2012 Edition
Yes, the time has finally come. Congratulations to those who have been waiting for it.
A Brief History as Written in 2010:
Rules:HotOHR 2010 Thread wrote:It seems that as times change, interests start moving in new directions, and the things that first captured our hearts and attention about indie-RPG design had since faded into obscurity.
Toward the end of the ‘90s and the early part of this decade [2000s], RPGs were king, and were incidentally, the only thing the OHR was capable of making. And then, as the decade continued, RPGs became less common, less desired, and soon the rate of releases made on the engine went from a sprint to a crawl.
Then, in about 2006 or 2007, the limits of the OHR began to change, and new life formed. Sidescrollers were now not only possible, but easier to make. Puzzle games, menu-based games, and even street fighting games were beginning to surface in droves throughout the course of three years. And during this time the course of the OHR RPG began to fall. RPGs were released on occasion, but the presence of one became rare, and almost surprising. And even then, the likelihood of it being a joke game was high. No, the integrity of the epic vacation gave way to a cheap day-trip, and by 2009 the nature of the RPG had become nearly absent.
[In June 2010], Surlaw and I were discussing the disappointment of creating huge games, which translates to many, many hours of development time (read: three years or more for some games), that people refuse to play because it requires them to fight random battles (that aren’t titillating 100% of the time), or read text (of any length), or spend more than a few hours of game time in order to finish it. Authors who put the level of time and attention that goes into a quality game, just to have it go unplayed because of an unwillingness to read (for example), are highly disheartened, and certain OHR gems have gone unfinished because the author experiences What’s-the-Point? Syndrome.
This, of course, has contributed to the huge decline of RPGs—and especially in the quality RPGs—in our opinion, and that should be shocking when one considers we’re a community focused on an RPG making engine.
Even James Paige once expressed a slight disappointment in the gradual reduction of games that actually use the default features to, you know, make an RPG.
That is what the OHRRPGCE was made for.
Now, this isn’t to knock the surge in alternative gaming styles. I loved Slimes. The games released for the 2009 8-Bit Contest were brilliant. But look at how many good RPGs came out in 2009. Okedoke, and, um….
It’s hard to say whether the modern RPG is dying or just in a slump, but we’d like to see this giant of yesteryear make at least one more stand in the community. So, I am proposing the “Heart of the OHR Contest,” which is a contest, quite simply, about making the best RPGs we can make with the engine that brought us here in the first place.
-Must be an RPG. This is a zero rule. What categorizes as an RPG can be left open for debate, but at the end of the day it must be an RPG. In 2010, we saw one game stretch the limit of what we considered acceptable (Do You Want to Be a Hero?). For a complete list of the games that made the cut in 2010, consult the following link:
http://rpg.hamsterrepublic.com/ohrrpgce ... of_the_OHR
-NonRPGs not permitted. (See Above)
-Joke games not permitted (though funny ones are okay).
-Special scripting is okay (as long as it doesn't turn the RPG into a nonRPG).
-Game must have at least 30 minutes of playtime with a good chunk of that devoted to story (in other words, 30 minutes without level grinding).
-Updates to previous RPGs permitted.
-Updates to previous RPGs need at least 30 minutes of new content to be eligible. Changing a textbox to an old two-hour game and re-releasing it doesn’t make it eligible.
-Fan games and parodies discouraged, but not forbidden. Original stories preferred.
RPG Release Categories:
In 2010 every entry was lumped into the same category and judged under the same conditions regardless of originality versus the rereleased. This year I am altering the rules slightly to accommodate for release types.
Original Games:
These are the games that have never been publicly released prior to June 1, 2012. These are the easiest to judge since the ground is fresh. We had eight original entries in 2010, including the Game of the Year winner, Motrya. The winner of this category will get the top prizes.
Rereleased Games:
These games have been unleashed on the community before June 1, 2012, and are making a second life appearance in the Heart of the OHR Contest. These will receive most of the same basic prizes as the original games, but cash prizes may not be as readily available. Any original game that was released for the 2010 contest will automatically default to this category if reentered for 2012. In 2010 we had four rereleased games.
OHR Legends:
This special category is reserved for the games that have been released prior to July 1, 2010, and resubmitted as Heart of the OHR entries that same year. Right now there are four games eligible for this category: Vikings of Midgard, Do You Want to Be a Hero?, Okedoke, and Tales of the New World II. Should any of these games be submitted this year, they will automatically default to the OHR Legends category. These games will only receive one prize.
Release Dates:
Unlike traditional contests, “Heart of the OHR” will not require a start time or an end time per se. Rather, this will adopt the “release window” technique made popular with Game-a-thon, in that any RPG released within the window is eligible (provided it meets the above standards).
Window begins June 1st and ends November 30th.
I will allow a one-week grace period for bug-fixing. Entries must be ready for voting by December 7th.
All deadlines will expire at 6am EST the following day.
Voting:
Voting will run from December 16 - December 31 (I'll extend this to a few extra days in January if any holiday vacationers need the extra time.)
Note that I will not close voting until I have a minimum of 10 votes, so if the deadline comes and goes and I have fewer than that, voting will remain open until the minimum is met. I want all contestants to have a fair playthrough and comment/critique/score for their games.
The way we handle votes will likely change from the 2010 contest. I am still considering an alternative method from the previous way.
For full details on how it used to be, consult the following post:
http://www.slimesalad.com/forum/viewtop ... 1778#71778
To see an ongoing discussion about what voting may become, consult this post:
http://www.slimesalad.com/forum/viewtop ... 9911#89911
Prizes:
Because RPGs are harder to come by these days (especially in contests), I thought it’s only fair to combat the odds with prizes that don’t suck. Therefore, various members of the community have agreed to give special bonuses to entrants and the winner.
Just by entering a game into the contest, the contestant will get to choose a bugfix or feature request to be put on the December 1st bug bounty. The winner will get to choose a second bug or feature request to be implemented ASAP (pending feasibility). Because the window is so large, James has agreed that no request is unreasonable at this time.
Here’s how it works:
During a time frame decided on by James, you may post your bugfix or feature request here so that he can start working toward implementing it. You may only choose one, so pick wisely. Once you choose your request, you are then expected to release a quality RPG (fitting the above standards) by November 30th to receive your entry prize. The prize, of course, is a ransom for the bug or feature request you posted here if it’s not implemented by December 1st. If your bug is not fixed by the deadline, then you get whatever James decides to pay for ransoms. And that’s just for entering the contest! The winner will get to request a second bugfix or feature once the votes are in.
Note: James is in charge of how the bug bounty system works, including what to pay out for failure to implement, and when requests will no longer be accepted. For questions regarding this prize, please ask him for clarification.
You may view the current requests here:
http://rpg.hamsterrepublic.com/ohrrpgce ... tBugs_2012
And the old archival requests here:
http://rpg.hamsterrepublic.com/ohrrpgce ... tBugs_2010
All release categories eligible for this prize.
The winner will also get a HamsterSpeak cover devoted to his winning entry or the game of his choice for the January 2013 issue. Artist is unknown at this point, but we’ll happily take volunteers. I’d also, if possible, like to offer the winner a second piece of artwork about his game for the magazine, but only if a second artist volunteers.
Highest ranked game will receive this prize regardless of release category.
Thirdly, the winner will receive either slime bucks or an increase to the stat of his or her choice for the Slime Salad Arena.
Both category winners will receive this prize.
Fourthly, the winning game will be featured for Slime Salad’s game of the month (pending author’s acceptance) for January or February 2013.
Prize eligible for original game category winner only. Rereleased game winner can negotiate for the following month if it doesn't break Game of the Month standards.
Fifthly, if I’m not broke by then, the winner will receive some extra cash as a cherry on top. I’ll determine the amount by then, but it will probably be conditional on the number of games that are actually submitted.
If prize is awarded (I'm usually broke), it will be for original game category winner only.
Sixthly, anyone out there can add to the prize pot if he or she has something to offer, so feel free to help make this into a treasure trove of winnings if you want to, and if you have the resources for it.
Specifically I'd like to see:
-cash prizes
-fan art
-theme song about the winning game(s)
Note: Community member BMR has volunteered to produce fan art for the winning entry.
Seventhly, as an added bonus to the contestants, all entrants will receive a T-shirt, courtesy of Inferior Minion, with the Heart of the OHR, Castle Paradox, Slime Salad, and HamsterSpeak logos branded on the fabric. This way you can celebrate the return of the RPG, and become a walking advertisement!
Note: Although I have confirmed this with IM a couple of months ago, I have not heard a word from him in several weeks, so I am only assuming this prize is still on the table.
Eighthly, community member Momoka is offering bonus prizes to the game that can present the single best dungeon of the contest (per his OHR Dungeon contest, which I think is partly standalone but mostly integrated with this contest). This prize is not given exclusively to the winning entry, but to the one that has the best newly-designed dungeon. I believe this side contest is open to entrants in all three categories. Consult the official thread for rules and details: http://www.slimesalad.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=5171
Note: If you would like to add to the prize pot for other specific design features, let me know and I will edit in your offers.
Ninthly, community member Mystic has decided to give $5 to four contestants who meet specific design criteria that he will look for mysteriously. Cross your fingers that you're one of them. Consult this post for specific details: http://www.slimesalad.com/forum/viewtop ... 4629#94629
Special Prize for OHR Legends releases:
Any game categorized as an OHR Legends release will receive a special trophy classifying it as such. This is strictly a prestige award, but it will remind future players of the game's longevity. This trophy will receive "levels" each time it's awarded to a specific game. OHR Legends releases should still meet the 30 minutes of additional game time rule to be eligible for the trophy.
So, as you can see, it would be crazy not to join and make something for the Heart of the OHR Contest, so take the chance. Nominating a bugfix or feature request confirms your intention to join. Just remember that there will be no ransom paid on unresolved bugs if you drop out. So make something and stick with it. Don’t procrastinate, either. Games that don’t meet the above standards will also forfeit the ransom.
Tips:
Release the best game you’re capable of making. The community doesn’t want to see or play throwaway titles anymore. Do your best to make a quality game. While you shouldn’t be intimidated by this, you still need to be aware that games like Wandering Hamster and Motrya are just as capable of making an appearance during the contest window as any game, so make it your best if you want the winning prizes.
Have fun. Please use this thread to post your bugfix or feature requests for James and the developers, and use it to announce your RPG releases starting on June 1st. And I’d appreciate it if this thread were stickied until the end of the year. Thanks.
I will update this thread periodically as new information comes. Good luck, everyone.