ABBUC software competition 2015

[+skr]

Ok guys,

 

the rules for the software competition have been updated and will be released soon. You can enter submissions already, if you like (it´s still winter, Fandal ).

 

Many thanks to Charlie Chaplin, who does lots of work in the background (and also here on AtariAge) to support me with the organization of the competiton!

 

The most important change will be the deadline:

 

DEADLINE for the ABBUC SWC2015: 31. JULY 2015

 

Please find all official information about the competition on the ABBUC forums:

 

http://www.abbuc.de/community/forum/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=8354

 

By the way: I still wish to have a 8-Bit-Style Logo (which is viewable and usable on stock hardware) for the competition, that also could be used from the authors to be put in their software. Can´t pay your efforts, but if there is something cool, I´ll organize a reward.

 

Happy coding!

 

Sascha

Head of ABBUC Software Ressort

[Marius]

Exciting!

I'm still enjoying the games from last years, and here is already a start of a new contest.

And I keep my fingers crossed for the Hardware Competition. I voted last year 10 points for the SysCheck II and for a project called "Debug Anzeige".
The SysCheck II is already running here, and it's even cooler than expected at the moment I voted 10 points!

Well what I try to say is:

Abbuc

is

FABULOUS!

Enjoy people with your new projects!

 

When I have time (omg you don't want to know how many times I say when I have time) I'll start some new coding on my atari 8bit too again!

[popmilo]

DEADLINE for the ABBUC SWC2015: 31. JULY 2015

Noooooooo!!! You just took one month away of remaining time till compo

Well... Guess we'll have to start now instead of waiting for summer to code something

 

ProWizard is right. More hardware entries would be great.

And yes, Abbuc is one of the best compos around!

[Irgendwer]

By the way: I still wish to have a 8-Bit-Style Logo (which is viewable and usable on stock hardware) for the competition, that also could be used from the authors to be put in their software. Can´t pay your efforts, but if there is something cool, I´ll organize a reward.

 

Something like this (?):

[+skr]

Yeah, that´s exactly what I mean. I really like it. Could you send me something that displays on an Atari. As I am not a really programmer myself, I don´t know, what format would be clever to provide to the software authors. Do you mind if I propose your graphics to Wolfgang to make it the official Logo for this year´s competition?

Edited February 20, 2015 by skr

[CrazyChris]

Is a download of all the entries available?

[+skr]

All entries will be send to the members with the quarterly magazine. This is also available as ATR in the ABBUC members section. The entries from the SWC2014 are on "Sondermagazin 48".

 

If you are not an ABBUC member you have to check the authors sites or other well known sites.

 

The ABBUC lives from the fees its members pay. To give some bonus back to the members and make the membership worthwile, some things are only accessible for members. Anyway all rights stay with the authors so any entry is available somewhere else, too.

Edited February 24, 2015 by skr

[CrazyChris]

My mistake, I was talking about the 2014 results. Same?

[+skr]

Yes, this is true for all ABBUC software competitions.

[popmilo]

Is a download of all the entries available?

There are links for most of them here:

 

http://atarionline.pl/v01//index.php?subaction=showfull&id=1414275317&archive=&start_from=40&ucat=1&ct=nowinki&amp%3Bamp%3Bamp%3Bsub=L%2Fadmin%2Fsqlpatch.php%2Fpassword_forgotten.php%3Faction%3Dexecute%2Fadmin%2Fcategories.php%2Flogin.php%3FcPath%3D&amp%3Bamp%3Baction=new_product_preview

[CrazyChris]

There are links for most of them here:

 

http://atarionline.pl/v01//index.php?subaction=showfull&id=1414275317&archive=&start_from=40&ucat=1&ct=nowinki&amp%3Bamp%3Bamp%3Bsub=L%2Fadmin%2Fsqlpatch.php%2Fpassword_forgotten.php%3Faction%3Dexecute%2Fadmin%2Fcategories.php%2Flogin.php%3FcPath%3D&amp%3Bamp%3Baction=new_product_preview

 

Thank you popmilo! I will check it out.

[+skr]

At the NOMAM-meeting in Lübeck/Germany we discussed the possibility to let the 10 Liners participate in the software competition. That happened before, when the TenLiners were presented as a compilation.

 

Many of this years games have a big potential and would easily extended with some work and without the restriction to 10 lines of BASIC. If any of the authors continues working on his TenLiner and give it more features, it is of course absolutely legitimate to enter the ABBUC Software Competition 2015.

 

Keep coding!

 

btw: An image with all Ten Liners for the Atari 8 Bit with a Menu will soon be releases by Bunsen. He still has to doublecheck and find all the mistakes I made with the menu.

[Poison]

Enter the competition Manic Miner and Rick Dangerous?

[+skr]

Oh, that reminds me that I still have to publish the updated rules.

 

For this particular question, those rules will apply:

 

2.3. Also allowed as entries are:

 

a) further development of an already released program, if the program is essentially extended or changed

b) Conversions from other computer platforms, if only own code is used and existing brand names / titles are changed for the Atari 8 Bit version.

c) Program collections, if the programs are thematically coherent (e.g. a DOS and its utilities)

 

2.5 The author has to provide a written confirmation, that he owns all rights for the submitted work. If the submission contains material of which the author does not own the copyright, he also has to provide a confirmation of the original copyright holder which proves, that the original copyright holder allowed to use that material.

[+therealbountybob]

Hey guess what? I'm still working on my 2013 entry - that was entered in 2014 ... probably good enough not to come last now... hopefully Ramp Rage 1.1 will be finished finished very soon!! I have a small Turbo BASIC game that I started a while ago so hopefully I can dust that off and work out what I was up to to get something entered again this time

[José Pereira]

Oh, that reminds me that I still have to publish the updated rules.

02

For this particular question, those rules will apply:

02

2.3. Also allowed as entries are:

02

a) further development of an already released program, if the program is essentially extended or changed

b) Conversions from other computer platforms, if only own code is used and existing brand names / titles are changed for the Atari 8 Bit version.

c) Program collections, if the programs are thematically coherent (e.g. a DOS and its utilities)

02

2.5 The author has to provide a written confirmation, that he owns all rights for the submitted work. If the submission contains02material of which the author does not own the copyright, he also has to provide a confirmation of the original copyright holder which proves, that the original copyright holder allowed to use that material.

Point 2.5 are you saying that for a old game we need to have permission?

And if there's no way to get it?

As an example that comes to my mind and isn't my intention, at leas for ABBUC, lets say someone wants to send Impossible Mission to the contest...

It is all in A8 code, charmode instead bitmap mode, use of PMGs,... this allowed.

The original copyright is from who? Epyx, original C64 version? Where are they now, we need their blessing?

And more, lets say we want to use the gfxs (not code) of the BBC/Electron version, we also need this version gfxs guys authorization?

And the name, also don't get it. Are you're saying that if no original author(s)/owner(s) of the copyright we can still enter on the contest as long the name is changed? Something like "No Possible Mission" is a good name ?

[+skr]

José, this is exactly the point: There IS copyright to most of the old games. The ABBUC as a registered club CAN be sued for violating copyrights. We do not have the means to check all the stuff you mentioned, so we have to ask to the authors who submit programs to the competition to take care of the copyrights or give a written statement, that they have the needed rights.

 

We totally know, that it sometimes is hard to figure out, if there is a copyright or not. But one single sue could ruin the club immediately, and so we have to be very careful with this.

[Mclaneinc]

SKR, have you ever considered having specialist categories for hardware like Veronica and VBXE, its just in general there's nothing really pointed at these things so more stuff gets developed purely for the standard models with the odd bit of higher ram needed. A specialist category might provoke more interest in making stuff for these hardware upgrades.

 

If no one enters then its no loss but with a carrot dangled such as a category you just know / hope it will spur people on to be the one that puts an entry in.

[Creature XL]

SKR, have you ever considered having specialist categories for hardware like Veronica and VBXE, its just in general there's nothing really pointed at these things so more stuff gets developed purely for the standard models with the odd bit of higher ram needed. A specialist category might provoke more interest in making stuff for these hardware upgrades.

 

If no one enters then its no loss but with a carrot dangled such as a category you just know / hope it will spur people on to be the one that puts an entry in.

 

My guess is that it won't happen as long as there is price money from the club. Not sure if 50 or so people agree to spend the club's money on software only, say 5, of them can use. You've got to remember that it is decided on the JHV (general assembly) which is mostly attended by the German guys.

The fact mentioned, might be the reason why the SW has to be able to run on a standard Atari-8-bit.

[+therealbountybob]

For my 2015 entry "Gravity" (Turbo BASIC) I'm adding a tune from RMT by "radix / solitude". Does anyone know these guys and can get confirmation that this is ok to use? I guess the file is included with the player so it is ok, but it would be nice to confirm this

[José Pereira]

Oh, that reminds me that I still have to publish the updated rules.

02

For this particular question, those rules will apply:

02

2.3. Also allowed as entries are:

02

a) further development of an already released program, if the program is essentially extended or changed

b) Conversions from other computer platforms, if only own code is used and existing brand names / titles are changed for the Atari 8 Bit version.

c) Program collections, if the programs are thematically coherent (e.g. a DOS and its utilities)

02

2.5 The author has to provide a written confirmation, that he owns all rights for the submitted work. If the submission contains02material of which the author does not own the copyright, he also has to provide a confirmation of the original copyright holder which proves, that the original copyright holder allowed to use that material.

Hi.

Regarding 2.3. b) the game is an old one not commercially released, only came in another format magazine cover tape and the original coder never did anyother soo it is now totally impossible to contact/find him anywhere?

By the way the game is a totally own code and only use the text font and one screen of the game but have more and totally new screens, levels and also new sprites?

What solution do I have?

 

P.s.- Taking the example of recent Rick Dangerous and lets say our A8 coder wanted to enter on the Contest what will he need ? If just change the game name he could enter?

And if yes something like Rock Dangerous is O.K. or will he have to change the name on the two words? Or what about Rick in Danger?

In my case it's a single name, not this but lets say is Gunner then Gunner Shoot is O.K.?

Or if originally Bomber then Bomber Boom! is also O.K.?

Adding just a ! at the end of the word, like Gunner! / Bomber! / Destroyer! / Archer! can be?

[vitoco]

For my 2015 entry "Gravity" (Turbo BASIC) I'm adding a tune from RMT by "radix / solitude". Does anyone know these guys and can get confirmation that this is ok to use? I guess the file is included with the player so it is ok, but it would be nice to confirm this

 

I'd also like to know if it's possible to use one of the demo songs from RMT. I'm stil trying to understand how to use the editor and what are all those controls for. I'm not a musician and "try and error" method is not practical as the deadline is not so far.

[+therealbountybob]

I've sent my game in to SKR but no reply yet

 

p.s. vitoco. I only exported an RMT file for use in turbo basic so I can advise on this if needed.

I'm sure there are some RMT users out there who can help you if you post saying what you are trying to do

[chinnyhill10]

I hope there is something as good as RGB again this year. Such a fantastic game.

[sack-c0s]

 

I'd also like to know if it's possible to use one of the demo songs from RMT. I'm stil trying to understand how to use the editor and what are all those controls for. I'm not a musician and "try and error" method is not practical as the deadline is not so far.

 

I suppose it's up to the individual author of the demo song.

 

If it's one of mine then I really don't mind whatsoever. I can't imagine what else you expect is going to happen if you agree to one of your music files being packaged up with an editor to be pulled apart and messed with if I'm honest - it's fair game.

Edited July 1, 2015 by sack-c0s