Hey there,

I had an idea for a rule change considering the Compo.

Many people are good at one thing, while bad at others.
Game Designers may have very good stories, but buggy games, or games made in higher level programs like GameMaker.
Game Programmers may have solid games, in well-established low-level programs like C++, but are usually very poor at making graphics.
Artists may have very nice art, but will need to use programs like Game-, RPG- or Adventure Maker.

Here’s my suggestion:
When submitting your game, you are presented by a number of checkboxes:

• Graphics,
• Coding,
• Music/Sound.

(Perhaps more, but these 3 seem most important)

If you check the Graphics checkbox, you abide to the rule that all graphics are made by you. It also means people judging you can give you a grade for graphics.
If you check the Coding checkbox, you abide to a new rule not to use programs like Game Maker or Quest3D or Flash (Which programs are banned can be debatable) to make your game, and only use a real coding language and at most a basic library. This includes a grading for coding.
If you check the Music/Sound checkbox, you abide to the rule that all music and sounds are made by you. It also means people judging you can give you a grade for Music or sounds.

For each checkbox, not checking it means more lenient rules, but also not being graded on the subject at hand. This would allow coders to use spritesets, unless they want to make their own programmer art (I’m all for programmer art by the way), and people not to bother with making their own sounds and music if they don’t want to.

For the Overall grading, I’d say put any opted-out grading to a standard 1. This way, the overall champ will still be the one making the best package, but it will allow people put off by the strict rules on graphics and sounds to make and show a game as well.

This is mostly just a brainstorm, and a post ment to set up a debate. I’m more then happy to abide by the rules, and I will, but I hope this post will at least make some people think and wonder whether this would be better or not.

And before someone mentions it: Yes, anyone could join the Jam instead. But the Jam hasn’t the same magic as the Compo.