4K Challenge: Model05

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ID:276142
 
Jun 5 2005, 3:49 pm (Edited on Jun 6 2005, 9:03 am)
I'd like to welcome BYOND Version 3.5 and the new Memebers.BYOND section with a 4K Challenge. I figure it's about time we had another one, it's been close to 3 years. So here it is, folks. 4K Challenge: Model05

4K Challenge
Brought to you by Ryan Baker.
Deadline: 11:59 PM EST, July 21, 2005

Deadline for submissions to [email protected].

Rules of the Contest
  • Total size of .dm files must be no greater than 4096 bytes. (In Windows you can check the precise size of a file by right-clicking it and choosing "Properties".)
  • Game must have an underwater theme.
  • The .dme file may not contain any code beyond that which is automatically generated by Dream Maker.
  • Resources may be in a .rsc file, but the source code (.dm files and .dme file) must be included.
  • You don't need to include a .dmb file, because the project must be compilable from the files you do include. (Your game can't just copy a huge pre-made .dmb file over the compiled one and reboot!)
  • It is not necessary to create a Hub entry for the game, nor to include passport checking. Just send us a .zip of the project.
  • Because of the code size limitation, judging will not penalize for uncommented or ugly code. Gameplay, presentation, and robustness (i.e., buglessness) are the key criteria.
  • Grand Prize winner receives $20.
  • Two Runner-Ups receive $10.
  • Winning entries will be donated to to BYONDscape so they can do whatever they want with them.
  • A panel of judges will evaluate the submissions, possibly but not necessarily hosting multiplayer games for public access.
  • All executable logic in the game must be DM code compiled from the source files you provide. (No calls to external libraries.)
  • You may submit multiple entries.
  • Judging won't start until after the deadline, so if you submit a project and then make improvements before the deadline, you may re-submit it. (In your email, please mention that it should supersede the previous submission.)
  • The 4K limit only applies to source code. You can have data pre-stored in savefiles or wherever else you like.
  • For this contest, entries must be games, since gameplay (along with presentation and robustness) will be the primary criterion for judging.
  • You may use the 4K allotment to design a language interpreter that will execute games written in some other kind of code... if you can!
  • Windows' Properties panel will give you two "size" numbers for the file. We're just concerned with "Size". You can ignore "Size on Disk".
  • Since the Dantom CGI library is for all intents an official part of BYOND, it doesn't count toward the size limit.
  • Code in .dms files doesn't count toward the size limit.
Jun 5 2005, 4:18 pm
Why an underwater theme? Why oh why an underwater theme?
Jun 5 2005, 4:23 pm (Edited on Jun 5 2005, 4:31 pm)
In response to Jp
Why not? ^_-

It's there to honor thy SplatterGnome.

-Ryan
Jun 5 2005, 4:39 pm
In response to Ryne Rekab
Stupid gnome. >.<
Jun 5 2005, 4:59 pm
In response to Ryne Rekab
*Goes of to write Raiders of the Lost Nautilii*
Jun 5 2005, 6:05 pm
How will the winners be paid? Paypal is a no for me.
Jun 5 2005, 8:33 pm
In response to JJA
Hey! Don't insult the gnome or Ill have the Nautili Mafia come tenticle whip you!
Jun 6 2005, 2:05 am
In response to Airjoe
I would perfer paypal. But, if that isn't an option then I can result to other methods (like snail-mail).

-Ryan
Jun 6 2005, 3:57 am
Very clear and thorough set of rules there. (So unlike so many past contests, too!) You might want to put the underwater theme first on that list, since it's a biggie, but otherwise it looks good.

At first I wasn't so sure about the underwater theme, because a 4K limit is enough of a challenge without restricting game types, and it's very interesting to see what people come up with. But it certainly seems doable, so why not? I think I'll see what I can come up with too.

Lummox JR
Jun 6 2005, 4:06 am
I think I'll practipitate asswell.
and I dont want any money or whatever if I win (I dont think I'll win.. :P) I'm just doing this for fun..

hmm what should I make... hmm..

O-matic
Jun 6 2005, 4:18 am
Does it have to be a multi-player game?
Jun 6 2005, 6:28 am
I may participate. I've always wanted to see what I could do for a 4k contest... I have no ideas, though :P
Jun 6 2005, 6:32 am
In response to Digital Samurai
No. It just must have some sort of gameplay.

-Ryan
Jun 6 2005, 6:32 am
For those of you who've never done a 4K challenge before, during the last one I posted some tips in [link].

In addition to my list of possible suggested #define replacements, I'd add new, loc, and ..().

The problem I found with usr and loc and a few other values is that if for example usr is U, U:var or U.var won't compile correctly. However, attacker=U would. Likewise if loc is L, L:stuff will not work, but L=usr.L will. This is technically a bug in #define.

A further tip I learned while writing Scream of the Stickster is that you can create a local var for a proc very easily by putting it at the end of the arguments. It will be null when the proc is called unless you give it a default value. For instance, this is what pickweight() looks like if you compact it without using any #define replacements:

pw(x,a=0){for(. in x)a+=x[.];a*=rand();for(. in x){a-=x[.];if(a<0)return}


Notice a is now a local var; the . var is also used effectively here. In my 4K code I often find for(a in b) and return are good to replace with a #define, so this is what my own pickweight() looks like:

pw(x,a=0){F(.,x)a+=x[.];a*=rand();F(.,x){a-=x[.];if(a<0)R}


As you can see it's just a tad tinier. The #define penalty for F(a,b) and R is more than made up by frequent use.

Lummox JR
Jun 6 2005, 6:32 am
In response to O-matic
O-matic wrote:
...and I dont want any money or whatever if I win...

If you win, I'll donate the money to BYOND.

-Ryan
Jun 6 2005, 6:39 am
In response to Lummox JR
Thanks for the help. I'm not entering, because I'm judging, but thanks for helping all the contestants :)

-Ryan
Jun 6 2005, 6:42 am
In response to Ryne Rekab
ah. good idea!
Jun 6 2005, 7:29 am
I probably won't enter, but I'll try to make it just to see if I can do it.
Jun 6 2005, 7:33 am
In response to Jamesburrow
Enter! It's not like you have anything to lose.

-Ryan
Jun 6 2005, 7:42 am
In response to Ryne Rekab
Time...precocious time.
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