ID:4575
 
Well, contests seem to be all the rage rightabouts now, and well, 'tis the season to be giving... uh... candy. And... BYOND stuff. So I figured I might try my hand at one of these contest thingamajigs.

We've had (and, well, are still having) various code-compactness challenges--the 4k, the other 4k, the 8k, etc. Well, that's all well and good, but writing compact code isn't exactly my passion, and ultimately it doesn't make any real difference to the players. So, my thought is... rather than having a contest centered around the minimization and optimization of code, how about a game centered around the minimizing and optomizing of something else--say, the interface?

Here's the concept: the Two-Button Challenge. The goal is to create the best multiplayer game possible within the constraints of having only two means of input. You are allowed to have two, and only two, distinct points of input for your game. This does not mean two buttons that bring up popup menus, or two buttons plus the arrow keys, or two buttons plus the mouse. Two buttons/argument-less commands and no other method of interacting with the game; if you have any menus, target selection, etc. it must be handled with those two buttons alone. Well--exceptions would be made for certain commands of purely social or administrative functions, so long as they have no impact on the actual gameplay.

Would anybody be interested in this idea? Interface design often tends to be neglected )(even seemingly by professional designers) and I think this would be a fun way of encouraging people to look at it from a new perspective. If anyone's interested I could whip up some fancy-pants rules and a couple prizes and whatnot.
Its an interesting idea, if you want to see a spawn of Byond Pong games :)

Seriously though, it'd be cool to see what people could come up with under such restraints. I say go for it.
Definately cool... But, uh... 2 buttons which includes the arrow keys, which there are 4-8 of? That's a little harsh :P I would LOVE to see people start making better interfaces, especially with less confusion and more efficiency, but I can't really see any great games comming along when you can only use 2 buttons :P And if there was mouse stuff, I would think a better interface is when the mouse can do what you want anywhere it wants... But that would be more methods of input.
Whoa, sounds well interesting. I'd love to try out some of the games that people come up with.

Pong for the win! Hell, I might even have a crack at it.
Two-thumbs-up.
More and bigger doesn't necessarily mean better--and the contest isn't necessarily even about making better interfaces, per se, just as the 4k/8k challenges aren't necessarily about being able to program better. It's about using restrictive limitations to prompt people to use a bit more creativity and forethought about this sort of thing.
I guess you're right... Although it would have to take quite a brain to make anything bigger than an arcade game. I could see board games being able to do it more easily as well.

Well, good luck.