MAGS: Taking the flame

[Dualnames]

This isn't a mags competition, just a thread/topic to discuss about how you find MAGS and what you feel like changing.

I think the deadlines are really wisely chosen, despite that 25 days are really hard to make a game.
However I find that February due to its 28 days (29 once every four years) should be a Special MAGS month, thus the winner of January would pick the theme for May, and I'd have a topic every year so people can post ideas on what should be the topic of that special mags.

Just some thoughts. What do you think requires a change?

[Gilbert]

... thus the winner of January would pick the theme for May...

May? :o You meant March, right?

I think it's a good idea, it doesn't hurt to have something special once a while, and once a year seems to be a good duration to not make these exceptions too frequent.

[Dualnames]

... thus the winner of January would pick the theme for May...

May? :o You meant March, right?

I think it's a good idea, it doesn't hurt to have something special once a while, and once a year seems to be a good duration to not make these exceptions too frequent.

March yes, Indeed

[Leon]

I think I'll find a way to make things more confusing in the future..

I knew it.... :-)

[Baron]

So... what does the winner of the special event get as a prize?  When I've entered MAGS it has been due to two coinciding factors: 1) A really interesting topic and 2) the reasonable expectation of having enough spare time to devote to the project.  What motivates me while I'm frantically making the game, however, is the fact that if I win other people will make a game based (however loosely) on my ideas.  This is the best of all possible prizes, in my opinion.  If one month becomes a special topic month -and I'm not saying it shouldn't - then there is no avoiding the fact that there will be 12 winners in a year, but only 11 themes to set: somebody is going to miss out.  Something to think about anyway.
     As for how the competition has been run in the past, I've been pretty happy with it.  It's a little disappointing when there's only one entry, but it's so hard to predict how well a topic will be received and how much spare time potential participants might have.  A possible modification might be supplying sprites/backgrounds to speed up the process in short or busy months, but that's a lot of work for the person who does it, and it would probably dissuade some people from entering since they would no longer have complete artistic control.  Capping the number of rooms or other limitations might bring the amount of work involved down to a level where a broader population can participate, but this could well be a straight-jacket for some developers.
     In summary, change is risky but potentially rewarding.  The only way to see how it is received is to run some pilot projects: if it doesn't work out we can always revert back, right?

[Ryan Timothy B]

What motivates me while I'm frantically making the game, however, is the fact that if I win other people will make a game based (however loosely) on my ideas.  This is the best of all possible prizes, in my opinion.

I have to agree with this statement.  It's the only reason I try to complete a game for the MAGS competition, so I can set the rules for the next game.  Oh, and bragging rights of course.  haha jk

[Dualnames]

I made a post but apparently it never showed up, ah, well, I don't want to change MAGs radically, in a bad way. I want to change all the stuff that frustrate you guys, if any. And improve it, if possible.

[Radiant]

Just a minor nitpick, but I find the buttons on the website rather small. They're, what, 10x10 pixels? I like the overall site design but these are just tiny