Scripting Contest 1 - Custom Menu System - Contest Ended

[SephirothSpawn]

Scripting Contest: Custom Menu System
February 2nd, 2009 - March 30th, 2009
Notice!
Submission Deadline extended to The Ides of March (15th)

Scripting Contest Information
Every eight weeks, .ORG will be hosting a new scripting contest. The goal of this contest is to allow new and upcoming scripters a chance to showcase their work but more importantly, be judged by experienced scripters and given suggestions based upon their coding. Judges will base their scoring based on the guidelines provided below. Additionally, for every contest we will have a member vote that can score each contestant with a few bonus points.

Contest Theme: Custom Menu System
For this contest, you will be designing a custom menu system for either RMXP and/or RMVX. You may choose any layout or design you wish. You may be creative as possible, but remember, our key goal here is learning and improving our coding. A basic menu system that is properly formatted and organized may score better than a menu system that is flashy and coded poorly. Remember what you are going to be scored on.

Submissions
Once your script is complete, you are to create a unencrypted demo for your script. Please zip your demo and PM me your demo. We will encrypt your project when we add it to the member poll so your work may stay confidential.

Timeline
February 2nd, 2009 - March 1st, 2009: Contest topic is created. Members have this time to complete their scripts and submit it to the contest. We will not take late submissions. The final date to submit your work is March 1st, 2009 (I will give a few hours for the time zone difference, but don't take advantage of it).

March 1st, 2009 - March 30th, 2009: During the first week of this contest, we will organize the member poll with all the submissions that met the requirements listed in the Contest Theme description. The poll will stay open until March 22nd, 2009. During this time, our judges will be reviewing and scoring each submission. On the final week, we will be totaling scores and announcing the winner and working on the next contest. The winner will be announced no later than March 30th, 2009.

Scoring

• Functionality - Out of 10 points:
  Your script works without errors, and includes all requirements listed above.
• Documentation - Out of 10 points:
  Your script includes a script heading and documentation on installation, setup, a syntax list, etc. The documentation can either be in script heading and/or a text file.
• Format - Out of 10 points:
  Your code is indented properly, classes/modules/methods have headings, there are comments in your script, etc. If you would like to see what we are looking for here, check this: viewtopic.php?t=19273.0
• Compatibility - Out of 10 points:
  Your code is made to work with other scripts. You used alias whenever possible, minimized method over-writes, etc.
• Structure - Out of 20 points:
  Your code shows typical OO coding practice. Code shows that it was planned out, class/method/modules are organized, variables names are appropriate, etc. This is where our judges will be looking at the most, providing as much guidance as we can. Again, check this topic for some idea of what we are looking for: viewtopic.php?t=19273.0
• Member Vote - Out of 10 points:
  Score bonus points from member votes.

Awards
We're working on something for our winners. We are bouncing around a few ideas.

Judges
SephirothSpawn
Dargor
Zeriab
Brew
Etheon

Good luck to everyone
If anyone would like guidance on their coding, my door is always unlocked. Just ask.

 

[rey meustrus]

This looks very interesting. Should I put something together, or would that be unfair? How about submitting an example? I've got something I'm really proud of that I've never been able to use. Or would I make a good judge?

 

[BlueScope]

Sounds definately interesting... I don't think I have time for another contest, even more in that short of a timespan without warning, but yeah, we'll see... don't count on me though.

A couple of things you might wanna clarify, though...
- how do you mark contest submission topics as such?
- does the menu have to work with the default systems, aka do all the things the default system does? (you could easily be "yay, shortest script ever, but perfectly working and documented!" instead, ya know... that's why I'm asking)

Good idea there either way... ^^

 

[Mr_Smith]

Interesting, might participate. But if you sent your menu to you, Seph, do you add it to the poll instantly? That would be stupid, as the first submitter would also have more time to voted on.

EDIT: Leave that question, didnt read it all. Im pretty sure Im gonna participate:D

 

[SephirothSpawn]

This looks very interesting. Should I put something together, or would that be unfair? How about submitting an example? I've got something I'm really proud of that I've never been able to use. Or would I make a good judge?

You better join. :fap:

I thought about setting up an example, but there wasn't enough time, and this is pretty straight forward.

Sounds definately interesting... I don't think I have time for another contest, even more in that short of a timespan without warning, but yeah, we'll see... don't count on me though.

A couple of things you might wanna clarify, though...
- how do you mark contest submission topics as such?
- does the menu have to work with the default systems, aka do all the things the default system does? (you could easily be "yay, shortest script ever, but perfectly working and documented!" instead, ya know... that's why I'm asking)

Good idea there either way... ^^

But Blue, its just a menu system. I am sure someone of your caliber can throw something together. :wink:

If you mean posting the script in the regular submission forum and wanting to submit it in the contest, just PM me and tell me that that's your entry. If that's not you mean...

It can either be a modification to the DMS (customized Window_MenuStatus or whatever) or a 1-Scene CMS. Whatever one's capabilities are. Main goal of this, practice skills, learn some things and get new peoples names out there. The shortest documentation need would be around "Copy and paste" but that may not score as many points as "If you are using the SDK, place below it. If you are using blah, place below that. Any modifications to method x can cause incompatability issues." Never hurts to over-document things.

Interesting, might participate. But if you sent your menu to you, Seph, do you add it to the poll instantly? That would be stupid, as the first submitter would also have more time to voted on.

No. The poll will be added once all entries are in. I hope you do participate. :thumb:

 

[Flickayy]

Nice.... ill try and give it ago....

 

[Sailerius]

Does the menu layout have to actually be original? Or can you adapt another game's menu, as long as the scripting was all yours?

 

[SephirothSpawn]

Yes that is fine.

 

[Mr_Smith]

What does have to be all in it? A full menu also with equip and stuff, or just the base?

 

[BlueScope]

@Seph: Like I said, if I find time... also, documentation isn't my weak point at all, I think (as far as I know, I have the most complex compatibility paragraphs of all users in here ^^ for my VX scripts, at least...). I had an idea for a system that's for the game I plan to do, but yeah... I dunno when I'm getting to do that. Ah well, if I get there in time, I figure I can submit it.
Also, thanks for the complimenting words, but there's like a bunch of folks in here that can easily outscript me XD

 

[SephirothSpawn]

What does have to be all in it? A full menu also with equip and stuff, or just the base?

No. As I said above, it can just be a customized Window_MenuStatus and that is an acceptable entry. You submit what you are capable of designing and scripting.

@BS: Well I hope you do join. But I understand about the time issue if you cannot.

 

[woratana]

This is an interesting contest! ^o^/

Anyway, I found it's kind of unfair to score 'full menu' and 'one scene modification' equally. Longer script is easier to make mistake. Unless there is an extra score for making full menu or the rule said everyone have to do full menu, I can't find it attractive to make a full one. D:

It's okay if we submit the menu we made from someone's request, right?

 

[SephirothSpawn]

I thought of this as well, so we'll probably separate this into 2 groups "DMS Modifications/Addons" or "Complete CMS System". I want as many people to be able to enter these things and be given constructive criticism on their codes as possible, which I why I don't want to limit this for people who can't quite get an entire system done yet.

Yes and I am not going to be strict on the "Menu cannot be started until after this topic was made" either. Even if its something you made a year ago and want some criticism on it, I for one am not going to say no to it.

 

[Mr_Smith]

Well then I''m probably going to enter with my menu for my skill system. Been working on it for a while now, and I hope it'll be good:D

 

[plugz]

Do this contest means all of the menus (related to scene_item, scene_equip, scene_status and etc..) or the main menu or whatever? :box:

 

[woratana]

@pluz: As Seph said in 2 post above yours :P, he'll probably separate entries into 2 groups: Complete menu (all scenes related to menu) and 1-scene mod.

 

[SephirothSpawn]

What woratana said

However if your menu only has the item, skill and status commands, you wouldn't have to script the other default scenes unless you really wanted.

Perhaps I should have made some requirements for this. But we really wanted to keep this open to as many people as possible.

 

[BlueScope]

It's good the way it is really, exactly because of the openness. Requirements always come with restrictions, and that's totally blowing for other-than-default systems, ya know what I mean? ^^

 

[Mr_Smith]

But can you also make a menu thats NOT like a CMS? With this I mean for example a Quest Journal.

 

[Kain Nobel]

Is it only judges that are scoring, or is the community voting on this as well or how does that work out? I'd like to be a judge, I might even submit my ol' CMS if I can get off my lazy ass and track down whatever bugs I need to fix. It's been months since I've even touched the thing, lets hope I can start back where I left off at XD

If the community is voting on this as well as the judges, would I be able to request my submission to be open source (ie not encrypted)? There's more than just fancy modified scenes that make it special to me, actually my CMS Standards modules is more important than the actual CMS itself IMHO.

What about making a topic for our CMS projects? Is there a rule about it has to be something that you've never submitted to the community, or can I post it openly in Script Analysis prior to the due date of the contest? Some of us might have rather large systems, with optional graphics 'n such, it'd probably be best for certain people to make a topic explaining thier systems rather than just blindly downloading and voting on individual demos. Also, it'd give people a good chance to get feedback and be able to improve their work before the due date.

Is there going to be awards for different achievements, like "Best Coded CMS" or "Most Fancy Interface" or "Most Useful CMS"? That would be cool if the contest was a monthy (or bi-monthly) Orgy awards style contest, where banners are given out XD