It's a new year and the hype around the gaming community revolves around "the latest and greatest".  Today we have the Sony, Microsoft, and Nintendo wars but remember back when it was just Nintendo and Sega battling?  Let's bring those days back!  Let's create for ourselves, our own battle...



>>>>> REGISTER NOW! <<<<<

11 Feb, 2011 - NEW PRIZE ADDED!

In order to get more prize donations, I need an official list of people either entering or thinking of entering.  Tell your friends!  I've also lightened the rules so that you can enter multiple competitions, as long as the game was started AFTER the start date!!!

INTRODUCTION

2011 will be a great year for gamers!  With games such as Diablo 3, Elder Scrolls V, Portal 2, GTA V, and the Star Wars: The Old Republic and others it's no wonder...this year however, OurGMC.com will bring back the games of the past back to life in a big way through the "Summer 2011 Nostalgic Competition"!  Contestants will compete for the top prizes by recreating any game made prior to 1994 - the last years of the fourth generation consoles.  We are getting together with several groups/organizations to provide you with some amazing prizes, so you definitely don't want to miss out!  Entries will be judged in 3 stages: The "Scoring Stage", "Top 10 Showdown", and the "Top 3 Showdown".  When it comes down to the final "Top 3 Showdown" we will leave it up to the community to vote on their favorite, which allows for the fact that certain games just "feel right"...and that's something that is difficult to score!

The following is an exhaustive outline of the competition, and covers the most minute details to help keep the contest as fair as possible - basically it's boring but important!  If you disagree with a rule, feel a rule is unfair, or have a rule you feel should be put in place feel free to voice it in the forums.  Now let's get down to the details on how you can enter:

 

MAIN PRIZES

First Place - X-Arcade Tankstick + Trackball

Second Place - X-Arcade Dual Joystick

Third Place -  X-Arcade Solo Joystick

 

CATEGORY PRIZES

Best AI - [locked] Lego Mindstorms NXT 2.0 (unlocked after 10 confirmed entries)

 

[more to come!]
[X-Arcade Tankstick + Trackball] [X-Arcade Dual Joystick] [X-Arcade Solo Joystick] [Lego Mindstorms NXT 2.0]
prizes-02

 

THE ENTRIES

All entries must be a remake of a game created for any of the consoles listed in http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_video_game_consoles, which was released commercially on or before December 31, 1994.  Games created for the computer that were released commercially on or before the same date are also allowed, but must be original works.  In other words, you can't create a Doom WAD and release it as your own.  You would have to create a remake of Doom itself for it to be considered.

The following criteria must be met in order for an entry to be considered:

    * Entries must be "based" on an original game that was commercially released on or before December 31, 1994
    * "Based on" is a loose term, but means that the core game mechanics, controls, and story line must remain intact
    * You may change the characters, level design, etc so long as the Judge can say "This feels like X game"
    * Be careful when converting a 2D game to 3D or visa-versa.  If you tun the Top-Down Spy Hunter into a first person driver for instance you still have Spy Hunter, but if you turn the original Contra into a 1st Person Shooter it looses its core mechanics.  Similarly if you convert Doom into a TDS you lose all the elements that made Doom, Doom.
    * If in doubt, contact a Judge privately.

 

RULES

Registration - Registration to this site will be required for the entry only.  However, it is suggested you sign up early to participate in forum discussions, voice your opinions/concerns/criticisms for the current rules, ask questions specific to your entry, and keep a blog about your entry.  The official start date for this competition is January 21, 2011 17:21 GMT and registrations will end on July 21, 2011 at 17:21 GMT...the longest day of the year.  Registration is available to anyone, of any age, in any country.  Teams are also allowed, however, the prize(s) will be awarded to the teams and not the individual.  To register an account, visit this link

Submission - Submissions must be made on or before July 21, 2011 at 17:21 GMT.  Any submission that falls after will not be considered.  This means that if you start your upload at 17:20 on the day of the deadline, and your entry isn't uploaded until 17:22 then your submission will not be considered!  It is your responsibility to ensure the entry is submitted before the deadline...and that's it.  All submissions made me be modified or taken down at anytime before the deadline to fix any issues, add features, etc., however once the deadline has passed whatever you have submitted is the final product - with or without bugs.  Make sure to test your entry!

Multiple Entries - You may submit as many entries as you'd like.  However, each entry must be a remake of a different series.  This means that if you would like to remake Super Mario Bros you cannot remake Super Mario Bros 3, however you can make the original and DR Mario for example as they are not part of the same series.  This prevents coders from making a single engine and pumping an entire series worth of entries by just changing the level and minor details.

Results - There are just too many variables in determining when we can release the results that it just wouldn't be worth attempting.  However, when the judging process begins we will keep a very detailed blog on all entries being considered for the final showdown.

Entries MUST be exclusive to OurGMC.com - This means that your entry must not be used in a different competition on or before the deadline.  If you would like to submit your entry into a competition that started on or after this one, and which has a deadline after July 21, 2011 at 17:21 GMT, then this is fine.  If your entry is selected for the showdown and it has come to the judges attention that your entry was also submitted.  Any game found to have been started before the official start date for the "Summer 2011 Nostalgic Competition" will be disqualified.  "Do not challenge the gate."  No longer required...as long as the entry was started after the start date!

Entries must be freeware and remain freeware - By submitting your entry to OurGMC.com you give us the right to host the entry indefinitely if it has been judged.  If it has not been judged then you can take the entry down and do with it what you wish.  We will host the entry as-is at the time of judging for as long as we choose.  We in return promise to not sell, modify, or otherwise redistribute your entry outside of the site.

Entries must promote competition sponsors and OurGMC.com - All entries must contain the supplied splash screen (which is being designed) which has contains all the sponsor and OurGMC.com logos.  The splash screen must be displayed in whole and unmodified for at least 3 seconds.  This requirement is for the entry itself, and you may remove if you release it anywhere else.  The splash screen must not be obstructed, modified, faded, blurred or in any way altered.

Entries must provide a "readme.txt" file - It must say "read me" and must be a .txt file.  This file must contain your name, the date you submitted the entry, the game your entry is a remake of, what language/environment you used, the controls, objective of the game, and cheats if you choose to use them.  There is just no way that all our Judges have played every game ever made, and you must not assume they have no matter how popular the title.  Also, Judges can't possibly play each entry through its entirety, so providing cheats will allow them to see as much of the game as possible.  The language/environment is just for statistical purposes.  I will create a template you can use soon.

Entries can be coded in any language - The following is a list of languages, environments, or engines that are allowed (if you don't see yours here, ask before you start but please don't spam with the extensive list of languages out there...only ask if you are going to use it!):

    * C, C#, C++, Java, Basic, Visual Basic, any of the .Net languages
    * XNA, Allegro, OGRE, Irrlitch
    * Python, Ruby, Java
    * Game Maker, Blitz series, Torque series, 3D Game Studio, C4, Blender, DarkBasic series

Languages/Environments specifically banned - The following list is banned because I deem it too unfair an advantage.  There is a difference between a game engine, and something that makes the game for you.  Feel free to dispute, I am willing to consider your objections (again please don't object if you don't intend to use it):

    * RPG Maker series
    * Fighter Maker series

File Size Limit - Based on other competitions I have observed, 50MB after compressing seems appropriate.  However if there is enough need for 50MB+ I will lift this limit.  The required splash screen will not count towards this.  Also, all entries must be compressed in any of the formats WinRAR supports.

Platforms - Entries may be coded for Windows/Mac/Linux and any console for which there is an emulator.

Installers - Installers are not recommended.  Each Judge has the option to refuse to install anything, so keep this in mind.

Control Methods - Entries must be controlled through either a mouse and/or keyboard, unless you are coding specifically for a console.  You may provide support for a gamepad, however you must not assume that the Judges will have a gamepad!

Internet Connectivity - Entries must not rely on the internet to function.  Flash games can be created as long as it can be run with a free Flash player in offline mode.  In fact, Flash games must still be packed and submitted like any other entry.  Online functionality such as high scores are allowed as long as the game is playable offline.

Display Settings - Entries must not force a resolution, refresh, or color depth change without the approval of the player.  Certain packages do this for you automatically however, and in such cases it will be allowed.  If the games are too small for Judges to see it will severely affect your score!

Disqualification - If for any reason a Judge deems an entry for disqualification, that entry will be brought to the attention of the other Judges.  A final decision will be made, and the participant will be contacted to settle the issue.