+- CC Zone - Chip's Challenge Forum (https://forum.bitbusters.club)
+-- Forum: CC Zone Meta (https://forum.bitbusters.club/forum-3.html)
+--- Forum: Competitions (https://forum.bitbusters.club/forum-12.html)
+--- Thread: April 2015 Create Competition - Perfect Ten (/thread-1543.html)
Pages:
1
2
April 2015 Create Competition - Perfect Ten - M11k4 - 03-Apr-2015
Some people get giddy before Christmas, or even their birthday, in anticipation of what presents they might be receiving. I get a little giddy when I announce these competitions, both to hear your reactions and then see your entries
This time we have a theme that is related to birthdays and fits in with the series I was hinting at last month...Your job is to create a simple and fun level. Wait, that's not a proper requirement?! It's not even a restriction really! EXPLAIN!! I'm glad you asked, but let me set things up first...
Judging these competitions is a lot of work if there are tens of levels, but even more so if those levels are complex and hard. That doesn't mean that sort of levels are bad, it's just that for these competitions, it is more efficient and even fun if there is some sort of difficulty restriction in place. But not every month should be about making a level in a small room, or a short time limit, so what other ways are there to guarantee a similar outcome? Taking a step back, another approach to the problem is to allow someone else to judge the competition, and we have done that too from time to time. The main problems with that approach is the availability and willingness of people to undertake such a task in reasonable time. We have even tried voting on the results, but that hasn't worked as well as one could hope (at least to date). So what did I do this time?
We have a guest judge for this month's levels. She is my daughter Noomi. She will play the levels and rank them how she feels. At least I hope she will, since it will be a birthday surprise! She is turning ten in May, and I thought it would be cool that we as a community would create a small level set for her to play. Now this is where the restriction comes into place. She hasn't played too much of CC. She has played some, but definitely not as much as any of you reading this. I believe she will enjoy a simple and short level over any that are long and difficult. She may even skip a fun level if she encounters an element she dislikes. As level designers, I feel you will do well if you manage to think more in the mind set of the player when making a level for her.
I realize that to make this work, and to make it fair, I will need to try and tell you all a little more specifically what types of things she enjoys in the game. After all, a good designer should know their audience a little bit to be able to think about how their creation will be received. I will do that, but not yet. I didn't want to delay announcing this competition, but I don't have all that info just yet. So within a week or so I will post a follow-up with more information about how much she has played to date and such, to give you some idea of what you can be aiming at. Of course you can start narrowing down your ideas or even experimenting with them in an editor, and I'm sure the time you spend on it now, even without all that information, won't be a total waste. (Oh, my set kidsfair.ccl was made for her, but not all the levels and it's been some time since she first played it.)
So to summarize: Your job is to create a simple and fun level that a ten-year-old girl will enjoy! Check back later in the month for more details on what she might be expecting or what sort of things she might not like. As a general rule, I suggest not making the level too long, too difficult, too dodgy, too blockpushy, or too anything. I will be very interested in seeing what you come up with!
Notes:
-Submissions are open as long as it is April 2015 where you live!
-Do not make a overly difficult level. Please be considerate of not making the judge work too hard on solving your creation.
-The level must be solvable. If it isn't, an update is allowed but it does take extra effort so please play your levels before sending them.
-The level must be new; it must not have been released earlier.
-Please give the level a name, time limit and set a password.
-You may submit more than one entry, but please keep the levels distinct from each other. Your best two entries is recommended.
-Points may be deducted for late entries, but will be accepted until a notice is posted in this thread.
-Entrants receive the normal prizes: the "You're Winner!"-award, Chip Cup points, and "Tool Box"-award for first time entrants.
-Please ask about other unclear situations.
Email and attach your submissions to valeosote at hotmail dot com. I will strive to reply with a confirmation that I have received your entry. I prefer if you use your username and this competition in the subject. Keep it short and simple, something like: "April Create - Superman"
Let the submissions pour in, and thanks in advance for helping me make this present!
-Miika
April 2015 Create Competition - Perfect Ten - Flareon350 - 03-Apr-2015
Now this one sounds like fun! Can't wait for the extra information!
April 2015 Create Competition - Perfect Ten - Ihavenoname248 - 03-Apr-2015
Which ruleset will the levels be played in?
Which tileset will the levels be played with?
edit: I can get a field test of the beta version of my entry(ies?) using my younger sister, I just realized XD. She's 10 as well but has no real CC experience, so if she enjoys it, I've definitely succeeded. CC1 #122 advantage, go!
April 2015 Create Competition - Perfect Ten - Flareon350 - 03-Apr-2015
Quote:edit: I can get a field test of the beta version of my entry(ies?) using my younger sister, I just realized XD. She's 10 as well but has no real CC experience, so if she enjoys it, I've definitely succeeded. CC1 #122 advantage, go!
I can do the same with my youngest brother who is 11 and has no real CC experience as well.
April 2015 Create Competition - Perfect Ten - M11k4 - 04-Apr-2015
She can play either rules, and if you have a specific wish for graphics, that can be arranged as well. I think I will arrange the order she sees the levels in some way, trying to get the easier levels first and not have similar levels after each other.
April 2015 Create Competition - Perfect Ten - Ihavenoname248 - 16-Apr-2015
Quote:I realize that to make this work, and to make it fair, I will need to try and tell you all a little more specifically what types of things she enjoys in the game. After all, a good designer should know their audience a little bit to be able to think about how their creation will be received. I will do that, but not yet. I didn't want to delay announcing this competition, but I don't have all that info just yet. So within a week or so I will post a follow-up with more information about how much she has played to date and such, to give you some idea of what you can be aiming at.Any update on this part? I've held off on designing an entry due to waiting for more information, and it's starting to get to the point where I won't have enough time to tune the difficulty and design properly before the deadline.
April 2015 Create Competition - Perfect Ten - M11k4 - 18-Apr-2015
It seems I keep on keeping you guys waiting longer than I intend, but here we are now...
I talked with Noomi about her favorite levels and here are some info on her experience with a few sets:
CC1
Score: 221,430
First unsolved level: Tossed Salad (20)
Last solved level: Hidden Danger (59)
Favorite so far: Lesson 8, Nice Day
Least favorites so far: Southpole
CCLP1
Score: 1,264,560
First unsolved level: Squared in a Circle (65)
Last solved: Ruined World (83)
Favorites so far: Present Company, When Insects Attack, Graduation, Monster Cages (!), Circles (!), Trafalgar Square, The Last Starfighter, Just a Bunch of Letters, Habitat, Dig and Dug, Descending Ceiling, Gears, The Bone, The Chambers, Corral, Design Swap, Klausswerner.
Least favorites so far: Twister, Chip's Checkers, Sky High or Deep Down, Quincunx, Spitting Image, Key Farming, Highways, New Block in Town.
CCLP2
Score: 75,450
First unsolved level: A Fleeting Memory
Last solved level: Lake in Winter (51)
Favorites so far: Smorgasbord
Least favorite so far: Yike-O-Matic
CCLP3
Score: 74,180
First unsolved level: Snakes and Ladders (2)
Last solved level: Marooned (126)
kidsfair
Score: ??? (several solution files)
First unsolved level: Horseshoe (31)
Last solved level: One for the Money (46)
Favorites: Play Nice, Noomikainen (!), Gathering Clovers, Outer Circle, A Boat Something.
Least favorites: Manners Matters, A Basket of Apples.
easy.dat
Score: 587,340
First unsolved level: All the Same (16)
Last solved level: Easy Scavenger Hunt (70)
Favorites: spiderport, The Maze Entrance, Mudslide
Least favorites: Easy Scavenger Hunt
Noomi says she likes the levels with many monsters that may get in the way, but not the ones that are too hard or too simple. Her favorite monster are the Paramecia or Walkers, and she least likes the Blobs (because they are so slow). Yesterday she said she hated ice levels, but now she is saying they are ok. She doesn't care much for block pushing. She will play either MS or Lynx (or iceblock patch).
I'd like to add some notes of my own too. Noomi does not get to spend much time on the game so the above scores and levels might be misleading in some ways to her actual ability and preferences. She has most recently played CCLP1, as you can probably tell by her progress on it. Though she says she likes levels with monster avoiding, I fear if all the levels are intensely focused on that, the overall experience might not be that great for her, so please still keep the levels simple. You'll notice none of her favorite levels are very long, and several have safe spots for Chip even if there are monsters. I realize that the order she will see and play the levels will influence her decisions, so I will consider arranging them in the submission order, or by difficulty (by my own evaluation), or randomly. If you have several submissions, and there are too many levels, I might pick just my favorite for her to play. I think I will set some sort of rule for how long or how many attempts she gets at a level before she has to move on to the next submission, and then return later to the skipped ones, so she doesn't get stuck on any one level for too long and not have interest in the others. If she has trouble ranking the levels, I will use my own preferences as a tie breaker if needed. I guess my point is that I will try to make it as fun for her as possible, yet still try to keep things fair for you guys no matter what you throw at her
We already have some submissions, but I hope you still have time to participate in this as I can't move the deadline at all.
-Miika
April 2015 Create Competition - Perfect Ten - M11k4 - 02-May-2015
Hello!
Submissions are now closed and I have uploaded the submissions here.
Thanks to all who took the time to make something cool for me and my daughter! We will post the results at some point
-Miika
April 2015 Create Competition - Perfect Ten - Flareon350 - 02-May-2015
Sorry I didn't get around to make anything for her. I really couldn't think of anything reasonably good with the information given. Hope she likes the levels though
April 2015 Create Competition - Perfect Ten - M11k4 - 03-May-2015
No problem Josh. I'll keep you all posted about her reactions once she gets to play the levels