Heroes Quest is a PlayBasic game making competition in the spirit of great action heroes like  Indiana Jones and Lara Croft.   Where contestants must design and build a platform game based upon their very own action adventure hero. 

 

 Overview:

    Contestants participating in the Heroes Quest competition are required to design and ultimately create a video game based upon their own unique hero character and storyline.  The story will revolve around the hero character completing a particular quest.  Designers may choose between two primary quest objectives, those being Treasure Hunter or The Rescuer.   A combination of these would also be acceptable.

   The finished game will allow players to guide the hero character running, jumping, sliding, swinging, crawling etc etc,  through the game environments to fulfill the quest objective.

  Judges will be rating submissions across four primary categories.  Covering the games playability (fun factor), Graphical presentations,  Music/Sounds  as well any technical achievements.

   The contest is FREE to enter and includes a prize pool worth $1470 USD (and growing) thanks to our wonderful sponsors

 

Quest Objectives:

    The aim of the Heroes Quest competition is not just to challenge contestants programming abilities, but their overall design creativity within the given constraints.   While designers are free to dream up virtually any character and story line they see fit, the story must encapsulate one of the two primary quest objectives.   Those being the Treasure Hunter or The Rescuer


   Treasure Hunter
        Game designs utilizing the treasure objective, will require the hero character retrieve various artifacts from the game world. 
 

    The Rescuer
        Game designs utilizing the rescue objective, will require the hero character rescue a key identity.  This person could be the obvious clichés such as a prince / princess, but it could in fact be anyone pivotal to the games storyline.  Such as a parent, a long lost twin or a pet rabbit.  

    Contestants may choose whichever objective they prefer, how they interpret it's totally up to them.    While we're encouraging contestants  think laterally about their game design/characters, in the hope that it might inspire somebody to come up with something the feels familiar (aka Indiana Jones or a Lara Croft) but perhaps presents a new slant upon an old chestnut.   Contestants are not obligated to do so.  

    If you're not sure about your game design and need a clarification ?   Then feel free to contact  (Kevin Picone) or post your questions in the  Theme Clarifications / Questions thread in the Heroes Quest forums at www.UnderwareDesign.com.

 

 Sponsors:

ColdSteelEngine.com

 

  Interested in supporting amateur game designers ?   

Contact Kevin Picone for more information.

 

 

 

  While it's probably obvious to the seasoned gamers out there, but a Platformer (in the context of this competition) is a run and jump game. 

   That's not to say that the hero character may only run and jump, not at all, hopefully we'll see characters that can crawl, walk, run, climb, swing, roll and slide through the game environments. 

   Now given the scope of the platform game genre, you're free to use whatever presentation you feel best fits your game design.   Which could be it single screen, horizontal scrolling /  vertical scrolling, isometric, 3D or a combination of views if programmers are up to the challenge.

   If you're not familiar with the platform game genre, then I suggest you read the wikipedia article bellow.   If you still have any questions, then feel free to email (Kevin Picone) or post your question in the Heroes Quest forum at UnderwareDesign.com.



References
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Platform_game

http://www.duke.edu/~mg56/cps004/gamehistory.htm

 

 
 

 Starting Date:  1st, June, 2008

  Closing Date:  1st,  Oct, 2008

All entries must be received (via email) by the 12 o'clock midnight (Melbourne/Australia Time - GMT + 10) on the day of closing.

See Current Time & Date In Melbourne
  Given that Heroes Quest is a www.PlayBasic.com promotion,  all entries must therefore be developed using the PlayBasic programming language.

  Contestants may use any version of PlayBasic from V1.63  through to V1.71 (or higher).  Moreover, entries may be built using the LEARNING EDITION / DEMOS or RETAIL editions.

  Don't have PlayBasic ? - You can download the FREE learning edition from the  http://www.PlayBasic.com  home page.

 
 
  • All Entries must be produced with http://www.PlayBasic.com
  • All Entries must clearly display all sponsor logo(s) upon start up.
  • All entries must be 'playable' in single player mode. Two player only games are not allowed!
  • Games can be submitted in the any of the following forms
    • 1) Binary Only (Exe + Media)
    • 2) Binary + Source Code + Media
    • 3) Source Code + Media (For Learning Edition & Demo Users)
  • Entries must NOT be packaged using any 'installer'.    Only ZIP or RAR format is acceptable.
  • Entry archives (ZIP / RAR) files should NOT exceed 15 Megabytes (15,728,640 bytes)
  • Entries must NOT include any copyrighted or trademarked materials (i.e Characters, Artwork, Music, Source Code etc) from any 3rd party, without providing verifiable written consent from the properties creator.
  • All submissions must include a README.TXT file including the following information.
    • Game Title:
    • Your Name(s):  (Or Team Name)
    • Brief Description of the game, including how to play and any cool things you've implemented
    • Controls:
    • Software/Hardware Requirements
  • Submissions must NOT contain any bad language (swearing), adult images or racial / religious intolerance.
  • Authors automatically give UnderwareDesign.com consent to redistribute submissions (Binary Versions / Screens Shots / Game Descriptions) in competition results and for PlayBasic promotional purposes.
  • Contestants may enter as many times as they like.
   Competition Rules are subject to change at any time !



      Contestants need to be aware that Heroes Quest is a game making competition! - Therefore, Judges will be commenting on the overall quality of each submission, and not purely any programming or graphically wizardry you may have achieved.   So a simple but complete game, is going to be more enjoyable and better received than an elaborate half finished mess.  

     All submissions will be ranked by each judge across three primary categories. Those being Playability, Graphics & Sound.   Each category contains various sub categories, which each judge will be rating out of 10.   Where 10 is excellent, 5 is good and a 0 is not so good.   Your overall result, will be the sum of all of subcategories.

     Since Heroes Quest competition is a www.PlayBASIC.com promotion game developers can choose to receive bonus points from www.UnderwareDesign.com by include redistributable extras such as the games source code or  level editors for example.

     Each games final score will be the sum of all primary categories + any bonus points awarded. This is then averaged across the number of judging staff. Therefore the competition winner will be the game that receives highest overall average.

Playability:

  • Controls             [10 points] ( in Game & Menus)
  • Difficultly Level    [10 points]
  • Longevity            [10 Points]
  • Overall Feel        [10 Points]
    •

    Graphics:

  • Titles & Menus           [10 points]
  • Environments             [10 points]
  • Sprites                      [10 points]
  • Over All Presentation  [10 Points]

    •  Sound:
  • Music             [10 Points]
  • Sound FX        [10 Points]

    •  

    Bonus Points (Awarded by UnderwareDesign.com)

  • Program Performance &  Scalability      [1 to 10 Points]
  • Includes Source Code + Game Media   [+10 Points] (*)
  • Complete Game                                  [+10 Points]
  • Includes Level Editor                            [+10 Points]

     

    • Note:  * = Allows redistribution by Underware Design

     

     

        Thanks to our sponsors, the top three contestants will receive the following from our major prize pool.

     

     Sponsors:

    ColdSteelEngine.com

      More sponsors to be announced soon !
     



          1st Prize:



          2nd Prize:



          3rd Prize:

     


       Winners will be interviewed in the next Issue of the www.UnderwareDesign.com (join on the home page) News letter
     


     Prize Delivery:

       *  All cash prizes can only be awarded via PAYPAL.com !

       *  All 3rd party prizes are delivered by sponsors and not UnderwareDesign.com


     

    Prize Information:
     

       * AllGameMusic.com Music packs -  All tracks are not only unique to each other (the three pack have different tracks), but they're being created explicitly for the Heroes Quest competition.  These are not available anywhere else! - Moreover, winners will be not only receive a music pack, but they will also be given copyright of the tracks.

         If you have any questions regarding the Heroes Quest competition guidelines, then I recommend reading the FAQ thread in the Heroes Quest forum.

         Still have questions ? - Then feel free to email me (Kevin Picone) or post your question in the Heroes Quest forum at UnderwareDesign.com.

     

    References:

         Heroes Quest FAQ

         Heroes Quest Forum


     
     

         The Heroes Quest  forum is a located in the competition section of the UnderwareDesign forums

     

     

     

     

       We are currently not accepting submissions and won't be until at least the 1st of September 2008.   After then we'll announce how submissions are to be made.

     

     
     

    Best of luck to you all and we hope that have a fun participating in the Heroes Quest game making competition.

    http://www.PlayBasic.com    -  www.UnderwareDesign.com