quote]
Quote: "Since there can be no installs of the program does this mean that a file created by the program itself to provide a save/load option during game play cannot be used?"
Creating files is fine, but I don't want the judges to have to go through the entire installation process just to play the game. When you're testing your media, make sure to check the game's file size with the save files in place to make sure it won't exceed the 5MB file limit. Also, I suggest you might want to make a game folder and place the save file inside that folder for easier access.[/quote]
Matt Rock - page 2 (why don't people read threads anymore???)

I'm assuming that the best thing would be - keep .sav files (or whatever you call them) small and limited to say 5-10. Then you can control the size of the project.
Back to top
Profile PM
Matt Rock
19
Years of Service
User Offline
Joined: 5th Mar 2005
Location: Binghamton NY USA
Posted: 17th Jun 2006 11:52
Link
Quote: "How harsch is the rule about no animation? Is it ok to fade in/fade out using a solid white or black overlay image? For effect?"

Fading text: Good. Fading Images: Bad. It's a text adventure competition, so your media (and I feel it's worth repeating that your media DOES NOT effect your score in any way and will be ignored by the judges) shouldn't even have any effects. The text is your images... the player is being immersed into the game world through the words you write, not the pictures and sounds you display. And animating anything in your game that isn't text, albeit 2D sprites or 3D models, will result in your entry being void, so I'd say it's pretty harsh, hehe.

Quote: "And again; I've read somewhere that it was only supposed to be 5mb, while the original post states that there's no restriction - which entry counts? "

That was a goof on my behalf, forgetting to write that in the thread's official rules post. Tomorrow after work I'll update that post with the 5MB limit (and the winzip and Java stuff, too). Sorry for the inconvience everyone. But yes, there is a 5MB limit on your entry and it is a very firm rule... so much as a kilobyte over that limit and your entry will be void. Read through this thread if you're having a hard time with the limit; some people have given some great advice on the subject.

Quote: "Hpw dp you mean any savegames it creates. Anyone can play the geam and make 600000000 savegames to go over 5mb limit. Please explain."

We're basing this on the assumption that the player will only make one saved game, and it is based on all of the files you use to create that one saved game.

Two quick notes, and I apologize if any of this sounds harsh... it's almost five in the morning and I'm doing this right before I go to sleep (for a few hours, tough weekend):

1. Everyone, please read this thread in its entirety before you post. I know that it's five pages long and to some people that's a nuisance, but please read each post because this thread is only five pages long because we're answering the same questions over and over again, and it would save everyone a lot of time if you'd just read the thread.

2. If you're interested in being a judge, please understand that you WILL NOT be compensated for helping with the contest. You WILL NOT get a free copy of any of the software or prizes that we're giving away, you WILL NOT be paid, and TGC (The Game Creators) WILL NOT give you free copies of DarkBASIC or any other software that we all know and love. After four e-mails asking these questions I decided to save everyone a load of time and just say it here in the official thread

I'm sorry again if that last bit sounded harsh or hostile; I didn't mean it to and I'm not yelling at anyone in particular. But please read the thread in its entirety, and if you're interested in being a judge, please understand that you'd be judging these games on your own unpaid/ uncompensated time. I feel like we're going in circles a lot hehe.


"In an interstellar burst, I'm back to save the universe"
Back to top
Profile PM Email Website
entomophobiac
21
Years of Service
User Offline
Joined: 1st Nov 2002
Location: United States
Posted: 17th Jun 2006 13:46
Link
Quote: "Fading text: Good. Fading Images: Bad."


Cool. I was just thinking of a fade-in effect from solid white to black with white text. But fading text does the same thing without some stupid white .BMP.

Thanks for a quick reply!
Back to top
Profile PM
Italy Portugal
19
Years of Service
User Offline
Joined: 4th Mar 2005
Location: that depends on your honesty
Posted: 17th Jun 2006 18:56
Link
If you are having trouble with keeping the file size down, try to figure out how to come up with the same effect using just the core commands while cutting out the extra dll's,

not that dll's are anathema, just for those who have a HUGE story

(Note: Yes I am using DBPro..And DBC)

Professor: "There is no such thing as absolute truth"
Student: "Is that always true?" "...Well..."
(c)HookWare Games (c) Italy Portugal
Back to top
Profile PM Email
Briere
19
Years of Service
User Offline
Joined: 28th Feb 2005
Location: Amherst New York, United States
Posted: 17th Jun 2006 19:02
Link
I used to Live in Binghamton Matt
I am enter the compo, sounds awsome!

Current Project: Galaxy Conquest
Working Lines Of Code: 1133
Last Updated: 6/17/06 at 11:55 AM EST
Back to top
Profile PM Email
Matt Rock
19
Years of Service
User Offline
Joined: 5th Mar 2005
Location: Binghamton NY USA
Posted: 17th Jun 2006 23:13
Link
Updates!
The rules have been updated to include all of the new stuff. Possibly more interesting to all of you however is that the prizes have been updated as well. We're now offering no less than THREE grand prizes to the winner of this contest and bringing the grand prize total worth up to almost $1,000 I need to actually calculate the total retail worth of all of these prizes so please understand that it's not a very precise dollar value yet, but I'm pretty sure it's in the neighborhood. Special thanks to Simon and Michael at Visionary Designs Inc. for supplying us with yet another fantastic prize!

More good news, we might have a few prizes to offer for the runners-up as well, but I can't promise anything as of yet. I can promise, however, that these prizes will be worth it to the people who win them. There's no point in holding a contest if you can't give away cool stuff, and there's no point in running a contest if you can't flaunt your organisational talents

Quote: "I used to Live in Binghamton Matt"

Darn it, I thought I was the only person here who knew what a Spiedie was


"In an interstellar burst, I'm back to save the universe"
Back to top
Profile PM Email Website
Perokreco
19
Years of Service
User Offline
Joined: 5th Apr 2005
Location: Bosnia and Herzegovina
Posted: 18th Jun 2006 02:25 Edited at: 18th Jun 2006 02:28
Link
Quote: "you'll earn more points if your story is fluid and easily understood"

Can you please elaborate on this, some of the best IFs like Bureacracy had stories that werent ment to be easily understood?
Also Matt why are you never on YIM?
Back to top
Profile PM Email
Wandering Swordsman
17
Years of Service
User Offline
Joined: 14th Jun 2006
Location:
Posted: 18th Jun 2006 02:31
Link
Text RPG’s are not ’pure’ IF/adventure games.

In the past some games have blurred/merged the genres to form new and interesting games. But those games are not the standard for IF/adventure.

Please don’t run this contest with two genres competing against each other. The stated genre is Adventure/IF.

For example. A Scrolling shooter and a scrolling platformer are similar games, but that doesn’t make them the same genre and they shouldn’t be compared to one another.

If you want to run a Text RPG contest, then I welcome the challenge! (Or a text only contest for that matter.) But since it’s an adventure contest, please leave it as solely adventure.

When I dream,
I carry a sword in one hand,
a gun in the other...
Back to top
Profile PM
Sephirot
17
Years of Service
User Offline
Joined: 17th Jun 2006
Location:
Posted: 18th Jun 2006 03:11
Link
this needs to be easily unedrstood probly for the judges to be able to understand easily and not to have to spend an eternity figuring out what to do and go revising all they did before looking for a clue for what to do next, i persume...

Stay happy 4ever, ure gona need it in hard times...
Back to top
Profile PM
Jeku
Moderator
20
Years of Service
User Offline
Joined: 4th Jul 2003
Location: Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
Posted: 18th Jun 2006 04:49
Link
Wow, who would've thought a text adventure compo would be so difficult for people to understand

@Matt - I'm glad you finally broke on the ZIP rule, as it's *impossible* to send folders and such over email. Yes, you can send files, but folder structures? Impossible.

And just so you know, you can ZIP a file using 0% compression, so it will be lightning fast for you judges to uncompress (and handy for us to archive our files together (with folder structures intact)).

Anyways, I'm finally starting my entry tonight


"I understand creative people. After all, I worked with towel designers." - Ray Kassar, former head of Atari
Back to top
Profile PM Website
Wandering Swordsman
17
Years of Service
User Offline
Joined: 14th Jun 2006
Location:
Posted: 18th Jun 2006 04:55
Link
Perokreco:
Quote: "No it wont. First this is not an an RPG its an IF. If you are unfamiliar with the genre i suggest that you go to http://www.the-underdogs.info/ and download few IF games. Then you could understand what an IF or text adventure is like. "

Warning: Abandonedware(z) is piracy! If you download from UD make 'SURE' it's freeware, otherwise it 'IS' theft.

There is a true form of Abandonedware, that is software that has had it's copyright lapse and has fallen into public domain. UD subscribes to the 'We can't find it, no one sells it, no one defends it...' school of thought. Although I commend the idea of preserving the classics, it is not legal. So be aware of this.


Alright, I’ve got a few quick questions:

Just making sure, but if I divide my description text and my user-input text areas with a line of ASCII characters. Is this ok? (I want to make sure building a divider is ok. Don’t want to be disqualified over a small mistake like that…)

Also, I see what you mean about fear of being virused. But why is only WinZip being allowed now? Why not WinRar as well, but only WinRar files that are stored in the .zip format?

I think I can get my hands on some web space so I may be able to upload my files to a site, if I do this and throw up a link you’ll download them right? (I know this has already been asked, but I wasn’t completely clear on the answer.)


I’m a newcomer to programming, game design has always been my dream though.
This contest looks like a great place to make a start.

When I dream,
I carry a sword in one hand,
a gun in the other...
Back to top
Profile PM
Perokreco
19
Years of Service
User Offline
Joined: 5th Apr 2005
Location: Bosnia and Herzegovina
Posted: 18th Jun 2006 05:37
Link
Quote: "This needs to be easily unedrstood probly for the judges to be able to understand easily and not to have to spend an eternity figuring out what to do and go revising all they did before looking for a clue for what to do next, i persume...
"

No it doesnt, IF can and probably will be hard, but at least with my game a walktrough will be included.(just in case).
Back to top
Profile PM Email
Matt Rock
19
Years of Service
User Offline
Joined: 5th Mar 2005
Location: Binghamton NY USA
Posted: 18th Jun 2006 06:41
Link
Quote: "Can you please elaborate on this, some of the best IFs like Bureacracy had stories that werent ment to be easily understood?
Also Matt why are you never on YIM?"

I meant that if the story is well-written, the grammar is good, and the game's flow is seemless, IE, you're not standing in a room and then suddenly on a beach (transitions should be well-worded), then you'll score higher. If you write a sentence that reads "U walk in2 @ City" you shouldn't expect it to do very well, unless of course your game is about l33t speak And I'm never on YIM because when I'm not posting here I'm working on two other projects (or at work where they won't let me install it)

Quote: "But since it’s an adventure contest, please leave it as solely adventure."

Nothing I said should have given anyone the impression that this was anything more than a text adventure competition, and if I did say something that would lean in that direction, then I'm sorry for misinforming.

Quote: "I'm glad you finally broke on the ZIP rule"

I had too... public pressure I found out also that we can send folders via yahoo mail between our computers because my entire team is in the same building (most of us in one big room) and according to one of the teammates, that's why it transfers smoothly. I didn't know it didn't work otherwise hehe. So yes, the rule is changed (but the 5MB limit is still in place everyone!)

Quote: "if I divide my description text and my user-input text areas with a line of ASCII characters. Is this ok? (I want to make sure building a divider is ok."

Dividers are fine. You could even do them in bitmaps or jpegs if you want. But only to keep the screen clean... they can't play an integral, non-aesthetic role in the game's play. IE no maps, no characters, no buildings, etc. Also note that adding dividers will not effect your score.

Quote: "why is only WinZip being allowed now?"

Winzip is universal to the judges... all of us have it, and it's widely popular so others will more than likely have it as well. We wanted to make sure also that the system we allowed would be compatible with our computers. While working on my last 2D game, two of our three artists kept sending us files in wacky compression files that we couldn't open. One of them we had to pay for and buy just to get it open. Learning that lesson, we decided to limit entries to winzip I'm sorry for any inconvenience this might cause. If it's fully 100% compatible with winzip then I don't see a problem with it (seeing as how we'll never even know what you used)

Quote: "if I do this and throw up a link you’ll download them right?"
Only if it's on this forum. But you can upload your entry to this forum anyway At the bottom of your post, there should be an "Attachment" line that you can use to add files to the thread.

Quote: "I’m a newcomer to programming, game design has always been my dream though.
This contest looks like a great place to make a start."
Great! That's exactly why we're holding this contest Good luck!

PS.- What do you guys think of our prizes? Are they good? Bad? Overkill in that we're giving away too much stuff? Let me know


"In an interstellar burst, I'm back to save the universe"
Back to top
Profile PM Email Website
Wandering Swordsman
17
Years of Service
User Offline
Joined: 14th Jun 2006
Location:
Posted: 18th Jun 2006 07:45
Link
Matt Rock:
Quote: "Only if it's on this forum. But you can upload your entry to this forum anyway At the bottom of your post, there should be an "Attachment" line that you can use to add files to the thread."

Ack, now I'm slightly more confused... Ok, if I place the link on this site. Is it a link to the attachment I put on the site, or a link to my web site from the forum? (Yet again, sorry for asking the same question. )

Matt Rock:
Quote: "What do you guys think of our prizes?"

They've got me psyched! Great set of prizes!

Quote: "Overkill in that we're giving away too much stuff?"

Can never give away too much stuff...

Play Basic... DX3... *Grin*
(Something about it makes me nostalgic.)

When I dream,
I carry a sword in one hand,
a gun in the other...
Back to top
Profile PM
Perokreco
19
Years of Service
User Offline
Joined: 5th Apr 2005
Location: Bosnia and Herzegovina
Posted: 18th Jun 2006 15:12
Link
Quote: "I meant that if the story is well-written, the grammar is good, and the game's flow is seemless, IE, you're not standing in a room and then suddenly on a beach (transitions should be well-worded), then you'll score higher. If you write a sentence that reads "U walk in2 @ City" you shouldn't expect it to do very well, unless of course your game is about l33t speak And I'm never on YIM because when I'm not posting here I'm working on two other projects (or at work where they won't let me install it)"

Well, grammar and such are writing abilities. I am asking about story development.
Back to top
Profile PM Email
Back to top

Login to post a reply

Server time is: 2024-05-04 09:07:14
Your offset time is: 2024-05-04 09:07:14