Stonking Great Game Contest Now Live!
- Thread starter Spinwhiz
- Start date
On the rights and access and rewards and gain issue...
Okay in return for giving the game to escapist you will be receiving a reward. Your work will be reviewed and published on this site. If you are currently a flash game designer with sites and works, you'll receive more hits, more use and more advertising revenue. Even if the review is terrible everybody who visits will probably follow links to you site.
If you're unpublished, you'll become published and any site you set up will have the line, As seen on the Escapist showing on it.
So what's the problem if your first work is given away for an increase in profits on subsequent works.
Okay in return for giving the game to escapist you will be receiving a reward. Your work will be reviewed and published on this site. If you are currently a flash game designer with sites and works, you'll receive more hits, more use and more advertising revenue. Even if the review is terrible everybody who visits will probably follow links to you site.
If you're unpublished, you'll become published and any site you set up will have the line, As seen on the Escapist showing on it.
So what's the problem if your first work is given away for an increase in profits on subsequent works.
The rules specifically state that this contest is for Flash games only. So no, Visual Basic games will not qualify no matter what version they happen to be.1MPUR1TY said:
If you've got the programming chops, you could always port your game from Visual Basic to Actionscript 3.0.
(Shrugs) No idea. I suppose idle curriosity can drive us to almost anything. But I'm fairly confident that Yahtzee is busy enough with games that he has to review anyway to look at every indie game that may be submitted. Still, I suppose it couldn't hurt for you to forward it along. You never know.
Back when Flash was all Actionscript 1.0 and 2.0, it wasn't really all that good for games. (largely because most programming had to be done within the Flash IDE) Once it upgraded to Actionscript 3.0, it became more of a proper programming language, and is much improved at developing full-on software. Thanks to Adobe AIR, you can even compile Flash games as stand-alone executables for any platform, with all sorts of stand-alone specific extras. (Basically, you can treat your game much more like a traditional Windows, OSX, Linux program, rather than just something that is supposed to be run in the Flash player)
I'd strongly recommend getting some Flash AS3 under your belt. It still has issues as far as monotized on-line games go. But for prototyping games, and general on-line multimedia, it is one of the very best options.
Back when Flash was all Actionscript 1.0 and 2.0, it wasn't really all that good for games. (largely because most programming had to be done within the Flash IDE) Once it upgraded to Actionscript 3.0, it became more of a proper programming language, and is much improved at developing full-on software. Thanks to Adobe AIR, you can even compile Flash games as stand-alone executables for any platform, with all sorts of stand-alone specific extras. (Basically, you can treat your game much more like a traditional Windows, OSX, Linux program, rather than just something that is supposed to be run in the Flash player)
I'd strongly recommend getting some Flash AS3 under your belt. It still has issues as far as monotized on-line games go. But for prototyping games, and general on-line multimedia, it is one of the very best options.
While I'm not talented enough to make my own game, I'm eager to see what other people come up with
I am psyched to be a part of this contest. I am working on sound design for my game and have been busy cutting up lots of Yahtzee sound clips and bites. Anyone who wants a sampling can pm me and if you are nice I'll hook you up.
ALSO is okay to link to an off site development blog with no advertisements on it?
ALSO is okay to link to an off site development blog with no advertisements on it?
Hello, me and my friends are working on a submission to the contest. We were wondering how important is the ZP theme. Can we stray off a little and use Yahtzee and ZP as indirect inspiration? What I mean is, what if my game is about fellating burly men because Yahtzee sends jolts of fire through my groin in passion? Basically, How wild can we run with this?
Thanks.
Thanks.
I'm pretty sure the Zero Punctuation theme is important, and should be emphasized. The game should focus on ZP in some capacity. If you only mention the show, or the character Yahtzee in passing, it could reduce your chances of winning.
I think there is plenty of opportunity to run wild within the constraints of a ZP theme. After all, the show is very random at times. Yahtzee is constantly making vague references and coming up with ridiculous similes.
If I were you, I would focus on innovating in the gameplay, as opposed to the theme. Keep it grounded in ZP, and there shouldn't be any worries. There is ample room for exploration.
I think there is plenty of opportunity to run wild within the constraints of a ZP theme. After all, the show is very random at times. Yahtzee is constantly making vague references and coming up with ridiculous similes.
If I were you, I would focus on innovating in the gameplay, as opposed to the theme. Keep it grounded in ZP, and there shouldn't be any worries. There is ample room for exploration.
For those who are worried about the contest, and the fact you relinquish copyrights for that one game, consider this:
You sacrifice the rights of one game, but they don't own you.
What you get in return is millions of people playing your game. Forget monetary compensation. As a true game developer, money compensation should be the last thing on your mind. After all, doesn't the joy of just knowing millions of people are playing your game matter more?
Also, did you ever think about that maybe other game developers out there will see your work, and ask who made it? Escapistmagazine.com doesn't strike me as the kind of website that backstabs their fans; I am sure if the developers wanted to know who originally created the game, they would ask EM.com who made it. The whole theme of this contest is based around ZP. This is a guy who has made 101 videos for the fans. Without you guys there would be no ZP show. Without no viewers there would be no point in continuing, thus no more ZP, thus no more high traffic for Escapist.
They gain nothing by "stealing" your game, if that's what you are worried about. EM.com as well as the future of ZP depend on the fans. All it would take is for EM to actually steal the game and claim that they created the entire thing for the fans to realize how they really treat their fans. Truth be told, Stealing the game kills the future of the website. It would be a dumb mistake altogether.
Basically it boils down to this:
You developed the game, and they will let the world know it; but the game won't be "yours" anymore. Consider it an investment towards becoming more renowned as not only a developer, but all the extra doors you will open.
The sacrifice of one game and the reward is instant infamy and possibly one step closer to working for the big dogs.
That's how I see it.
You sacrifice the rights of one game, but they don't own you.
What you get in return is millions of people playing your game. Forget monetary compensation. As a true game developer, money compensation should be the last thing on your mind. After all, doesn't the joy of just knowing millions of people are playing your game matter more?
Also, did you ever think about that maybe other game developers out there will see your work, and ask who made it? Escapistmagazine.com doesn't strike me as the kind of website that backstabs their fans; I am sure if the developers wanted to know who originally created the game, they would ask EM.com who made it. The whole theme of this contest is based around ZP. This is a guy who has made 101 videos for the fans. Without you guys there would be no ZP show. Without no viewers there would be no point in continuing, thus no more ZP, thus no more high traffic for Escapist.
They gain nothing by "stealing" your game, if that's what you are worried about. EM.com as well as the future of ZP depend on the fans. All it would take is for EM to actually steal the game and claim that they created the entire thing for the fans to realize how they really treat their fans. Truth be told, Stealing the game kills the future of the website. It would be a dumb mistake altogether.
Basically it boils down to this:
You developed the game, and they will let the world know it; but the game won't be "yours" anymore. Consider it an investment towards becoming more renowned as not only a developer, but all the extra doors you will open.
The sacrifice of one game and the reward is instant infamy and possibly one step closer to working for the big dogs.
That's how I see it.
Well, I'll be damned if I'm gonna trawl through the rest of this thread looking for it, so I apologise if this question's already been asked:
SpinWhizz mentioned a downloadable content pack with a bunch of music/graphics/whatnot for us to use. Where can I download it?
SpinWhizz mentioned a downloadable content pack with a bunch of music/graphics/whatnot for us to use. Where can I download it?
The content pack is availible from the contest rules and whatnot page. Direct link:
http://cdn.themis-media.com/media/sites/escapistmagazine/files/zp_game_design_contest_assets.zip
But dont expect too much, Its some logos, vids and screenshots you could rip yourself. The neat thing is the main theme song broken down in separate tracks!
http://cdn.themis-media.com/media/sites/escapistmagazine/files/zp_game_design_contest_assets.zip
But dont expect too much, Its some logos, vids and screenshots you could rip yourself. The neat thing is the main theme song broken down in separate tracks!
Would free games be allowed to As crossfire Subwar warmodg NofrreeFhigter
...the shity list gose on a on :\
I love crossfire and subwar xD Coz i have 6377425 kills and 4256 deaths XD I love nerdy old Ppl they easy to sneeky behide coz THARE TO NERDY TO KNOW THE WAY OF THE DUDE MASTER
...the shity list gose on a on :\
I love crossfire and subwar xD Coz i have 6377425 kills and 4256 deaths XD I love nerdy old Ppl they easy to sneeky behide coz THARE TO NERDY TO KNOW THE WAY OF THE DUDE MASTER
The logos in that pack are actually important. I am under the impression that the Escapist wants the contestants to use those logos specifically, and not to alter them in any way. They do come in PNG format, which is good for integrating into Flash.theZ said:
As you pointed out, the rest of the content is fairly standard. There are no real high-res reference images to be had. For my project, I am constructing a vector version of some of the graphics to use as a source for rendering graphics and sprites.
I'd be lying if I said I didn't envy you guys though. I would love to get into the whole making games deal, but I would have no idea how to start or focus on building up a frame work to get started on the game.
Does one start on the coding of the engine, or the artwork? How does one even insert all the artwork into a game? How would someone go about crafting a soundtrack for the game? What about script?
I view video game designing as a 100,000 piece puzzle board and all the border pieces are so tiny and hard to find that just getting a start is pointless.
Does one start on the coding of the engine, or the artwork? How does one even insert all the artwork into a game? How would someone go about crafting a soundtrack for the game? What about script?
I view video game designing as a 100,000 piece puzzle board and all the border pieces are so tiny and hard to find that just getting a start is pointless.