Hi Hawkbyte,
Thanks for your interest! I have to be honest, we have no such guidelines i'm afraid! It's a very good point though and i've added this to my list of "fine tuning" for next year. For example, as you say, in my mind 3 stars is good, 2 would perhaps be "good in 1-2 areas but overall not for me" and 1 would be "unfortunately nothing here appealed or worked for me."
Thanks
Adam
Quick update! As always it's a massive thanks to everyone for getting behind and involved in ParserComp 2021! The number of actual submissions has already surpassed what I had in mind (using my 10% rule, as expressed before!) so I dare to dream that there may be 1-2 more before the end of the month. But hey, if not, still a great response!
As you may know this is my first year running the comp and whilst it had been run before there was a gap of some years, meaning there was no handover of any sort. For the most part I think things have gone well so far, but I have noted down a couple of rule addendums around visibility of submitted games and uploading additional/corrected files during voting; both of which I will need to address in next years rules (should everyone be in favour of continuing next year). For this year however I chose not to make any rule amendments as there hasn't been anything that has been a showstopper - but rest assured it has been noted.
Thanks all!
Adam
Hi Rob,
Thanks for your interest and considering entering ParserComp!
As per the response from Garry i'm afraid that, yes, we would class this as previously released. The only scenario I can envisage where we could be flexible is if a game was released and then later was so heavily re-worked as to essentially be a new game, and even then it would need careful consideration.
Hope your game design goes well, look forward to reading about it in IntFiction etc
Thanks
Adam
Thanks! I felt bad saying no, but I have to keep it pretty tightly constrained especially this year as its my first time running it.
Any chance you could use Inform 7 or something to port your game and include some general parser commands? Just a thought, probably a crazy idea. :)
Keep on eye on the comp though please, and please do play the games and vote!
Adam
Hi there!
Firstly thanks for your interest.
Unfortunately yes it does seem, from your description, that the game falls just outside of what ParserComp itself classes as an eligible game. I know when I wrote te the rules that I had to be clear and have a definition in mind. So ParserComp itself defines an eligible parser game as:
"To be eligible for participation in ParserComp your game must have text input, a text parser system and text output as the primary mechanism of control."
Now, if the game allows free-text entry as well alongside the numbered options ("get ball and put ball in box" for example) then I would be happy to stretch the rule; but if its purely number selection then I'm afraid not.
Hope that helps and sorry to be the bearer of bad news.
Adam
If you're reading this then you are checking out ParserComp 2021 for some reason, whether it's to participate and enter a game or to play and vote (or just play) or you're just curious ..... in any case thank you for taking the time to visit here; it's very much appreciated especially as this is my inaugural year in running the competition (though not it has to be said the first ever ParserComp, that would be the one in 2015).
If you are a game dev, text adventure game creator or IF author - or frankly would just like to try your hand at the medium - then please do consider entering the competition. Our only ask is that the game is parser-controlled in nature (if in doubt just Google for "Zork" or "Photopia", but you can also add graphics and sounds) AND that the game hasn't been released already - our own definition of this is that it can be in public beta test but not available in any other form and shouldn't have been promoted (i'll forgive forum posts of "i'm thinking of doing this game next year..." etc).
That's it! Nothing else to say at the moment other than do please consider subscribing to our YouTube channel where you will also find messages of "good luck" from well known adventure game folk! : https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCk3WTY2bzeEv07X4d0E8GWQ
Thanks!
Adam
