Gamma 4

By: Derek Yu

On: December 2nd, 2009

Kokoromi Collective has announced that Gamma 4 will be a part of next year’s GDC in March. The theme is “one-button games” and entries must only use a single button on the Xbox 360 controller. Windows and Mac OSX games are both accepted. The submission deadline is January 31st.

Also, it’s not related to Kokoromi or Gamma, but OneSwitch.org is a website dedicated to single-button games and interfaces designed for the physically-handicapped.

Posted in Community, Developers, Gamma, IGF / GDC | Tags: Kokoromi

FrankieSmileShow

Canabalt enters and wins
http://chaoseed.com/garden John Evans

I think I’m going to choose the LB button!
http://www.bradkav.com kavs

Frankie said it! Go Canabalt. :D
FISH

it dosent work like that.
you cant enter a pre-existing game.
J

No way, John! Use the left stick button (L3) or the Back button. Way…er, “easier” to use.
Snow

I’ve always preached (and Raigan and Mare agreed with me) that sometimes the most simplest and minimalist game can be fun and very creative.

“Kokoromi proposes that game developers can still find beauty in absolute simplicity.” AGREED. .. now I feel bad that I shelved a game I was working on that was based on this premise. Going to have to bring it back (though, it isn’t a 1-button game). For 1-button, lessee now….

Anyway, this is awesome. I’m so excited to see the entries. I hope I can get something simple in myself.
Roger Levy

The rules are way too restrictive! Maximum 1024×768 resolution?? Can’t use a directional stick?? and NO AUDIO?!?!
rodnonymous

up to four players allowed? wouldn’t that mean a 4 button game, or is fighting over who gets to press the button outside of the actual game encouraged as a meta-game?
jeb

Hey FISH

Maybe you should update the rules? How specific is “pre-existing game”? This would be an excellent opportunity to bring such a fantastic one-button game as TIGDuels to a bigger audience…
http://iterationgames.com jph_wacheski

Roger- res. limit because it will be projected, so a hardware limit. No stick because its a ‘one button game’! and its not no audio, just that it will likely not be easy to hear in the loud room, so no audio nessisary for gameplay,. seems clear enouph.
FISH

seriously.

we are compiling all the questions we’re getting from everywhere and rectifying the rules to make matters more clear.

we’ll post all that on the kkrm blog and twitter and such.

and whyyyyy would a MAX resolution be a problem? do you really need more than 1024×768 to make a short form experimental 1-button game?
give me a break.
http://www.youtube.com/user/Davioware Davioware

hey FISH, fellow montreal dev here :D I’ve got a couple of questions..

does the game absolutely need to have built in 360 controller support? Wouldn’t a single keyboard key requirement be better/more dev friendly? If the demo PC had joy2key with mapping to lets say… the Z key, then everyone would just have to make their game use 1 key. (not that it’s a problem for me, just saying it might attract more devs, the only problem I foresee is for the multiplayer entries)

Also, what are the system specs of the Demo PC?
rodnonymous

Also, would making a 4-player one button game for the Xbox controller require seperate controllers or is it feasible to force each player to get one face button on the same controller?
Ntero

I think they are using 360 controllers for user simplicity rather then developer simplicity. At an expo it would be nicer to have a screen with 4 controllers rather than 4 keyboards.

That being said implementing Xbox360 controller support it not terribly difficult, and something that you could probably implement in an afternoon.
Marcus

Unless you’re doing something in Flash – then there’s no way to implement any joypad support without external programs like JoyToKey. I’m guessing this is alright?
FISH

the answer to all your questions is ONE BUTTON.

(and joy2key is fine)
Juhkystar

So can we enter multiple entries?
Greg

Thanks for clarifying joy2key fish, because otherwise it might be a lot harder to use middleware like game maker. :)
GoldMatenes

What about us poor churchmice who can’t afford the trip to GDC? Should we still submit or is it just a waste?
Zaphos

Still submit, as long as you’re okay with your game going to the party without you.
http://slashware.net Slashie

@KOKOROMI Can I use java for GammaIV? (I can bundle a JRE so it ends up like a windowzer exe)
Spyeart

Oh ya! This is going to be good.
Juhkystar

Oh yeah, I just thought of another question. Does all content have to be created by one person, or can we work in teams, or contract something like, say graphics, to other people?

I ask because I know I can code the darn thing fine, but I am severely lacking in the graphics department… =P
FISH

of course teams are fine.
java is fine.
pretty much everything is fine as long as it runs on windows or OSX.

GoldMatenes, if your game gets picket, you get 2 GDC passes. that’s already a pretty big deal, then you just have to figure out flight + hotel (or hostel as i do).
mightmakesright

survival of the fittest. if you can’t slam with the best, go jam with the rest. why should I make my games for the lower common denominator? if they’re not able, they’re not able. nothing I do can change that. instead of putting such idiot restrictions, why not just blame yourself.. or god?
mightmakesright

*idiotic
Phasma Felis

mightmakesright: What in God’s name are you talking about?

No, seriously. I know what all those words mean, but…
dumbmakesidiot

yeah! screw the physically handicapped!