Creating open-source project then submitting it to CPCRetroDev?

[cpcitor]

Hello. This is related to http://www.cpcwiki.eu/forum/news-events/educational-c-project-cpcretrodev-or-not-cpcretrodev-that-is-the-question/new/

CPCRetroDev 2017 rules http://cpcretrodev.byterealms.com/wp-content/uploads/contest/2017/doc/cpcretrodev_rules_2017.pdf mention:

Submitted games must not have participated in any previous contest, and must not have been published previously.
▪ A game will be considered as previously published in these cases:
• An executable version of the game or a development version of the game has been made publicly available.
• A complete analysis of the game, be it audio or video, has been made publicly available.
◦ Developers are free to publish screenshots, images, videos, teasers or previews of the game along its development. These promotional actions will NOT make the game be considered as previously published.

I'm interested in maximizing educational value of my project(s). Publishing as open-source allows people to benefit from it all along, submitting it to contest allows to give it more visibility.

Can make an open-source CPC game project with public source and code history on github along the development, and when it is finished, make it a valid entry to CPCRetroDev?

[krusty_benediction]

In my opinion, the rules are clear: you cannot compete with something on github as it does not respect the following rules:
-  An executable version of the game or a development version of the game has been made publicly available => you can get it from the sources
- A complete analysis of the game, be it audio or video, has been made publicly available. => you canget it from the sources
I guess the opposite is better : 1. you keep a private repository whie developping the application 2. you compete 3. after the competition, you release the sources

[ronaldo]

Yes, in this case, @krusty_benediction is right. Even though you do not explicitly publish any executable version, it can be obtained from source. Therefore, publishing source is the same as publishing the game itself.

#CPCRetroDev certainly encourages open-source. It even gives participants extra points for publishing it with free licenses. However, it has to be made after the end of the contest.

So, as @krusty_benediction sais, the option would be as follows:

   
• Develop your game using a git private repository.
• Submit your game to the contest along with its source code and permissions to publish it.
• Publish a github repo including development history after the end of the contest.

We are in the process of publishing all source codes of developed games in a github organization. The idea is the same: give more publicity to source code and make it useful for people wanting to develop other games and to learn. Having great source codes to learn from is actually a must. We are really thankful to any contributing initiative, as you are stating here .

[cpcitor]

Thanks

Thanks @ronaldo for your explanations.

I have written game-end-time counting of points and detecting winner or draw.
Game engine and display already supports different grid sizes and 2-4 players.
Currently game is playable but ergonomics have to be improved: there's no menu to choose number of players, grid size and no possibility of customizing keys.

If I can get the project in a presentable state before due time, I think I'll submit it.

Confirmation question

I understand that I can submit this "bare" version for 2017 and if next year I have something like "version 2" (say, with one-player-against-AI option, or much fancier graphics, menus with music or the like) it will be a valid submission for 2018. Right ?

Harder question, theoretical but might happen later with other projects

Now what happens if after CPCRetroDev2017, source code is published okay, then someone starts from it and creates another version 2 with different improvements? Could this invalidate the submission of my V2 under the rule "one submission per author"?

If I haven't participated in any way in their V2, my V2 should be valid I guess. They started from public code which I happened to write before they start their project. Right?

Does it mean that after releasing source code, either people cooperate on a common newer project submitted together, or they don't cooperate at all to make sure their project is valid for contest?

Thanks for clarifying.

[ronaldo]

Well, I wasn't exactly referring to a new version of the same game for next year. Tecnically, a second version of a game faces a great risk of being disqualified.


My suggestion would be more to create a new game, with same values, but a different focus. There is no problem on reusing code: that could also be part of the educational focus. The problem arises when the game itself is reused. Rules are focused on creation of new games, and most certainly against versions of existing games.