Ideas for the next game comp ( Feb to ??? 2018 )

[Qube]

It's time to start dreaming up new ideas for our next game comp.

Lets here all your wacky and wonderful ideas and hammer out a theme / rules for our next fun filled coding adventure

[TomToad]

how about a game where letters and words must be the main components of your game?

Ideas would include, but not limited to
Text adventure like Zork
word search puzzle
connect random cubes like Boggle
crossword or scrabble like game.
Typing game like Mavis Beacon

[round157]

Ideas for the next game comp ( Feb to 2018 )

Hi, many participants could not have enough time to make and finish their entries in the retro style game competition. Longer period may be better, "1 Feb to 31 May 2018".

[iWasAdam]

strategy
roguelike
card game (ccg)
isometric

[Derron]

[...] hmm simulator. Maybe next game compo could have a "main genre" as limit. I would like to do a very small simulation game (oil imperium, dynatech, some text-based games like "Der Winzer", Sim City (classic), A-Train (one of my fav's in the early ninetees, next to Civ - and pretty expensive, 129 DM at that time) ...). I know many of you are preferring arcade games, but I am more interested in the strategy, simulation stuff.

@ isometric
I would like to avoid a technical limitation. With technical I mean: "must use joypad", "3D", "retro sound", "need to use tiles" and the likes.
Think it is harder to create your game with a technical limitation than with a genre limit (you can still do a "simulation-RPG"-Mix). Maybe I am the only one seeing it that way but at least I wanted to mention it.

"card game" is a genre ... so yes, this might work as "genre" (but I would then try to create eg. a "poker" using figures on a board or so .... just to give it a "twist") but I assume "card game" is already more specific than "simulation", "jump n run" or "puzzler". Might not attract so many people then.


bye
Ron

[MikeHart]

Time frame... February 2018 to End of Marc 2018. Don't make it to long.

Topic... Interactive fiction. This is more about the story than about media. Of course, you can add that too.
If you don't want to code your own engine for it, here are some suggestions to use:

TAB
Twine
Inform7

[RemiD]

My view :
Each of us have some game genres preferences (shooter, platform, racing game, strategic game, turn by turn game, card game, find hidden items ,  etc...), it is obvious.
So the problem with that, is that we always try to create a game in the genre that we like.
A real challenge would be to impose a game genre, and let each participant decide of the details (theme, gameplay mechanics within this genre of game)

Or only impose a theme, and let each participant decide of the game genre and details (theme, gameplay mechanics)


For the time allowed, i would say 2 to 3 months, so that each of us as time to finish something worthy enough, whatever our real life constraints...

[Derron]

I would like a shorter timeframe. The longer the more you try to pack into the project - and this is time removed from "spare time", "other projects", "family".


So better wait a month for the next competition and make it a 1 month long thing - with of course lower prices (or just an award... or product ...)


Alternatively create alternating competitions: eg. creating images, creating software, creating a tool, ... create something for AGK, for BlitzMax NG, for Monkey ...




@ favorite genres
Yes, we have that - and many here like retro while I am not liking it that much (destroys fond memories ;-)). Maybe give two opposing genres to choose from: "the boxer" - either card game or simulation. (use a random/dice to choose genre while the "title" or "main character" ... is predefined by us as community).




bye
Ron

[RemiD]

I would like a shorter timeframe. The longer the more you try to pack into the project - and this is time removed from "spare time", "other projects", "family".

you have not managed to finish anything in 2 months... So why allow less time ? 3 months would be better imo.
Some of us can't spend all our hours on the computer.
(apparently the 2 previous competitions have allowed 2 months)


If the goal is to challenge ourselves, and go out of our confort zone, and learn new concepts/techniques, then it would be better to impose a game genre and each participant try to create something within this genre. (i have never tried to create a card game, or a strategic game)

If the goal is simply to have fun, then it would be better to impose a theme, and each participant does its own thing.

The advantage of only imposing a theme, imo, is that each participant can create the graphics style / gameplay mechanics that he likes (more motivating), and also have an opportunity to then improve the created game to maybe distribute it on the steam store, who knows ? (that's what Grey alien does in a way, he has created a card game for each season/"holydays" of the year )

[iWasAdam]

dont like the idea of 'alternate' competitions

creating something for another platform - WTF. Surely it is about creating something to play (may use if it is a tool - but you are already limiting thing here)? That is like saying create you next masterpiece using only glue and fabric and no computers! Or lets write a 3d adventure in COBOL - a bit dum.

maybe have a style: retro, 80's, 3d, 2d, action, shooter, 1 color, 640x400, etc
and a theme: sausages, dogs, knickers, fruit, whoops!, Bang, dinner, etc
bonus for including: shoes, cards, the word "wibble", eyes

limits both cause creative entries, and also stops entries (i don't like/can't do 3d/music, etc)

[round157]

Hello,

After I search for the information of some famous competitions, I realize that their game themes are always a single word or a few words. There is no game genre(card game, shooting game, platform game, etc.) limit.

Ludum Dare
http://ludumdare.com/compo/ludumdare/

Examples:     
Oct 2004    Random
Dec 2005    Growth
Dec 2007    Chain Reaction
Dec 2010    Discovery
Aug 2011    Escape
Apr 2012    Tiny World
Dec 2012    You are the Villain
Dec 2014    Entire Game on One Screen

Pyweek
https://pyweek.org/challenges/

Examples:
Pyweek 1 - Power
Pyweek 5 - Twisted
Pyweek 7 - The length of a piece of string
Pyweek 15 - One Way Trip
Pyweek 20 - Data data data
Pyweek 22 - You can't let him in here
Pyweek 23 - The Lesser of Two Evils

Why do they do like that? This kind of game theme provides the perfect opportunity for particpants to let their creative juices flow and allows them to put what they have learnt in game programming to good use! 

[RemiD]

I agree, imposing only a theme lets freedom of graphics style / gameplay mechanics / sounds. Anybody can participate.

[col]

imposing only a theme lets freedom of graphics style / gameplay mechanics / sounds

Gets a *thumbs up* from me too.

[iWasAdam]

me too 

[TomToad]

How about "Odd combinations?" Pick your own then and genre, but mix things that would normally not go together. A"Pac Man" platformer? Tower defense card game? Voting can be based, not only on gameplay, but also on how well different, and seemingly incompatible elements as mixed together.