Game Chef

After having some fun with game design contests over the last few months, I've decided to take part in one of the biggest ones.

I've entered The Game Chef's contest for 2008.

The last contest of this nature that I entered resulted in a game about time-travelling, swashbucklers and quantum mechanics. Something that is nearing the final stages of self publication for a release date in July.

This years Game Chef contest is called "Artists First" and the basis is that artists produce a small string of illustrations to evoke a setting and mood, then a game designer produces a complete result from the artistic basis.

I've looked at some of the artworks being submitted and while some of the work is pretty average, there are some absolutely astounding pieces. I'm not sure at this stage if designers will be randomly allocated images to work with, or if they will be able to choose from those available.

I can see benefits and flaws to both options. If we get randomly allocated images, there are a few where I'd have a hard time doing something that I'd enjoy writing. But if we get the choice from all possible options, I'd have a hard time choosing between some of them.

I guess I'll find out in the next couple of days as the artist phase of the contest ends and the design portion begins.

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