The Dink Network

Would anyone be interested in a D-Mod contest? With the due date sometime around Jan 1st?

The theme would be Silent Protagonist.

I was listening to SabreTrout's commentary on Basilisk Smile, and he mentioned that the decision to make the NPCs statues came about so he didn't have to write so much dialog. So, a silent protagonist would increase the likelihood that the entries would actually be released (because it should be less work, in theory).

Would anybody be interested in creating a D-Mod for this theme? CocoMonkey? SabreTrout? Robj? Paul? Skull? Anyone?

For me, the problem has never been dialogue, but mapping. Writing video game dialogue is fun. Making maps is teeth-pulling torture.

But then, you can still have plenty of fun with dialogue when you have a silent protagonist (see: Dragon Quest, the Mother series, etc).

I'd try to see if I could come up with something for any contest that comes along, since I really want to support more DMOD development in general, but what'd make me most likely to finish would be a theme that makes for less map work somehow.

I'm tempted. But I also have other things I'd rather make. Like the next part of the dmod I uploaded that's currently pending(hint hint). So basically I'll do it if I come up with a really good idea, or if the contest theme changes to be something where I can do both simultaneously.

I could try to make something for it, I guess. But I think that on top of the usual contest rules, we should add two very specific new rules, to ensure we'll actually get D-Mods released for the contest.

#1) Actually give the contest plenty of time. We've had way too many contests dragged on and on from the original deadline, and eventually ended up having no finished D-Mods despite getting two, sometimes three, extra months. It doesn't matter if we give an initial longer deadline, or keep adding months upon months on a shorter one. So I propose we get a longer deadline from the get-go. Say... 5-6 months? May seem long, but people would be begging for that extra time anyway, even if we first set it to 2 months or something.

#2) Let's make a rule that all the D-Mods entered into the contest must be Romps. Because even with a longer deadline, I'm pretty sure there will still be cases where people won't have their D-Mods finished in time. How about this time we make sure nobody starts trying to go for a way too ambitious super-project, that will end up prolonging the contest and eventually completely killing it. How about just quality over size?

I propose these rules, because at the end of the day, the goal of these contests is to create new D-Mods and bring some life into an old and otherwise quiet community. There's no point in sacrificing promising new D-Mods, just for the sake that "it's a contest". Especially since so many of the contests have rather miserably failed, and often those two exact things I mentioned above, are the reason why.

For #2, as we've all discussed before, at length, the D-Mod categories are not well-defined. One person's romp could be someone else's quest. I agree with your intent, though, and we should try to limit the quantifiable elements (like number of screens and/or scripts). The Alternative Hero D-Mod contest had a limit of 60 screens, I think, and that directly influenced the design and structure of COE and Lyna's Story.

For #1, I think the longer deadlines usually result in lack of participation, because most people are procrastinators, and usually put off work until the last minute (when it is actually required). I'd prefer 2 months (particularly the next two months, as some people will have more time off work/school at the end of December thanks to Christmas).

For #2, as we've all discussed before, at length, the D-Mod categories are not well-defined. One person's romp could be someone else's quest. I agree with your intent, though, and we should try to limit the quantifiable elements (like number of screens and/or scripts). The Alternative Hero D-Mod contest had a limit of 60 screens, I think, and that directly influenced the design and structure of COE and Lyna's Story.


Well, it's not that hard to determine what's a Romp and what's not. As long as it takes the common player under an hour to complete. That shouldn't be too hard for the author to figure out. Point is that the author won't start purposely creating a D-Mod that'd take everyone over an hour. Of course, we can add a limit of screens to this as well. I actually don't think that's a bad idea at all, as long as it's not too ridiculous and strict. Say, 60 screens and you can go 15 over that if you absolutely need to.

For #1, I think the longer deadlines usually result in lack of participation, because most people are procrastinators, and usually put off work until the last minute (when it is actually required). I'd prefer 2 months (particularly the next two months, as some people will have more time off work/school at the end of December thanks to Christmas).

While I understand your point of view, I've seen Dink contests die far too many times in the reent years, because of this exact perception. Personally speaking, I'd probably have to drop out if the deadline was reduced to that. I just don't have enough time these days to create a D-Mod (even a Romp) in such a short time, and judging by past contests, neither do most people here. While 6 months may create procrastination, let's face it, people will procrastinate anyway, no matter what the deadline is. When I hear I have such short time to make a D-Mod, my motivation to enter the contest immediately drops altogether, and so do many other people's. While with a longer deadline, I at least have the motivation to try to race the deadline. Besides, it's better that people procrastinate 3 months, and work on their D-Mod for another 3, than procrastinate 2 months and notice the deadline flew by already.

Yes, I'll enter if this comes to be.

I'm not fussed on the rules, whatever they turn out to be I'll follow them, lol.

Never actually entered a dmod contest, so it will be interesting. Also, it'll force me to actually release a new dmod.

EDIT: Also, it's good to see someone's watching the LP's... makes it all the more worthwhile making them.

Possibly. I do actually have a couple of Dink projects going at the moment already. So it would depend on how those progress.

Also possibly. I can think of a few cool ideas to do with a silent protagonist.

Unfortunately, there's not really much chance of me joining this contest. Any Dinking I'll be doing in the next months will likely be me trying to finish the DMOD I'm already making.

However, playing the entries that other people make is definitely something I will be doing if everything works out.

I might be up for this contest if it becomes a thing. I have funny ideas already and this could be the kick I need to get back into D-modding, and eventually continue working on my epic once again.

I would actually have tried to put something into place, but I only have a Chromebook currently. There's an outside chance I could enter, but again it would be something put together in a matter of days.

Lovely idea though. I agree that an end of 2014 deadline would be best.

A new contest would be great.

I might even try to enter myself, though historically I've got just a 1 in 3 ratio of entering versus starting. (I definitely wouldn't enter if the deadline was 6 months though.)

hmm - I like to support these, would like to have a go too... although... yells up to Cocomonkey "I love mapping - wanna do a joint entry maybe?? I map u code"?

... err, only thing is... REDINK!! I asked for a password reset yet havent seen it come thru my mail - lost mine ages ago when i deleted all history heh and forgot to write it down and and and I cant login wails

Hrrrrm; how interesting.

MsDink: Is your e-mail address still the same? I did find a weird problem where the return address didn't look correct, so maybe it was added to your spam folder (or rejected out-right). I submitted a password-reset in your name, please let me know if you receive it (or not).

Eh, well... do what you want with the contest. But I know it's gonna go like it always does, without those new rules. We'll maybe get like... a max of two D-Mods if we're lucky. And even one of those will probably be begging for extra time by the end of December. If we added those new rules I mentioned, with luck we'd have the chance to get maybe even 4 or 5 D-Mods out of this.

As I said, do what you wish, but there have been about 5 D-Mod contests that have failed because of those exact things I mentioned, during my time here, alone.

That is an intriguing offer, MsDink. Your maps would be way better than anything I'd make anyway.

I want to make a dmod with MsDink! I wonder what the maps would be like.

Teletubbies. Come to play.

MsDink's maps are great, your storywriting is great. This can be a lethal combo!

I'll leave it up to you, I'm already working on a DMOD!

So... to clarify... is a silent protagonist just a character who has no dialogue (audible or written) but may have SFX?

Or is it "silent" in the sense of behind the scenes?

Maybe you should put off on making it until something is announced.

Thanks I have my colour back hugs

How about a contest where people finish D-mod that are unfinished.

That would actually be funny. Especially if everyone has to finish the same DMOD.

Haha, that's actually quite brilliant.

I might be able to enter this now...

I might be able to enter this now...

This was ThePunisher's plan all along you doofus!

As for the contest, I usually dislike silent protagonists, because they harm the identity of the main character. However, there are some games where it worked out well and I think Dink-like games can pull it off (like Zelda).

One question, does the silence need to persist throughout the whole game? Can the main character be "cured" of the condition by the very end? As a sort of resolution?

Well, over here it says "The theme for this contest is Silent Protagonist. This means that, outside of the introduction and/or finale, the player character can not talk."

So I'd take that to mean he has to be silent throughout the part where the player is actually in control, but could talk in beginning/ending cut scenes if you wish.

I'll definitely consider this.

Just an idea for the future, although I'm not a modder. 4 screen dmod, or screen limited contest...

We had a one screen DMOD contest once, it was just another way of saying "make a weird DMOD". One screen or four screens isn't going to matter even one little bit in that regard. The current contest is capped at 60 screens, it is already something to really take into account. To put it into perspective: In the only contest I ever entered my entry had 100 screens, none of the other entries had below 80.

I don't know what I feel about contests where the theme/constraints are set around limited screens. Call me old fashion, but I really like the classic (call them cliché) themed D-Mods the most. I guess I find them the most rewarding and enjoyable to play.

Weird D-Mods doesn't really appeal to me at all.

My problem with the screen limit is that I like making more open areas for the purpose of exploration. So far I haven't fully decided if I was going to take that element away from the D-mod I'm making for the contest, or if I'll just end up with an explorable map with lots of back and forth quests.

You could always try to subvert the limit by reusing screens. That's pretty much what I did in Lyna's Story. And with Dink 1.08 you can almost completely rewrite screens using map_tile() and map_hard_tile().

Or easier than rewriting tiles, you can load them as sprites:

load_sequence tiles\ts 851
load_sequence tiles\ts 852 BLACK

And use clipped tile-sprites for terrain features that change.

It'd be a pain in the butt to make a truly large d-mod fit in 60 screens using these methods, but theoretically it could be done.

Heh, I did think that if there ever would be a one-screen DMOD again I would (try to) write a program that can write DinkC scripts from map information. (Using initiaton's trick of faking screen transitions.) That way you can fit an entire DMOD on one screen. Like you said, ever since Dink v1.08 we have access to writing tile data and hardness data using a script attached to the screen, so theoretically it should be perfectly possible.

I'll get in on this.