ABBUC contests 2010

[Heaven/TQA]

and don't forget that for a potential novice coder a char editor might be a good start instead of creating tools like RMT or G2F.

 

and as the rules apply to everybody... both mentioned tools were released already and can not enter the competition anyway.

[flashjazzcat]

I would have loved to enter the ABBUC software contest but existing projects take up ALL my Atari time and as Heaven says, existing tools aren't eligible anyway. Novice coders are less likely to be embroiled in huge, ongoing projects so their fresh contribution - in whatever form - is to be valued and encouraged.

[Rybags]

The other thing is that you're somewhat tied to their release date.

 

If you've got something ready in January, you don't really want to be holding out for the best part of a year.

[TMR]

The other thing is that you're somewhat tied to their release date.

 

True, although that's something of a plus for some people who need a deadline or they'll never get something done [points to self =-]

[Mclaneinc]

The other thing is that you're somewhat tied to their release date.

 

True, although that's something of a plus for some people who need a deadline or they'll never get something done [points to self =-]

 

LOL....I know that one too

[+skr]

But, if ABBUC is such a big community. Why isn't it even possible to get the easiest stuff done?

 

A contest that pushes development tools for example.

Have Raster and Tebe got some "honour-price" for their PC tools? Really.

 

Might be because people having such ideas just do not talk to the right persons to make them come true. In fact, at last years main meeting that topic arose and in general a lot of people liked the idea of making something like you mentioned. But in the end there are more than 400 members who "drive" the club by paying there fees, and everybody has to be heard. That is why one rule says, that software has to run on an stock 800 XL with 64k. Most members are "silent" members and do not use SIO2xx-devices or emulators. You have to respect them, too.

The disussion will rise again this year (next Saturday, to be exact), let´s see, what the outcome is this time.

 

Do we need a tool like a char editor? Everyone can write this in Basic in some hours.

 

It´s not the question if we really need it. In my personal opinion a new DOS is also not needed. But the point is: Whatever they do, they DO it. And not just talk about doing things. Of course it would be nice to know one is spending his time on creating new amazing stuff. But if it were that easy, I would have written thousands of killer games. No matter how good or bad a software is: I respect ANYBODY who writes ANYTHING. But of course software which is simply of no use for me just doesn´t get points from me in the competition. And see: How would it be WITHOUT the competition? I know that some games where started years ago and never finished. But the chance to win some money made some people continue their old projects and release the software.

 

So please do not complain about the software in the competition which you don´t like but be happy about the new games. Some of them probably would never have been released without the ABBUC softwrae competition.

 

I know, we have real coding professions in the ABBUC, but "potential of use" is always like a parallel universe.

Where are the import tools for RMT to have SID Trackers or ST/YM Trackers (for example) Files to import?

 

 

Where is the DMA controller for external Media? "Hundred"s of Data Polling controllers have been built... the next may be in progress...

 

You have the ideas, so why don´t try to bring it to the people and make them put their energy on such projects?

[Heaven/TQA]

I need deadlines... release dates, production dates, fair dates... without pressure... sometimes unlikely that I get into the groove... Rules are for fools...

[emkay]

You have the ideas, so why don´t try to bring it to the people and make them put their energy on such projects?

 

 

This is really addressed to me ?

 

Well, it's what I do since years and did back in the 80s-90s .... Unlike many others I did and do working examples aswell ....

[emkay]

I need deadlines... release dates, production dates, fair dates... without pressure... sometimes unlikely that I get into the groove... Rules are for fools...

 

 

Yeah... you seem to need 4 deadlines a year

[Heaven/TQA]

more than 4... mainly 31. dec...

[+therealbountybob]

Some thoughts:

 

When I try Char Edit on my 130XE (PAL) I don't seem to see the full display:

 

Is there a slight glitch in the music on Jewel Bits, about level 7 it seems to go a bit crazy and this freaks me out

 

I would like too see a version of "h3x0r Deluxe" that gets harder faster It takes about 25 mins before the indestructible blocks come on and this is a bit too long to play, maybe have a couple of difficulty settings or release a 2nd tweaked version Great game

[Creature XL]

The other thing is that you're somewhat tied to their release date.

 

True, although that's something of a plus for some people who need a deadline or they'll never get something done [points to self =-]

 

True, however, look at Crownland in 2007. AFAIK they said it has so few levels and this and that because of the deadline.

And if i wouldhave something ready in January I couldn't wait. Would feel the urge to show it to people.

 

But this is all good and fine. We can't change it and it shouldn't be changed. If there would be two competitions a year, each would have only 1 good game and the price money would have to be halfed as well.

 

@emkay: dude, when you talk to people since the 80s.. I wonder why you haven't started learning to code yourself.

On a more serious note: can you make a tutorial for getting this triangle-sound with RMT? If oyu do not have a video camera, just prpare a demo song with this soun din it I reall ylike the "flutes" used in SID-songs.

[+Philsan]

The other thing is that you're somewhat tied to their release date.

 

True, although that's something of a plus for some people who need a deadline or they'll never get something done [points to self =-]

 

True, however, look at Crownland in 2007. AFAIK they said it has so few levels and this and that because of the deadline.

And if i wouldhave something ready in January I couldn't wait. Would feel the urge to show it to people.

 

But this is all good and fine. We can't change it and it shouldn't be changed. If there would be two competitions a year, each would have only 1 good game and the price money would have to be halfed as well.

 

I think ABBUC contest cannot be different.

Programs are previously released to members, so a deadline is necessary.

However, programs can always be updated after ABBUC's release.

For example, wonderful Yoomp! has been upgraded to v1.1 after 2007 ABBUC contest.

Another 2007 ABBUC contest entry, Crownland (awesome), can be updated without problems, if coders want.

[Bunsen]

Fabulous OCEAN DETOX has won the software contest.

 

http://www.abbuc.de/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=5604&p=41951&sid=2196e2bd9d64d57650ee65654f840015#p41951

[_Fandal_]

Congratulations, ABBUC members!

 

Good to you, if you think that Ocean Detox is the best game of the year.

 

 

F.

[ThomSW]

Strange decision, must admit, but nevertheless greetings for ALL contestants.

At least in this contest it's the game that succeed not some unpopular DOS or other utility-wannabe.

 

 

So guys: share the download links!

[emkay]

Congratulations to the winner(s) ...

 

Both of my favorites placed 1st and 2nd. So the Games with best presentation and fun to play won.

I'm astonished

 

 

 

 

[emkay]

Btw: Miker seems to be the winner of the contest at all: Best musician on the A8 . Special congratulations for that.

 

 

[Heaven/TQA]

congrats to everyone participating... TMR Retro Gamer?

[Sleepy]

Is there any other info on the Nun-Joy Wii controller adapter? I couldn't find much in the forum. Would love to see a video of it in action.

 

Allan

 

 

Hi Allan, I can try to take a video with my photo camera. But I don´t have a youtube-account (or s.th. similar), so I´d have to sent you the video by PN or email.

The NUN-Joy connect a NUN-Chuck with your ATARI. You can steer your player with the little stick or by using the acceleration sensors. The Z-button is normal fire, the C-button autofire.

 

Here´re some pictures:

 

 

 

And here are the results of the hardaware contest 2010:

 

1st place (529 points): 512k Flash Megacartridge by Bernd Herale, Matthias Reichl, Stefan Dorndorf

2nd place (493 points): NUN-Joy by Christoph Büssow

3rd place (423 points): 1MB Eprom-Cartridge by Bernd Herale

 

Sleeπ

Edited October 24, 2010 by Sleepy

[cas]

Some observations from the ABBUC Software contest:

 

as in real life, the contest submissions often have very little time to make a lasting impression to their audience (the voters).

 

While many ABBUC members carefully prepare for the contest by play-testing the games in depth, not all members that appear on the annual meeting (JHV) have time to do so (my gut feeling is that about 1/3 are well prepared and have played the games, the rest has only seen the descriptions and screenshots so far).

 

Gunnar (Bunsen) presents all contest entries during the show to the audience using a pre-recorded movie (this eliminates last minute hardware issues). Each contest entry gets 3 minutes in the movie, without comment. This is about 1/2 minute for the start screen and 2 1/2 minutes for in-game action.

 

Clearly this does not give all submissions the full coverage that they deserve. Also it would be more fair if the ABBUC members voting would spend more time evaluating each submission (after all, the coders have spend month or even years preparing the submissions), but knowing myself and the rest of the Atari folks, we get easily distracted and it requires quite some discipline. There is not much we can do about it.

 

Thus games with superb graphics and musix and a simple to grasp gameplay will have a clear advantage over, to make an example, a complex strategy game or run-and-jump with 200 carefully crafted level.

 

That is not fair.

 

That is real life.

 

I'm not sure what can be done about it. The current scheme favors the simple games over the complex ones.

 

Ocean Detox and "H3x0r deluxe" are really really good games, I enjoy them very much. I just want to tell you to also look carefully at the other submissions, there are gems among them, even if they didn't score in the upper half of this years "highscore".

 

-- Carsten

[pseudografx]

Some observations from the ABBUC Software contest:

...

-- Carsten

I'm totally with you. Even if our production has won, these grapes leave some bitter taste in my mouth.

I definitely appreciate that such a competition is being organized, but the voting crowd should be a bit more knowledgeable so that the voting is fair.

[+Philsan]

Regarding voting fairness, I don't know how other people vote.

The range is from 1 to 10.

I always use a range from 6 (to appreciate programmers work) to 10 but someone could for example give 1s and 10s to make his vote count more.

Perhaps it would be better to give 10 to the preferred program, 9 to the second and so on.

I don't know.

 

Anyway, long life to beautiful ABBUC's contest!

[emkay]

Some observations from the ABBUC Software contest:

...

-- Carsten

I'm totally with you. Even if our production has won, these grapes leave some bitter taste in my mouth.

I definitely appreciate that such a competition is being organized, but the voting crowd should be a bit more knowledgeable so that the voting is fair.

 

 

?

 

The best title won. Hexxor is an earned 3rd place. Seems, there is hope for the community. I'd bet that Donny2 would have placed better, if you could see what is a trap and what not....

 

Milk Nuts also would have placed better with a better presentation. Remembering Cubico placed 1st in 2006....

 

Presentation is 50% gaming fun.

[matosimi]

Some observations from the ABBUC Software contest:

...

-- Carsten

I'm totally with you. Even if our production has won, these grapes leave some bitter taste in my mouth.

I definitely appreciate that such a competition is being organized, but the voting crowd should be a bit more knowledgeable so that the voting is fair.

 

I agree with PG. He had also worked on h3x0r deluxe's design.

I must admit that design/presentation has much importance than before and gameplay is sometimes in the shadow of neat look and sound. But do not forget that good design is very hard to code...

I remember how I felt when minigame compo 2009 results were posted. It was like "OMG WTF? FFS" for me... I will not participate on that crappy compo never again. h3x0r 1k placed 5th as I remember... out of 6 games. That was the most complicated code I've ever written in 1k so those results put me down in the dumps.