The Great ScoreHero Game Design Challenge!

**WaffleCake** · Posted: Sat Mar 15, 2008 7:23 pm Post subject:

You made a mistake in the schedule. April 19th, rules for the final round are given, but they are due the next day.
_________________

HEY GUYS! I'M UPPING MY AVERAGES. NOW I'M 100% IN THE CLEAR!

**ImaCarrot** · Joined: 06 Mar 2006 Posts: 2687

Don't think a day is enough?

I changed it to May 3rd, two weeks later.
_________________

Publications Specialist / Graphics Designer
Rhythm Authors LLC
www.rhythmauthors.com
------------------------------------------------
Level Designer at Ubisoft Studio SF

**ImaCarrot** · Joined: 06 Mar 2006 Posts: 2687

Alright guys, the twist for week 1 is up, you can see it in the first post, or read it here.

Twist: Game designs must somehow integrate music into the main gameplay without using a beatmatch system.

This means that you need to somehow tie music directly into gameplay in a way other than the methods found in games like Guitar Hero, DDR, Karaoke Revolution and even the sample design I gave. It is possible, you may need to think outside the box a bit for this, Audiosurf is kinda on the edge of this twist for reference.

If you have an idea and aren't sure if it meets the requirements, go ahead and PM it to either myself or Alakaiser, we'll tell you how we would view it.

Have fun guys, can't wait to see what you come up with!

And, be sure to check the rules post again, it may have changed from last you read.
_________________

Publications Specialist / Graphics Designer
Rhythm Authors LLC
www.rhythmauthors.com
------------------------------------------------
Level Designer at Ubisoft Studio SF

**Smoses** · Posted: Sun Mar 16, 2008 4:36 am Post subject:

whoa, nice twist! I did not see that coming. This may take a little more thought than I had originally planned, lol.
_________________

Customs
Join the fun! Get your creative juices flowing!

**ShinobiAC** · Joined: 04 Dec 2007 Posts: 1065 Location: Raleigh, NC

That is a pretty rough twist. Since music is usually a metagame element, and games dealing with matching musical beats are eliminated, there isn't much left to work with... It'll be tough to come up with something that isn't a cheesy gimmick.

The requirement is music specifically and not sound?
_________________

**ImaCarrot** · Joined: 06 Mar 2006 Posts: 2687

If you have a compelling way to use sound instead of music, then I could go for that. So music and/or sound would be fine.
_________________

Publications Specialist / Graphics Designer
Rhythm Authors LLC
www.rhythmauthors.com
------------------------------------------------
Level Designer at Ubisoft Studio SF

**bballcenter7** · Joined: 09 Jul 2007 Posts: 1313 Location: in IN

too bad ocarina of time has been done already

_________________

**WaffleCake** · Posted: Mon Mar 17, 2008 2:07 pm Post subject:

I woke up at 4am last night and for some reason the first thing that popped into my head was an AMAZING idea for this. It's not like I was dreaming about it either. Very strange.....but good!
_________________

HEY GUYS! I'M UPPING MY AVERAGES. NOW I'M 100% IN THE CLEAR!

**ImaCarrot** · Joined: 06 Mar 2006 Posts: 2687

So how is everyone doing with the challenge? Anyone having trouble or have a question about something? Everyone having fun?

_________________

Publications Specialist / Graphics Designer
Rhythm Authors LLC
www.rhythmauthors.com
------------------------------------------------
Level Designer at Ubisoft Studio SF

**Smoses** · Posted: Thu Mar 20, 2008 4:14 am Post subject:

To be honest, I have yet to come up with an idea. I've been swamped with homework this week, though, so I haven't had much time to think about it. I'll probably get a big jump on it tomorrow afternoon when my weekend starts.

Perhaps I'll get a sudden epiphany in the middle of the night like WaffleCake...
_________________

Customs
Join the fun! Get your creative juices flowing!

**mamlfj** · Joined: 27 Feb 2007 Posts: 77 Location: São Paulo, Brasil

I have an inicial idea but still have'nt got the time to work on it, will do it on saturday when I have more time.
_________________

Spider-Pig, Spider-Pig

**rkcr** · Joined: 05 Feb 2007 Posts: 2518 Location: Minneapolis

I, too, am having problems with the idea creation stage. I keep coming up with ideas, only to realize that they are either exact replicas of games I played a decade ago, or that I would have no interest in playing the game whatsoever.

Hopefully I'll even have time to write stuff up, this week is turning out to be extremely work heavy.

**ImaCarrot** · Joined: 06 Mar 2006 Posts: 2687

Coming up with the idea is definitely the hardest part, once you have the idea, everything else is easy.

Something I do when brainstorming is come up with a few seed ideas first, just quick little statements that act as the goal I'm working towards for the game idea. Something as simple as "A game my grandma would play" or "A FPS game with something unique".

Once I have a good idea of the direction I want to take, I just start focusing my thoughts on it, usually I try and think of unique ways to do something that has been done multiple times before.

In this case, the seed idea may already be the twist for this week, so it may be a good place to start.

I've got to run out, I'll expand on this more later.

Back from the dentist, weeee.

Anyway, I keep a word doc of seed ideas and quotes that interest me so I can keep them in the back of my mind and let it work itself out. I know this doesn't really help all that much for these quick 1 week challenges, but the more options you give yourself, the more likely you'll be prepared each week.

Sometimes its best to not try and force the ideas, often they'll just come to you out of no where. Just last night I was playing blocks with my son when an interesting idea for a CCG strategy game using these kind of blocks (with a different image on each side) hit me.

Then another game idea I liked came to me when I was reading a story to my son, all it took was an image of a camera and the word Flash! across the page to inspire it.
_________________

Publications Specialist / Graphics Designer
Rhythm Authors LLC
www.rhythmauthors.com
------------------------------------------------
Level Designer at Ubisoft Studio SF

**ShinobiAC** · Joined: 04 Dec 2007 Posts: 1065 Location: Raleigh, NC

I've got something cooking in my head that I think I'll use for this week unless I get some kind of divine inspiration in the next day.

Also, I wonder how the judging will be done. Not so much on the individual submissions as you've detailed that already, but for determining an overall winner. You mentioned ranking after grading. I'm guessing this might come into play with the final one being worth more? Doesn't really matter at the moment but will be good to know as the competition unfolds.
_________________

**riyunoa** · Joined: 08 Feb 2007 Posts: 711 Location: Dragonforceland

Awesome idea Carrot!! I'm definitely going to participate in this, very interesting and would let me hone my game design skills. (I'm more of a programmer than a designer)

EDIT: How to think of a title......... >__>
_________________