Spring Programming Contest 2017

Hey, you wanted a contest in May so here it is!

• The contest theme is flight.
• You MUST add your program to the Programming Contest category
• You have until the end of May 31st (11:59pm EST) to submit your entry.
• You must start a new project; it cannot be a continuation of an old project
• You can use existing libraries and assets such as the Raycaster
• The winner gets $40 (USD) in Nintendo eShop or Steam credit, 2nd place gets $20 *
• Everyone who enters an acceptable** entry will receive participation badges.
• Voting will take place from June 1st to the end of June 7th.

* If you are outside the United States, you cannot receive eShop or Steam credit. However, I can gift a combination of Steam games worth up to the prize amount in USD. ** Your entry must have at least some effort put into it. I will not give out badges to entries which were obviously made only to receive the badge.

So this might be the first contest I've participated in, anything I should know?

All the information is right there in the post. Just make sure... OH I should add that. Make sure you put your program in the "Programming Contest" category.

Oh, flight? That's a good theme. A lot of people can apply that theme to things.

If somebody makes another flappy bird clone because of this theme, you'll have nobody to blame but yourself random lol.

If somebody makes another flappy bird clone because of this theme, you'll have nobody to blame but yourself random lol.

Stop stealing my ideas! :P But seriously. This should be good :D even if we get 12. One of them has to be a keeper.

If somebody makes another flappy bird clone because of this theme, you'll have nobody to blame but yourself random lol.

Stop stealing my ideas! :P But seriously. This should be good :D even if we get 12. One of them has to be a keeper.

Too true my dear lacks, too true...

cool! ill be working on something then!

YAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAS

If we are currently writing a library, can we use that?

Sounds like I need to make a space shmup (don't expect much). I came up with a list of flight style games for inspiration. I thought it might help get the creative juices flowing. Please let me know if any wouldn't really fit the theme.

• Lunar Lander
• Asteroids
• Tempest
• Space Invaders
• Galaga/Galaxian
• Defender
• Gyruss
• Balloon Fight
• Bosconian
• Space Harrier
• Afterburner
• 1942/Xevious/Raiden/Twin Bee
• R-Type/Gradius/Parodius/Life Force
• Fantasy Zone
• Forgotten Worlds
• Xaxxon
• The old 1970s Star Trek text mode simulation game
• Thunder Blade

Not sure if these stretch things too much:

• Missile Command (too ground based)
• Joust (flap a bit not really flying)
• Kid Icarus (haven't really played it, does he fly much?)
• Chu chu rocket (Guide to rockets but that is mostly cosmetic)
• An adventure game where you find parts to fix your space ship (collecting not flying (Commander Keen))
• Side scroller with a limited jet pack mechanic (that should be ok, right? (What about Commander Keen's Pogo stick?) (Or Dangerous Dave?))
• Doodle Jump (jumping not flying)
• Airline Tycoon (good enough, right?)

Also you may want to stay away from the following due to technical difficulties or limitations:

• Anything truly 3D
• On rails shooters like Star Fox or Panzer Dragoon
• Pilot wings (might be able to pull it off)
• Xaxxon's Isometric graphics may be challenging too

Flappy Bird would work too I suppose. Can you think of any others? Care to dispute any of them?

Does space travel count as flight? It's not mechanically the same as how "flight" works on Earth (pedantry, but I HAVE to ask.)

According to Dictionary.com, "flight" can be defined as- a journey into or through outer space: a rocket flight.

I'll be developing a game called "Thrust".

What is meant by "flight"? As in, what context of "flight" are you referring to?

What is meant by "flight"? As in, what context of "flight" are you referring to?

There is nothing to question. It's flight.

Does space travel count as flight? It's not mechanically the same as how "flight" works on Earth (pedantry, but I HAVE to ask.)

Space flight is fine, but if your focus is shooting and aliens and all that, that doesn't quite match the theme. But it doesn't really matter.

If we are currently writing a library, can we use that?

That's fine.

is it ok to make a game about flight but with a storyline, like the main of the game is flight but there is a story to it too

is it ok to make a game about flight but with a storyline, like the main of the game is flight but there is a story to it too

yes