System in a Can Entries

[Filip Luszczyk]

This is the submissions thread for System in a Can Design Challenge. Final versions of your entries go here. The deadline is Sunday 29th July.

Once you're done with your project, do the following things:

1.Start a new thread for post-challenge feedback in the Endeavor forum.

2.Post in this thread. Include the following things in your post:

-Your name.
-The title of your game.
-Your chosen set.
-Link to the pdf document.
-A short, one paragraph abstract that sums up your game.
-Link to the final feedback thread for your game.

3.If for some reasons you don't want your game to be archived on 1km1kt.net and/or made a part of eventual free pdf compilation, state it clearly in your post.

4.If you didn't provide every other participant with any feedback and opinions before the deadline, state it clearly in your post. You can still submit your game - and the other can still give you final feedback, but they don't have to feel obliged to do so.

5.Likewise, if you finish your game but don't make it before the deadline, you can post the final version anyway. Other participants don't have to feel obliged to give you final feedback in such a case, but they can do it if they want.

After the deadline, download all the games, read them and then go to their authors' final feedback threads to provide them with your comments, suggestions and opinions on the end result. There is no deadline for this, and it won't be enforced in any way, obviously - I'm counting on everyone's good will.

[craigp]

I won't submit my game, because I don't have the energy or time to give feedback on eight other games, and I'm not enough of a bastard to make other people give feedback on mine.

Thought I would have time, but things crop up.

-Craig

[Anders Larsen]

Filip,
I don't know if you feel a sharp deadline is important, but it may be a good idea to give an exact time (with time zone) for the deadline.

And, by the way, is it ok to use five point fonts - No, you do not have to answer that.

- Anders

[Filip Luszczyk]

Ok then. Let's make it Sunday 29th July, midnight, GMT-12.

That's actually European Monday morning, American late night, and Australian Sunday late evening, I think. Roughly 48 hours from now, unless I messed up the timezones

[Vulpinoid]

That actually gives me (in Sydney, Australia) roughly until Monday afternoon, but since I technically would have started a day later it all evens out in the end.

I'll try to get my entry in by Sunday Midnight my time anyway, just to be fair.

V

[Filip Luszczyk]

So, now I'm not sure if I gave the right time. What I have in mind is the moment when 29th July ends in the very last place in the world. My timezone-fu tells me it's GMT-12, but my timezone-fu is weak So, if someone could validate it...

[Anders Larsen]

You can use: http://www.timeanddate.com/worldclock/fixedform.html - You can link directly to the result.

I am not sure what you mean with GMT-12 (is the '-' a minus?), but midnight at GMT the 29. will be:
http://www.timeanddate.com/worldclock/fixedtime.html?day=30&month=7&year=2007&hour=0&min=0&sec=0&p1=0
around the world

- Anders

[Filip Luszczyk]

Hmm, ok, my timezone-fu failed me. I'll fix the deadline at this hour:

http://www.timeanddate.com/worldclock/fixedtime.html?day=30&month=7&year=2007&hour=8&min=0&sec=0&p1=262

It's not exactly what I intended before, but it should give Americans enough time, and I don't suppose Europeans gain any real advantage.

[Chainsaw Aardvark]

I apologize, but due to unexpected distractions and assorted weekend machinations, I will be unable to submit a completed work. Providing feedback may or may not be a possibility, my future schedule is still in some doubt.

[ja-prozac]

I'm not exactly proud because of this game but I made it despite complete rules
change and sudden family visits.
Anyway, here's the download link:
http://www.filesend.net/download.php?f=e2dce6e5d05770c81db06885f75a1ad8

Hope you'll like it.

[ja-prozac]

Ok, I've read first post in this thread again and filling in all the forms.

Name: Kamil Węgrzynowicz

Title: The ultimate Elvis challenge!

SET C
Setting: post-apocalypse/space opera.
Theme: wacky overcoming-inner-demons story.

Link to game:
http://www.filesend.net/download.php?f=e2dce6e5d05770c81db06885f75a1ad8

In 2038 aliens have invaded the Earth. Now humanity lives in ruins and only followers
of The King's Way, the Elvis impersonators, fight for The Dream and privilege to lead
civilisation to the new beginning. But:

There can be only one true Elvis impersonator!

Will it be you?

Link to feedback thread:
http://www.indie-rpgs.com/forum/index.php?topic=24445.0

I don't if I feedbacked all the contestants, so everyone has to decide for themselves
whether you want to write a few words about my game in the thread.

kamil

[Anders Larsen]

Name: Anders Larsen
Title: Cyberbarians
Chosen set: set D
Link to pdf: http://anders.blimmer.dk/sic/cyberbarians.pdf
Short description: In a dark future where everything are controlled by big corporations, you are the only free people, protected by the pagan AIs. Where the corporations are the main religions, you are the barbarians of the virtual world - the cyberbarians.
Link to the final feedback thread: http://www.indie-rpgs.com/forum/index.php?topic=24446.0

I did not give feedback to very many, so no obligations to give feedback to this!

- Anders

[Vulpinoid]

Name: Michael Wenman
Title of Game: Shattered Souls
Chosen Set: Set D - Setting: sword-and-sorcery/cyberpunk. Theme: religious conversion/flight-of-fancy story.
PDF Link: Shattered Souls v1.6

Game Description: Millenia ago, the war of heaven was waged, the forces of light were victorious, but they understood that there needed to be balance in the universe or else it simply couldn't exist. Instead of destroying the forces of darkness they joined with mortals to create the Order of St. Uriel, and together they built huge trans-dimensional prisons to keep their enemies in exile. As a final act, the forces of light knew that they too would have to leave the world to maintain the balance. Time passed, and the memory of the great war was reduced to legend and myth; doorways to the great prisons were forgotten, and the exiled beings lost contact with their followers. Both light and dark gradually lost their grip on reality and sanity. Hidden in the dark corners of the world are the doorways leading to the ancient realms and time has started to erode the magic that has kept them sealed. Only the Order of St. Uriel stands in the way of the ancient immortals as they struggle to return to the mortal world, yet petty infighting and deadly intrigue from other shadowy factions stop the Order of St. Uriel from being the effective force it once was.

Archive: If people think this game is worthy of being in the archive then I have no objections to it.

Feedback: I tried to offer a bit of feedback where I thought I could be helpful in as many of the games as I could. In those few games where I didn't think I could contribute something helpful, I tried to offer a bit of encouragement and tried to let the author know that I thought they were onto a good thing. I'm pretty sure I accounted for everyone who participated in the challenge.

Link to Feedback Thread: Here

Give the game a playtest, see if you think the mechanics are sound, that's what I'm seeing as the highest priority for potential feedback. The setting can be manipulated, the images and troops types can be redefined, but I'm most interested to see what people think of the core mechanics involved here. I'll be refining and evolving the game over a few more incarnations yet.

V

[Filip Luszczyk]

Hmm, playing with the layout took me some hours, but here's my game

Name: Filip Luszczyk
Title: Runic Realms
Set: A
Abstract:
Primordial gods, once banished from Midgard, return to unleash their vengeful wrath upon the world. Only heroic Skalds can change the fate of mankind. Wielding the mystic power of Runes these brave heroes embark on a quest to collect ancient treasures and stop primordial fury. Will they bring peace back to their homelands?
Runic Realms is an instantly playable fantasy adventure game in four pages. It features conflict resolution based on manipulating words and letters in a statement.
Link: runic-realms.pdf
Final feedback thread: Yup, here it is

So, I think I gave some feedback to everyone (or at least tried). As it turns out, it was possibly the most difficult part of the challenge.

Anyway, I hope this entry is not the last one here

[Filip Luszczyk]

Well, no more entries, it seems.

And so, the challenge is officially closed. Congratulations to everyone who took it and made it in time

I've been planning to make a compilation pdf after the challenge, but since there are only four games at this point, I'm not sure if it has much sense. I'd like to know your opinions about it.

Also, to those of you who didn't make it before the deadline, especially if you were close - remember about the points 4 & 5 in the first post. You can still submit your games after the deadline, if you want. It won't count as "beating the challenge", but since there are not many entries, getting feedback shouldn't be a problem. If there will be a compilation after all, I can include your games as well, if you want (i.e. as designed as part of the challenge, but not within its time frame, kind of like a honorary second place).

All in all, I think we designed some interesting games. The feedback part was probably the most problematic, but I see it as an essential thing here. Consequently, if I repeat the challenge again someday, I'll have to consider how this could be improved. Also, if I do, I'll probably use a different method to generate theme sets, to allow more options (i.e. to solve the pirate/western issue).