Summer 2003 Day of Zeux Judging Sheets:Wervyn
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Summer 2003 DualStream Day of Zeux - Wervyn's Scores Topics: General - Trust Specific - The Internet Judgment Criteria: Gameplay, 70/300 Gameplay is the meat of any MZX game. It describes the mechanical functionality of the game; basically the level of interactivity. Does the game provide varied and complex mechanics? Is it simple and intuitive to learn how to play, yet challenging? How much is the player involved in actually playing the game? Gameplay features include intuitive control, length, challenge, variation, how solid/buggy the engines are, how complex the engines are, replayability factor, secrets, and overall, just how fun the typical game player will find it. Solid gameplay is essential for any truly good MZX game. Graphics, 50/300 The graphics score rates the level of attraction and eye candy the game has to offer. In MZX, this concerns level of char editing, detail, shading, dithering, palette use, etc. How many char sets and char edits are used, how well your colors complement each other, and how much variation in the design of the boards are key factors involved. Additionally, level of animation, fading, transitions, and other effects can impact this score. Clarity and expressiveness are yet another factor; do the graphics complement well the mood of the game? Is it easy to discern what they're trying to represent? Are they appropriately realistic? Basically, chances are the less the game looks like text mode, the better the graphics will be. Overall graphics can add a strong additional value to a game, particularly a short DoZ one. Poor graphics can make a game unappealing and even boring. Plot, 45/300 Plot describes how well and thought out the presentation behind the game is. Typically it concerns aspects such as background story, story development, dialogue, characters, and literary form. It asks how believable and true to life scenarios and characters are. However, in some games other aspects are emphasized, such as humor, and this can fulfill the requirements of a healthy plot. Most MZX games will be in some way plot oriented, but some may require plot less than others. Even so, NO MZX game should be without a plot, and further levels of plot can enhance any gaming experience. Games will be judged accordingly based on how much plot is given as is deemed necessary for the type of game submitted. Theme, 40/300 The theme topic first asks how well the given game adheres to one of the two given themes. However, to get a truly good score in this topic, the game should do an exceptionally good job at adhering to the theme and go above and beyond in expressing this. This adherence should be in-depth and not superficial or forced. It will also be noted how creatively the theme is utilized, and overall how much the game leaves an impression of that theme having been ingrained within it. Exceptional usage of theme should make the player reflect upon the significance of the theme after having played the game. Innovation, 35/300 Innovation considers how different and exciting the game is. Does it use things never before seen in MZX, or perhaps does it use something familiar but in an entirely different way? Part of the appeal of any game is how much of a different, unique experience it has to offer. Innovation asks how much the game stands out on its own with a unique identity. Discretion, 20/300 This category is partially used as wanted by the judges; if there are any exceptional values or flaws the game presents that are not covered within the other scores, here is the place to reflect upon it. Discretion not only considers the discretion of the judges, but that of the players as well. The judges are urged to ask themselves how much good taste and common sense is used in the game, and judge accordingly here. Factors such as unecessarily excessive profanity or vulgarity may result in a lowered discretion score; Music, 35/300 The music category quetsions the overall aural quality of the game. Both quantity and quality are looked at here. A truly successful game will both have tracks that are high quality and pleasing to the ear and will have many different ones for different occasions. Are the pieces long, or short and repetitive? Are they annoying and disharmonic? More importantly, do they fit the mood of the circumstances within the game? Do note that bad music is not necessarily better than no music. In fact, the judge may give a 1 for no music, and a 0 for exceptionally annoying music. In general, music is an important aspect that can help keep the player's prolonged interest in the game, as well as get a better feel for the mood and message the game is presenting. Sound, 5/300 The sound category pertains to sound effects in sample files (.sams). First, are they used at all? If so, do they help the game come to life or more exciting? Sound effects can further enhance the experience of a game; however, they can also have a detrimental effect. As with the music category, annoying sounds may warrant a 0 in the sound category whereas no sounds may have gotten a 1. Basically, if any sound effects are so bad that they make you want to turn off sound altogether, don't include them. This part totals 300. This DoZ recycles an invention from the previous few DoZ's, rank-weight: Weight Rank, 100/100 Rank weight makes up the last 25% of the 400 point total given to a game. The purpose of rank weight is for the judges to express their own opinions of the game outside of the confines of the given score ranks. The reason this is done is because not all judges will agree with the rank that their scores produce because they may not think that a certain scored category should be given as much weight as it has. It should be noted that rank weight is NOT simply a listed reranking of the scored rank, but is purely the judges own opinion. The way weight rank works is fairly simply; the 100 points for this category are split into X cutoff points where X is the number of teams participating. The top ranking team gets the most points (100), and the lowest ranking team gets the least (0). All teams inbetween get an appropriately scaled value out of 100. If you're interested in the mathematical formula regarding weight rank, it goes like this: Rank weight score = ((number of players + 1) - rank)/(number of players) * 100. Overall each team receives a 400 point score from each judge. Since there will be 5 judges, this results in an overall 2000 point score. These final scores will be tabulated then ranked to derive the best of topic and best of show awards. Game Listing Team Game Name Score Theme 0160 The Evil Internet Virus 137/300 INTERNET 0215 Lethal Recurse 154/300 TRUST 0222 Netsplit 182/300 INTERNET 0261 Dark Core 229/300 TRUST 0331 Net Wars 071/300 INTERNET 0344 Finite Space 067/300 INTERNET 0385 Gross Injustice 136/300 TRUST 0404 Serum 142/300 TRUST 0499 Shinrai 173/300 TRUST 0505 Vyznium 166/300 TRUST 0666 Depravity 193/300 TRUST 0776 WHY THE INTERNET IS BORING 027/300 INTERNET 0777 Hackers Can Turn Your Computer Into A Bomb 219/300 INTERNET 0787 Innernet 224/300 INTERNET 0810 Trust Falls 161/300 TRUST 1337 Paradigm AM 131/300 INTERNET 1347 Castlevania: Drum Solo of Discombobulation 126/300 TRUST 1777 Net Demon 031/300 INTERNET 4013 Hacker 123/300 INTERNET 6047 Convergence 117/300 TRUST Scores 0160 The Evil Internet Virus (137/300) INTERNET ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Gameplay: (35/70) There was really nothing outstanding about the gameplay which would give this any points, and plenty of problems with it to take points away. Notably was the inability to fire bullets when next to an enemy, and as they tend to swarm you this became a problem. Also, while weapon switching did work, there wasn't a major point to having multiple weapons besides having a fallback if you ran out of ammo for a particular type. Rockets, especially, were next to useless, and filling the screen with fire (default fire at that, see Graphics comments) wasn't cool, especially since the fire trail started UNDER you. The speed ability, while interesting, seemed similarly useless, and seemed to involve no adverse affects for continued use besides taking longer to power up again. And was it really necessary to have everything explode like that? Well, at least there was plenty of health, I never saw a gameover screen. Ultimately, this stands as a pretty mediocre game. Graphics: (25/50) The intro graphics are nothing special, though some points must be awarded for taking the time to make them at all, since they weren't a detractor. Level graphics were fairly bland, but reasonable for the type of game this was. The major downfall here was the use of the fire graphic, mostly since, well, there was so much of it to see. Going Caverns style with flashing gradiated blocks would have been a better choice than this. Also, font-wise, the 'M' looked like an 'X'. Plot: (20/45) Understanding that this sort of action shooter isn't really geared around a plot so much as something more story intensive, it would still have been worthwhile to include some progression of story from level to level. In particular, it would have been a good idea to write an ending sequence with a little more depth than simply "you're free". I can't believe this game took so long to make that you didn't have time to do something more in that area. Theme: (15/40) Beyond the initial setup for the game, there was really very little about this that felt like it had anything to do with the Internet. My vision of the Internet, at least, doesn't involve non-descript cave looking areas and evil Dr. Who robots. More attention to further graphical and/or plot development might have improved the thematic relavence. Innovation: (10/35) Small points gained for the use of a custom Enter Menu interface, a somewhat interesting speed ability, and a non-standard (though hardly unique) weapons interface. Major points lost for use of the default fire graphic, and the fact that none of the previously mentioned innovations actually mattered much as far as the game was concerned. This was just a very blah game. Discretion: (10/20) Cursing for cursing's sake in the beginning sequence, several grammar and spelling errors, and a generally unpolished feel lose the game points here. Music: (20/35) The music wasn't bad by any means, but none of it was actually appropriate to the game, it was just sort of there. Music is intended to evoke an atmospheric effect for the game. As it is, it's just a backdrop that neither compliments nor improves upon that atmosphere. But it wasn't bad music, so hey. Sound: (02/05) Nothing particularly special about the sound, though the constant repitition of the "Groovy" sound was a bit grating. Total: (137/300) This game is the very epitome of mediocrity. A perfect example of an utterly unmemorable experience. Don't feel bad, you're average. Well, actually slightly below average, but who's counting. 0215 Lethal Recurse (154/300) TRUST ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Gameplay: (20/70) Ugh, where to begin. The whole Kama blade thing probably seemed like a good idea on paper, but in reality it just plain didn't work well. The reliance on absolute directions as opposed to relative ones made the engine very hard to use effectively, since you basically have to stop moving to attack. It would have been a better decision to make the arrow keys relative to the direction the player was currently facing, so that hitting control while moving would always use the standard attack. This is really just glossing over the fact that the game just plain wasn't finished, at all. I almost wonder whether this was tested at all, since you would have surely seen SOME of the problems if it was. Or perhaps the clunky but extremely nice looking engine was meant to diguise the fact that there were only two playable boards, and only the first one was actually playable. Graphics: (45/50) If there's anything I can say in this game's defense, the graphics were (with a few minor glitches) superb. Really, really nice looking. Of course, there was still the issue of graphical bugs, like the projectiles not showing up on the second board, or getting stuck on enemies and turning into an 'L', or enemies just disappearing into thin air, or the placement of that boss health bar that obscured the screen... Come to think of it, I'm not sure why I'm scoring this so high. I guess I just really liked the graphical style. Plot: (20/45) Well, the plot started out pretty interesting, although the text went by way too fast. However, the game didn't really do anything with the plot after that, mostly because the game didn't really do much of anything at all after that. We never really had any indication of what all these fireball spitting monsters had to do with anything, either. Theme: (05/40) However, while there was some semblance of a plot at the beginning, the theme didn't fare so well. I couldn't really see any relation to the theme of Trust at all, and while it would certainly have been possible for something to develop over the course of the game, nothing ever did. This is the first case in what appears to be a small trend this DoZ, of games that don't seem to connect to the given theme much at all. In the future, this will merit outright disqualification, so be warned. Innovation: (20/35) I'll give you this, I can say with almost total certainty that no one has ever done something quite like this in MZX before. In that respect, you could say this was a very innovative game just for that. However, you also can't expect something to be considered innovative if it's a bad idea at the same time. Maybe if it had worked slightly better... Discretion: (10/20) Super fast exposition text, clumsy game engine, irresponsible use of the "commands" counter causing the game to halt up and FREEZE MY COMPUTER on game over, and an overall unpolished feel...well, you can see where I'm going with this. Music: (30/35) The music was another welcome positive in this game, and I felt it fit very well. I could just be a sucker for the basekick, though. The only real problem with the music was tied to the real problem with the game itself: there simply wasn't enough of it, because there simply wasn't enough of the game. Sound: (04/05) The sound was also appropriate and fit well. Not a whole lot else to say about that. Total: (154/300) Please, please, PLEASE play your DoZ game through AT LEAST once before you submit it. You'll be amazed at how many stupid (and not so stupid) errors this helps you catch. Of course, you may have realized the game over bug, and simply not known what was causing it, simply not having the coding experience to realize that that's what can happen if you set commands to 32867. Oh, right, the game. The clunky game engine was little more than a mask in front of a sadly unfinished shell of a game. On the plus side, the graphics were really nice. 0222 Netsplit (182/300) INTERNET ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Gameplay: (30/70) /* Comments */ Graphics: (25/50) /* Comments */ Plot: (30/45) /* Comments */ Theme: (35/40) /* Comments */ Innovation: (20/35) /* Comments */ Discretion: (15/20) /* Comments */ Music: (25/35) /* Comments */ Sound: (02/05) /* Comments */ Total: (182/300) /* Comments */ 0261 Dark Core (229/300) TRUST ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Gameplay: (65/70) /* Comments */ Graphics: (40/50) /* Comments */ Plot: (30/45) /* Comments */ Theme: (15/40) /* Comments */ Innovation: (30/35) /* Comments */ Discretion: (20/20) /* Comments */ Music: (25/35) /* Comments */ Sound: (04/05) /* Comments */ Total: (229/300) /* Comments */ 0331 Net Wars (071/300) INTERNET ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Gameplay: (05/70) /* Comments */ Graphics: (20/50) /* Comments */ Plot: (10/45) /* Comments */ Theme: (20/40) /* Comments */ Innovation: (05/35) /* Comments */ Discretion: (00/20) /* Comments */ Music: (10/35) /* Comments */ Sound: (01/05) /* Comments */ Total: (071/300) /* Comments */ 0344 Finite Space (067/300) INTERNET ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Gameplay: (00/70) /* Comments */ Graphics: (20/50) /* Comments */ Plot: (30/45) /* Comments */ Theme: (15/40) /* Comments */ Innovation: (00/35) /* Comments */ Discretion: (00/20) /* Comments */ Music: (01/35) /* Comments */ Sound: (01/05) /* Comments */ Total: (067/300) /* Comments */ 0385 Gross Injustice (136/300) TRUST ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Gameplay: (35/70) /* Comments */ Graphics: (20/50) /* Comments */ Plot: (25/45) /* Comments */ Theme: (35/40) /* Comments */ Innovation: (10/35) /* Comments */ Discretion: (05/20) /* Comments */ Music: (05/35) /* Comments */ Sound: (01/05) /* Comments */ Total: (136/300) /* Comments */ 0404 Serum (142/300) TRUST ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Gameplay: (20/70) /* Comments */ Graphics: (30/50) /* Comments */ Plot: (25/45) /* Comments */ Theme: (15/40) /* Comments */ Innovation: (15/35) /* Comments */ Discretion: (10/20) /* Comments */ Music: (25/35) /* Comments */ Sound: (02/05) /* Comments */ Total: (142/300) /* Comments */ 0499 Shinrai (173/300) TRUST ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Gameplay: (50/70) /* Comments */ Graphics: (45/50) /* Comments */ Plot: (10/45) /* Comments */ Theme: (15/40) /* Comments */ Innovation: (20/35) /* Comments */ Discretion: (05/20) /* Comments */ Music: (25/35) /* Comments */ Sound: (03/05) /* Comments */ Total: (173/300) /* Comments */ 0505 Vyznium (166/300) TRUST ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Gameplay: (45/70) /* Comments */ Graphics: (20/50) /* Comments */ Plot: (25/45) /* Comments */ Theme: (20/40) /* Comments */ Innovation: (15/35) /* Comments */ Discretion: (15/20) /* Comments */ Music: (25/35) /* Comments */ Sound: (01/05) /* Comments */ Total: (166/300) /* Comments */ 0666 Depravity (193/300) TRUST ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Gameplay: (30/70) /* Comments */ Graphics: (40/50) /* Comments */ Plot: (30/45) /* Comments */ Theme: (25/40) /* Comments */ Innovation: (25/35) /* Comments */ Discretion: (10/20) /* Comments */ Music: (30/35) /* Comments */ Sound: (03/05) /* Comments */ Total: (193/300) /* Comments */ 0776 WHY THE INTERNET IS BORING (027/300) INTERNET ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Gameplay: (00/70) I'm sorry, could someone point out where the GAME was? Graphics: (05/50) I give you some credit only because the graphics weren't eye-stabbingly painful to look at. This must have taken you all of two minutes to do. Plot: (00/45) There was no plot, and since I can't imagine any plot handicap would be awarded to the "Joke Game" genre, this gets squat. Theme: (20/40) The word Internet WAS in the title, and the game (such as it were) did involve the Internet as its exclusive focus. Consider these pity points. Innovation: (00/35) I could get just about the same experience this game provided by loafing on a patio and watching paint dry. I mean, it wasn't even a particularly clever joke game, come on! Discretion: (00/20) As a busy person trying to fit DoZ judging into an already full schedule, things like this are almost vulgar. For wasting my time, you can feel my ire. Music: (01/35) No music. Sound: (01/05) No sound. Total: (027/300) If you don't want to compete in the DoZ, then don't enter to begin with. Hey, if the Internet is so boring, why bother hanging around the MZX community at all? I promise we won't miss things like this at all. 0777 Hackers Can Turn Your Computer Into A Bomb (219/300) INTERNET ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Gameplay: (70/70) /* Comments */ Graphics: (40/50) /* Comments */ Plot: (20/45) /* Comments */ Theme: (10/40) /* Comments */ Innovation: (35/35) /* Comments */ Discretion: (15/20) /* Comments */ Music: (25/35) /* Comments */ Sound: (04/05) /* Comments */ Total: (219/300) /* Comments */ 0787 Innernet (224/300) INTERNET ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Gameplay: (65/70) /* Comments */ Graphics: (30/50) /* Comments */ Plot: (25/45) /* Comments */ Theme: (30/40) /* Comments */ Innovation: (25/35) /* Comments */ Discretion: (20/20) /* Comments */ Music: (25/35) /* Comments */ Sound: (04/05) /* Comments */ Total: (224/300) /* Comments */ 0810 Trust Falls (161/300) TRUST ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Gameplay: (35/70) /* Comments */ Graphics: (25/50) /* Comments */ Plot: (30/45) /* Comments */ Theme: (25/40) /* Comments */ Innovation: (15/35) /* Comments */ Discretion: (10/20) /* Comments */ Music: (20/35) /* Comments */ Sound: (01/05) /* Comments */ Total: (161/300) /* Comments */ 1337 Paradigm AM (131/300) INTERNET ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Gameplay: (15/70) /* Comments */ Graphics: (25/50) /* Comments */ Plot: (15/45) /* Comments */ Theme: (25/40) /* Comments */ Innovation: (10/35) /* Comments */ Discretion: (00/20) /* Comments */ Music: (20/35) /* Comments */ Sound: (01/05) /* Comments */ Total: (131/300) /* Comments */ 1347 Castlevania: Drum Solo of Discombobulation (126/300) TRUST ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Gameplay: (50/70) /* Comments */ Graphics: (20/50) /* Comments */ Plot: (20/45) /* Comments */ Theme: (10/40) /* Comments */ Innovation: (10/35) /* Comments */ Discretion: (00/20) /* Comments */ Music: (15/35) /* Comments */ Sound: (01/05) /* Comments */ Total: (126/300) /* Comments */ 1777 Net Demon (031/300) INTERNET ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Gameplay: (05/70) /* Comments */ Graphics: (10/50) /* Comments */ Plot: (00/45) /* Comments */ Theme: (05/40) /* Comments */ Innovation: (00/35) /* Comments */ Discretion: (00/20) /* Comments */ Music: (10/35) /* Comments */ Sound: (01/05) /* Comments */ Total: (031/300) /* Comments */ 4013 Hacker (123/300) INTERNET ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Gameplay: (30/70) This was an interesting idea, it really was. Unfortunately it was also not implemented to its full potential. While the concept of playing as a hacking program has numerous possibilities, a sword engine on large empty boards sparsly populated with enemies isn't the one I would have chosen. Graphics: (15/50) The graphics are a major stumbling block for this game. It's not so much that the art itself is badly drawn, as it is a feeling of a lot of wasted space. If you were going to make the levels so spacious, it might have been a better idea to use sprites to make a larger player and enemies (and don't complain that this is too hard, because it's really not). Also, there were a few graphical glitches involving the sword engine, which you should have been able to clean up, and the sword itself just wasn't all that impressive. Plot: (30/45) For a simple mission-based action game the plot and concept behind it was actually pretty good. Because of this I've rated the plot a little higher than I might otherwise have done. Theme: (25/40) This was fairly well on theme, though as I've said before, it might be better to focus on the Internet itself, and not just computers in general. In fact, the Internet didn't really have much to do with this at all. Still, the environment did involve linking to other computers across a network, so it's not off topic. Innovation: (10/35) I found the whole game rather ho hum, there wasn't really anything that hadn't been seen before. Some points are awarded for effort, of course, I have to assume that you're at least trying something new for yourself, but that's about it. Discretion: (02/20) As always, points are taken off here for game stopping bugs. You also lost quite a bit for that stunt you pulled on DMZX, trying to resubmit your game because of said bug, more than a day after the competition was over. Music: (10/35) Caverns Remix? Maybe if you used some other songs in addition to that it would be okay, but come on, dude, that's one step removed from a cardinal MZX sin. Sound: (01/05) No sound. Total: (123/300) Well, what can I say, this is another idea that looked good out of the gate, but failed to produce aanything that could be called a solid game. Better luck next time. 6047 Convergence (117/300) TRUST ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Gameplay: (15/70) /* Comments */ Graphics: (25/50) /* Comments */ Plot: (35/45) /* Comments */ Theme: (25/40) /* Comments */ Innovation: (10/35) /* Comments */ Discretion: (05/20) /* Comments */ Music: (01/35) /* Comments */ Sound: (01/05) /* Comments */ Total: (117/300) /* Comments */ Ranking By Category - Trust Rank Team Game Name Score 1. 0261 Dark Core 229/300 2. 0666 Depravity 193/300 3. 0499 Shinrai 173/300 4. 0505 Vyznium 166/300 5. 0810 Trust Falls 161/300 6. 0215 Lethal Recurse 154/300 7. 0404 Serum 142/300 8. 0385 Gross Injustice 136/300 9. 1347 Castlevania: Drum Solo of Discombobulation 126/300 10. 6047 Convergence 117/300 By Category - The Internet Rank Team Game Name Score 1. 0787 Innernet 224/300 2. 0777 Hackers Can Turn Your Computer Into A Bomb 219/300 3. 0222 Netsplit 182/300 4. 0160 The Evil Internet Virus 137/300 5. 1337 Paradigm AM 131/300 6. 4013 Hacker 123/300 7. 0331 Net Wars 071/300 8. 0344 Finite Space 067/300 9. 1777 Net Demon 031/300 10. 0776 WHY THE INTERNET IS BORING 027/300 All games - Flat Rank Rank Team Game Name Score 1. 0261 Dark Core 229/300 2. 0787 Innernet 224/300 3. 0777 Hackers Can Turn Your Computer Into A Bomb 219/300 4. 0666 Depravity 193/300 5. 0222 Netsplit 182/300 6. 0499 Shinrai 173/300 7. 0505 Vyznium 166/300 8. 0810 Trust Falls 161/300 9. 0215 Lethal Recurse 154/300 10. 0404 Serum 142/300 11. 0160 The Evil Internet Virus 137/300 12. 0385 Gross Injustice 136/300 13. 1337 Paradigm AM 131/300 14. 1347 Castlevania: Drum Solo of Discombobulation 126/300 15. 4013 Hacker 123/300 16. 6047 Convergence 117/300 17. 0331 Net Wars 071/300 18. 0344 Finite Space 067/300 19. 1777 Net Demon 031/300 20. 0776 WHY THE INTERNET IS BORING 027/300 All games - Weight Rank Rank Old Rank Team Game Name 1. 0261 Dark Core 2. 0787 Innernet 3. 0777 Hackers Can Turn Your Computer Into A Bomb 4. 1347 Castlevania: Drum Solo of Discombobulation 5. 0222 Netsplit 6. 0666 Depravity 7. 0505 Vyznium 8. 0499 Shinrai 9. 0810 Trust Falls 10. 0160 The Evil Internet Virus 11. 4013 Hacker 12. 6047 Convergence 13. 0215 Lethal Recurse 14. 0404 Serum 15. 0344 Finite Space 16. 0385 Gross Injustice 17. 1337 Paradigm AM 18. 0331 Net Wars 19. 1777 Net Demon 20. 0776 WHY THE INTERNET IS BORING