Dark Nation
11-20-2006, 12:55 PM
We're having a title screen contest for the upcoming ZC 2.5. The two winning entries will be included in ZC 2.5 with the top winner's entry being the default and the second place entry being selectable (although the 2 title screens currently there will still be available for selection).
Requirements/Rules:
Submissions must have dimensions of 256 pixels horizontally by 224 pixels vertically at 256 colors or less.
No copyrighted images. If you found it on the internet and it wasn't on a page that said something like "everything on this page is public domain", don't use it. "If in doubt, throw it out."
Not that it should need to be said, but only G-rated submissions will be considered.
Animated submissions are fine and even encouraged, but please keep the frames reasonable. While a 400 frame animated title screen may look very pretty, it would be WAY too large. The current animated pool that ZC uses has only 4 frames (though it's a ping-pong animation, so the sequence goes 1, 2, 3, 4, 3, 2 then repeats). A frame that's reused counts as only 1 frame so longer animations with a lot of reused frames is acceptable.
Remember that there will be 2 copyright notes on the title screen. Do not include them on your submission as one (the Armageddon Games one) will change each year. They will be added by the game engine itself. However, you do need to reserve a place for them. You can add a separate image with your submission to show how the copyright notices should be placed on your image. The font used will be the font currently being used for the animated pool title screen that is the current default. If you wish to use a different font, place add it to your entry. Remember that all digits from 0 to 9 must be included as well as any letters used in the copyright notice, including a copyright symbol "(c)" and a Jeremyright symbol "(j)". Either a long or short version of the notices can be used, just make note in your entry as to how you want it to read. The current notices are as follows (and your entry needs to use one of these or something very similar):
Normal (used in the animated pool title screen)
(c)1986 Nintendo
(j)2006 Armageddon Games
Shortened (used in the original Z1 title screen)
(c)1986 NINTENDO
(j)2006 AG
The deadline for submissions is Dec 18. Once submissions are complete, the entries will be made public.
Deadline for voting is Dec. 25.
Multiple submissions are allowed.
PM me with your entry. If you can attach a file, you may do so. If you can't, then host it somewhere and PM me the link. If you can't do that, then e-mail the submission [email protected]. Also, send me a PM letting me know that you sent an e-mail (to make sure I got it, don't assume I did unless you get a PM or e-mail from me stating so).
Voting will not be done with polls but on a point system. Each submission can be given anywhere from 0 to 10 points by each voter. The votes can be done publicly or PM'd to me directly for anonymity.
Please keep a copy of your submission (in the editable state) saved somewhere in case you need to make changes (i.e. I notice that the copyright message doesn't fit where you said you wanted it and need you to rework something) or in case you notice something that you want to fix in your submission (changes will be allowed up until voting time).
It has been suggested that I take ideas for the prize. I originally was only going to include the 1st place winner with the game (and may still do so if enough people want me to do that) but instead decided on a 2-place system. Is this suitable to everyone or should I go another route?
Also, for making the images, here are some helpful programs:
The Gimp (http://www.gimp.org)
IrfanView (www.irfanview.com)
MovieGear (www.moviegear.com)
GraphicsGale (http://www.humanbalance.net/gale/us)
For hosting images, here are some links:
PhotoBucket (http://www.photobucket.com)
ImageShack (http://www.imageshack.com)
A note on fonts and copyright notices: Two font files are listed here for your reference. Your font, should you choose to use a custom one for your copyright notices, can be either fixed-width or variable width. Font files are stored as 8-bit (256 color) bmp files. Color 0 is the background. Color 255 is the font boundary. Color 1 is used for the font if you are doing a monochrome (black and white) font. If you want to do a color font, you can use colors 1-254. Just remember that the colors used by the color font come from your title screen, not the font bmp file, so you may want to import the palette from your title screen into the font bmp file to make it easier to reference. Also, the copyright notice doesn't have to be letter for letter what is listed above. You may come up with a nice calligraphic font and want to put some embellishments at the beginning or end of your notices. For instance, your notice might read: "(c) &Armageddon Games%" where & and % are little flowers or smilie faces or whatever. A composite image with the font and embellished copyright notices will be placed on the voting page(s) so people can see what it is supposed to look like.
ZC variable-width font (monochrome) (http://darknation.armageddongames.net/zc25titlescreen/ZC-font.bmp)
Z1 fixed-width font (color) (http://darknation.armageddongames.net/zc25titlescreen/Z1-font.bmp)
Please post here if you have any questions.
Requirements/Rules:
Submissions must have dimensions of 256 pixels horizontally by 224 pixels vertically at 256 colors or less.
No copyrighted images. If you found it on the internet and it wasn't on a page that said something like "everything on this page is public domain", don't use it. "If in doubt, throw it out."
Not that it should need to be said, but only G-rated submissions will be considered.
Animated submissions are fine and even encouraged, but please keep the frames reasonable. While a 400 frame animated title screen may look very pretty, it would be WAY too large. The current animated pool that ZC uses has only 4 frames (though it's a ping-pong animation, so the sequence goes 1, 2, 3, 4, 3, 2 then repeats). A frame that's reused counts as only 1 frame so longer animations with a lot of reused frames is acceptable.
Remember that there will be 2 copyright notes on the title screen. Do not include them on your submission as one (the Armageddon Games one) will change each year. They will be added by the game engine itself. However, you do need to reserve a place for them. You can add a separate image with your submission to show how the copyright notices should be placed on your image. The font used will be the font currently being used for the animated pool title screen that is the current default. If you wish to use a different font, place add it to your entry. Remember that all digits from 0 to 9 must be included as well as any letters used in the copyright notice, including a copyright symbol "(c)" and a Jeremyright symbol "(j)". Either a long or short version of the notices can be used, just make note in your entry as to how you want it to read. The current notices are as follows (and your entry needs to use one of these or something very similar):
Normal (used in the animated pool title screen)
(c)1986 Nintendo
(j)2006 Armageddon Games
Shortened (used in the original Z1 title screen)
(c)1986 NINTENDO
(j)2006 AG
The deadline for submissions is Dec 18. Once submissions are complete, the entries will be made public.
Deadline for voting is Dec. 25.
Multiple submissions are allowed.
PM me with your entry. If you can attach a file, you may do so. If you can't, then host it somewhere and PM me the link. If you can't do that, then e-mail the submission [email protected]. Also, send me a PM letting me know that you sent an e-mail (to make sure I got it, don't assume I did unless you get a PM or e-mail from me stating so).
Voting will not be done with polls but on a point system. Each submission can be given anywhere from 0 to 10 points by each voter. The votes can be done publicly or PM'd to me directly for anonymity.
Please keep a copy of your submission (in the editable state) saved somewhere in case you need to make changes (i.e. I notice that the copyright message doesn't fit where you said you wanted it and need you to rework something) or in case you notice something that you want to fix in your submission (changes will be allowed up until voting time).
It has been suggested that I take ideas for the prize. I originally was only going to include the 1st place winner with the game (and may still do so if enough people want me to do that) but instead decided on a 2-place system. Is this suitable to everyone or should I go another route?
Also, for making the images, here are some helpful programs:
The Gimp (http://www.gimp.org)
IrfanView (www.irfanview.com)
MovieGear (www.moviegear.com)
GraphicsGale (http://www.humanbalance.net/gale/us)
For hosting images, here are some links:
PhotoBucket (http://www.photobucket.com)
ImageShack (http://www.imageshack.com)
A note on fonts and copyright notices: Two font files are listed here for your reference. Your font, should you choose to use a custom one for your copyright notices, can be either fixed-width or variable width. Font files are stored as 8-bit (256 color) bmp files. Color 0 is the background. Color 255 is the font boundary. Color 1 is used for the font if you are doing a monochrome (black and white) font. If you want to do a color font, you can use colors 1-254. Just remember that the colors used by the color font come from your title screen, not the font bmp file, so you may want to import the palette from your title screen into the font bmp file to make it easier to reference. Also, the copyright notice doesn't have to be letter for letter what is listed above. You may come up with a nice calligraphic font and want to put some embellishments at the beginning or end of your notices. For instance, your notice might read: "(c) &Armageddon Games%" where & and % are little flowers or smilie faces or whatever. A composite image with the font and embellished copyright notices will be placed on the voting page(s) so people can see what it is supposed to look like.
ZC variable-width font (monochrome) (http://darknation.armageddongames.net/zc25titlescreen/ZC-font.bmp)
Z1 fixed-width font (color) (http://darknation.armageddongames.net/zc25titlescreen/Z1-font.bmp)
Please post here if you have any questions.