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Hey Everyone,
As you all are aware, Heart of the OHR 2014 is right around the corner. Anyone who's been here the last four years knows what this comes down to: Lots of RPGs and lots of cool prizes.
What's made this contest successful the last two times is the community's involvement in creating awesome games, awesome additions to previously released titles, and awesome reminders of our legendary gaming library. Heart of the OHR also prides itself on having some of the best prizes of any OHR contest, and that, too, has been successful thanks to community involvement.
Normally, I solicit for prize contributors behind the scenes and then extend an open call on the first day of the contest. But this year I would like to have a complete prize list available the day of the announcement, so I've decided to extend an open call to anyone who wants to contribute to this year's edition of Heart of the OHR early.
If you would like to contribute anything--size and quality doesn't matter--please PM me with your proposed prize idea(s). Typical prizes include cash, artwork, reviews, and whatnot. Anything is valid if you can offer it and it has prize appeal. I couldn't get anyone to do this last time, but what I'd especially like to see for the contest is fan music for the winner(s), so if you're a budding musician, please consider possibly contributing a song or music track inspired by the winner, or your favorite entry.
Speaking of favorite entries, I would like to encourage people to award small prizes to their favorite games, not just the winner(s). This rewards individual subjectivity. I would ask that you limit these to small prizes like fanart or fanfiction so the winner gets the best prizes--but I leave that to your discretion. Also, if anyone wants to support all the entrants, there's room for that, too. Four years ago, Inferior Minion gave out free T-shirts to anyone who participated. I can't promise anything like that this time, but if any of you wants to do something similar, be my guest. Just let me know in a PM.
If you won't be here in December, it might be better that you not make any promises. If you want to contribute, but there's a chance you might go on hiatus then, let me know, and I'll put an asterisk by your prize to denote that "prize is subject to change."
Thank you for your support and your potential contributions. If you're new to the community and don't know anything about Heart of the OHR, you may consult these threads for reference:
Heart of the OHR 2010:
http://www.slimesalad.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=3679&postdays=0&postorder=asc&start=0
Heart of the OHR 2012:
www.slimesalad.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=5132
Heart of the OHR Wiki:
http://rpg.hamsterrepublic.com/ohrrpgce/Heart_of_the_OHR
Thanks guys. And I hope you're getting yourselves ready for the contest's official launch in just a little over a month.
Place Obligatory Signature Here
Prize Pool Suggestions Open
Mon Apr 21, 2014 8:42 pm 
Mon Apr 21, 2014 10:16 pm
I will give 1 slimebuck to the first place winner, 2 to the second place, and 5 to the third. Only if they're on slimesalad. If they are not, they lose the prize, good day sir.
dOn'T MiNd mE! i'M jUsT CoNtAgIoUs!!!
Play Orbs CCG: http://orbsccg.com/r/4r6x
dOn'T MiNd mE! i'M jUsT CoNtAgIoUs!!!
Play Orbs CCG: http://orbsccg.com/r/4r6x
Tue Apr 22, 2014 12:11 am
I'll will have a pizza delivered to someone's house. The pizza and date of the delivery will be of the recipient's choosing.
This will be for the first place person, unless that person is already getting an awesome prize. Otherwise it will be for the game I like best. I will wait to determine which when we see the other prizes.
This will be for the first place person, unless that person is already getting an awesome prize. Otherwise it will be for the game I like best. I will wait to determine which when we see the other prizes.
Tue Apr 22, 2014 12:16 am
I've actually spoken to Fenrir about doing the art for shirts for this contest. I'd be semi-willing to pay for a shirt for the winner, but not for each participate. Cafe Press shirts are expensive.
That said, I'm only "semi" willing because I wasn't too keen on the shift from a contest where you finish your old games to a contest that separates old games from new games. We have plenty of contests that focus on new games. What made the Hot OHR contest great was that it had everyone go and work on that epicly long rpg they've had on a shelf for years. I'd like to see things go back to that.
That said, I'm only "semi" willing because I wasn't too keen on the shift from a contest where you finish your old games to a contest that separates old games from new games. We have plenty of contests that focus on new games. What made the Hot OHR contest great was that it had everyone go and work on that epicly long rpg they've had on a shelf for years. I'd like to see things go back to that.
Tue Apr 22, 2014 1:41 am
Meowskivich wrote:
I will give 1 slimebuck to the first place winner, 2 to the second place, and 5 to the third. Only if they're on slimesalad. If they are not, they lose the prize, good day sir.
I can't tell if this is a valid prize offering or a joke. Slimebucks from your own stash? Do people here even use those anymore?
That said, okay, if that's something you can offer. Mogri?
Willy Elektrix wrote:
I'll will have a pizza delivered to someone's house. The pizza and date of the delivery will be of the recipient's choosing.
This will be for the first place person, unless that person is already getting an awesome prize. Otherwise it will be for the game I like best. I will wait to determine which when we see the other prizes.
This will be for the first place person, unless that person is already getting an awesome prize. Otherwise it will be for the game I like best. I will wait to determine which when we see the other prizes.
I really like this prize idea. Consider it added.
Spoonweaver wrote:
I've actually spoken to Fenrir about doing the art for shirts for this contest. I'd be semi-willing to pay for a shirt for the winner, but not for each participate. Cafe Press shirts are expensive.
Weird you should bring this up. I contacted Fenrir about this very thing before posting this announcement. I still haven't heard back from him, but my suggestion has a different outcome than yours. If he agrees to let you do the art, I'll PM you what I had suggested to him.
Spoonweaver wrote:
That said, I'm only "semi" willing because I wasn't too keen on the shift from a contest where you finish your old games to a contest that separates old games from new games. We have plenty of contests that focus on new games. What made the Hot OHR contest great was that it had everyone go and work on that epicly long rpg they've had on a shelf for years. I'd like to see things go back to that.
I actually wasn't too keen on splitting the categories, but the response to the first contest's integration of the originals and rereleases and the underwhelming votes that the rereleases got (which greatly skewed the results) prompted me to split them. I might be willing to integrate them again if players are more willing to actually play the rereleases and vote on the new content as much as they would the new games. But I can't have rereleases skewing the results again and taking top spots because they receive only half the votes.
But really, I'm not asking you guys to be prize heroes here. You decide what, if anything, you want to offer, and you decide who wins it. My job is to make sure the contestants know what they're likely to win.
And, just to remind everyone, I'd prefer to get your prize ideas in a PM. Don't want to give away too many secrets before opening day.
Place Obligatory Signature Here
Tue Apr 22, 2014 2:07 am
Pepsi Ranger wrote:
I can't tell if this is a valid prize offering or a joke. Slimebucks from your own stash? Do people here even use those anymore?
That said, okay, if that's something you can offer. Mogri?
Meowskivich wrote:
I will give 1 slimebuck to the first place winner, 2 to the second place, and 5 to the third. Only if they're on slimesalad. If they are not, they lose the prize, good day sir.
I can't tell if this is a valid prize offering or a joke. Slimebucks from your own stash? Do people here even use those anymore?
That said, okay, if that's something you can offer. Mogri?
You bet your sweet bippy that's a real offer, and yes, from my own stash. 8 slimebucks doesn't hurt me none, and it may just be the boost they need to buy that sweet move in the arena.
dOn'T MiNd mE! i'M jUsT CoNtAgIoUs!!!
Play Orbs CCG: http://orbsccg.com/r/4r6x
Tue Apr 22, 2014 3:09 am
Re-releases should have overwhelming votes in favor. If you're doing it right, an extra two years of development is a huge huge thing. The joy of this contest should be long-term progress, people battlin it out year to year like old ladies at a pie cookin' contest. Nippin at each others heels, forcing a break-neck pace. Yeah, that means you might lose your first year, but this is a contest encouraging big games: That's the way it oughta be, baby! Encourage the long haul.
Tue Apr 22, 2014 3:27 am
hmmm, you seem to have misunderstood what I wrote.
I meant,
As for people not playing through older games. I think it should be a requirement for developers to include a save file of their game that starts right at the old end point of the game. I found that when games included this it was much easier to go back and play the game, but also to rate the game based on the new content instead of just the game overall (though I think I remember there being a sort of debate regarding whether to rate things this way or not)
However, I think the main problem is really just certain games getting more or less votes than others. This isn't completely fixed by separating the games and is instead a product stemming from people not fully voting which could just as easily happen to new games in the future.
Something like filling unfilled voting spots that people leave open with 3's
(if we're talking a 1-5 system) might fix things. A 3 really fits here because the voter clearly didn't think much of the game if they didn't even bother playing it, while at the same time the game shouldn't be given an out-right bad grade after not even being given a chance.
That's just my suggestion though.
I meant,
Quote:
I've actually spoken to Fenrir about [him] doing the art for shirts for this contest.
As for people not playing through older games. I think it should be a requirement for developers to include a save file of their game that starts right at the old end point of the game. I found that when games included this it was much easier to go back and play the game, but also to rate the game based on the new content instead of just the game overall (though I think I remember there being a sort of debate regarding whether to rate things this way or not)
However, I think the main problem is really just certain games getting more or less votes than others. This isn't completely fixed by separating the games and is instead a product stemming from people not fully voting which could just as easily happen to new games in the future.
Something like filling unfilled voting spots that people leave open with 3's
(if we're talking a 1-5 system) might fix things. A 3 really fits here because the voter clearly didn't think much of the game if they didn't even bother playing it, while at the same time the game shouldn't be given an out-right bad grade after not even being given a chance.
That's just my suggestion though.
Tue Apr 22, 2014 6:05 am
I'd be willing to do a poster and icon for the winning game
Tue Apr 22, 2014 3:13 pm
After much consideration, I have decided that yes, I will once again be offering bugfixes/feature-requests to everybody who completes an entry.
I can't predict how much free time I am going to have for engine work the rest of this year, so I really encourage people to suggest features that aren't too difficult. And if you have an idea but aren't sure how difficult it will actually be, just ask.
Previously I offered bug/feature request for all entrants and additional ones for the winners, but this time I am just offering one bug/feature request for each entrant who submits at least one game to the contest.
As for the winner of the contest, I will offer 100 dogecoins! That is right, 100 fake internet moneys, and not just any fake internet moneys, only the choicest and most dog-meme-infused of all cryptocurrency. (Approximate US$ cash value of 6 cents)
I can't predict how much free time I am going to have for engine work the rest of this year, so I really encourage people to suggest features that aren't too difficult. And if you have an idea but aren't sure how difficult it will actually be, just ask.
Previously I offered bug/feature request for all entrants and additional ones for the winners, but this time I am just offering one bug/feature request for each entrant who submits at least one game to the contest.
As for the winner of the contest, I will offer 100 dogecoins! That is right, 100 fake internet moneys, and not just any fake internet moneys, only the choicest and most dog-meme-infused of all cryptocurrency. (Approximate US$ cash value of 6 cents)
Tue Apr 22, 2014 3:31 pm
I REQUEST A MAGIC BUTTON. IT MAKES THE PROGRAM TURN INTO A RICKROLL.
Not really. I'm still waiting on that in-game Background screen editor I request back in 2012, though.
dOn'T MiNd mE! i'M jUsT CoNtAgIoUs!!!
Play Orbs CCG: http://orbsccg.com/r/4r6x
Not really. I'm still waiting on that in-game Background screen editor I request back in 2012, though.
dOn'T MiNd mE! i'M jUsT CoNtAgIoUs!!!
Play Orbs CCG: http://orbsccg.com/r/4r6x
Tue Apr 22, 2014 4:56 pm
I wholeheartedly apologize for not following through with my promises for 2012. Not to give excuses, but as an explanation, my plan was simply too grand for what ended up being possible. I wanted to give prizes based on certain achievements each game did... but due to the number and scope of some of the games (which is a good thing!) it became impossible to fairly judge what games I could play - what if another game did it better?
So I've come up with another idea for this year that I think is a lot more doable and generally solves these problems.
What I want to do is have a fund we can use for cafepress or vistaprint or something similar. We can vote on what we want to use this on (HotOHR flash drives would be cool and a bit more symbolic of what we do than shirts for example) but I personally will do something like add in $5 per person that submits a game that follows all the rules to the fund. Maybe another $1 per unique voter that didn't submit a game. And if someone else wants to contribute to that fund, it would help get us towards better or more interesting prize support.
So I've come up with another idea for this year that I think is a lot more doable and generally solves these problems.
What I want to do is have a fund we can use for cafepress or vistaprint or something similar. We can vote on what we want to use this on (HotOHR flash drives would be cool and a bit more symbolic of what we do than shirts for example) but I personally will do something like add in $5 per person that submits a game that follows all the rules to the fund. Maybe another $1 per unique voter that didn't submit a game. And if someone else wants to contribute to that fund, it would help get us towards better or more interesting prize support.
Thu Apr 24, 2014 1:19 am
Gizmog wrote:
Re-releases should have overwhelming votes in favor. If you're doing it right, an extra two years of development is a huge huge thing. The joy of this contest should be long-term progress, people battlin it out year to year like old ladies at a pie cookin' contest. Nippin at each others heels, forcing a break-neck pace. Yeah, that means you might lose your first year, but this is a contest encouraging big games: That's the way it oughta be, baby! Encourage the long haul.
Well, if this doesn't encourage me to swing the contest back to its original single-category glory (single-categlory?), then nothing will.
I have to give it thought, of course, but between your suggestion and Spoonweaver's idea for scoring, going back to the original format could work. I still want to keep a category open for the OHR Legends, though. I just want that to be part of the Heart of the OHR's ongoing legacy.
Spoonweaver wrote:
hmmm, you seem to have misunderstood what I wrote.
I meant,
I meant,
Quote:
I've actually spoken to Fenrir about [him] doing the art for shirts for this contest.
I've actually spoken to Fenrir about [him] doing the art for shirts for this contest.
Ah, I gotcha. He still hasn't gotten back to me, so I don't want to publicly announce my idea just yet, or what he will/might agree to.
Spoonweaver wrote:
As for people not playing through older games. I think it should be a requirement for developers to include a save file of their game that starts right at the old end point of the game. I found that when games included this it was much easier to go back and play the game, but also to rate the game based on the new content instead of just the game overall (though I think I remember there being a sort of debate regarding whether to rate things this way or not)
I know this was encouraged in the previous contests, but I don't think anyone actually did it. Maybe I should require it this time, and disqualify any game that doesn't have one. What I did require, and I don't think many, if any, contestants actually did, was to include a note telling the player where the new content began. My only problem with requiring a save file is that I want to encourage players to pick up a game from its beginning, especially if they've never played it before. Also, in the case of games like Ruin, or my own The Adventures of Powerstick Man: Extended Edition, the new content can be ambiguous with a save file if the new content is spread out over the entire game, and not just from the last save point. I don't know how Ruin differs from the Omega, but The Adventures of Powerstick Man: Extended Edition redoes the entire opening act and adds stuff along the way to the original ending. A save file wouldn't work for me, but a note would. I think the real requirement should be that contestants who submit rereleases need to be clear on what's new the day of release and shout those changes from the mountaintops so that players listen and know what to look for.
Spoonweaver wrote:
However, I think the main problem is really just certain games getting more or less votes than others. This isn't completely fixed by separating the games and is instead a product stemming from people not fully voting which could just as easily happen to new games in the future.
Something like filling unfilled voting spots that people leave open with 3's
(if we're talking a 1-5 system) might fix things. A 3 really fits here because the voter clearly didn't think much of the game if they didn't even bother playing it, while at the same time the game shouldn't be given an out-right bad grade after not even being given a chance.
Something like filling unfilled voting spots that people leave open with 3's
(if we're talking a 1-5 system) might fix things. A 3 really fits here because the voter clearly didn't think much of the game if they didn't even bother playing it, while at the same time the game shouldn't be given an out-right bad grade after not even being given a chance.
I don't remember if you had mentioned this update to the voting system last time, but it makes a lot of sense now. Heart of the OHR works on a 1-10 scale, so 5 would have to be the average. I think I was against the idea of including middling averages last time, but I do see the merit of including them if people know that their votes matter. Maybe I can use the highest voted game as the base average for numbers and retroactively place a five for each vote the other games don't receive. I still think this places too much good favor on the game that gets the highest number of votes, but then maybe the fact that everyone's voting for it should count for something.
Ichiro wrote:
I'd be willing to do a poster and icon for the winning game
That would be cool. Thanks.
Bob the Hamster wrote:
After much consideration, I have decided that yes, I will once again be offering bugfixes/feature-requests to everybody who completes an entry.
I can't predict how much free time I am going to have for engine work the rest of this year, so I really encourage people to suggest features that aren't too difficult. And if you have an idea but aren't sure how difficult it will actually be, just ask.
Previously I offered bug/feature request for all entrants and additional ones for the winners, but this time I am just offering one bug/feature request for each entrant who submits at least one game to the contest.
I can't predict how much free time I am going to have for engine work the rest of this year, so I really encourage people to suggest features that aren't too difficult. And if you have an idea but aren't sure how difficult it will actually be, just ask.
Previously I offered bug/feature request for all entrants and additional ones for the winners, but this time I am just offering one bug/feature request for each entrant who submits at least one game to the contest.
Awesome. I think we need to set a boundary on what's considered feasible and what's considered too much given the circumstances behind the need to reduce a bit. I also wonder if TMC would be more involved in meeting the bugfix requests if we did away with the cash bounties. This is certainly open for discussion, though.
Mystic wrote:
I wholeheartedly apologize for not following through with my promises for 2012. Not to give excuses, but as an explanation, my plan was simply too grand for what ended up being possible. I wanted to give prizes based on certain achievements each game did... but due to the number and scope of some of the games (which is a good thing!) it became impossible to fairly judge what games I could play - what if another game did it better?
So I've come up with another idea for this year that I think is a lot more doable and generally solves these problems.
What I want to do is have a fund we can use for cafepress or vistaprint or something similar. We can vote on what we want to use this on (HotOHR flash drives would be cool and a bit more symbolic of what we do than shirts for example) but I personally will do something like add in $5 per person that submits a game that follows all the rules to the fund. Maybe another $1 per unique voter that didn't submit a game. And if someone else wants to contribute to that fund, it would help get us towards better or more interesting prize support.
So I've come up with another idea for this year that I think is a lot more doable and generally solves these problems.
What I want to do is have a fund we can use for cafepress or vistaprint or something similar. We can vote on what we want to use this on (HotOHR flash drives would be cool and a bit more symbolic of what we do than shirts for example) but I personally will do something like add in $5 per person that submits a game that follows all the rules to the fund. Maybe another $1 per unique voter that didn't submit a game. And if someone else wants to contribute to that fund, it would help get us towards better or more interesting prize support.
You might need to give an example of what you mean by "rules to the fund."
But there's really no need to complicate the prizes, or to be so elaborate. I also want to hear back from Fenrir before I agree to any official Heart of the OHR Cafepress tie-ins. But I'll keep your idea on the frontlist of things to consider.
Eventually I'm gonna want the community's voice on the more involved ideas that the 2014 contest addresses.
Place Obligatory Signature Here
Thu Apr 24, 2014 2:40 am
Sorry, I have a bad habit of writing... well, long sentences where you lose the ability to parse it.
What I mean is, for each game that follows the rules, I would add a certain amount into the fund. This is so you don't get a hundred people submitting something that's clearly only there to have me increase the prize support. Not that I think it would happen, but just as a precaution.
For me, personally, OHR/SS swag is way cooler than a lot of other prizes that are possible, such as money or even a pizza. Not to discredit or make light of other things, but I feel like something that points more to what exactly we did as a memory in the future is more exciting.
Though I can see your point about complicating things. I guess it's just a roundabout way of saying "if we want some cafepress merch, I've no problem pitching in for that"
What I mean is, for each game that follows the rules, I would add a certain amount into the fund. This is so you don't get a hundred people submitting something that's clearly only there to have me increase the prize support. Not that I think it would happen, but just as a precaution.
For me, personally, OHR/SS swag is way cooler than a lot of other prizes that are possible, such as money or even a pizza. Not to discredit or make light of other things, but I feel like something that points more to what exactly we did as a memory in the future is more exciting.
Though I can see your point about complicating things. I guess it's just a roundabout way of saying "if we want some cafepress merch, I've no problem pitching in for that"
Thu Apr 24, 2014 3:30 am
Pepsi Ranger wrote:
I don't remember if you had mentioned this update to the voting system last time, but it makes a lot of sense now. Heart of the OHR works on a 1-10 scale, so 5 would have to be the average. I think I was against the idea of including middling averages last time, but I do see the merit of including them if people know that their votes matter. Maybe I can use the highest voted game as the base average for numbers and retroactively place a five for each vote the other games don't receive. I still think this places too much good favor on the game that gets the highest number of votes, but then maybe the fact that everyone's voting for it should count for something.
I think that scoring games based on the average of all the scores that it actually receives is still a more fair way. Did the scoring work that way in previous contests? However replacing missing votes with 5's has a lot of benefits, like encouraging people to vote. It also makes 5 a reference value ("not bad, but not interesting enough to play") to help align voters. Fairness can be sacrificed.
Maybe even better would be to use a hybrid, the variant that the SS gamelist uses: give each game one dummy vote, say 5 (or even lower, 3 out of 10, perhaps) and then take the average of all votes. A low dummy vote penalises games no one wanted to play, and encourages people to play the game, especially if few others have, as their vote will move the average towards the "true" value.
Quote:
Awesome. I think we need to set a boundary on what's considered feasible and what's considered too much given the circumstances behind the need to reduce a bit. I also wonder if TMC would be more involved in meeting the bugfix requests if we did away with the cash bounties. This is certainly open for discussion, though.
Bob the Hamster wrote:
After much consideration, I have decided that yes, I will once again be offering bugfixes/feature-requests to everybody who completes an entry.
I can't predict how much free time I am going to have for engine work the rest of this year, so I really encourage people to suggest features that aren't too difficult. And if you have an idea but aren't sure how difficult it will actually be, just ask.
Previously I offered bug/feature request for all entrants and additional ones for the winners, but this time I am just offering one bug/feature request for each entrant who submits at least one game to the contest.
I can't predict how much free time I am going to have for engine work the rest of this year, so I really encourage people to suggest features that aren't too difficult. And if you have an idea but aren't sure how difficult it will actually be, just ask.
Previously I offered bug/feature request for all entrants and additional ones for the winners, but this time I am just offering one bug/feature request for each entrant who submits at least one game to the contest.
Awesome. I think we need to set a boundary on what's considered feasible and what's considered too much given the circumstances behind the need to reduce a bit. I also wonder if TMC would be more involved in meeting the bugfix requests if we did away with the cash bounties. This is certainly open for discussion, though.
Hurray for HeartBugs!
In previous years James has single-handedly tackled most of the HeartBugs. That's not due to bounties. Largely I was pleased that he had motivation to work on them, so I did other things (also IIRC I happened to be quite busy). I'll probably be fairly busy this whole year, but aside from some HeartBugs help will try to work on major RPG-centric features that would be of benefit to people working on their entries, especially those which are too big to be HeartBug requests. I think it would be ideal if we released a stable engine release with some nice features for RPGs in the early stages of the contest. When will the deadline be?