*** DBF + GVY 20 SECONDS COMP OPEN ***

[Shockwave]

**DBF + GVY 20 SECONDS COMPETITION**

YOU'VE SEEN THE INVITATION AND HERE IT IS!

This is something a little bit more unusual, in that you are restricted by time! In this competition you should make a production that lasts for exactly 20 seconds.. No more and no less. Generally speaking it can be any sort of demo or intro, be it oldschool, new school, 64kb, 40kb, 1kb, whatever you like and don't just be restricted by these categories, the only comstraint is time.

We would really love to see what you can pack into just 20 seconds! It should be enough time to impress but you'll need to use your imagination to make a winning entry.

You should follow the rules below when taking part!

COMPETITION RULES

    * Any language is allowed but your demo MUST run on the PC, other platforms are not allowed.

    * If any entries are tied for 1st, 2nd, 3rd etc.. rankings; then prizes will be split at the discretion of the admin team.

    * Code must be original and anything found to be ripped code will be disqualified.

    * Source code need not be supplied or submitted. Fully working packed entries utterly acceptable. But feel free to include source if you like.

    * If using Ripped Music / Graphics, then please make sure you get permission to use them first or at least credit the creator.

    * Any external libraries must be supplied with submission, and in either Zip Or Rar format. You may utilize the attachment facility at this site, or submit a download link. No direct linking please. Entries that do not run will because of missing media/libs will be disqualified.

    * Please ensure any material before being submitted is checked with a reputable virus checker.

    * You may submit entries for the competition from now until midnight 20th March 2007 GMT.

    * The winner will be decided by poll. A poll will be opened on 21st of March 2007, you will all be able to cast three votes in that poll. The poll will run for exactly one week, there will be plenty of time to vote!

    * Entries that use uncredited ripped graphics/music will be disqualified. Previously released intros/demos are not allowed, this must be freshly coded.

    * Members of DBF/GVY May enter, this is because the winner will be decided by the forum members. Because I am providing the cash prize I (Shockwave) will not be entering the competition but I may provide some examples during the comp.

    * You can enter as many times as you like, but will only be eligible for one prize.

    * Your production must include a visual timer so that the viewer can see the 20 Seconds dissapearing.

    * Please submit your entries in the community projects forum like this;
       20SECONDS - Your Prod Name

    * This competition is open to members of this forum, intro-inferno, freebasic.net and squeakyduck.

   * Nb. Please start your timers from when your demo begins properly. Precalculation / Setup time should not be a part of your 20 seconds.

COMPETITION PRIZES

We have some great prizes on offer this time! The deserving winners will be able to get themselves something nice from Amazon as a prize, this is as well as the usual prizes of Karma and stuff. Here's what's up for grabs this time :

1ST PLACE : £25 AMAZON VOUCHER + 20 KARMA + 1000 POSTS + CUSTOM 1ST PLACE WINNERS SIG!

2ND PLACE : £15 AMAZON VOUCHER + 15 KARMA + 750 POSTS + CUSTOM 2ND PLACE WINNERS SIG!

3RD PLACE : £10 AMAZON VOUCHER + 10 KARMA + 500 POSTS + CUSTOM 3RD PLACE WINNERS SIG!

Plus, every entry to the competition is worth +2 Karma and +20 Posts.

GOOD LUCK!

Many thanks must go to Taj who suggested a few ideas for competitions a long time ago. This one stuck in my mind.

[ferris]

Muahahahaha. ['nuff said ]

[benny!]

Excellent theme for a competition. I hope to have some spare time in
the next days...
Really looking forward to it ...

[taj]

Shockie,

One question: when does the time start?

There are some issues I can think of:
1. A lot of small code precalculates things. This can be as much as a minute especially to calculate music.
2. On your PC, a process may not get enough memory/priority to run for maybe 2 seconds or even more. OK not so bad but someone might complain.
3. Some programs load and decode things and I noticed bass can actually take quite a time to do this (several seconds).

May I suggest that, in order to avoid such issues, we agree that  time starts from when the first image appears on the screen or first sound starts (if you do black for 5 seconds :-). So its the first moment you "render" something. It means loading/decoding of files , precalculating and process problems are all equalised. I think the spirit of the competition should be "wow me in 20seconds from your demo starting".

What do you think?

Taj

[ekoli]

This must be the compo for every coder available, who hasn't 20 seconds of old demo ideas lying around in various Visual Studio Projects? This sounds like the compo for me at least, minimum input, just cut'n'paste already written unreleased code ( with two children and studies spare time is somewhere around nothing ). Hopefully precalc will be 5 times longer than the actual running time! 

[Shockwave]

I think we can count precalc time out of the running time

Thanks for raising the point Taj.
I will ammend the rules, the 20 seconds start from the first render and end at the last render.
Of course this could mean that you could display a progress bar for the precalc but I don't think that would earn many votes.

[GrahamK]

Should it exit after the 20 seconds, or sit on a final render waiting for a keypress before exiting ?

[Shockwave]

I think it should exit on it's own really, the demo hasn't finished if it's still waiting for a keypress Looking forward to seeing a Cobra entry!

[Hotshot]

Do you mind if I put you extra 10 seconds to make it 30 seconds demo as I think 20 seconds demo is way too short for my view....

please let me know

cheers

[Shockwave]

Sorry Hotshot, it's got to fit into 20 seconds this time, that's part of the challenge to make something that makes the person watching the intro to sit back in amazement in such a short time frame. If you think about it, why not try and see just how much you can pack into such a short time frame.. Or maybe you'll go minimalistic instead?

Whatever way you look at it, you still have a third of a minute, which is longer than a lot of small intros (the 256byte and below) last for and if you're really creative you should be able to come up with something.

There are of course things that just won't work easily in 20 seconds.. I think that you could probably kiss goodbye to scroll routines, this is going to need some nice effects, properly planned to look great and earn a prize

[zawran]

Sounds like a fun challenge, and I will surely try something for this one. Not sure if I am going for as much variation in 20 secs, or just a couple of effects. We'll have to wait and see what the weekend brings.

[Rbz]

Cool, I have one idea for it   

[ferris]

Looks like alot of fun competition

[mike_g]

I think I'm going to have a go at this. I'm working on something at the moment, its just a matter of getting it all done

[rain_storm]

    * Any language is allowed but your demo MUST run on the PC, other platforms are not allowed.

How does this apply to Yabaisc which can run only in an ebulator?

[Shockwave]

Yabasic is fine

[Hotshot]

I am going to post the 20 sec today but I forgot to bring my Flash 1GB USB and I will go back to the home in about 10 mins then back here LOL

[Hotshot]

I got to sort out the bugs of 20 sec demo....even thought it is CORRECT Texture in program...sigh  why on earth is giving me error when other day that Demo was UP AND RUNNING....I am TOTALLY BAFFERLY!

[Shockwave]

Sounds like you've got a little bit of debugging to do mate You have plenty of time to enter the comp though so don't worry!

[Hotshot]

I have sort it out now...Yahooooo.....Now I going to compress the file (at the moment...it is 1.23MB as it is written in blitz 3D) But I put in ZIP files and it gone down to 748k.....so when I compress the file of blitz 3D then it should cut down in HALF...then I will able to post the demo =)
I am sure u will like it