And we're done!

[sws26]

It’s all over!

Click below to view all the contestants in a single page:

http://www.angryoctopus.co.nz/tinygame/2010/preview.png

A somewhat disappointing quantity of excellent quality entries, just enough for a 2x2 grid! Anyone have any thoughts on the contest, what did you like/dislike? Should we do it again next year? If so what changes would make the contest more fun?

I have added a poll so we can decide on an official winner, not including my own entry which is disqualified for being submitted by the contest organizer and also for being rubbish ;).

I think if we go ahead next year we should have a different (but similarly limited) theme and a mandatory provided framework.

[dishmoth]

First of all, thanks for organizing the contest! I think we saw some really cool projects (finished and unfinished) as a result.

I loved the way that the contest removed all of the effort from doing graphics. Can’t draw? Not a problem! Can’t be bothered worrying about texture sizes and fill rates? Not a problem! I never would’ve attempted something like “Mini Quests” as a full-size game – it would’ve taken me years to finish it.

[quote]Should we do it again next year?

I would’ve said a big Yes! to that, with the same 40x30 restrictions, so we could see all the contest entrants gradually filling a 10x10 grid. But at four entrants a year I guess that’s just not going to happen.

Simon

[Riven]

I think that for the sake of cute fluffy bunnies, ‘tiny missile command’ should be allowed to compete, even though it was submitted too late. Let’s say the punishment is that it thereby lost some potential votes.

Oh, and next time, it might be better to make the contest duration a whole lot shorter, like a month. That keeps people focused.

[dishmoth]

@Riven

I think that for the sake of cute fluffy bunnies, ‘tiny missile command’ should be allowed to compete, even though it was submitted too late.

Seconded.

Also, I think TinyBattleCity should take its place in the final line-up.

And for that matter, even some of the not-quite-finished games (TinyRoll springs to mind) deserve a place in the spotlight (with permission of their authors, of course).

We’ll make it to a 3x3 grid yet!

Simon

[bobjob]

few, thank god for cute fluffy bunnies!

[fruitmaze]

I think this was a great idea for a competition, and very fun! It was a challenge to both program the game and to make the graphics look ok for the small resolution. We should have one next year also.

Perhaps a shorter time limit, a month might be good, but I don’t think shorter than that. The resolution 40x30 is good, but another idea could be to have Game Boy resoution 160x144. And how about having some key words that has to be an inspiration for the game? I will see if I can find more ideas later on…

[teletubo]

@Riven

Oh, and next time, it might be better to make the contest duration a whole lot shorter, like a month. That keeps people focused.

I completely agree with that . I myself have put a lot of effort on the first weeks, and after that I just thought “Oh still 3 months to go … still got plenty of time”, and then suddenly lost interest. And I think that’s what happened with a lot of entrants .

[Karmington]

Good stuff, was fun to play all the TinyGames.

[Nate]

Where’s this 2x2 or 3x3 grid so I can vote?

[Wyrframe]

@teletubo

I completely agree with that . I myself have put a lot of effort on the first weeks, and after that I just thought “Oh still 3 months to go … still got plenty of time”, and then suddenly lost interest. And I think that’s what happened with a lot of entrants .

I was originally all for it, as I was working 25 hours a week at the time and needed something to pass the time with. But then my workload rose exponentially, and I ran out of time to do anything. By the time T minus 1 week came about, Tiny Defense Gunner (Defendrex) had no gameplay, only techdemo, and even my backup plan of Tiny Pacman was too complex to bring about in the time I had left.

A shorter timeline would have focused me to make a small design that would definitely work, instead of taking my time finding out that my incomplete design would not work. But hey; “I have not failed. I have discovered a thousand ways that don’t work.”

[sws26]

[quote]Where’s this 2x2 or 3x3 grid so I can vote?
[/quote]
I’ll try sticking em all on a page this weekend (should be interesting) but all the games have hosted versions linked from their journals.

[Nate]

@ShannonSmith

I’ll try sticking em all on a page this weekend (should be interesting) but all the games have hosted versions linked from their journals.

You misunderestimate my lethargy.

[Sardtok]

I would just like to say that this competition had some of the most awesome games ever.
I come back to play Zombie Defense and Cyber Amazon every once in a while.
Mini Quests also got extremely polished. The flame effects were great. I’ve played through the quest a couple of times. And although it is technically awesome, and a lot of fun. I think the replay value of Zombie Defense and Cyber Amazon is higher.

I’m hoping to join in the fray next year.

[fruitmaze]

Thanks Sardtok! Thats nice to hear Hope that some more will join next time.

[kevglass]

Fantastic finished games, love Mini Quest to death!

Definitely agreed on the shorter time frame - motivation is a fickle thing.

Kev