Rule-O-Matic

Don't read too much into the results of these sample spins! The method of picking rules is yet to be tweaked to its full potential, and until a good selection of rules have been added, it's rather meaningless.

Once the Rule-O-Matic has been spun for a final time, the authors of the selected rules will be contacted in order to add clarifications and last minute twists. They won't be allowed to do anything drastic, and to limit their advantage of a heads up, they won't know for sure which of the rules atually were selected. (For example, they may be notified that one of three specific rules have been selected.)

Here is a sample spin, with the following rules being chosen:

1. Genre requirements

   Toxic wasteland (OK)

   The game has to take place in a world filled with radioactive/toxic waste. Having just one area polluted will not do (unless the game takes place on one screen only). Small waste-free havens are allowed, but for each haven there should be at least two polluted areas.
   
   If having multiple areas isn't possible, at the very least mention that the world is a wasteland somewhere in the game.
   
   Bonus points if you can make it an important element of the gameplay! For example, the player could die or mutate if he stays outside for too long or falls into the toxic/radioactive waste. That, in turn, could lead to new abilities or completely change the gameplay.

2. Technical requirements

   There are 2 technical requirements:

   Particle Frenzy (OK)

   The game must have some kind of particles like blood, but in a really absurd amount... Rivers of flowing blood and stuff like that... xD

   Tiles (OK)

   The game graphics must be tiled based.

3. Artistic requirements

   There are 2 artistic requirements:

   Mutation (Good)

   Something needs to mutate.

   Secret Levels (OK)

   The game must have at least two secret levels, which have a style completelly different to the rest of game.

4. Bonus rules

   There is 1 bonus rule:

   Act of Babel (Great)

   You may take one rule and, using an automated online translator, translate it into a different language and then back into English as many times as you like. Interpret the result as a replacement rule. You must document the steps you took, which must be reproducible and deterministic.

5. Other Important Info

   All entries must comply with all requirements except where nullified by Act of Dog.

   All entries must be submitted on or before 12:00 UTC on Monday 25th July without fail. All entries must be supplied in a ZIP file equal to or less than 250 KB in size. All source code, makefiles, documentation, and references to additional libraries used must be supplied in the ZIP file.

   You can assume that everyone will have a copy of Allegro (standard installation) installed. You do not need to supply one. It is okay to use a more recent version of Allegro, but if someone is unable to compile your game because of that, it's your fault. You should consider uploading binaries for people who have problems compiling the source onto your own website. I will be checking that the binary and source match up, so adding enhancements to the 'competition binary' is not permitted..

   If source code is reused from legal sources (your own, GPLed, public domain) you should declare this and what changes have been made, so that your work can be assessed for the voting.

   People should keep a informative and interesting account of their development through the competition. This can be sent after the competition for those people with no Internet access over the weekend. This does not affect your space requirement.

   A web-based "blog" update page will be available. This will allow spectators to see what is going on :-)

   You can make use of all information sources, mailing lists as you see fit. This is not an exam! :-)