Anyone interested in a Winter Icehouse Game Design Competition, while we've still got a month of winter? :)
If so, it would be time for a restriction... and I think a Pink Stash restriction could be quite a challenge.
Not to start a kerfluffle, but how might one *require* a Pink Stash? Might be too restrictive--how many games can really be made that necessitate a particular color? I predict there'd be some kind of rush on CMYK-themed games! ;)
Or maybe we could do a Game Chef sort of restriction: pick three of five words and the game must use them; judges should take into account the merit or significance of the words' usage in the game design (i.e. an irrelevant or superfluous use of a (the) term(s) would rank lower). I, as a judge, would consider a theme-heavy game as using a term well, for instance. But a lot of themes are "tacked on" so maybe that could be trickier.
Also, should we have contests ever again, I'd recommend we hash out some means of scoring by categories, like:
* Presentation - Clarity of writing, authorial style, organization and visual aids - 20 points
* Innovation - Unique play, unique setup or board, atypical extra equipment - 20 points
* (Re)Playability - Delivers the goods time and time again; folks will be playing it in 2100 - 30 points
* Fun Factor - Even a total non-gamer, boring accountant digs it - 30 points (Sorry, accountants! Easiest stereotype I could think of!)
[* Use Of Restriction - A mere nod towards the restriction, or was it so tightly integrated that you couldn't play the game without it? - 50]
...or some such--we can debate the categories and relative weights if the general consensus is that it would be a good guide for judges (remember that we want NEW judges, not just Iceheads who have their own esoteric notions about a "good Icehouse game").
The goal being to provide judges with a slightly more concrete means to rank games other than pure subjectivity. Err, that is, the subjective judgments would be more granular, perhaps leading a judge to be a bit surprised at what games end up ranked where, on their own list. Sort of "sneaking up" on a judgment, rather than a more vague "well, this one was a bit better than that one, though I can't put my finger on why."
So, I guess this is three threads:
Winter 2009 IGDC - Yes or no.
Restriction - Product/component, mechanical, terminological?
Judging Categories - Yes or no; and if so what and how weighted?
Four! Four threads! :)
David Artman
Once and Future IGDC Coordinator