RGC Referendum!!

[ArtimusBena]

I am calling upon the people of this, our great Hamster Republic, to weigh in on a most urgent matter:

It turns out we have Summer Slam going this year around the same time the Ridiculous Games Contest occurred LAST year. So I've been called upon to get this year's RGC rolling sooner, so that harmony and oneness can be maintained in the universe. In short, I was expecting to have like three more months to start this ball rolling.

1) I want this to be fun and accessible so I'd like to see some collaboration on ideas for the contest's theme! My thought so far is that it would be fun to theme it around Steamboat Willie! PJ loves the idea; what do you think? (I think it should include some kind of game design pillar as well, not just an aesthetic)

2) I want the voting to be agreeable to the majority of parties, so please let me know what kind of voting system y'all prefer or at least talk about voting systems in the past that you've found to be toxic and don't want to see here. (And tell me your reasoning).

3) The timing of the contest. Should it happen soon, or wait until after Slam? Should it happen at the exact same time as Slam and cause all sorts of hilarious, ridiculous chaos?


Regarding voting: my philosophy over the years with voting for people's entries is that adherence to the theme tends to be a bigger deal to me than a lot of other factors. You can submit something really awesome, but adherence to theme seems to me one of the barriers to entry, let alone votes.


Anyway. Ultimately I'll make the final determinations, for I AM THE DECIDER ... but given the unexpected time constraint, now's your time to tell me to shut up and do exactly what you tell me to.

[TheLordThyGod]

Anything goes, but it has to involve Steamboat Willie.

[kylekrack]

Saying this in case it sways a decision, but if the theme is specifically Steamboat Willie I think I'm personally less likely to participate. I'm just not interested in making a game of that theme, and it's pretty specific, so there's not much wiggle room.

As for voting, it seems like it shouldn't be too serious for a ridiculous contest. I say you should draw winners out of a hat or find some equivalently ridiculous way of voting the winner.

[ArtimusBena]

As an aside, I will help any contestant achieve the core feature they need! But you only get one; I'm not making your game for you

[TheLordThyGod]

If Steamboat Willie discourages anyone from participating, scrap it. I thought it would be a fun public domain lark. Maybe public domain characters in general?

[Snodrvr2]

Public domain characters in general might be more fun. You could do like a league of Extraordinary Gentleman sort thing. Or just focus on one character like Steamboat Willie. Gives the contestants a lot more options, and keeping things open is always best imo for ridiculous games

[Bob the Hamster]

Sherlock Holmes Quest.rpg

[ArtimusBena]

I think you guys are right. Public domain characters in general would be more fun.

What about non-aesthetic. The previous contest had "do a demake". What's gonna be our design twist?

[Eonhetwo]

Didnt the last contest only have the one bit about doing a demake? I feel like if we're gonna use public domain characters then we really dont need any other stipulations than that.

[ArtimusBena]

1) We in the forum have decided to elevate the idea of going with any (and any number of) public domain characters.
And 2) We in the discord have elevated the idea of one big cutscene as the design pillar. You would still be able to do choiceboxes like conversation trees, and whatever inputs your heart desires

[Snodrvr2]

I think it needs some sort of historical element to tie into the public domain aesthetic. Like make a game in the style a video game in the 1920s would've been made, or maybe just something old timey/historical in general. If you want to combine that with the one long cutscene, go for it

[MindFuzz]

I think it needs some sort of historical element to tie into the public domain aesthetic. Like make a game in the style a video game in the 1920s would've been made, or maybe just something old timey/historical in general. If you want to combine that with the one long cutscene, go for it

Ahh, so like a retrofuturistic video game? I like it.

[ArtimusBena]

@snodrvr2 That's a great idea for an entry! But I wouldn't want to put that limitation on everybody

[ArtimusBena]

For example, an old dvd game or trashy CD-i game would be one avenue

[ArtimusBena]

I'll give the RGC conversation one week and then officially wave the starting flag. I'll make a new official thread for it. April 1st will be the deadline.