Challenge Themes ?

[kevin]

  I would like to kick this off next month in our September news letter.  But before then, what sort of rules /prizes (in any) do you collectively feel would be required ?

Here's a few basic things we have in mind.

  * Each challenge would be open for a month. 

  * Challenges should not require participants to do a full months work.  Depending on skill level, a suitable challenge should  from a few hours to a few days.   So people can sit down and have a quick crack it.   

  * The winner is selected from a poll forum members.   

  * Submissions are source code only. 
    ----> Submissions will be bundled up as packs for PB users to learn from/explore.

  * Prize could be either free copy of PB (for none license holders) or perhaps a small cash prize..

  Discuss

[Ian Price]

Prizes can definitely generate interest and PB prizes can only help the community. I personally would enter these for the fun of it, rather than to win a prize.

A month is perfectly long enough.

When you state source code only I presume you mean source code and media, rather than .EXE and media, or do you mean that all imagery must be code based?

Looking forward to this :)

[thaaks]

Prizes are always nice to have.
Offering a PB version for non license holders is a great idea, how about some score or ranking board for registered users? Something like a high score list? Or badges attached in the forum below your avatar (if the forum software allows such a thing...)?

Unless you, Kevin, are incredible rich and insist to offer small cash prizes  ;D

Releasing the source code is perfect - that's what people can learn from the most!

September is ahead, isn't it?  :)

[stef]

Hi!

I assume, that Kevin is incredible rich, and when he speaks about socalled "small cash prizes", that could mean a lot of money :).

But the topic is "Challenge Themes"
Does anybody knows a good theme for challenge?

Greetings
stef

[stef]

Hi!

Some themes:

ballgame (see previous posts)

A (simple) shooter (easiest)

Shoot or throw with wahtever you like (gun,cannon,bow and arrow,tennisballs,..) at whatever you like (tanks,cans,balloons,rubberduck,...)
Should be more ego-fun-shooting (not a blood-orgy)


A racing game (more complicated)

View from above on course,with all possible vehicles (cars,motorboat,...)
with or without comp-opponents


A "short code" competition

do whatever you want, but not more than 100 codelines/1000 signs or so.


A "AI" competition (complicated)

make a good AI code of whatever (like pathfinding, genetic algorhithm



Greetings
stef

[stef]

Hi!

Another theme:

Particle-demo

Make an interesting demo of particle-usage (fire,rain,...)


But of several reasons I think the theme should be either the ballgame or the shooter.

Greetings
stef

[Ian Price]

My 2cents - I think that the challenges should be games, rather than technical demos - remember, the idea is primarily to promote PB as a games creation tool. By all means, show off some techy things within the game, but I think the game must come first.

And don't forget to post or link to any completed games on other forums too, eg -

www.retroremakes.com. (retro inspired games only)
www.codersworkshop.com
www.codersturf.com
www.thegamecreators.com
www.booleansoup.com
www.shmup-dev.com (shoot'em-ups only)

:)

[kevin]

   Well, the idea is to give users (newbie's, lurkers, oldies ) something  they can make a small commitment to.  Larger game projects by design restrict participation to who have the time/skill set to do so.   Over tmie we'll stock pile the results, creating small useful examples for all.

[stef]

Hi!

the idea is to give users  something  they can make a small commitment to

That's of course the point.

But maybe beginners wouldn't meet (against) people of advanced skill.( in competition)

It could be better to make at least 2 categories:
beginner level
advanced level

( a program of beginner-level could also be brilliantly)


Greetings
stef

[Ian Price]

You obviously haven't been paying attention to the Retro Remakes comp :p

You are of course probably right, although it would very much depend on what the challenge was and remember, many PB coders came from a different coding language, so may well be noob in PB, but not in coding in general. Those will pick it up fast, as as the comps will last a month, that's enough to put together a basic idea.

Although in saying that, it's not easy to even get feedback on this forum or even downloads of games produced...

[stef]

Hi again!

it's not easy to even get feedback on this forum

That's absolutely right! But in relationship to active members it's the same as on other forums. Also that way is it important to try raising the number of active members.

The release of PBFX will bring of course the breakthrough!


Is it that, that there will be a comp every month?


Greetings
stef

[kevin]

  Correct,  challenges are to help Stimulate the existing user base.   

  In terms of difficultly,  some challenges might well too hard for many, others too easy. 

[Draco9898]

I wouldn't mind having a graphics/music demo comp.

[kevin]

  Submission process,  Awarding  Winners & Moderators  ?

     We've got a few theme ideas kicking around, but we still to nut out the rest of mechanics prior to the to kicking off our first challenge..


a) Submissions

   1)- Could be submitted via email  to the challenge moderator, to keep them hidden..
   2)- could be posted in the compo thread..
   3) - other - post your suggestion bellow


B) Awarding Winners

   1)- At end of the submission period, the moderator sets up a poll and visitors vote for their favourite
   2)- Moderators pick their favourite
   3) - other - post your suggestion bellow



C) Moderators

    Any volunteers :)

[kevin]

   Well, since nobody wants to moderate challenges (I don't blame them :) ), lets simply abolish the competitive aspect altogether for now.   If there enough interest later on, we make it more structured and have prizes etc.

   But for now, challenges will be more about can you do it !