ID:4641
 
So, with all the other contests floating around I thought I might as well pitch in my own little competition. The goal is simple: create the best interactive multiplayer game possible using only two unique points of interaction with the game. Think of it this way: you're designing a NES game, but you're only allowed to use the A and B buttons. You can represent these two buttons however you want--you can have buttons appear on-screen, you could use two arrow keys, you could make them verbs, etc.--but there can only be two of them.

-All entries must be submitted to [email protected] by November 31st, 2005--you can either mail the game's executable directly, or just announce a hub entry where the game is available. If the latter, the game will be judged by whatever version is available as of November 31st. Source code is optional, not required. Entries that do not follow these instructions will be disqualified.
-All games must be multiplayer and feature some sort of player-to-play interaction. If you were to make some kind of Tetris clone where each player has their own player area and just play simultaneously, this would not qualify; if you made some kind of Tetris clone where each player has their own play area, but they have some kind of action they can take to dump obstacles into other players' areas (this is kind of a staple in a lot of multiplayer Tetris clones anyhow), that would.
-Each entry must have no more than 2 unique points of input for interacting with the game. The rule of thumb is that you cannot do anything that could not be represented by a physical button, as in an arcade or console game.
-Any number of commands of a purely social or administrative nature (chat commands, etc.) are allowed, so long as they have no direct impact on the game.
-Games will be judged in four categories: Presentation, the general appearance and user-friendliness of the game; Innovation, the originality and uniqueness of the game's features; Depth, the game's variety and replay value; and Fun, which is, uh, just that. The top three winners will all win a 1-year BYOND membership for the key of their choice; 1st place additionally wins $10 in BYONDdimes, 2nd place wins $5 (3rd place just wins the membership). Not huge prizes, but it's not intended to be a huge contest.

I've taken the liberty of creating an example game, Derelict, to demonstrate what the contest is about and hopefully provide some inspiration. This is just a quick demo and not intended as a contest entry. It's available now in my hosted files here.
Derelict is a hilarious game. I have a strong idea for my own two-butten game, so expect to see something from me!
Something I'm unclear of: can the two points of input serve more than one purpose? So lets say my button A can be used to kick something, but at the same time, can I use button A to select an item from an inventory?
http://games.byond.com/hub/Eviofau/Dragster

Mah entry. Not completley done, but I am announcing it's hub now, so you know where to find it.
This is a very clever idea for a contest!
Can we use the mouse? Moving it being one point of interaction and clicking being the other?
I really need to get around to posting some clarifications, seeing as the contest is halfway over.

As to your question: short answer is no. Again, the simplest rule of thumb is that whatever your means of input, it must be capable of being condensed into two simple buttons (the example being a NES controller--we're not talking about analog controllers here). If there are only two things to click on (and I mean two things TOTAL, not two types of things), then under most circumstances that passes. Bear in mind that it still must be capable of functioning as a literal two-button game--design your game under the assumption that people are going to be playing using a pair of .click macros, because that's essentially how it's going to be judged.
Just so I'm perfectly clear; I could have 2 HUD buttons, and as long as they dont change, I can use the mouse to for clicking those two HUD buttons?
Last I checked, there was no November 31st. Are we going with November 30th, or December 1st? *Pushes for the latter*
What are you talking about? The post clearly says November 30... er. Well, it did yesterday. Clearly it has been sabotaged by nefarious moon elves. DAMN YOU, MOON ELVES!

At any rate, I think I'm going to follow Lummox's lead and move to extend the contest.
So, that means I don't have to finish the game tonight?
Nah. Even if I weren't going to make an extension of a couple weeks (watch for an announcement tomorrow when I have more free time), I'd have to allow entries through December 1st. There's no telling how many people might have been fooled by the moon elves' dastardly plot.
Sooo ummm... Have you decided a new date?
New date? Roar?