Dark Bit Factory & Gravity

GENERAL => Challenges & Competitions => Topic started by: Shockwave on January 03, 2008

Title: 2 BUTTON GAME CHALLENGE!
Post by: Shockwave on January 03, 2008
2 BUTTON GAME CHALLENGE

Welcome To A Rare Event Here!
This is a demo programming forum, but for one time only, let's use all those demo effects to make a game that really rules!!!!!
The challenge this time seems simple but provides a lot of scope for your imagination.. The gameplay must be controlled by no more than 2 individual keys on a keyboard. Kudos is given for incorporating some demo style effects into your game too.


Here are the rules!


Here are the prizes!



So there you have it, but please remember that because this is a demo programming forum, the users of this forum who vote will be asked to vote not only on the fun element of the game, but on how demo-scene-ish it is!

For example, a 3D tunnel could be an integral part of the game. Maybe you could be dodging some scrolling messages or flying through some metaballs...

This is not mandatory if you have a killer idea for a game, but it would be cool to put some demo-like effects into it :)

Anyway, good luck!
This will probably be the only game writing comp we run, it will be back to demo effects after this :)
Title: Re: 2 BUTTON GAME CHALLENGE!
Post by: benny! on January 03, 2008
Another awesome idea from Shockwave the creative challlenge theme factory ;-)

Hope to join in !!!

[EDIT]

Just a little question - the rules says :

Quote
No other alternative control systems allowed, keyboard only! No mouse, no joystic, no joypads!

Does this also mean - that I cannot use the two (left/right) mouse buttons ???
Title: Re: 2 BUTTON GAME CHALLENGE!
Post by: Shockwave on January 03, 2008
Keys only I'm afraid Benny :)

This comp is designed to get you thinking about what you could do with only two keys and also so that the game is simple in concept and doesn't take over your life to make it, also it will need to be playable to sustain interest :)
Title: Re: 2 BUTTON GAME CHALLENGE!
Post by: Pixel_Outlaw on January 04, 2008
And so it begins.   :stirrer:

My idea works well within a 2 button game. This concept is going to be something unique that nobody has seen before.

Good luck to everyone.
Title: Re: 2 BUTTON GAME CHALLENGE!
Post by: Pixel_Outlaw on January 05, 2008
Is there a number of games per entry? I have about 3 ideas that I would like to include in a sort of 2 button single arcade. I would say that the arcade would be judged as an entry rather than 3 games. However if this breaks the rules let me know.
Title: Re: 2 BUTTON GAME CHALLENGE!
Post by: Tetra on January 05, 2008
Thats an awesome idea, nothing like constraints for some really creative stuff!

Quote from: Pixel_Outlaw on January 05, 2008
Is there a number of games per entry?

Thats not allowed afaik because in the rules it sais

Quote from: Shockwave on January 03, 2008
make a game

But thats not to say you cant submit all three individually, it just means that only 2 of them will be accepted into the competitoin ;)

Good Luck, and to all.
Title: Re: 2 BUTTON GAME CHALLENGE!
Post by: Shockwave on January 05, 2008
Why not have three levels of the same game instead?
Title: Re: 2 BUTTON GAME CHALLENGE!
Post by: Shockwave on January 05, 2008
That is to say, different gameplay on each level :)
Title: Re: 2 BUTTON GAME CHALLENGE!
Post by: Pixel_Outlaw on January 06, 2008
I guess it is just going to be two entries with one game per entry for me. Breaking score based concepts into levels just won't work well.

I've given some thought and two buttons, yield FOUR inputs.

You have: (given buttons A and B)

Button A down and button B released
Button B down and button A released
Buttons A and B down
Buttons A and B up.

You could almost devise a 4 way movement scheme but you would have a default direction. This simple two button scheme has 3 different input commands and perhaps a fourth default input. Just thought I'd post this thought to help people with ideas.  ;D
Title: Re: 2 BUTTON GAME CHALLENGE!
Post by: Shockwave on January 07, 2008
Hehe, I was wondering who'd use button combinations / autofire first :)
Title: Re: 2 BUTTON GAME CHALLENGE!
Post by: jihad on January 10, 2008
Quote
Allowed Platform : Win32 PC. (if emulator used the emulator must be compatible with current win32 platforms)

that means i can code an amigagame specialy for the fast winuae?
Title: Re: 2 BUTTON GAME CHALLENGE!
Post by: benny! on January 10, 2008
Guess you do not have to code exclusively for the WinUAE. But you should
test your game on it before submitting if it works right. And give an instruction
how to execute it - if it not a native Win32.exe.

Btw. If you care about winning the competition I guess that some users might
be put off of installing an emulator first in order to see your game. Well but
thats just my 2cts.

Good luck!
Title: Re: 2 BUTTON GAME CHALLENGE!
Post by: stormbringer on January 10, 2008
I won't be in this time because.... no time :( ... but I have an idea for a 2 button arcade game... so if anyone of you is in the search for an idea, feel free to ask
Title: Re: 2 BUTTON GAME CHALLENGE!
Post by: relsoft on January 12, 2008
Quote from: stormbringer on January 10, 2008
I won't be in this time because.... no time :( ... but I have an idea for a 2 button arcade game... so if anyone of you is in the search for an idea, feel free to ask

Yeah, I need ideas. :*(
Title: Re: 2 BUTTON GAME CHALLENGE!
Post by: stormbringer on January 12, 2008
I PM'ed you my game idea ;)
Title: Re: 2 BUTTON GAME CHALLENGE!
Post by: taj on January 14, 2008
Just thought I'd point this out...

A pause button is allowed too. So you can go into pause "mode" then use one key to move through a menu and one key to change the value in the menu, before "unpausing" (one more tap of the pause key). This allows for weapons, spells, equipment, text entry etc etc. Also for those added points...effect mode could be switched on or off or even different effects switched on and off.
Title: Re: 2 BUTTON GAME CHALLENGE!
Post by: Shockwave on January 14, 2008
That is also a possibility Taj, yes.

There are lots of other things that can be done too, such as having power ups appering that can be collected that enable autofire etc.

I am hoping that we will see some real innovation and not just the sort of games that naturally lend themselves to 2 button (like snake)... Nothing wrong with snake though.
Title: Re: 2 BUTTON GAME CHALLENGE!
Post by: mind on January 18, 2008
i have a GREAT idea for this.. i just dont know if i will have the time to code it and draw the sprites etc.. regardless, this is something i will most likely try to complete in the future, even if i dont make it in time for the contest :)
Title: Re: 2 BUTTON GAME CHALLENGE!
Post by: jihad on January 27, 2008
is there a filesize limit?? or complete free
Title: Re: 2 BUTTON GAME CHALLENGE!
Post by: Shockwave on January 27, 2008
Carry on, there is no size limit though you'll have to host it yourself if it's > 300kb :)
Title: Re: 2 BUTTON GAME CHALLENGE!
Post by: va!n on January 28, 2008
possible i still may have a nice idea due fact of the ONLY 2 KEY rulez... Dont close/end your game when the player die.. what about something like this:

Code: [Select]
[AnyKey1] == like [Cursor left] or any other key
[AnyKey2] == like [Cursor right] or any other key

Now you have ofcourse two ways to move your object(s)...
But what about exit the game, as its forbidden to use a third key like "Escape] afaik...
So here is my simple idea to fit to the compo rulez and let the user exit the game, when the user wish it.

Code: [Select]
[AnyKey1] == like [Cursor left] or any other key
[AnyKey2] == like [Cursor right] or any other key

[AnyKey1] + [AnyKey2] == Close/Exit program (without need to check for ESCAPE)

But at least you should know and remember, you can Close/exit a program with pressing [Alt + F4] to use the [AnyKey1 + AnyKey2] combination for something else in your game(s).  Due fact of the [Alt + F4] thing you can do something like this:

Code: [Select]
[AnyKey1] == like [CursorKey1] or any other key to move left   / up
[AnyKey2] == like [CursorKey2] or any other key to move right / down

[AnyKey1] + [AnyKey2] == to jump player, to shoot, something like ENTER (accept)

Good luck guys.
Title: Re: 2 BUTTON GAME CHALLENGE!
Post by: Jim on January 28, 2008
I've already said to one member it's fine to use the Escape key to exit the game.  The point is to use only 2 keys to control the gameplay.

Jim
Title: Re: 2 BUTTON GAME CHALLENGE!
Post by: va!n on January 28, 2008
@jim
maybe i explained it a bit to silly... but i really tried to explain how to use only 2 keys and how they could be used (like pressing both keys to simulate something like pressing just only escape and so on ^^)
Title: Re: 2 BUTTON GAME CHALLENGE!
Post by: Shockwave on February 25, 2008
Only until midnight to submit any last minute entries :)

The poll will be put up when I come home from work tomorrow, thanks very very much to everyone who entered!
Title: Re: 2 BUTTON GAME CHALLENGE!
Post by: Shockwave on February 26, 2008
Thanks for the entries! Voting is now open :)