Small Game Exhibition

Jotz · Post by **Jotz** » Sun Feb 17, 2008 7:59 pm

Let's make some small games! Rules are simple:

- To "join", post a topic/plot that you would like someone to make a game of.

- You MUST make a game about the topic/plot from the post below yours.

- Don't post here again until you have sent me your game to jotz14@gmail.com. I will make a second thread where the games will be posted and you may discuss.

- Try to complete your game in a week at most. They really shouldn't take too long...

Now for the rules for actually making the games:

- Exactly 5 boards long, not including the title screen

- Let's keep the area of these games small. You must use this template board for all 5 boards (title screen can be normal): http://w14.easy-share.com/1699609046.html. Nothing may be present outside of the white box.

- Must #play at least 7 notes/number ticks.

- At least 1 sentence.

- Must adhere closely with your assigned topic/plot

Now give me a topic!

EDIT: To clarify, the topic you must do is the FIRST SENTENCE the next poster writes, no matter what it is. You have no choice, so you'll just have to make do with what you've got. Remember, don't post here unless you're going to make a game. Also, I've changed the name to "small" game exhibition.

Post by **Dr. Dos** » Sun Feb 17, 2008 9:11 pm

Plane crash.

Edit: Not just having us post the game here is dumb.

Also: 13 tall by 30 wide is the size of the board.

16,7 to 45,19 in kevedit

Commodore · Post by **Commodore** » Sun Feb 17, 2008 11:11 pm

how about just "flight"?

also 5 boards doesn't seem micro.

Kjorteo · Post by **Kjorteo** » Mon Feb 18, 2008 9:15 pm

Commodore wrote:also 5 boards doesn't seem micro.

Scribbit · Post by **Scribbit** » Mon Feb 18, 2008 11:42 pm

Weird! I must be just behind the curve or something. Right before I started work on PortalZZT, I tried starting a game called 5thWall, in which you would play in boxes just about that size (I calculated out about 1/4 of the screen) and use an engine to step outside the box, move stuff around with buttons and stuff, then jump back inside. I lost focus after the intro cutscene, so the game never really came to fruitation.

I wonder, though, if to really be "micro," the game should all be one board? Or does that make it an "engine?" I propose a style where you embed a mini-game into the title screen, this way you could use a single board. This could include both player-grabbing engines and games where you simply play on the title screen after entering the game normally. Should themes be chosen by the last person and implemented by the next person to post, or should each person pick a topic for the person they reply to, hopefully without a lot of annoying/overly-offensive ideas being pushed? Any other ideas for improving this concept? I like the concept of micro games, but I think the style should be better defined.

Post by **zamros** » Tue Feb 19, 2008 4:54 am

not every game has to be a stupid engine, you know

you can also tell a STORY

Commodore · Post by **Commodore** » Tue Feb 19, 2008 8:09 am

make sequel to jesus damnit

Scribbit · Post by **Scribbit** » Tue Feb 19, 2008 1:06 pm

zamros wrote:not every game has to be a stupid engine, you know

you can also tell a STORY

I'm aware of this, many of my favorite games are more story than engine. I was just saying that, to my mind, a micro game should be as small as possible, maybe just one or two boards. Or should a micro game be no more than five quarter-sized-boards, and a nano game should be just one board? I think I like that definition better. Any suggestions?

Kjorteo · Post by **Kjorteo** » Tue Feb 19, 2008 5:01 pm

Nupanick wrote:I'm aware of this, many of my favorite games are more story than engine. I was just saying that, to my mind, a micro game should be as small as possible, maybe just one or two boards. Or should a micro game be no more than five quarter-sized-boards, and a nano game should be just one board? I think I like that definition better. Any suggestions?

Post by **Quantum P.** » Tue Feb 19, 2008 7:55 pm

Dibs on the pico and femto games!

joking aside, I actually think a one-board game would be interesting as a minimalist challenge.

Scribbit · Post by **Scribbit** » Tue Feb 19, 2008 8:18 pm

Exactly! Minimalism is probably why I enjoy ZZT so much. Many engines would work better in a more complex GCE like MZX, but ZZT is more fun. And it's easier and you don't have to learn a new language to use, because ZZT-OOP is a lot like basic.

Post by **Dr. Dos** » Tue Feb 19, 2008 9:11 pm

Castle of ZZT or whatever was only like 3 boards and it was pretty good.

Post by **Zenith Nadir** » Tue Feb 19, 2008 9:56 pm

yeah, that game's one of the greats, even though the rpg battle was kind of bad (but then, most zzt rpg battles suck, let's be honest)

secret raid at bb's would count, if it weren't for all the cut-scenes...

oh, and space prison 2050- that was a good game, i remember streamlining it into like 15kb one time (i felt the original was way too bloated for a four board zzt game so i recoded a bunch of stuff and removed the stk boards) and i think i still have the results somewhere, hang on: http://zzt.org/nadir/spacep.zzt

Scribbit · Post by **Scribbit** » Tue Feb 19, 2008 10:14 pm

What about burger joint? I know it really had several boards with the same art, but it could theoretically fit on one board if not for size restrictions and stuff. Also, the music and cutscenes are cool. But not really minimal, I suppose...

Hey, anyone remember the nintendo "game and watch" series? my brother likes those and has a bunch of remakes on GBA. Basically, rather than pixels, flat crystals turn on and off to display sprites in the same way a watch displays images-- with blocks merged together so it's not a matter of changing every pixel, just a few chunked areas that make a design. What if I could do that in ZZT... Oh no, now I really have to finish my other project soon! I've gone engine crazy!

Jotz · Post by **Jotz** » Tue Feb 19, 2008 10:33 pm

Well this exhibition has gone down the drain.