Competition Theme (2007 PB compo) ?

[kevin]

  So, got any ideas for a theme this time around ?

 

[Ian Price]

A combination of several genres (shoot'em-up+puzzle etc.) or a game featuring several different elements (zombies+monkeys, pirates+ninjas etc. fire+water), or a game where a profession is involved (fireman, soldier, postman, policeman etc.)

There you go, just a few possible suggestions that could pretty much be used in any game, but where design requires a bit more thought.

[kevin]

   Yes, all good ideas!   I can't help think that with so many game compo's around recently that we might be better served by doing something a little left of center & shorter than a full blown compo.    Like a Tech Demo compo, or perhaps a compo where we try to re-create a famous 8/16bit demo.

[Ian Price]

You are probably right about that - there are an awful lot of game-related comps around at the moment (not a bad thing), but as for 8/16bit demos - I haven't got a clue!

I was never really into the demo scene even back in the goode olde days of yore. I had a few on Amiga, but haven't much of a clue as to what was hot and what was not. I'm sure there are still Amiga demo sites around where we could download stuff, but I don't know them, or any 8bit stuff (I was a CPC user back then and it was primarily the C64 that had a thriving demo scene in the UK then).

From many of your demos, I can tell that you either were in the scene or were an avid follower - your stuff is both brilliantly baffling and baffingly brilliant. I think stuff like that you either get or you don't. It's certainly not something I've ever tried to emulate/simulate, so far... ;) 

[kevin]

You are probably right about that - there are an awful lot of game-related comps around at the moment (not a bad thing), but as for 8/16bit demos - I haven't got a clue!   

  Well, there's always the tech demo/ game option.   Like perhaps picking a subject that's difficult/impossible and sure enough the clever punters will find a way !

Although,  I do like a good old fashion shooter though.. :)

From many of your demos, I can tell that you either were in the scene or were an avid follower - your stuff is both brilliantly baffling and baffingly brilliant. I think stuff like that you either get or you don't. It's certainly not something I've ever tried to emulate/simulate, so far

  Yeah did the odd tidbit here and there in the C64/Amiga days.    Although I was more interesting in writing game stuff.  Ironically as the machines got more powerful I became less productive, or overly ambitious.  Prolly the latter,  so nothings changed !

  The thing i found most interesting about the demo scene, was and still is just how far something often rather trivial could be pushed.  One group would do effect ABC, then somebody would counter it.  Which in turn pushed you and everybody  to try harder.   

  Sanity wrote a lot of great stuff on the Amiga.    Arte was their moment.   While it's lost some of it's  'awe' today,  i still find it impressive today.

  Sanity - Arte
  Sanity - Roots (AGA)
  Sanity - Interference
Andromeda - Sequential
Complex - Origin (AGA)

Complex - Real (AGA)

  Scopex  - My Kingdom (AGA)  
Those are really more for my benefit than anything else..

[Ian Price]

Some incredibly cool stuff there. :)

I wouldn't have a clue how they managed most of them tbh. Very clever coding. Some of that Amiga stuff puts pc 3D to shame when you think about it - these guys didn't have 3D graphics cards or hardware acceleration.

:)

[kevin]

    Just looking back at them and there's certainly some interesting stuff on display.   A lot of older effects were opportunistic of the particular hardware though.  In particular the Amiga OCS/ECS (a500/a600) level demos.   Once you move above that their more software than hardware.  It's such a shame they didn't add chunky (byte per pixels) mode to the AGA chip sets.  grumble... etc etc   


Anyway, some other concepts might be

  * Remake Games from a certain year (10, 20 years ago)

  * Remake an Author compo.  (we pick some famous 8/16/32bit  guys that wrote lots of stuff and off we go)

   It'd be easier if there was some kind of narrow common theme though.  Just not as diverse.

   One idea I do like (for obvious reasons)  was to have a compo for building the best PlayBasic promotion demo.

[Ian Price]

All very good ideas.

[Draco9898]

Underwater/Aquatic-
Make a game that deals with underwater activities or one that has an aquatic theme.

Fighters, scrollers...

or a Compo that features games that primarily include special effects (Such as reflective water surfaces, 3d elements in 2d gameplay, etc), but must also include decent gameplay.

[gvillarreal]

I'll second Draco's idea for underwater/aquatic themed compo...

I'm working on a free-scrolling shooter that could fit into that category - think biological / microscopic / squishy setting.

[Ian Price]

There's not many squishy games out there, the more the merrier I say :P

Sounds interesting :)

[kevin]

  Update

     No this idea has not been misplaced, it's just dependant upon the next release. The compo will be open to any version of the PB however, not just PB1.70   

     I'm currently swaying towards the themed platformer idea.  I'm not too sure if that's because they're my current gaming fad, or that it's genre that's under presented in PB.     I do have reservations about such themes though, as it would place some heavy requirements  upon the artists (worlds, characters, logos).   So if we went in  such a direction, I feel we'd get better quality entries (and more entries) if developers only had to deliver say 3 or 4 levels.   

[kevin]

      Actually,  another slightly more advanced concept could be 3D engines.  The idea being that competitors would have to create a 3d engine and world in PB1.70.

[kevin]

    I keep bouncing this around my head (since it's empty ),  but I just can't get past  the amount of GFX content platformer styled games require, would no doubt seriously impede the potential contributors.   

    So perhaps something like single screen shooter ( Gyruss, Asteroids, Galaga, Omega  Race, Shamus, Berek  etc etc  ) where the theme is totally "Over the top' Visuals.   

   Pro's

    1) Simple to program.
    2) They don't require masses of environment art work.
    3) Seems to be a kind of 'in' theme.


  Con's

     1)  Could be too limiting, so the Diversity of entries might suffer.  (all very samey)
     2)  By focusing the theme too much, we will alienate people who aren't into the genre.


 

[Ian Price]

I guess you want something instantly visually appealling that can promote PB in a single screenie. Just use loads of your particle explosions and don't worry about the game :P