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At last I have used an acronym that confounds the internet -the tables have turned!

....but seriously, I appologize for not typing it out.  DIY = Do It Yourself where I'm from (people even say DIY instead of saying the whole thing, so that's my defence  )  A website based around people building their own adventure games would very appropriately be named DIY for this reason.

Oh, and thanks for the post promotion Snake!

People who want to, but may not know how, should try harder to promote their games.

  But.... if they don't know how, wouldn't their efforts be ineffectual?  "Try Harder" doesn't fix the problem -people have to be taught better practices (or be able to find resources where they can learn for themselves).

  Perhaps someone who considers themselves a game promoter (I'd prefer AGS Impressario, but whatever) should write a tutorial on how to promote a game.  This should include:
                             -a list of websites/forums with marketing potential along with their target market.
                             - possibly a list of reviewers, bloggers and postaholics (i.e. people who will spread the word if they 
                                   like your game) along with their contact info/websites.
                             -instructions on how to pitch your game to these people, or post a pitch to the masses for the DIYer.
                             -perhaps links to information about basic marketing and advertising strategies.
                             
   Frankly I'm surprised that in the "offer your services" thread no one has offered to be a game promoter (or "agent," since we consider ourselves to be game authors).  I think if this thread has taught us anything it's that promotion is as important to game dissemination as art, music, plot, writing or scripting.
 

[WINNERS ANNOUNCED]

Very fortunately the period of this competition has elapsed, so we can end the debate on the number of colours in Tomas' creation.  This little incident has, however, opened or reopened two issues pertaining to the rules of Sprite Jam which I think should be officially reiterated by a Moderator or the Sprite Jam community:

    1) If you suspect someone of bending the rules, please do some research before making -or insinuating- an accusation.  Expressing suspicions in terms of "I think...." or "It looks like...." doesn't prove anything, and can only spread ill will.  I think we can all agree on this policy.

    2) This is a less contentious but stickier issue: what of sketches in Sprite Jams?  I've never heard of a rule against it, but at the same time a "sprite" is something you can animate in a game and it would be very difficult to do that with a sketch.  On the other hand, most sprites are based on prior sketches and are either transposed by eye or by scanning and then cleaned up.  It's almost like the "When does an embryo become a person" debate!  I'd like to get the community's thoughts on this: when does a drawing become a sprite?

  As the administrator of this sprite jam I feel obliged to make an executive decision to keep the competition moving, but I think the results of this debate should apply to future comps.

  WINNERS ANNOUNCED
I'm very impressed with the response to my last minute call to arms!  We had some good sprites produced for the theme and they deserve a little critical attention before the awards are handed out.  In order of submission:

  TheJBurger  The downtrodden body language and the scuffed/torn/patched clothing make this character.  I see good shading and proportion, and the detail is amazing -it's very realistic looking.  Except....why do his eyebrows join his hairline?
Mad I want to hate your character for being so lucky -that's good!  The pig does seem a bit odd, but then the German in my family is a long way back.
Krisis A creative spin on the unexamined life of the mushroom people of Mario Land -aren't they called Gumbies or something like that?  You should write a revisionist history of the Mario canon -like those books that tell the story from the Big Bad Wolf's or the Wicked Witch of the West's perspective.  In terms of sprite art, however, it's pretty minimalist.  Is his expression truly downtrodden, or is it just a little bit evil?  It's hard to tell at that scale.
Tomas  Whatever issues the form of your drawing may have raised, the composition is superb!  This man is truly destitute.  I would really have liked to see a coloured/shaded version of this sprite.  At the same time, I think the effect you were able to create in so short a time very much reflects the mood of the sprite you were trying to portray.  Thank you for posting this.

   And now the drumroll.......
The golden hobo sack goes to TheJBurger -congratulations!
The silver hobo sack is awarded to Mad -a very close second!
The bronze hobo sack I present to Tomas, a very very close third!

  It was very hard to judge this competition, so I happily hand the reins of power over to TheJBurger!

Ah, Chicky, you have chosen to strike down the dark path.  Just make sure you DO return to HTMI.  I've put games asside to work on side projects and well......:    Let's just say that I don't think the world will ever see my Aliens Invade Canada game....



       ......Ah heck, why not?

Nice entry TheJBurger! 
      But to the rest of you spriters out there -you've only got two days left!  I know most of you are probably still recovering from your New Year's hangovers, but the mods in this forum are quick with their hatchets when they sense a competition is losing interest, so we NEED you to jam with us.  Throw some bling on Richie Rich or kick some dirt in Oliver Twist's face -just get 'er done! 
      Thus concludes BaRoN's motivational speech.  If a movie is to be made about these events I would like the part of me to be played by Al Paccino.  If he is unavailable I will accept Craig Nelson.  That is all.

Just an idea for a short cut:  If you can draw two people talking, why not draw two people talking with "Shut Up" over their heads (you could use print screen to match the font to the rest of the game).  Then change the view for each character for that one sequence and animate them at the same time using the new view that includes the words. 
    Of course, you'd still have to figure out the dialog_request / run-script ..... :

Well, two years ago I got a job in a metal shop in order to save up for school.  It involved standing all day, repetitive motions, and often heavy lifting.  I remember these one parts -they looked like train wheels -they must have weighed about forty pounds -it was like lifting dumbells all day!  Anyway, this factory was about 8 km from where I was living and it would take about an hour to get there on the city bus, so I started bicycling since this only took about half an hour.  I did that right through the winter, which in Canada -with the apparent exception of this year -meant it was  cold!  Then I had this other evening job two days a week which involved tutoring kids with social and learning disabilities, and sometimes I played hockey after that.   Somehow I still made progress on the game I was working on at the time:  I'd think about stuff to do at the press and get around to drawing or programming it on my evenings off, or if it  were a really good idea sometimes right into the night.
      I guess the point is that the human body is capable of considerable feats of endurance and energy expenditure if the mind is disciplined and/or determined enough.  Also, especially when you're young, the more energy you expend the more you tend to have (in the longer term, anyway).
     Of course I say that and now I only work about 25 hours a week

[good fortune/bad fortune]

At the beginning of the new year it is custom to wish good fortune to your friends and neighbours, so the theme of this Sprite Jam is good fortune/bad fortune.  If it's good fortune, I want to see ostentatious displays of wealth -pig in poop styles.  If it's bad fortune, I want to see grinding poverty -utter and complete destitution. 

Restrictions:           130 x 130 pixel maximum
                                30 colour maximum
                                Leave your middle class sensibilities at the door: I'm looking for no sense of shame![/b]


      EDIT:  So for example Movie Stars, Lottery Winners & Heiresses would have good fortune.
                 Paupers, Beggars & Redundant Factory Workers would have bad fortune.                         

Wowsers!  Two comp. wins in two days!  I have to admit that I haven't followed the Sprite Jam as closely as some of the other competitions, so I'm off to do some research on what's been done/hasn't been done.  I'll start a new competition later tonight.

P.S. I thought all the entries in this Sprite Jam were very creative and well executed -please bring the same skills & enthusiasm with you to the NEXT Sprite Jam.

Watch that first flush: it's a duzzy.

                                                 

12 colours.

[Once upon a time.....]

Once upon a time.....
         .....a herald rode to the top of the highest hill in the land and announced an animation competition:
                   -"A sprite has been suplied, with a theme!"  he cried.
                   -"All participants must use the given sprite for their animation!" he continued.
                   -"The competition shall last 11 days," he went on, "And thus it shall conclude this time on the twelf!"
                   -"The starter of this competition shall decide the winner!"
                   -"The winner shall host the next competition, supplying both a sprite and theme!"
           The herald then wandered down to the pub and lived happily ever after.  Until close, that is, but that is another tale entirely.....

The theme of this competition is Fairy Tale.  You must tell me a story -however briefly- using at least two of these medievalish sprites:                   
                                                             
    The story can be a rescue, a fight, a short incident of slapstick, whatever.  Feel free to use extra sprites of your own creation and to shade/colour the ones provided to your taste.  Be bold!  Be daring!  And for heaven's sake be quick about it, you've only got eleven days left!


EDIT: Hey Neelhound, check your personal messages.

Nice Trophies!  Congratulations to all the participants: don't be shy about entering the next contest [which shall begin shortly].

The approaching movement is very good, or will be when additional frames are added.
   I think the transition to the portal needs some work, however.  As it stands now, you've got it appearing like a wipe, and I think it should be more fluid (like the original approach).  Perhaps it can pour in from the top like water, or after it stretches at the top of the frame swoosh down like curtains -just some suggestions. 
   I also think a different texture is needed for the open portal.  Perhaps more vertical lines (as in your background drawing) or maybe a spiral to give the impression of depth?

I know it's been about a week, but I wanted to show how the project has evolved.  I'm still contemplating a more dishevelled look as per Yarooze (and I really like the open mouth -I'll have to add that).  For now, though, I'm trying to get a realistic feel for my suspended animation.  Comments appreciated.

                                            2x

Alright, so there's the smiley emoticon, the surprised emoticon, the confused emoticon, the kissy emoticon and the crying emoticon.  But where, I ask, is the gross out emoticon?  Not the "I'm grossed out -barf! -barf!" emoticon, but the "I'm going to gross you out" emoticon.  Well, if you've ever found yourself at a loss for emoticonnical expressiveness in this regard, lament no further!  Presenting the Gross You Out emoticon:

                                           x2

   Does anyone know how to sell this kind of stuff to Microsoft?

EDIT: Thanks Ikari & coolio!  I've resized the little guy so that he can actually be used as an MSN emoticon: .  Unfortunately the splat exceeds the 50x50 pixel limit slightly, but I'm not going to redraw/reanimate it just for that.  Feel free to download him and use him in your correspondence to gross out your friends!

   

Well, it's just as plausible that they were astronomying (?) from outer space in order to avoid the interference of the earth's atmosphere.  More important than that, you have to say what's up next in the game!

Well, I haven't played all the games and I don't know all Ben's idiosynchracies, so I had to invent a new game.



Up next:  Astronomers at Christmas.

[Coolio!]

Well, I guess that's the end of the competition!  Let's get a drumroll going.  Anyone?  Alright, let's just skip the drumroll and get right to the awards.

  The Golden King Worm for best animation of an inchworm goes to.....Coolio!  Your cinematic effects, your lifelike animation and most importantly your original headwear concept earn you first place in the competition.  My heartfelt congratulations to you sir, and I look forward to a creative idea for the next competition.

But I'm not done!

The Silver Admiral Worm for best inchworm maramba using a fruit basket as a hat goes to..... Theatrx!.  I liked the concept of the worm sifting through hats until he found one he liked, and then found one that he really didn't like (the boot).  The choppy shifting between hats detracted slightly from the effect, but the bouncy body language of the dance went a long way to make up for it.

And finally....

The Bronze Gentleman Worm for best pulling of an inchworm out of a hat goes to Jack Animated!.  I had a hard time separating 2nd from 3rd, but since I'd already made the trophies and you prominently featured a top hat the decision was more or less made for me.  Although the gifs you used for this particular competion added somewhat to the magical effect (I'm refering here to the floating grey pixels around everything) you might want to look into polishing them in future.  Otherwise, good work on a first attempt -I look forward to many others!

A note on the trophies -use them/modify them as you will.  I notice now that their curved pedestal doesn't fit very well with previously made ones, but I guess I might just be being picky.

Congrats to all the participants and look forward to the next competition by Coolio....

That most vile of melodic instruments, the Windchime Quintachnid!

                                           

    ...it preys upon the old and middle-aged, seducing them into propogating its species with its seductive siren song.  Either that or it lays eggs in their ears -opinion is divided.

December 18th already?!?  That means the competition closes tomorrow!  Hurry up and get those animations in folks!
       I will be doing the judging before work first thing on the morning of the 20th of December Eastern Standard Time, which will be roughly when the 19th finally ends at the International Dateline.  I'd say I'd be willing to extend the deadline if anyone's in a pinch, but you've known for eleven days when the deadline will occur.  And c'mon, they're inchworms!.  How much time could you possibly need?
      Looking forward to more entries (and impressed by those entered so far),

        BaRoN