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[Dom2D]

Anyone got FlashJoystick? The link is still down and I'm freaking out...

[PlayMeTape]

I've got the JoyToKey included in VVVVVV. If you want it where should I send it?

[SpaceParanoid]

How strictly enforced is the 5 Minute rule? I've just finished work on the game I'll be submitting, but it's unlikely a player would be able to finish the game in that time limit, and I'm at a loss for as to how I'd cut it down to fit that constraint.

Make a quick intro:

"The world is going to blow up in 5 minutes.

GO!"

Then start the game. At the 5-minute mark, quick explosion effect, back to title.

Problem solved. You're welcome.

Settled on something like this about five minutes after my original post.

Larger question-- is it breaking the rule too badly if, say, the world-blow-up timer can be refreshed after doing something difficult, like a grabbing a hard-to-reach power-up?

[Matt G]

*snip*

Settled on something like this about five minutes after my original post.

Larger question-- is it breaking the rule too badly if, say, the world-blow-up timer can be refreshed after doing something difficult, like a grabbing a hard-to-reach power-up?

The rule sounds pretty firm:

"The total gameplay session must be no longer than 5 minutes, including any intros, instructions, or credits. At the end of each session, the game must return to a “start” state for the next player(s)."

So I'd play it safe and just make it work in 5 minutes. I'm concerned with the time limit myself, but I think I've come up with a couple ways to make it work well.

[beetlefeet]

Can I release WIP and/or final versions and or the source code of the game prior to and/or after submitting?

Basically I want to blog about my entry and let people try it out. But not break the rules ofc.

[Sos]

Can I release WIP and/or final versions and or the source code of the game prior to and/or after submitting?

Basically I want to blog about my entry and let people try it out. But not break the rules ofc.

That'd ruin the surprise factor

[bigpants]

When the games are being selected, do the Gamma members play with their volume set to zero (to replicate Gamma conditions)? Currently my game is silent, and I'm wondering if I should add music. Despite my best efforts, sound still enhances the experience.

[AndrewFM]

As far as I know, XNA requires the person RUNNING the game to have Net Framework 3.5, XNA Redistributable 3.1, and Visual Studio C# Express. This is even the case with an executable or .msi installer of your game. I've found no way around this

My question is... for those making games with XNA, can we assume that the receiving end will have these requirements? My biggest fear is that I'll finish my entire project, and then have it disqualified because the judges were unable to run it...

[Zaknafein]

As far as I know, XNA requires the person RUNNING the game to have Net Framework 3.5, XNA Redistributable 3.1, and Visual Studio C# Express. This is even the case with an executable or .msi installer of your game. I've found no way around this

My question is... for those making games with XNA, can we assume that the receiving end will have these requirements? My biggest fear is that I'll finish my entire project, and then have it disqualified because the judges were unable to run it...

You don't need VC# Express to run XNA games. Just .NET 3.5 (which includes VC++ 2005/2008 SP1 redistributables), the latest DirectX web installer and the XNA redistributable.

And I'm pretty sure XNA games will be aplenty so don't worry about requirements. There's no "judges" IGF-style, just the kokoromi team, some of which work with XNA on a daily basis.

[SpaceParanoid]

At this point, I'm just waiting for the submission instructions, so I can start my anxious waiting in earnest.

[bigpants]

You don't need VC# Express to run XNA games. Just .NET 3.5 (which includes VC++ 2005/2008 SP1 redistributables), the latest DirectX web installer and the XNA redistributable.

Based on my horrible "distribute XNA 2.0 games for TOJAM experience", this is incorrect for some games. From Microsoft: XNA Game Studio 3.1 : Distributing Your Finished Windows Game

"Important: Games for Windows - LIVE is not available to finished games. This functionality is not included in the redistributable version of the XNA Framework. A game that attempts to use these components without XNA Game Studio installed will result in a GamerServicesNotAvailableException.

Also, the XNA Framework Redistributable file does not contain the Content Pipeline Build Runtime. Building content at run time is supported only when XNA Game Studio has been installed on the Windows-based development computer."

In TOJam's case, some XNA games worked with only the XNA redistributable, others XNA games didn't. From my experience, that means if you use the Content Pipeline or Internet functions, your XNA game will need the full 100MB+ XNA Game Studio which itself requires Visual C# Express.

I suspect that even if you don't use the forbidden functionality, your XNA project might bind by default to those XNA DLLs anyway (in which case you still need XNA Game Studio and C#). The only way to truly know what you've done is to try installing your game on a fresh machine. Definitely do that before sending your game to the judges.

[PlayMeTape]

I was planning on creating an installer which would include the .Net Framework and Xna Redistributable since the rules state that you have to package everything that is needed to run the game. Should I do this or should I just assume that they have everything required installed (since Zaknafein wrote that they probably do)?

[SpaceParanoid]

Okay, anybody know how to work a "key hold" function with Joy to Key? My Flash game works perfectly with keyboard control, but J2K only reads a key one time once it's pressed-- map the spacebar to button A and it'll only move the cursor ahead once, no matter how long you hold it-- which is a problem as my game is based primarily on reading a key multiple times via an interval. The auto-fire function doesn't help me at all, because it just reads that as multiple separate button presses and releases.

Supposing this can't be done with Joy to Key, what are the alternatives? I can't find FlashJoyStick online anymore. Is it possible to just send the game without button mapping during the submission phase, and worry about that later on, if it's accepted?

[fish]

wow, i hope you can work that out. that's a game breaker for sure!
that could spell trouble for a lot of people.

[SpaceParanoid]

It's especially frustrating because the game works perfectly on a keyboard. Far as I can tell, the only problem is the way JoyToKey instantly reads a button release along with every button press. All I need is a mapping program that has a one-to-one correlation between keyboard and gamepad functions (buttonpress = keypress, not keypress/release as a countermeasure to prevent auto-firing) and I'm perfect. Until then, I'm now forced to redesign the game to fit JoyToKey, which is up in the air at the moment.

EDIT: And now I think I actually HAVE found a workaround that particular problem. I'll have to test this to death before I feel safe, but it looks pretty secure. Still, if anyone knows of a good mapping solution as a Plan B, I'd love to hear it.

[Dom2D]

I'm not sure I understand, since I'm using JoyToKey too and I also have a holding down the button mechanic... and it works? I'm checking for Key_Up to stop that mechanic?

[SpaceParanoid]

I'm also checking for KeyUp, but it triggers a different function as well as stopping the first one. Furthermore, the main problem is that J2K reads a button press as both a press and release, even while you hold it. If that's something which can be disabled in the program itself, and not something that requires additional Flash work on my end, that'd be great.

[Cthulhu32]

Question about submitting flash games: should I include Joy2Key in my Zip file for a flash game? I will make sure to export the swf to Exe, but I'm not sure if I should also have the Joy2Key exe in there as well.

[Dom2D]

I was wondering the same thing. I hope we get some answers when the submission instructions are posted.

[SpaceParanoid]

Same here. So far I've only been exporting my Flash games as swfs. Haven't even tried going the Exe route.