Photics.com Web Game Design Competition (2007)

Photics · #1 02-04-2007, 08:58 PM

It's time for the second annual Photics.com Web Game Design Competition. I learned a lot from last year's competition. For one, international shipping is expensive. Two, it's surprisingly difficult to box prizes. That's why I'm taking a novel approach this year. I decided that the winning prize should be emailed. There's an extra copy of Guild Wars: Nightfall sitting on my floor. I don't want it to go to waste. So, I figured it was time for the second annual Photics.com web game design competition. Create the best flash game by April 28, 2007 and you'll win the game code. That's right, I'm not shipping the box! This is for just the code to unlock access to Guild Wars: Nightfall.

Here's something else that's different this year. There are virtually no restrictions on the theme. It does have to be a Flash game, as the Photics Arcade only works with .SWF files, but it doesn't have to be a Guild Wars game. If you want to make a space shooter, that's cool. If you want to make a Guild Wars card game, that's cool too. Just remember to meet the guidelines. You can see the rules for details.

Only first place takes the prize. There are no other prizes to be won. The winner will be determined by a Photics Forums poll. To help ensure that cheating does not occur, the votes will be public. The poll will be closed on May 5, 2007 at 12:00 PM EST. In the event of a tie, I will cast the tie-breaking vote.

Here's some advice. Put a lot of time into your game. That last 5% is what separates a good game from a great game. The graphics should look crisp and beautiful. The sounds should be pleasing to the ears. The gameplay should be compelling. The interface should be intuitive. There must be a title screen, an instruction screen, a scoring system and a game over screen. If you need help making your game, visit the Photics.com Animation and Game Development forum. You can have others help you, but only one person per entry is permitted.

Good luck! I look forward to seeing what you can create!

Game must have scoring, title screen, instruction screen and a game over screen
Game must be a single player game
Game cannot violate any copyright laws
Game cannot be a clone of an existing game
Game must not export to a SWF that is more than 1 MEG in size
Game must not be wider than 640 pixels
Game must not be taller than 480 pixels
Game content must be suitable for ages 13+
You must be at least 13 years old to enter
Complete contact information must be provided. (Name, Address, Telephone Number)
Your game can link to your own personal website, if your website is not deemed objectionable by Photics.com
Teams are not allowed. Only one person per entry, but others are permitted to help you
If your game has a Guild Wars theme, it must include the fansite disclaimer text
Entry must be received by April 28, 2007 11:59 PM EST

By submitting your game to Photics.com, you give Photics.com permission to publish your game in the arcade section of Photics.com. The winner will be determined by a Photics.com poll, where members of the Photics Forums will be able to vote on their favorite game. Votes will be public. The poll will run for about a week, to end on May 5, 2007 12:00 PM EST. The prize is a game code to unlock Guild Wars: Nightfall the Collector’s Edition. The game code will be delivered by email. (That means no physical items are included. Shipping is too expensive!) The approximate retail value of the prize is $69.99. Applicable taxes are the responsibly of the winners. Photics.com is not responsible for any lost entries. If you do not receive confirmation of your entry within 24 hours, try using the Photics Forum to send a message. Multiple entries are allowed. Contest is void where prohibited. Photics.com is not responsible for unseen circumstances, electrical failure, acts of God, floods, fires, plagues, nuclear war, etc. Photics.com reserves the right to modify the rules to accommodate unforeseen issues.

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UPDATE
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Gaile Gray has decided to give the contest a little boost. The three runners up will get a couple of random skill pins from ArenaNet. If you are one of the three runner-ups, your contact information will be sent to ArenaNet. They will be mailing the pins.

Bolshevik · #2 02-10-2007, 07:36 AM

Hey I reposted because I didn't want to double post at any rate I am having a hard time coming up with something interesting that I could do. Yes I am having a brain fart. The reason for this is because when I always try to make an interesting game I make it to complex and never finish it so I wanted to ask you guys what kind of games you would like to see. I kind of didn't want to do a side-scroll and top down shooter even though those would be easy in my mind because theres so many of them. Who would have thought with no restrictions that I'd actually have a brain fart haha.

Photics · #3 02-10-2007, 09:28 AM

Well, I don't know. Originality is important. Just to be clear, I think I'll explain what I mean by clones. If you made a Basketball game or a Chess Game, I wouldn't consider that a clone. If you made a game that looked like Arch Rivals or Battle Chess, I would consider that a clone. Chess is general... while Battle Chess is specific.

I don't want to see Pac Dude or Super Mario Cousins, as that's an obvious rip-off of Super Mario Bros. Think of the TYPE of game you want to make. There are plenty of side-scrolling platform games that are not clones of Super Mario Bros... like Earth Worm Jim, Sonic the Hedgehog and Alien Hominid. CastleVania: Symphony of the Night is a way different game from Super Metroid, but they're very close in format.

In other words... DON'T MAKE ARKANOID!

The first step is to realize what types of games Flash can make. High-Polygon 3D games, probably not... but Isometric games can be done in Flash. Jobe Makar has a good game design book - Macromedia Flash MX Game Design. It covers all the important things to consider when making a Flash Game, Like sound, graphics, physics and game types.

It's important that the type of game you're making matches your skill set and the amount of free time that you have. It would be awesome to make an Isometic Game, but that is heavily dependant upon graphic creation. I wanted to make an Isometric RPG in Flash, but I quickly realized how difficult it would be. If you don't have Jobe Makar's book, Kirupa.com has a great tutorials on Flash, Game Development and Isometry...

http://www.kirupa.com/developer/flash/index.htm

Here are some game types that Flash can probably handle...

Tile Based Games: 2D RPG / 3D Isometric Game. Flash can do A* algorithm (for character movement) and title sets. Old School games were often created with graphic tiles. Flash is better with Vector graphics, but there are ways to treat vector graphics like tiled bitmap images. (IF you do an RPG, you'll have to figure out a way to add scoring.)
Space Shooter: I don't see what's wrong with making a space shooter. While it's not too hard to find tutorials on creating a scrolling shooter, how many good Flash shooters are out there? Many of the ones that I've seen were unfinished, ugly or not very fun to play.
Sports: There are so many possibilities here.
Ninjas: Who doesn't enjoy a finely-crafted game about ninjas?
Puzzles - This is tough, as I won't accept Tetris, Collapse or Bejeweled. How do you make a puzzle game that's original? If you can figure something out, Flash is generally a great platform for puzzle games.

Getting past the blank page is a tough part of game creation.

Moo · #4 03-09-2007, 02:17 PM

Is the competition over yet?

Photics · #5 03-09-2007, 03:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Grandmastermoomoo

Is the competition over yet?

No... there's another month and half to enter the contest. The deadline is April 28, 2007. Only the best game will win. Do you think you have the skills to make an awesome Flash game... or recruit those who will assist you?

These forums are a resource that no one is using. I guess people want to keep their game ideas a secret... as there is interest in this year's competition.

Remember... to those who are watching from the shadows. Put time into the creation of your game. Make it as close to perfect as possible, as the community can see the flaws. They will be the ones judging the game.

Nemisari · #6 03-13-2007, 02:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by photics

Remember... to those who are watching from the shadows. Put time into the creation of your game. Make it as close to perfect as possible, as the community can see the flaws. They will be the ones judging the game.

No truer words have been said... er .. put to paper.. er.. put to electronic database? If there are bugs in your game, the community will find them .. especially the ones you didn't know existed!

If anyone has questions or are stumped over why something isn't working, I'm willing to lend a hand .. though I wont be discussing my project

to those competing, don't forget:
-A loading screen
-pretty / aesthetically pleasing menu system
-pause button
-lots of neat little features (people really like those

)

even if you don't intend to discuss your project, I'd like to see a post from everyone even thinking of entering the contest.. even a "hi, I'm alive" message would be nice. I'd like to know who and how many I'm up against!

Photics · #7 04-21-2007, 09:37 PM

There is only one week left to enter the 2007 Photics.com Web Game Design Competition. Who's going to enter the competition?

Moo · #8 04-21-2007, 10:48 PM

Well, I have to say that whoever made the gvg pinball did a great job, I cant wait to try his other game(hopefully he is making another one). Sadly I cant make one, I don't know enough about game designing. But I can help if anyone needs it.

Photics · #9 04-28-2007, 07:53 AM

Today is the last day to enter the competition.

I also found out something interesting. You CAN use Guild Wars music in your Guild Wars Flash Games. If you do, I think you should be courteous and put a link to DirectSong.com in your credits section.

Nemisari · #10 04-28-2007, 12:57 PM

Curses on real life.. I barely had any free time over the last couple weeks, as a result I didn't have a chance to finish my game

Even though it wont make it for the competition, I still intend to finish the game. Now I'll have more time to refine the visual elements

How many entries are there? Maybe the deadline could be extended?