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We have some options - what do you want to do?

Kevin Hawkins · 2003-07-23T14:59:10

After thinking about this contest and all the feedback that I have received, I have determined that we, collectively as a group here, have a few options. Option 1: We start the contest with the arena executable (almost) as-is with a few defect fixes. Advantages: The contest starts within the next 2 weeks. The core of the arena works well. It's just the presentation that needs work. Disadvantages: The arena executable may not work properly for everyone. The defects everyone has been seeing with the download, for the most part, will remain until a later date. Everyone accepts the interface as-is. Option 2: I rewrite parts of the arena executable to allow for some of these other features that have been mentioned. Advantages: The arena executable will (hopefully) work well on everyone's machine. All defects have been fixed due to a redesign. Some of the features that have been requested are implemented, or at the minimum, easily added due to the redesign. Disadvantages: The contest will not start anytime soon. It could be another 2 months or more (keep in mind I only worked on this for about 3-5 hours per week for 2 months.. that trend would have to continue). Potential for new defects due to redesign. Option 3: We start a contest without prizes (for fun) using the current arena executable - a sort of trial run. During the lifetime of this contest, the arena executable and the interface is redesigned and reimplemented to fix defects and include improvements/features based on feedback. Advantages: We have a contest. We get immediate feedback on: the arena executable, the arena interface, and the contest format. Everyone gets a chance to give their input to make a better product (product being the contest). The first official contest would be (in theory) better due to a low defect yield and a reworked/rehashed/reimplemented arena with improvements. Everyone tests the current arena for the contest, as well as the new arena for feedback. Disadvantages: We do not have prizes. The real contest does not start for another couple of months - at least until this first one is over and the new arena version is ready. If anyone has any other advantages/disadvantages for each of these, I'd like to see them. Basically, I realized that my attempt at quickly developing the arena executable might not result in the best and most fair contest possible. And given that I cannot stand having people use my software if it is buggy, I would rather improve it if that is what everyone would rather have. Another reason is that this is a completely new contest for GameDev.net, and while I do not expect to get it right this first time, I would like to make it as good as possible. I leave this up to you, however. If Option 2 or 3 are decided, then just remember that I will not be working on this fulltime, and I will not be spending a couple hours every night trying to complete it. I have a life that I want to keep, a book that I need to get busy on, and everyday work. However, I would spend a few hours per week, and I would be willing to make this contest better if that is the consensus I received from those interested in participating. Also, feature creep will be kept at a minimum. If a new version is to be created, it will have a defined set of improvements, and only those improvements will be included. Anything else will have to wait until after the "official" contest. ***EDIT: To clarify a point made in a reply below, these features have already been determined for the next version of the arena executable. While people may request many features, some extraneous at this point, I already have a list of improvements and fixes. So by saying that feature creep will be kept at a minimum, I mean that my list of improvements is already defined for the next version, and new requests during that version's development will not be implemented. Anyway, as always, provide comments, suggestions, ideas, your name and credit card number, etc. and let me know as a collective whole what you want to do based on the advantages and disadvantages of each option. *** This post has been edited. Please review it for any changes since your last visit. ***

GameDev: Arena Contests

Started by khawk July 16, 2003 09:12 AM

76 comments, last by khawk 20 years, 11 months ago

TheSorcerer

265

July 16, 2003 12:14 PM

"Computers in the future may weigh no more than 1.5 tons.""I think there is a world market for maybe five computers.""There is no reason anyone would want a computer in their home."

CodeDemon

363

July 16, 2003 12:22 PM

quote: Original post by Khawk
quote: Original post by CodeDemon
Man, some of the replies so far are scaring me. I was really looking forward to entering a worth while contest. It is true that the current executable is buggy. I fixed the main slow-down/white screen problem by replacing the 11MB model with a more light-weight one, and shrinking the textures to reasonable sizes. A lot of systems just couldn''t handle the unoptimized resources.

My main concern is that by having an unofficial contest or by releasing the source code, there no longer is any competition left among players for the official contest: everyone will have access to the resources necessary to make super bots.

I am actually looking into this (the changing of the model).. I have not tried another model yet, but if it makes the contest more accessible, we might go ahead with it while I rewrite what I would like to rewrite. The executable may still crash occassionally, but since that crash is primarily during shutdown, it may still be worth running the official contest now (option 1), or maybe even a mix of options 1 and 3, which was my original plan.

As for open source, I do not want to do that. Not for a while anyway..

Yeah, I don''t want to be pressuring you either, as I wouldn''t want you to neglect your most recent "find".

I say that if you can fix it up so that it runs somewhat reasonably, within a couple more days, then run the contest; otherwise, go with 3 or a mix of 1 and 3.

draqza

122

July 16, 2003 12:25 PM

Yeah, I''m thinking 3 sounds good too... especially since I wasn''t really worried about the idea of prizes anyway, I just want to try to get some AI experience.

WNDCLASSEX Reality;......Reality.lpfnWndProc=ComputerGames;......RegisterClassEx(&Reality);Unable to register Reality...what's wrong?---------Dan Uptonhttp://0to1.org http://www20.brinkster.com/draqza

Dragon88

246

July 16, 2003 12:27 PM

3 MAN! Let''s have us some fun while kevin works on the final version. It''s like downloading the demo, it has flaws and isn''t quite as feature packed or pretty as the full thing, but it keeps u occupied until the full game comes out.

(Stolen from Programmer One)
UNIX is an operating system, OS/2 is half an operating system, Windows is a shell, and DOS is a boot partition virus

cheez_keeper

134

July 16, 2003 12:40 PM

1

but i am kinda an open fire and let god sort out the casualties person

Brett Lynnescheez_keeper@hotmail.com

Colin Jeanne

1,115

July 16, 2003 12:47 PM

I vote for 3. Mostly because I just want something to play with and because I know that I wouldn''t be winning any prizes anyway

Qui fut tout, et qui ne fut rien
Invader''s Realm

intransigent-seal

881

July 16, 2003 12:55 PM

Having not read every post in this thread (busy right now) I think option 3 is the best.

John B

The best thing about the internet is the way people with no experience or qualifications can pretend to be completely superior to other people who have no experience or qualifications.

jeanlucpikachu

122

July 16, 2003 01:00 PM

I''ve no comment on options 2 or 3, but I must recommend against option 1... Many people appear ready to have much fun w/ this contest, let us endeavor to avoid raining on their parade.

We''ve waited this long, we can afford to wait a little longer. There''s no rush. If worse comes to worst and the delay is as much as 2 months, we can always entertain ourselves in the meantime w/ the Extreme VB Forums battleship contest or the AI Junkies emergent behavior contest.

Love & Peace ^_^v
Capt. Jean-Luc Pikachu

Love & Peace ^_^vCapt. Jean-Luc Pikachu

Monder

993

July 16, 2003 01:01 PM

I like option 3. It allows anyone who may be entering the contest to see how everything works and see how their bot design works up againsts other peoples so they can then improve it for the prize contest. It would also mean you get a wide range of testers on many machines and get better feedback on what people want.

Anonymous

July 16, 2003 01:08 PM

I''d say option 3. Maybe you can still have a prize but make it something cheap so that no one gets too upset about loosing due to some technical issue. This will give you a chance to work out the bug in the Arena code and with the contest itself.

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We have some options - what do you want to do?

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🎉 Celebrating 25 Years of GameDev.net! 🎉

We have some options - what do you want to do?

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