Amstrad CPC 16KBs ROM Game Development Competition!

[SyX]

[attachimg=1]

After seeing the success of this kind of competitions in other platforms, we would like to announce the first Amstrad CPC 16KBs ROM Game Development Competition.

The reasons for the size limit are mainly for opening the compo to more participants. Small games are more probable to get finished than big games. We feel that the focus will be in the playability, originality and making fun games. And a nice feature of the size is that we can fill a gap in the CPC catalog, the lack of "rom games"; there is a lot of romboards these days (Megaflash, Symbiface, ...),  but no games. We want to change this and hope, it will help to bring new CPC+ cartridges to the public soon.
 
THE RULES
- The competition deadline is 00:00 GMT on the 1st July of 2013.

- All submitted games must be in working in all CPC models in a 16 KBs ROM format. Compression is allowed (and encouraged) but the final file size must not exceed 16 KBs (16.384 bytes).
 
- You are free to choose your favourite language or game developing tool.

- The games submitted do not necessarily need to be new, but must be your own work and not released previously. Games hacks will obviously not be accepted.

- There is not a maximum number of single entries from a person or group.

- The compo is open to all the CPC community.
 
- You must add to your entry a text manual.

- The applicant owns their work, so therefore submitted games will *ONLY* be released for sale at an agreed price if the coder expresses a desire to do so.

- The games would be rated by public votes during the next two weeks after the deadline and the results will appear at 00:00 GMT on the 16th July of 2013.
 
These are the rules, we'll make a minor adjustments with your feedback to clarify them.

PRIZES
In this moment, the only prize is the honor for being the winner, but we hope to announce a big surprise during the competition.

We are open to donations or sponsorship, if somebody want to use donations to encourage to the participants, feel free to make them. And not only for the winners, you can choose your own categories, for example, the best shooter or the best puzzle game; the game with the best graphics or music; the game using more ponies, ...
 
REGISTERING
If you are interested in entering the competition, send us a message via email confirming that you'd like to take part and we will be in touch with more details.
 
SUBMITTING A GAME
You can send in your game via email and it *MUST* be received by us prior to the deadline.
 
EXAMPLE ROM CODE
The participants can use the next code for their roms:

Code: [Select]

; ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
; Minimal ROM Project
; (c) You 2013
; ---------------------------------------------------------------------------

; ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
    ORG  $C000

; ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
; ROM Header
rom_type
    DEFB 1                          ; Background ROM

rom_version
    DEFB 0,0,1                      ; Version 0.0.1

; ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
rsx_names
    DEFW rsx_name_table

; ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
    JP   initialize_rom             ; Called by the firmware during system initialization
    JP   run_game                   ; Launch the game

rsx_name_table
    DEFB "!" + $80                  ; Use a name that basic can not run
    DEFB "GAM","E" + $80            ; RSX for launch the game (|GAME)
    DEFB 0                          ; End of RSXs name table

; ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
; Show initialization text and telling the firmware everything OK
; ENTRIES:
;     DE: Pointer to the lowest RAM address that we can use.
;     HL: Pointer to the highest RAM address that we can use.
; EXITS:
;     Carry true.
;     DE: Pointer to the new lowest RAM address that we can use.
;     HL: Pointer to the new highest RAM address that we can use.
;     A, BC and the other flags corrupt.
;     All others registers preserved.
; ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
initialize_rom
    PUSH HL
    LD   HL,initialization_message
    CALL show_message
    POP  HL
    SCF                             ; Signal to the firmware everything was correct
    RET

initialization_message
    DEFB $0F,2," Project",$0F,3," Alpha",$0F,1," (",$7C,"GAME) ",$A4,'2013'
    DEFB $0F,3," You",$0F,1,7,10,13,$FF

; ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
; RSX '|GAME' launch the game
; ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
run_game
    ; Get the ROM number
    CALL $B912                      ; KL_CURR_SELECTION (A = ROM select address for our rom)
    LD   ($4000),A                  ; Save the rom number in a variable in ram

    ; Add your game code
    LD   HL,game_message
    CALL show_message

    RET

game_message
    DEFB "Hello CPC World!",10,13,$FF

; ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
; Print a string finished in $FF using the firmware
; ENTRIES:
;    HL : Pointer to the string
; ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
show_message
    LD   A,(HL)
.loop_show_message
    CALL $BB5A                      ; TXT_OUTPUT
    INC  HL
    LD   A,(HL)
    CP   $FF
    JR   NZ,.loop_show_message
    RET

; ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
; Pad the rom with zeros until the 16 KBs
    DEFS $0-$                       ; in pasmo
;    ORG  $10000                    ; in vasm

; ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
    END

CONTACT INFO
You can reach me the organizer in real.mml@gmail.com (SyX)

Good Luck and we hope it will be a big success!!!

Happy New Year and Happy CPC coding!!!

UPDATES:

• Code example updated.
• Added the logo for the competition.
• Added the link to the official page in the CPC-Wiki.

[rexbeng]

Really great idea, but there's a huge BUT concerning the deadline: it is the same deadline date as for the megademo for the CPC 30th anniversary. So, it could prevent people from participating. Maybe you should think about this...


rb

[Sykobee (Briggsy)]

Really great idea, but there's a huge BUT concerning the deadline: it is the same deadline date as for the megademo for the CPC 30th anniversary. So, it could prevent people from participating. Maybe you should think about this...
rb

I doubt it will be an issue, most people code either games XOR demos (xor 8-bit operating systems).


The project sounds interesting as it leaves a lot of RAM for either double buffered large screens, or cache for procedural generated data, etc.


How is Exomiser for compressing CPC graphics? That is what the 16KB limit will restrict most. Title screens and fancy menus are probably out, at least for the competition versions of the game.

[rexbeng]

I doubt it will be an issue, most people code either games XOR demos (xor 8-bit operating systems).

Really? Strange, all these years in the CPC scene and having been involved in both demos and games I hadn't realised that there was a rule. Damn, I've been doing it wrong it seems 


Jokes aside, it may very well be an issue for many people 


Then, I think you misunderstood the 16k challenge: the whole game is supposed to fit in the 16k, including the logic, all datas, all sounds and all graphics 


rb

[db6128]

I think you misunderstood both his points. He said “most people”, not all, so he wasn’t discounting the possibility of people like you who code both things. And he didn’t say anything that would break the rule about everything fitting in a ROM of 16 kB; for example, he specifically mentioned procedural generation, rather than lots of large bitmaps.

[SyX]

Well, rexbeng, if more participants have the same concern about the time limit, we could extend it... but none of the people, who have contacted me already, has said something about it. And using the same reasoning,  there is a lot of demo parties in the middle, as Forever, Reset, ... that could affect too.

We are positive that this iniciative is going to be a success, and you always can participate in the next... for the second half of the year (why not?  )

Then, I think you misunderstood the 16k challenge: the whole game is supposed to fit in the 16k, including the logic, all datas, all sounds and all graphics 

The challenge is making really fun games using a rom as medium, that is enough challenge already.

Compression is another tool in your toolbox, you are free to use it or not. So valid is an entry running exclusively from the rom (and only using the ram for variables, stack and a little of sm-code) than other decrunching the game to ram and paging out the rom, that is up to you.

[Sykobee (Briggsy)]

I think 6 months notice is more than enough notice :-)


Hell, the games can be announced at the party if it clashes - unless SyX has his own plans.


I think it's a great idea - and as with all of these things I'll never find the time :-(

[SyX]

I think it's a great idea - and as with all of these things I'll never find the time :-(

You always can make a team with others, there is a lot talented people in the CPC scene. And if you have doubts or find technical problems, ask in the forums and we'll help you to make your project a reality.

Don't be shy!!! You could make the next Braid or Super Hexagon for CPC

[TMR]

Brutal, really looking forward to seeing the results from this (and if i can scrape some time together, i might have a try m'self! =-) Added a news item to the (hopefully) resurrected Oldschool Gaming news feed and forum about it and will plonk a What's Brewing item into Retro Gamer 113.

[fano]

I must resist...
I must resist...
I must resist...
I must resist...
I must resist...

Holy shit, that's a good damn idea ! There was sooo long time i wanted to try something like this , count for me at least for one entry maybe more... damn you i have so much other things to do 

btw 16K limitation is a good, very good idea !