ForumsProgramming ForumWeekly/Monthly Programming Contest?

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IQAndreas
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IQAndreas
299 posts
Peasant

How many people here work with Flash?

Since there is a "Weekly Poetry Contest" and an art contest, are there enough people here for a programming contest?

Each month or week, a topic is announced. The winner gets one merit.

If people are required to include their source, then it will benefit the rest of the beginners, so they can learn from others. But only submitting the finished SWF could work too.

It can just be something simple, but not too easy, such as "Make a sphere that bounces off of player placed walls." It doesn't have to be a full-fledged game each time. (But making it into a full fledged game will likely increase your chances of winning.)

What do you guys think?
Could this fly?

  • 19 Replies
Awoogamuffin
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Awoogamuffin
19 posts
Nomad

Hey, that sounds great... especially posting the code - I learn a lot from other people's code

dank
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dank
986 posts
Peasant

There's about three people who do any decent Flash programming around here.
Do the math and you get

3-1 judge
2 - ~%50 for participants
1 - %25 for actual completion

you get 0.75 contestants per contest = no competition

Captain_J_Sheridan
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Captain_J_Sheridan
313 posts
Nomad

It's worth a try, if it doesn't work, we'll know

And I can use the training

Qwerty001
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Qwerty001
422 posts
Nomad

That's sounds great!

Hey, that sounds great... especially posting the code - I learn a lot from other people's code


I agree completely and foremost...

@dank

I'm sure if EVERYBODY kicked in there would be more contestents every time we do this because there is a slight chance that this might become famous and then more and more people will enter codes and then AG might get more and more users...

*pant pant pant*
IQAndreas
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IQAndreas
299 posts
Peasant

you get 0.75 contestants per contest = no competition

Sounds like I'll be getting a lot of merits then. ;-)

Okay. How about this; The Bi-Weekly Coding Challenge!

The prize: Fame and glory! (Or is there a moderator that would be willing to help with merits?)

The judges: Mutual? Do you think that we could come to an agreement of who solved the problem the best? If I see someone has solved a problem a better way than me, I am man enough to glorify them above myself.
Otherwise, for challenges that are display oriented, where the beauty is not in the code but in the user interaction, some non-programmer can be the judge.

Anyone second this motion?
Awoogamuffin
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Awoogamuffin
19 posts
Nomad

All sounds good to me IqAndreas. I'm new to AG but I'm a keen programmer - I'd be happy to compete as well, and I'd be happy to admit defeat, so long as we all have fun and share some knowledge.

IQAndreas
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IQAndreas
299 posts
Peasant

Sorry, that's supposed to be Semi-Weekly and not Bi-Weekly. Or maybe I was right? Every two weeks. Or once a week if there is enough interest.

The Semi-Weekly (or Weekly) Open Source Coding Challenge

I wonder if we could contact any game makers such as John or anyone else who would like to support this. Even if advanced programmers will win all the time, it will at least be a collection of really good code. The source codes could be posted somewhere public (such as a separate site), and be able to be used for tutorials, or

Contestant get bonus points for plenty of comments and reusalbility - how easy it is to transfer the code to other projects with minimal modification.

Captain_J_Sheridan
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Captain_J_Sheridan
313 posts
Nomad

I like the idea that the contestents choose the "winner", it's friendly, and justified voting will surely help us improve

Erasmus_Darwin
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Erasmus_Darwin
59 posts
Nomad

*dank* wrote:

you get 0.75 contestants per contest = no competition


That just means the person who enters gets 133% of the prizes. Sounds like a big incentive to me.

And personally, I'd like having an excuse to fiddle around with Flash. I tend to get lazy and let things slide, but a contest provides motivation, even if it's just for fun with no real prizes.
Awoogamuffin
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Awoogamuffin
19 posts
Nomad

So is anyone going to suggest a challenge? I would, but I want to be a contestant, and if I suggest a challenge there's a risk I'd be pandering to my own skills...

Awoogamuffin
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Awoogamuffin
19 posts
Nomad

Or we could go with IqAndreas' idea of the sphere bouncing off walls, deadline in two weeks' time? January 31st?

IQAndreas
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IQAndreas
299 posts
Peasant

If you can think of anything, Awoogamuffin, please post it.

Here are a few more ideas:
hitTest == evil
Find a better way for object collision. The more advanced shapes you allow to collide, the higher the chance of you winning.

Pong
A remake of the classic game. Bonus points for writing one entirely out of code.


Anyone know how to get a hold of John or other game creators and ask if they would like to contribute their knowledge and enter the competition? I don't think most of them will be able to read their profile comments because they are so spammed with "LOLZ!! DUD.. UR GAME IS AWSOMZ!!!!!!"

IQAndreas
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IQAndreas
299 posts
Peasant

There seems to be enough support, so I will go ahead and start the competition. If a moderator chooses to fund the project with merits, that would be great, but otherwise it will be for the glory!

Remember, everything is Open Source!

I will create one thread for submissions only. Do not post anything there that is not the final project for the competition!
The second thread you can comment on submissions, ask questions, and thank people. You can even spam in the second thread (but it is not recommended).

The judging will be a mutual vote. All submissions will be due by the end of day Friday (we are lenient though). The discussion on who will be the winner will be on the Weekend, and the winner will be chosen officially on Monday. The next challenge then begins that Monday and lasts until the Friday ~2 weeks later.

For judging, the source code should be clearly readable and understandable. Also, if there is a user interface involved. You can participate in the discussion of who will win weather you entered in the contest or not. Even those without programming experience can help judge.

If you copy any code or use an algorithm from somewhere online, you have to post a link. You can also include a link that you found helpful for more reading so others can learn as well. This would be really appreciated, but this is not necessary.

All submissions should contain a link to the source code (or just pasted into the post) as well as the final SWF file whenever there is a user interface involved. It can also include some comments about the code or instructions for using it.

The first contest shall be a small one, and will end, not this Friday, but the next. First we must decide on a challenge. Anyone?

Awoogamuffin
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Awoogamuffin
19 posts
Nomad

I love the pong idea. Simple, immediately playable. Extra points for making it both 2-player and 1-player (so AI programming! Joy!).

So deadline is Friday January 16th, right? I'm on it

Qwerty001
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Qwerty001
422 posts
Nomad

I'm msking mine 2 player as in multiplayer...
OK with everyone else here?

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