OROW: 1st of August. RESULTS.

[Dualnames]

The official 7thOROW competition commences on the 1st of August!
That means you have 168 hours from August 1st.

Rules:
   Entries can be any genre, and you're restricted to using AGS as an engine.
   Entries may have cut scenes, menus or limited controlled sequences outside/inside the  main room.
   Entries will be submitted anonymously, more on that below.


To quote scotch

There is no room restriction, might seem funny for a "One Room" competition, but it always ends in discussions about what a room is and I want to see if people have the restraint not to aim too high.  So you are allowed to do what you like but be aware of what people have managed to make in past OROW competitions.  It is much better to aim low and get something done than to aim for what you think is the most you can do in a week (you probably won't be able to do half of what you expect).  

Some questions about the rules, are answered in here.

Anonymous submission (taken from Bulbapuck)

An important aspect in this competition is the anonymity. This means that you cannot share any information about your entry. Nor can your game contain your name. This is because the game should be voted on by it's own merits.

You submit the game by sending me a link via PM. I will then upload it to another site.

The winner will be decided by public vote once the competition ends. There will be 5 categories: Best Game, GRAPHICS, CONCEPT/WRITING, SOUND/MUSIC DESIGN, PROGRAMMING/CODING. Each category will be scored out of 5. Voters will be expected to have played, and to vote on, at least half of all games entered. However, of course, playing them all is preferable.

This competition will start on 1st of August. You should not start making your game until then. Even if you think you have no chance of winning, you're encouraged to enter - it's as much a forum activity as a contest.

Absolutely no information about your game should be shared with anyone until the competition and voting has ended. Please reply to this post if you intend to take part, but don't give any idea of what your game will be about.


ENTRANTS IN ALPHABETICAL ORDER:
AJA - Barrier
BICILOTTI - RapSqLud
CAT - Apple Farm
DDQ - Aeterna Duel
DUALNAMES - Requiem
FSI - De_Haunt
PMARTIN - The Devil Got My Woman
PONCH - ODR3
RADIANT - One Room One Cheese
SHIVERMESIDEWAYS - Procrastinator
TZACHS - Office Shenanigans
WYZ - Entrapped
NEMO - Why Am I Such A Little Bitch?

THIS OROW AND MY ENTRY ARE DEDICATED TO CHICKY. He may not have any good games, but he's awesome beyond comparison. He's so awesome, that we call women and a certain animal by his name, to honor him.

GET THE GAMES

Results:

Best Game
5% (2)    AETERNA DUEL
7% (3)    APPLE FARM
34% (13)    BARRIER
2% (1)    DE_HAUNT
7% (3)    ENTRAPPED
18% (7)    OFFICE SHENANIGANS
7% (3)    ONE ROOM ONE CHEESE
7% (3)    ODR3
7% (3)    PROCRASTINATOR
0% (0)    RAPSQLUD V0.3
0% (0)    REQUIEM
0% (0)    THE DEVIL GOT MY WOMAN

BEST GRAPHICS

2% (1)    AETERNA DUEL
10% (4)    APPLE FARM
44% (17)    BARRIER
5% (2)    DE_HAUNT
7% (3)    ENTRAPPED
0% (0)    OFFICE SHENANIGANS
2% (1)    ONE ROOM ONE CHEESE
18% (7)    ODR3
2% (1)    PROCRASTINATOR
0% (0)    RAPSQLUD
2% (1)    REQUIEM
2% (1)    THE DEVIL GOT MY WOMAN

BEST CONCEPT/WRITING

2% (1)    AETERNA DUEL
2% (1)    APPLE FARM
13% (5)    BARRIER
2% (1)    DE_HAUNT
0% (0)    ENTRAPPED
10% (4)    OFFICE SHENANIGANS
15% (6)    ONE ROOM ONE CHEESE
10% (4)    ODR3
13% (5)    PROCRASTINATOR
2% (1)    REQUIEM
2% (1)    RAPSQLUD
23% (9)    THE DEVIL GOT MY WOMAN

BEST SOUND/MUSIC DESIGN

13% (5)    AETERNA DUEL
15% (6)    BARRIER
2% (1)    APPLE FARM
15% (6)    REQUIEM
10% (4)    THE DEVIL GOT MY WOMAN
2% (1)    RAPSQLUD
0% (0)    PROCRASTINATOR
5% (2)    ODR3
21% (8 )    ONE ROOM ONE CHEESE
5% (2)    OFFICE SHENANIGANS
7% (3)    DE_HAUNT
0% (0)    ENTRAPPED

BEST PROGRAMMING/CODING

18% (7)    AETERNA DUEL
2% (1)    APPLE FARM
2% (1)    BARRIER
5% (2)    DE_HAUNT
5% (2)    ENTRAPPED
2% (1)    OFFICE SHENANIGANS
26% (10)    ONE ROOM ONE CHEESE
2% (1)    ODR3
5% (2)    PROCRASTINATOR
18% (7)    RAPSQLUD
10% (4)    REQUIEM
0% (0)    THE DEVIL GOT MY WOMAN

And the winner, by what can be called an OMFG UNEXPECTED reaction, AJA!
For an eternity in a row!!!

[Gilbert]

and you're not restricted to using AGS as an engine.

Did you read my reply? I highly recommend that you drop this.

[Dualnames]

and you're not restricted to using AGS as an engine.

Did you read my reply? I highly recommend that you drop this.

I did read your reply, but i felt the stupid impulse to ignore it. With AGS gone open-source, it may end up an interesting competition. Or it may not. Time will tell.

[Ryan Timothy B]

I agree with this challenge being AGS exclusive.

[bicilotti]

Regarding rules:

What the heck, it could be interesting to see it, for once!

I'm into this.

[Ryan Timothy B]

IF it's going to be the rule, the rule should also state that the game must be a standalone game. I don't want to see any "You must download so and so program, set it up, install these DLL's, etc etc, just so you can play my game".

But I still think it's retarded. OROW has always been AGS exclusive, why change the rules now just because AGS went open-source? How does that change anything at all? If you want a use any game creator to make an OROW game challenge, then make a different challenge later. I imagine lots of people could make tons of cool looking 3D games with easy to use particle effects and such modules/plugins. Or me making a simple physics game with box2d in flash. How do you compare an AGS game to something like that?

[Chicky]

Screw using other programs, i can't even use AGS yet 

[qptain Nemo]

I love AGS competitions, and I love the spirit of AGS competitions, and I love people who take part in them and I love what they make. And man, I adore the community. And that's exactly why I don't want it all to be lost to blind worship of the engine itself and "use AGS or fuck off" attitude. I love and understand the tradition, but still it wouldn't be nice in my opinion for that tradition to turn into alienation of everybody or everything else. I want to join in with AGS people, but I don't want to use AGS for my game, why can't I, Gilbot and Ryan? Why?

If you want a use any game creator to make an OROW game challenge, then make a different challenge later.

That's a very valid suggestion and maybe a more wise way than trying to redefine a tradition... however, does it really differ that much from what we have now, except the possible name of it?

I imagine lots of people could make tons of cool looking 3D games with easy to use particle effects and such modules/plugins. Or me making a simple physics game with box2d in flash.

You see that as a bad thing? Seriously? You don't want tons of cool looking 3D games? You're a very strange man to say the least.

How do you compare an AGS game to something like that?

By the enjoyment? By the usual standarts you compare games with really. You can never  compare any games unless they're made with the exact same engine and toolset? Do I really need to point out that adding "cool effects" doesn't instantly make your game to be a winner above everybody else's? Oh no, these poor indie competitions where any game making tools are allowed, they must be in complete doom, not being able to compare or compete at all!


If AGS itself is THAT important let's stop talking about adventure games and doing creative fun things then, let's just read AGS source code together over and over again not daring to touch a single letter in it until our minds go completely numb in that very special blissful bonding with nostalgia and everloyal love for the software tool.

[tzachs]

I am hereby declaring my interest in participating in the above competition.
if I were to submit an entry, that entry will be made via the software known by the name of 'AGS', though I bare no objection myself to other contenders using other forms of software, be it the despicable 'Wintermute' or the beloved tool 'Microsoft Word'.

[Radiant]

If games can be of any genre, i.e. not just adventure games, how would they be scored on "puzzles"?

[Ryan Timothy B]

Do I really need to point out that adding "cool effects" doesn't instantly make your game to be a winner above everybody else's?

Look at last OROW's winner, By The Numbers. If you were to have just two small character sprites talking to each other with the same dialog, it would just be a plain detective game with mostly just talking, no real detective skills. Mostly just a movie, no puzzles or real challenges.

Not that I'm bashing the game and the work that went into it. I thought it was quite amazing. But it's mostly just pretty effects to make a simple game look amazing. I didn't actually play all the other OROW games that time, so I don't know fully what the game was up against, but I wouldn't be surprised if it was voted as the winner mainly because of it's cool vector animations.

[Dualnames]

@Radiant: Puzzles can be replaced by Gameplay. And of course that stands for both adventure games and non-adventure games.

@Ryan: I'd be a total liar, if i didn't agree with your very flawless and logical points.

@nemo: I'd be a total liar, if i didn't agree with your very flawless and logical points.

@tzachs: That's the spirit!

@Everyone: I have no idea whether using other engines is the right step here. I don't want to frighten or disappoint anyone away, if it's anything I feel the whole community would benefit. AGS games have proven themselves in the INDIE community over the years, I don't recall a single amazing AGS game, that wasn't featured on Indiegames, for instance. And yet there are other engines. I feel OROW is a competition of complete and utter awesomeness, and I'd like to make anything during an OROW. I totally loved the time I spent on my entries, and we can always remember OROM, a MAGS contest I'll always consider the quite most amazing one, where we had two amazing games, Eternally Us and Snakes of Avalon, both widely acclaimed.

If you're scared the competition will be full of shitty flash games, I can remember shitty AGS games, but OROWs were always up to great quality in general.

If you're scared a physics game will win, then compare a physics game to By the Numbers, and think again. Compare all the amazing games we've had over the years under the OROW rule.

Regardless, if the majority is considering this a false move, I will shape the rule back to normal.

Also I agree with the whole standalone thingie.

[LimpingFish]

Making it non-AGS exclusive is a bit of silly move. OROW can be a great way to get AGS mentioned outside of these forums (a number of indie/amateur gaming blogs usually carry something about OROW when it happens), and diluting the competition with Game Maker/Flash/RPGMaker/etc, renders the whole thing moot in my opinion.

I can't get behind this decision.

EDIT: Starting another competion (that isn't tied too closely to AGS) would be something I could get behind.

[Dualnames]

OROW is back to normal. AGS-Only.

[Chicky]

Woot woot 

[Dualnames]

Now, Chicky, what is your AVATAR? PLX tell me. I've been dying to find out !

[Chicky]

It's a pretty girl i scribbled on. I wish she was still pretty, i guess her beauty is lost in the depths of the interweb.

[Armageddon]

I think I'll try again this year.

Also is that you in the avatar chicky?

[Chicky]

Yeah sorry, i'm not all that pretty really.

[Armageddon]

If I had a penny for every girl that thought they weren't pretty I'd be a jabillionare.