scarybug, I must first apologize, that was a rather callous statement, I admit. It sounded better when I typed it and promptly progressed to writing the next paragraph. Sadly, though, you're mistaken about Flash security. While Adobe may do their best, there is no possible way to catch everything. In fact, there was a Slashdot article about an exploit to which a ridiculous amount of users were vulnerable to... Lessee... Here! http://it.slashdot.org/story/09/07/28/1412255/92-of-Windows-PCs-Vulnerable-To-Zero-Day-Attacks-On-Flash
scarybug said:
Now you say it uses escapist assets, so you can't claim full ownership because you don't own all elements of the game? But Escapist isn't creating the code, and they DO own the game fully? Sorry but dumping a bunch of elements into a zip file is not as much work as making a game. You could easily allow a developer to keep the rights to his code to use in a differently skinned game. That way everyone would own the thing they actually made.
The only time game developers give up source code is when they are payed to write it.
Well, it can go two ways here: either the Escapist gives the rights to ZP to anyone who wants it, or anyone who wants to enter gives the rights to their games to the Escapist. It can't go both ways here. No, the Escapist didn't create the code, nor would I expect them to ever claim that they did. And yes, I agree wholeheartedly that compressing a collection of images and sound files is easy. I've done it myself countless times. However, I can promise you that creating a style, image, and brand such as ZP is not a simple task. Also, I honestly would be very, very surprised if the Escapist sent a cease and desist letter to anyone who reuses code from their submitted game. Not only would it be difficult at best to figure out that the reuse actually took place, the ensuing backlash from people like you and me would cost them far more than they could possibly gain. Again, they're covering their IP ass(ets), not trying to get free games. You also mention that nobody would willingly give up their source to the Escapist without getting paid. There is no money involved, I'll grant you that, but you fail to take in the intangible benefits that are involved here. You have a chance to have your name and work displayed prominently on a website that gets far more hits per day than most people get in months, a chance to get your work reviewed by a fairly well-known video game reviewer and possibly other, even better known ones, and you get free swag. So no, no money, but there are definitely things to gain here, even if you can't purchase hookers and blow with it.
Arby, I'm not sure if you quite grasp the differences here. ZP is indeed a work of parody, giving it the ability to reference video games without fear of libel or slander lawsuits. However, since the point of this contest is to make a game *about* ZP, not *parodying* it, the parody protection is not extended to these games. If you wished to make a game that was an obvious parody of Zero Punctuation which made it plain that it had absolutely no real connection to ZP, then yes, it would be covered by the same laws as ZP itself, but somehow I doubt you would make it far in the contest.
As for your "no runners-up" statement, I can agree with you there. At the worst, two months have been spent on a project you no longer own that was rejected by the company you sent it to and is now more or less worthless. As the great Morpheus said, "...how would that be different from any other day?" If you're really an indie developer like you say, then you'll know that rejection is the name of the game, and if you're truly that hung up on putting in some work just to have someone say no, then I honestly think you're in the wrong place, friend. Regardless of whether you give up the code or not, don't you think that making games for games' sake is really what this is all about? Even if there's no chance of getting a cameo in the ZP episode or an honorable mention somewhere, don't you think that it's worth it regardless?
To make a point to both Arby and scarybug... Even with my above points on code reuse are taken into account, are you really that afraid? I'm not trying to call your prowess into question here, but are you both so unsure of yourselves that you're not even willing to try? Isn't that sort of like shooting the horse before the starting gates open? Are you both that afraid of failure that because there's a chance you won't get the top prize you're willing ot settle for obscurity?
I dunno, if it were me I would trade two months of work I can never think of again for a shot at glory than sit in my dingy apartment dreaming of what could be.
I'm really glad to see you guys responding to the concerns here, as I'm very intrigued by this contest and I'm trying to think of a good game to make for it. I still think there could be quite a bit of improvement made with the terms, to bring it up to par with typical Flash game contests with little effort on your part, but so far I am heartened by your attention and responsiveness.