6th Annual Atari Homebrew Awards: Voting Information & Discussion

[vhzc]

3 hours ago, m.o.terra kaesi said:

what is the main sense in those in your eyes? Because many never reach the point of completion?

For me is a good indicator for homebrewers like me that juggle various projects at once.

 

Being nominated and/or winning in this category is useful to know that people do like what are you doing and is an extra motivation to complete the game. And if you are working on more that game at once, it is useful to know in which one(s) you should focus.

[m.o.terra kaesi]

35 minutes ago, Living Room Arcade said:

@m.o.terra kaesi  Who are you, BTW?  Have we bumped into each other in the forums before? 

I've been buying games at Atariage for 14 years now but startet participating in the forums for only about 3 years now. 

Born in 1975, I was actually raised with the Nintendo NES (my "poor" friends had an Atari back then, which we also played from time to time). My "strongest feelings" in my Youth were connected to the 16-bit area... but when I got to know the atariage community and the homebrew developers, I became more and more fascinated by the 2600. Somehow the "default minimalism" with this system reminds me of Zen. Maybe some day I try do develop my own 2600 game... but for now I would still be "faced with a mountain" in front of me.

[Living Room Arcade]

40 minutes ago, Muddyfunster said:

Because it's not a port maybe ?

 

The rules around what qualifies for each type of game (port/original) are freely available for anyone to read.

 

I'd suggest doing that before raising questions that a bit of research would likely answer for you. 

 

You mean this?  (Excerpt from the 6th AAHA Voting Guide)  

Quote

• Hack: Game made using an existing game's code and has altered that game's graphics and/or
sound.
• Sequel: To be eligible as a sequel to an existing game, the new version must fulfill the
following three requirements: 1) substantive update to the game engine, 2) all new level/map
designs and 3) new enemies or goals.
• Re-Release: A completed game released again either digitally or physically without any
substantial changes to the code, usually with new packaging or bug fixes.
• Conversion: Adaption of a game from another platform (arcade, console, computer, etc) using
a substantial amount of either translated, transcompiled or existing code.
• Port: Adaption of a previously released electronic game but not using a substantial amount that
game's existing code. A port includes a substantial number of elements from the previously
released game such as title, gameplay, graphics and sound to an extent that it is recognizable as
the previously released game.
• Original: A game that does not fall within the definition of a hack, sequel, re-release,
conversion or port.

That's helpful.  Thanks!  

 

Now, for the discussion part.  Can anyone talk about how the above information applies, specifically, to Penult and Ultima?  Because again, I, personally, have never played either game and have no idea.  Is there anyone here from the Nominating Committee who actually knows the answer to this question and could tell us?  Thank you.  

Edited February 29 by Living Room Arcade

[Albert]

3 minutes ago, Living Room Arcade said:

Now, for the discussion part.  Can anyone talk about how the above information applies, specifically, to Penult and Ultima?  Because again, I, personally, have never played either game and have no idea.  Thank you.  

It's an original game that pays homage to Ultima III, but it's certainly not a port or conversion of Ultima III.

 

 ..Al

[Living Room Arcade]

27 minutes ago, m.o.terra kaesi said:

I've been buying games at Atariage for 14 years now but startet participating in the forums for only about 3 years now. 

Born in 1975, I was actually raised with the Nintendo NES (my "poor" friends had an Atari back then, which we also played from time to time). My "strongest feelings" in my Youth were connected to the 16-bit area... but when I got to know the atariage community and the homebrew developers, I became more and more fascinated by the 2600. Somehow the "default minimalism" with this system reminds me of Zen. Maybe some day I try do develop my own 2600 game... but for now I would still be "faced with a mountain" in front of me.

That's a neat story.  I wonder how many people who grew up on 16 bit NES games also gravitated to Atari 2600 later.  Cool story!  

[Living Room Arcade]

2 minutes ago, Albert said:

It's an original game that pays homage to Ultima III, but it's certainly not a port or conversion of Ultima III.

 

 ..Al

You mean, like, similar game play but a different map to explore, something like that?  

[+Muddyfunster]

8 minutes ago, Living Room Arcade said:

Now, for the discussion part.  Can anyone talk about how the above information applies, specifically, to Penult and Ultima?  Because again, I, personally, have never played either game and have no idea.  Is there anyone here from the Nominating Committee who actually knows the answer to this question and could tell us?  Thank you. 

At this point, it just seems like you are trolling this thread. 

 

 

 

 

[Albert]

Just now, Living Room Arcade said:

You mean, like, similar game play but a different map to explore, something like that?  

Yes, gameplay is similar to an Ultima game, but it's a completely different map, characters, story, etc.  And not using any Ultima source code, obviously no Ultima games were ever ported to the 2600.

 

 ..Al

[Living Room Arcade]

5 minutes ago, Muddyfunster said:

At this point, it just seems like you are trolling this thread. 

At this point, it seems that you are trying to shut down discussion on this topic.  Why?  

[Living Room Arcade]

8 minutes ago, Albert said:

Yes, gameplay is similar to an Ultima game, but it's a completely different map, characters, story, etc.  And not using any Ultima source code, obviously no Ultima games were ever ported to the 2600.

 

 ..Al

Got it.  Thanks, Mr. Albert.  

Edited February 29 by Living Room Arcade

[+Muddyfunster]

20 minutes ago, Living Room Arcade said:

At this point, it seems that you are trying to shut down discussion on this topic.  Why?  

Does it really ? Please show me where am I shutting down discussion. 

 

You asked a question as to why Penult was not considered a port. I answered it, because simply, it's not a port. I pointed you to the information about how that determination is made in the context of the awards. You linked some random youtube video because some guy said it's like Ultima 4.

 

You admitted to playing neither game in question and then still proceeded to question how that information applies to Penult and Ultima. Despite never playing either game.

 

So, what's the point in trying to discuss that with you?, when you have played neither game and have no frame of reference AND the information on the "why" is right there.

 

A lot of your posts in this thread have been quite uninformed and this just seems to be another. (WIP timescales, what is a homebrew, commerciality of games, profits, categories). 

 

At this point it just seems like you are being a troll. Why ? 

 

[Living Room Arcade]

  

38 minutes ago, Muddyfunster said:

Does it really ? Please show me where am I shutting down discussion. 

 

You asked a question as to why Penult was not considered a port. I answered it, because simply, it's not a port. I pointed you to the information about how that determination is made in the context of the awards. You linked some random youtube video because some guy said it's like Ultima 4.

 

You admitted to playing neither game in question and then still proceeded to question how that information applies to Penult and Ultima. Despite never playing either game.

 

So, what's the point in trying to discuss that with you?, when you have played neither game and have no frame of reference AND the information on the "why" is right there.

 

A lot of your posts in this thread have been quite uninformed and this just seems to be another. (WIP timescales, what is a homebrew, commerciality of games, profits, categories). 

 

At this point it just seems like you are being a troll. Why ? 

 

@Albert Mr. Albert already explained it.  Thank you.  

Edited February 29 by Living Room Arcade

[Fadest]

1 hour ago, vhzc said:

For me is a good indicator for homebrewers like me that juggle various projects at once.

 

Being nominated and/or winning in this category is useful to know that people do like what are you doing and is an extra motivation to complete the game. And if you are working on more that game at once, it is useful to know in which one(s) you should focus.

So, not being nominated is a good reason to stop working on a game ?

If true (and I suspect it can be, at least for me), maybe the WIP categories are completely missing their objective...

Edited February 29 by Fadest

[vhzc]

3 minutes ago, Fadest said:

So, not being nominated is a good reason to stop working on a game ?

If true (and I suspect it can be, at least for me), maybe the WIP categories are completely missing their objective...

I think the key in my answer is that used the term "an EXTRA motivation" and not "the ONLY motivation".

[m.o.terra kaesi]

13 minutes ago, Fadest said:

So, not being nominated is a good reason to stop working on a game ?

If true (and I suspect it can be, at least for me), maybe the WIP categories are completely missing their objective...

In this case, maybe it would be more "efficient" to use James yearly (or some rom site) release list and add an evaluation function for each WIP game, so programmers can get a feeling - in comparision to others - how their game is publicly recevied yet. If it could be sorted by rating, like in Atariage-Shop, that would be the crowning achievement :-)

 

Edited February 29 by m.o.terra kaesi

[+splendidnut]

For me, hearing and seeing others enjoy what I make is WAY more important than being nominated or receiving an award and is one of the drivers of motivation for me.

[Thomas Jentzsch]

1 hour ago, splendidnut said:

For me, hearing and seeing others enjoy what I make is WAY more important than being nominated or receiving an award and is one of the drivers of motivation for me.

/signed

[+Al_Nafuur]

3 hours ago, Living Room Arcade said:

Looks like a fun time for the High Score Club one week.  I'd vote for it.  

It's a PlusROM High Score Club game. So you can play it with an PlusROM enabled emulator (Stella or Gopher2600) or the PlusCart and get your scores sent to the PlusROM HSC website:

https://highscore.firmaplus.de/game/64?game_variation=2

 

[+Al_Nafuur]

1 hour ago, splendidnut said:

For me, hearing and seeing others enjoy what I make is WAY more important than being nominated or receiving an award and is one of the drivers of motivation for me.

Just now, Thomas Jentzsch said:

/signed

But a nomination or an award wouldn't demotivate you, wouldn't it?

[+littaum]

1 hour ago, m.o.terra kaesi said:

In this case, maybe it would be more "efficient" to use James yearly (or some rom site) release list and add an evaluation function for each WIP game, so programmers can get a feeling - in comparision to others - how their game is publicly recevied yet. If it could be sorted by rating, like in Atariage-Shop, that would be the crowning achievement 🙂

 

 

At the moment people get their feedback by people posting in their game development threads, ala "nice game!", "I like this part of xxxxx", or else get the kind comments that ZPH or other streamers say when they play their game on their various streams.  If you start adding quantitative ratings this early, any sort of negative feedback could potentially stop the game development and even possibly discourage the homebrew author from writing future games at all.

 

The Atari-Age store ratings?  Sure, those are physical releases and actual money is at stake.   And physical release games have to jump through quite a few quality steps so it would be rare for a release game to be a very true stinker.

 

At least for the 2600/7800 scene homebrew authors have a nice support and encouragement network, and I'd hate to have a "Yuck!  1 Star!" type system to judge people more harshly.

 

 

[Fadest]

1 hour ago, splendidnut said:

For me, hearing and seeing others enjoy what I make is WAY more important than being nominated or receiving an award and is one of the drivers of motivation for me.

Maybe 2600 audience give more feedback to WIP games, but for Lynx, if we get 2 or 3 answers talking about the game when a WIP is announced, it is a lot.

 

[Living Room Arcade]

1 hour ago, Al_Nafuur said:

It's a PlusROM High Score Club game. So you can play it with an PlusROM enabled emulator (Stella or Gopher2600) or the PlusCart and get your scores sent to the PlusROM HSC website:

https://highscore.firmaplus.de/game/64?game_variation=2

 

Nice.  What happens if you get a bad score.  Can it only save just the good scores?  

[Thomas Jentzsch]

22 minutes ago, Living Room Arcade said:

Nice.  What happens if you get a bad score.  Can it only save just the good scores?  

It saves them all. You become fully transparent.  

[Living Room Arcade]

1 minute ago, Thomas Jentzsch said:

It saves them all. You become fully transparent.  

Practice offline first, I guess. 😟

[Giles N]

23 hours ago, Nathan Strum said:

On 2/27/2024 at 4:17 AM, Giles N said:

Moreover, I think the most important thing is to encourage the homebrew-scene to keep it going…

A little encouragement goes a long way.

I hope I at least contributed…

 

My hope, as a gamer, is of course that as many as possible of these homebrews, will find their way to the AA-store.

 

…I miss Mappy. I miss PacMan. In a better world, perhaps a strange AtariAge crypto-currency could crowdfund a license or two, - yeah-yeah I know I’m dreaming and I’ll keep on dreaming a little now and then. Glad to see whats there. And very cool to see the sheer skill; The Will to Skill. Cool!

Edited March 1 by Giles N