New competition suggestion

[Meowster]

Methinks it would perhaps be neat, to have a sort of... assignment competition. It could vary in content from week to week, IE midis, background, characters, concept design. Every week, or fortnight or whatever, we'd be given a new topic to work on, for instance:


Design a character for a new Final Fantasy game. She is female, half elf, whatever, blah blah blah, has three heads and is supposed to be all hung up over the death of her pet hamster. Only requirement is that she's short, fat, and has a big axe.

Or,

Design a concept for an evil, evilllll dungeon-like lair, in which LeChuck resides in the new Monkey Island. Only requirement is that there is one helluva big pool of acid in the corner.

Or,

Create a midi for the new bad guy in Monkey Island, keeping with the style of the rest of the music (From the other series). *enter short description of bad guy here*

Or,

In Grim Fandango II, Manny has kids. Design them!!! (coughcough lame! coughcough but challenging)

Or maybe even,

We're making another DOTT, and we need a plot. Begin plotting! Now! And somehow, fit Orange Tentacle into the plot, and several main character deaths!!! And some cows. We need cows. Yes! Ha ha! This is gonna sell like hell! Hell, with cows! Ha Ha! Why aren't you laughing, Mr Schibblebunny? This is hilarious! Hell with cows! Ha Ha Ha!


Do you see where I'm going with this? I think it'd be fun to see various peoples artistic takes on some of these. Like, if I was on the LucasArts team designing a new Grim Fandango, and my project leader INSISTED Manny was having kids, and I wasn't FORCED at GUNPOINT to design them.... how would I design them? What would they look like? And who would come up with the most interesting take on them?

What say you?

[Privateer Puddin']

So, its a mix and match of other competitions which has a different medium each week?

[Meowster]

It's also a lot more specific than the other competitions.

For example, Background Blitz may have a theme:
This weeks theme is underwater deserts

Or whatever. Whereas this competition would be less vague and have ground rules. Hm. Like, imagine the person running the competition as the Project Leader, and he's telling you, the employee, what you must achieve for him by the end of the week.  So:

I need to you come up with a concept design for an underwater desert  for Monkey Island 5. It has to be interesting, and come up with some sort of idea like seaweed cacti... or something. There has to be a magical well in the centre, and a big ol' anchor half buried in the sandy sea bed. Use your imagination to fill in the rest. Try and keep with the style of the Monkey Island series.

Okay, lame example but it WAS just an example.

Similarly, the midi competition running ATM may ask:
Make a midi for a scary scene in a game

Whereas this competition would ask,
Make a midi for a cutscene in the new Final Fantasy:

The cutscene begins as the hero climbs over the mountain top and sees the wonderful new valley of... ethnsasdssa... spread out before him. 10 seconds into the midi the rock his is standing on falls, and he plummets to his certain death until 20 seconds into the midi, where he catches a branch and breaths a sign of relief. Or something.

Huh, you would think I would come up with decent examples, wouldn't you?



Failing that, we don't have a character design competition or a Concept Art competition... and they both rule.

[Evil]

I like this idea. Not so much the music ones but the character design ones for sure. I think we should start a character competition anyway.

[Meowster]

Ja the music one sort of doesn't make sense. But I'm not musical, so I prolly wouldn't know anyway. I'd love a character design/ concept art competition, whether as part of this one or a new one or whatever.

[remixor]

Personally, I think keeping music might be cool too.  I'm sure there are fewer musicians than any other group, but there are still some and it's not like everyone has to enter every week.   Music's pretty much all I can do anyway ; I never end up entering any of the art comps.

I'm biased though, so take this with a grain of salt.  I like the idea overall.

[n3tgraph]

The music compo is good, too bad I never entered

I think it would be a good idea to put all the Music Compo Music in a file on the net somewhere...

if the participants agree that is...

so that other members can use them for their game, that way the music might be used for something too! Kinda like instagame, but then.... increasing insta-music or something

[SSH]

Maybe we could have a "Superstars" competition, loike the TV show (in case this is just a UK thing, Superstars takes athletes from various different sports and makes them compete in various events, kind of like a decathlon but with more variety than just track-and-field)

So, there would be various events:

Music
Plot
Scripting
Backgrounds
Characters
Dialogs

and then the best overall would win... oh hang on, this is MAGS, isn't it!

OK, OK, How about an AGS olympics, with teams from different countries, and all the Americans have to take THG, and...

[remixor]

The music compo is good, too bad I never entered

I think it would be a good idea to put all the Music Compo Music in a file on the net somewhere...

if the participants agree that is...

so that other members can use them for their game, that way the music might be used for something too! Kinda like instagame, but then.... increasing insta-music or something

I think that's a pretty good idea.  It might help to have the individual composers indicate how they want their particular files used (however anyone wants/with credit in the game/you must ask first/etc.)

[Barcik]

I like this idea. It's especially good for all the projectless AGSers who want to use some of their creative energies.

[SSH]

It's especially good for all the projectless AGSers who want to use some of their creative energies.

Well, they could always do some graphics and animation for my game instead...  

[PureGhostGR]

Well yufster.. actually that is a brilliant idea..

a community project game, devided in sections.. each competition could be a different part of the game..

anyone who feels like helping joins in, takes the task and tries to keep the work produced to the coordinators "vision"..

sounds like fun.

[Meowster]

Which gives me another idea. The first competition could be "project leader" where everybody submits a short story idea, and the most interesting one wins.  For the project leader competition, they wouldn't just have to submit a story, but for example they could get their idea across using storyboards, concept art, concept music, etc.,

The project leader then summarises what he or she wants from the competitions held thereafter for that particular 'game', so he or she will sort of set the ground rules and try to get his or her artistic ideas across to the other competitors.

And in the end, the short game is credited to the winners and released.

The idea first submitted could be a sequel to an existing game or completely original. It doesn't matter. Just as long as it kicks ass.

[Minimi]

Hey.. It seems you are all unsatisfied with AGS-OQ, how can I make it better, for example, what do you want to be as the next competition rules?

[Meowster]

AGS-OQ? What the hell?  

[Evil]

OMG THATS IT YUFSTER! I LOVE IT!

Ok heres how I figure it:
1) Yufster starts with a best full thought out story and the winner is chosen for a plot
2) She then has a competition for character design
3) Then best sprites/backgrounds
4) best animations
5) Then the winners are all put in a game.

ITS THE SOLUTION TO THE COMMUNITITY GAME!!!

[Meowster]

And I get 80/20 cut in all the profits!

I'm totally for this!

[Minimi]

AGS-OQ? What the hell?  

www.ags-oq.tk - It's the AGS- Originality Quests, wich is hosted by me. Last month,was about plots, and this month was about dialogs, and next month will be something else. Any more questions?

[cpage]

I really like the way this compo sounds! Seeing as how I cant focus long enough to make a game!

I know I'm alone on this but I think there should be a seperate compition for animations as well..  We'd do it just like the Sprite jams but for 2 weeks instead

but thats just me talkin

[remixor]

I really like the way this compo sounds! Seeing as how I cant focus long enough to make a game!

I know I'm alone on this but I think there should be a seperate compition for animations as well..  We'd do it just like the Sprite jams but for 2 weeks instead

but thats just me talkin

The only problem with this is that there seem to be so few animators compared to many of the other game-making expertises.  On the other hand, compos are always a good way to improve one's skills.

[Felipe]

Indeed, this is a good idea. I really liked it.
Just think that, if we decide to go on with it, it would "substitute" the other competitions (like the midi one, background blitz, etc) - which is not bad at all...
I know it's a different thing, but I don't see the need for the others with this one 'running'.
It'd also be a good practice for those willing to work on ("real") game companies - like getting used to deadlines, accepting the project leader's unbelievable (read: weird) ideas and all that.
It would be cool, but "ending" any other similar competition...

[Meowster]

The other competitions could run okay. I mean it would only be once in a while that this competition would clash with a certain other one.

So who's for it? It may take a long time to get a game together, so I think the competitions should be held on a weekly basis. Perhaps if it was something like art and music they could be run together, since it's unlikely that a person would submit to both competitions anyway.

Perhaps also there should be runners up. From one competition, a lead artist would be chosen, who would set the style and oversee the production of artwork, and same for programmers or whatever.

Say, a Lead for every area and then three 'runners up'.

I guess the following areas would be covered in the competition:


- Project Leader
- Lead Background Artist and three runners up
- Lead Programmer and three runners up
- Lead Animator and two runners up (For sprites and stuff)
- Musician, and one co-composer
- Sound Technician, and one co...er, sound technician.


Let's say we had the Project Leader one first, then Background Artists and Music competition runs together, the Animation and Sound run together, and programming on its own. That's four weeks getting together a team, and say we could set a four week deadline, or more if it's a longer game... whatever.

What about this?

[remixor]

How on earth would you have a competition to determine who's the best project leader?

[Meowster]

Everybody submits an idea, and a person is chosen who shows the most imagination and enthusiasm for the project, as well as the best idea.

[SSH]

How on earth would you have a competition to determine who's the best project leader?

A test to see how many management buzzwords you know? That's how it seems to work at my employer  

[PureGhostGR]

perhaps it would be a good idea to start this small.

Yufster, I think you should compose a mini version of the contest with a simple game in mind.. and see how it goes.

Keeping it simple is important. Also the sooner there is a concrete result the better (hence the simple=smaller).

Remember your idea is fresh, so it needs visualization asap.

just my opinion really, good luck with getting this organized.

[Miez]

This sounds like a bundle-o-fun. I'm in...

[Meowster]

Okay.

I am contacting the appropriate authorities.

Oops, that was a lie. What I meant to say, was that I will be contacting the appropriate authorities. Right after this intermission.

[Pumaman]

A test to see how many management buzzwords you know? That's how it seems to work at my employer  

Now come on SSH, you're just not appreciating the synergy of the situation - you really need to get out there networking more.

Oh erm yes, about the competition - good idea Yufster, looks like it has backing, so feel free to start it in the C&A forum.