Heart of the OHR Contest 2020

Make games! Discuss those games here.

Moderators: Bob the Hamster, marionline, SDHawk

User avatar
The Wobbler
A Scrambled Egg
Posts: 2817
Joined: Mon Oct 15, 2007 8:36 pm
Location: Underwater
Contact:

Post by The Wobbler »

I'll be uploading a new version of the Walthros demo that fixes some bugs and makes a couple graphic changes. If anyone's already played the previous version, that covers almost all the same content. If anyone hasn't, please wait until the new one goes up tonight.

Edit: Happy New Year! The new demo's available. I know I said 1.61 would be the last one, but I made a bunch of fixes, opened one more dungeon, and added an actual ending rather than the abrupt stop in the previous release. Download here: https://www.slimesalad.com/forum/viewto ... 421#136421

What's New in 2.0:

-Updated some content so that demo saves will be usable in the final
release.
-Demo now ends after Red Shrine.
-Bug fixes/stability.
-Added Trophies menu.
-Added Salom's Phone to main menu.
-Removed Key Items menu (too underused.)
-Added more mist to Bayswater Woods and altered area's title card.
-Redid opening credits.
-Added animations for Bob throughout the game.
-Altered animation for Dig Site cutscenes.
-Added permanent stat boost items to some shops (limited number)
Last edited by The Wobbler on Tue Jan 05, 2021 1:09 am, edited 1 time in total.
User avatar
kylekrack
Liquid Metal Slime
Posts: 1240
Joined: Mon Jun 16, 2014 8:58 am
Location: USA
Contact:

Post by kylekrack »

I tagged all the games I know to be entries this year with "hotohr2020".

If your game isn't on this page, let me know or tag it "hotohr2020" and "hotohr": https://www.slimesalad.com/forum/search ... ch_tag=531
My pronouns are they/them
Ps. I love my wife
User avatar
Pepsi Ranger
Liquid Metal Slime
Posts: 1457
Joined: Thu Nov 22, 2007 6:25 am
Location: South Florida

Post by Pepsi Ranger »

The official voting period launch will hopefully be ready by tomorrow. I'll have the complete list with relevant links paired with it. I haven't released it yet because I'm putting together a package that's more in theme with this year's contest than just a list. But it's about done.

Hang tight!
Place Obligatory Signature Here
Eonhetwo
Red Slime
Posts: 48
Joined: Fri Oct 16, 2020 4:56 am
Location: Usa

Awesome sauce

Post by Eonhetwo »

Wow! All the other entries look really really awesome. Are we allowed to play and vote even though we are contestants?
Just a vessel for dank memes
User avatar
Nathan Karr
Liquid Metal Slime
Posts: 1215
Joined: Fri Jan 25, 2008 3:51 am
Contact:

Re: Awesome sauce

Post by Nathan Karr »

Eonhetwo wrote:Wow! All the other entries look really really awesome. Are we allowed to play and vote even though we are contestants?
Every contestant is encouraged to play and vote on as many games as possible, and you can start playing a game the first time it's put up for the contest if you find the time for a head start on doing so.
Remeber: God made you special and he loves you very much. Bye!
User avatar
Pepsi Ranger
Liquid Metal Slime
Posts: 1457
Joined: Thu Nov 22, 2007 6:25 am
Location: South Florida

Post by Pepsi Ranger »

Let the voting begin!

[yt]Jb1XiboCp3A[/yt]

Alliterative Abbreviated Adventure (original)
by Nathan Karr
Note: Posted as a proof of concept.

Axe Cop (original)
by RedMaverickZero
Note: Slime Salad links to demo, but RMZ is offering Steam Keys to any voter who wants the full game.

Blood Ledger (original)
by Artemis Bena
Note: Approved for contest.

Christmas Stars (original)
by Kefyrra

False Skies (re-release)
by Feenicks
Note: Download Demo 3B or whatever's more recent. Game has been remade enough to justify a new playthrough.

Forget-me-Not (original)
by Prifurin

Gay Savage and the Enigma Rip (original)
by Eonhetwo
Note: Approved via YouTube.

Katja's Abyss: Tactics (original)
by kylekrack
Note: Specially approved to enter.

Slimes World (original)
by Matokage

Tim-Tim 2: The Almighty Gnome (original)
by Spoonweaver
Note: Pre-approved to enter.

Tough Girl Gina (original)
by pjbebi
Note: Actually first released on April 27. But close enough.

TutOHRial (original)
by Nathan Karr
Note: This game is an educational tool and requires you to use Custom to finish it.

Vikings of Midgard (Legends Level 2)
by Fenrir-Lunaris
Note: Likely its final release. Download Hrodvitnir version.

Walthros Renewal (remake)
by The Wobbler
Note: Demo also available on Steam.

Xoo: Xeno Xafari (remake)
by Willy Elektrix
On Steam
or itch.io
Note: This game costs $5.99 on either platform (30% off during the Steam winter sale), but I will be recording a 30-minute playthrough and posting it for anyone who wants to check it out without paying for it. You'll just have to vote based on my playthrough, not yours. It would be better if you based it on yours. But this is an alternative option in case you'd rather spend your money at Starbucks some morning.

[yt]PRbfWE69GJo[/yt]

Good luck, everyone.

Note: The original announcement post has been updated with this information, as well as a revision on the voting deadline.
Last edited by Pepsi Ranger on Sat Jan 09, 2021 2:09 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Place Obligatory Signature Here
User avatar
Feenicks
Metal Slime
Posts: 696
Joined: Tue Aug 10, 2010 9:23 pm
Location: ON THE AIR IN THE AIR
Contact:

Post by Feenicks »

Bird found a major [but thankfully easy to fix] bug, so I went and uploaded a new version that hopefully fixed it and some related things. Hopefully that's fine.
User avatar
Nathan Karr
Liquid Metal Slime
Posts: 1215
Joined: Fri Jan 25, 2008 3:51 am
Contact:

Post by Nathan Karr »

But this is an alternative option in case you'd rather spend your money at Starbucks some morning.
I'm going to watch the video out of curiosity and genuine interest, but will abstain from actually voting on it. I don't think I could make a good faith impression of it without actually playing it, but I also literally can't afford to spend money on games considering I haven't made a single dollar since the end of June. Six dollars feed me for a day if I feel like indulging myself or a full week if I decide to really stretch it out.

And I respect the craft doing games for money too much to ask for free review copies, hence why I'll also be playing and reviewing the demo version of Axe Cop.

That and I've still never played past the demo version of Kaiju Big Battel so I'd probably never finish playing Axe Cop either, even though I'm pretty sure before going in that it's going to be rock solid. :???:
Remeber: God made you special and he loves you very much. Bye!
User avatar
Pepsi Ranger
Liquid Metal Slime
Posts: 1457
Joined: Thu Nov 22, 2007 6:25 am
Location: South Florida

Post by Pepsi Ranger »

Nathan Karr wrote:I'm going to watch the video out of curiosity and genuine interest, but will abstain from actually voting on it. I don't think I could make a good faith impression of it without actually playing it, but I also literally can't afford to spend money on games considering I haven't made a single dollar since the end of June. Six dollars feed me for a day if I feel like indulging myself or a full week if I decide to really stretch it out.
I understand and respect your stance. I'd rather play the game, too.

Consider these ideas first, though:

1. Willy Elektrix knows most people won't play the game if they have to buy it. He also knows the video playthrough is designed to mitigate this obstacle, and he approves of it.

2. The video playthrough has been posted explicitly for giving players an idea whether they would like it if they were playing it. It doesn't have the kinesthetic element that actually playing the game does, and it's certainly not a complete substitute, but the video captures everything the game is otherwise, and it's unlikely your feelings about watching it and playing it would be too dissimilar (the lack of interaction is the only major difference, which would be a reason to abstain if you're a hands-on learner).

3. I'd really like people to avoid abstentions this year if possible because abstentions can really hurt the final score if too many people do it. This includes abstaining from voting on your own game. That said, if casting a vote violates your conscience in some way, then don't do it.
Nathan Karr wrote:And I respect the craft doing games for money too much to ask for free review copies, hence why I'll also be playing and reviewing the demo version of Axe Cop.
Fortunately, the demos have equal weight in the voting process as the full games, so this perfectly fine.

I'm in no way rich, but if any of you absolutely need the hands-on version of Xoo: Xeno Xafari to feel justified in voting on it (and please watch the video before making that decision because the video really does capture much of what the game is, and I think the interactivity is the only new information you'll have to gain by playing it), and you absolutely can't or won't get your own copy, then send me a private message, and depending on how many of you message me, I'll see what I can do about getting you a copy. Again, I'd really like as much voter participation as possible this year.
Feenicks wrote:Bird found a major [but thankfully easy to fix] bug, so I went and uploaded a new version that hopefully fixed it and some related things. Hopefully that's fine.
Yeah, my official stance on bug-fixing for the contest is just fix it. It's been a long year, and I'm not penalizing contestants for a little oversight in the face of a deadline. At this point, it's trivial. Make the game playable, even if you find the bug in late February. You can let us know here what you've fixed and voters may correct their scores based on the fix if they want. No one should feel conflicted about voting on a fixed version. I'm approving it. This includes any new content that completes an unfinished element. Again, it's been a long year, and I think we've all been punished enough. I'm not accepting new games at this point, but I am accepting fixes to any of the 15 games that are on the list, up until the voting deadline. Only new content based on new gameplay elements should be parsed into a separate file and outside voting range.

That said, I found what may be a bug in Vikings of Midgard. Fenrir, if you're monitoring the thread, there's a textbox full of font characters that attaches to an expensive potion shop in the left potted plant of Odin's throne room at the very start of the game. I don't know if that's intentional, but it looks like a bug.

Any other questions or concerns?

Please note that you can post your scores here if you want, but this year I'd rather you private message me your scores (either here, on Discord, or through email) to keep some element of surprise in place. I think it'll be more fun for everyone. Remember, if you vote on your own game (and you should, per the two-thirds rule), give your honest opinion. Don't game the system. For example, if I were posting Powerstick Man XE (and that was actually my goal this year, being that December 30th was its 20th anniversary, but life de-prioritized it), I'd probably give it an 8, not a 9 or 10, because I know it's good enough to warrant a high score, but it's got design flaws that prevent it from hitting the top. I can divorce myself from my game long enough to be critical of it, and you should, too. Also remember that we can be our own worst critics, and just like we wouldn't want to give our games a 10 simply because we made them, and of course it deserves a 10 because we made it, duh!, we also shouldn't give them a 1 because we're sick of looking at them. Pretend someone else's name is on it, then vote.

Oh, if you message me on Discord, my name there is Zippywings. Most of you already know that.

If any of you need the ratings criteria, let me know. I'd post it here, but I'd have to find it, and I'm very tired. So, I can post it next time if you all need it. I've posted it in the past, though, so a little detective work will also answer your question, if that is a question.

Okay, that's all for now. Let me know if you need anything else.
Place Obligatory Signature Here
User avatar
The Wobbler
A Scrambled Egg
Posts: 2817
Joined: Mon Oct 15, 2007 8:36 pm
Location: Underwater
Contact:

Post by The Wobbler »

If anyone wants to limit their impression of Walthros to just stuff released before the deadline, rate it after completing Bayswater Village and before going to Red Shrine, and don't use the Salom Phone. The other edits are minor things I can't imagine changing anyone's mind one way or another.

Nathan - I'll send you a Kaiju
User avatar
kylekrack
Liquid Metal Slime
Posts: 1240
Joined: Mon Jun 16, 2014 8:58 am
Location: USA
Contact:

Post by kylekrack »

Went and tagged the games I missed, except for Xoo Xafari, which isn't on the SS games list. Searching the games list for the hotohr2020 tag should be comprehensive now, barring the one exception.
My pronouns are they/them
Ps. I love my wife
User avatar
Fenrir-Lunaris
Metal Slime
Posts: 768
Joined: Mon Oct 15, 2007 10:45 pm
Location: OHR Depot

Post by Fenrir-Lunaris »

Pepsi Ranger wrote:I found what may be a bug in Vikings of Midgard.
:zombie: (rises from the dead?)
Pepsi Ranger wrote: there's a textbox full of font characters that attaches to an expensive potion shop in the left potted plant of Odin's throne room at the very start of the game.
On the wall, specifically. What you've ACTUALLY found is what I'd liken more to a "developer's console/room" that was used for cutting out the game's font and icons for use in the character portraits section of the information menu. Unless you're going around trying to inspect every single tile in the game (and I respect your dedication for it), you're liable to miss it.
Pepsi Ranger wrote:I don't know if that's intentional, but it looks like a bug.
It isn't "mission critical", just like some of the NPCs that are just visually flipped, or a random tile with a single pixel of gray color - because it doesn't prevent completion of the game. The open Q&A testing for this massive game took MONTHS to finish up, and if a few things slipped through, I wouldn't be surprised. That said, I'm not patching it. The game's development is over. Like Frodo, Styrge threw the Draupnir ring into the fires of Muspelheim and then sailed west to Vinland.
User avatar
Hedera
Slime Knight
Posts: 175
Joined: Tue May 17, 2011 11:38 am
Location: a dying forest (all forests are dying)

Post by Hedera »

Is voting open only for contest entrants, or for the general public?
Pepsi Ranger wrote:1. Willy Elektrix knows most people won't play the game if they have to buy it. He also knows the video playthrough is designed to mitigate this obstacle, and he approves of it.
I got a copy after seeing your video and probably wouldn't've otherwise, without getting to see what it's like.
User avatar
Pepsi Ranger
Liquid Metal Slime
Posts: 1457
Joined: Thu Nov 22, 2007 6:25 am
Location: South Florida

Post by Pepsi Ranger »

Hedera Helix wrote:Is voting open only for contest entrants, or for the general public?
Anyone who's played each game, or at least as many as they can, can vote. The rule on voting is that you have to "grade" it on a scale of 1 to 10, not compare it to others, which is what we do in other contests. This is what allows you to skip a game and still vote (though we'd all appreciate it if you play each game). But you don't have to be a contestant to vote. Just be a real person with a real opinion, and don't outsource your votes.

When you vote, remember this: My Excel scoring template depends on a whole number rating. In other words, if you score anything with a decimal, I'll be rounding it up or down to the nearest whole number, so you may as well submit a whole number. I know I've mentioned this in the past, but I don't know if I'd mentioned it for this year's contest. The whole number requirement is still in effect.

In case you missed the main page update and/or the video I posted (which I spent about week putting together, so you should really watch it--it's the best of the three Heart of the OHR trailers), the voting deadline has been moved to March 7th. As usual, whether this deadline holds depends on voter involvement. I need at least 10 unique voters to participate (playing and voting on an average of 10 games) before I'll close voting.

Hope that clarifies expectations.

Once again, you can vote here (on Slime Salad), on Discord, or send me an email. You could also, technically, vote in the comments of the voting trailer's YouTube page if you really wanted to. My main request this year is send me a private message with your votes instead of publicly displaying them as we usually do.*

You all can still use this forum to discuss your games and your experiences with them, as well as announce updates to each game for voter consideration.

Hope that covers everything for now.

*Private messaging is NOT a requirement for voting, just a request for keeping the position of games a bit more mysterious until the day the results are posted. If you post them publicly, I'll still accept them.
The Wobbler wrote:Nathan - I'll send you a Kaiju


Nathan, also make sure you don't already have it. I know you were on the list to receive a free copy for placing 7th in last season's contest. I can't remember if I'd finished supplying the top winners with the game, but I thought I'd completed fulfilling that prize back in May of 2019. Let one of us know if you don't have it. You should have it.
Place Obligatory Signature Here
User avatar
Willy Elektrix
Liquid Metal Slime
Posts: 910
Joined: Sun Aug 15, 2010 11:30 pm

Post by Willy Elektrix »

Yo! I'm here too people! Looking forward to seeing what you maniacs came up with! Let's play these damn games! =D
Last edited by Willy Elektrix on Mon Jan 11, 2021 3:53 am, edited 2 times in total.
Post Reply