Here's one more reason to do the winamp plugin:
Winamp Down for the Count

What if every contestant were given the same models, textures, music, etc....whatever and then competed to see who could be the most creative and entertaining with the resources they were given?

I think instead of a restriction I think we need a centralized database to store models that we can all use in our demos. Use should be optional...almost done this summary along with a few other tech docs...will see if I can get to that repo -b

Whatabout running the two contests simultaneously?
For example, December 1 the contests start (big and small).
The deadline for the small contest is for example Dec 20 (Christmas contest?) and the deadline for the big one will be something like Jan 20.

This way, you won't have to beat so many people just to get into the top ten; half of the people who will have beaten you, would be working on the other contest.

This is just an idea. Please handle it with more respect than Galileo's ideas :p

An update:

I have the discussion partitioned into two separate docs; one with just themes and the other with general management stuff (when the contest should start and why not to impose restrictions).

Tomorrow I'll make the docs readable and post them online. Here are a few tentetive results based on discussion:

- we are looking at two contests; a christmas mini contest and a city themed large contest
- time for mini; 1 month (starting on the 22nd of november and ending on the 31st of december), time for main; 3 months (starting on jan 7th and ending on march 6th)
- mini will be a winamp plugin with basecode provided
- large scale will be a typical demo contest

tgraupmann: after looking through the posts I dont think we should bother with a voting system; it seems as though there is an overwhelming majority in favor of the city. We should however keep the list of themes for future reference.

Once the docs are posted, I'll write the basecode and supporting tech/legal docs. If you guys have any issues on timing ect please post; we need to get this stuff out of the way.

Should I bother setting up a repo for models? Do we really need one?

Wow good work, thanks for taking the time to write all this up, I only hope we get a responce from Jeff.

I hope I have enough spare time to enter in atleast one of these.

It's hard enough to organize one contest, let alone two. I suggest just do the longer contest and skip the mini.

I've started another thread to discuss conclusions and docs ect (just to get the exposure of another thread and the discussion running again). Check it out:

http://www.gamedev.net/community/forums/topic.asp?topic_id=282887

Cheers,
- llvllatrix

I take it back.

Let's do the winamp plugin contest in december at Nehe.

The 72 Hour programming contest at GDC,

And the 3 month mini comp contest at Nehe.

The more the merrier ;). Especially since I'm currently on holiday and am getting bored out of my mind :p.