Pure Allegro Competition returns after 2 years.

Pure Allegro Competition returns after 2 years.

Niunio

Member #1,975

March 2002

Randy: Find a way that allows the use of, at least, END_OF_MAIN, please...:'(

X-G: You can use the int value of GFX_AUTODETECT instead, as well as screen->w and screen->h...

[edit]I find it:

rules said:

7) You may not use the preprocessor (except for allegro.h and END_OF_MAIN).

All rules has exceptions8-);D[/edit]

-----------------
Current projects: Allegro.pas | MinGRo

Thomas Fjellstrom

Member #476

June 2000

X-G: PROVE to me that "randomosity" requires "even distrobution".. That sounds a wee bit contradictory... but then I'm no expert at this stuff.. (physics, etc..)

--
Thomas Fjellstrom - [website] - [email] - [Allegro Wiki] - [Allegro TODO]
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X-G

Member #856

December 2000

I said randomosity for this purpose required it - how random is a function that only results in stars on the left side of the screen, for instance?

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gnolam

Member #2,030

March 2002

Would you call a PRNG whose next result you couldn't predict exactly, but that would be "7" in 99% of all cases and "2" in 1%, random? I wouldn't.

The two most important criteria when it comes to judging PRNGs are their 1) number distribution and 2) "unpredictability". 1) means just what you think it does: in the ideal case, all numbers within the generator's range have an equal probability of being generated. 2) is pretty important when dealing with cryptography and the like: think of it as the possibility to guess the next number(s) from its previous outputs.

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Andrei Ellman

Member #3,434

April 2003

Thomas Fjellstrom said:

Or how bout the scarriest C code you've ever seen compo?

[url http://www.ioccc.org/]

--
Don't let the illegitimates turn you into carbon.

Pradeepto Bhattacharya

Member #1,340

May 2001

Quote:

http://www.ioccc.org/

An Obfuscation Work Of Art

1#define _ F-->00 || F-OO--;
2double F=1.01,OO=00;
3main(){F_OO();printf("%f\n", 4.*-F/OO/OO);}F_OO()
4{
5            _-_-_-_
6       _-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_
7    _-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_
8  _-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_
9 _-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_
10 _-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_
11_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_
12_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_
13_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_
14_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_
15 _-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_
16 _-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_
17  _-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_
18    _-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_
19       _-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_
20            _-_-_-_
21}

Can anybody guess what is the output of the program (without running)?

Believe it or not , the value of PI !!!

--
I vote for Pradeepto. - Richard Phipps
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Zaphos

Member #1,468

August 2001

Quote:

There is one rule: Allegro only code.

In essense:
a bunch of rules

The wording of the compo rules description implies that the rules list follows from the one rule, and that the absurd list of bad coding style restrictions are somehow an important aspect of code being "allegro-only". Which makes no sense to me. It's like this is attempting to be a themed compo but failing.
Ultimately I think that if a competition is enforcing or asking for bad style, that's okay. But it should then let people be creative in designing their bad style, giving them the option to take advantage of the obscure features of a language. These rules, and even moreso the sample entry, do not seem to focus upon or even encourage language or even allegro-library abuse.

So, as spell said, what's the idea behind this?

As a side note, another 20 line compo would be rather cool. The 20 line idea is really interesting / fun to play with ...

Also as a side note, I know I'm hesitant to spend time on a compo when I don't know the person running it at all, because I have no faith that my entry will even see the light of day, be judged, etc. A quick webpage on the compo would probably encourage entrants.

Korval

Member #1,538

September 2001

Quote:

Please don't post if you aren't going to participate, sorry but I don't like coming here and reading a bunch of crap posts about peoples' opinions.

Tough. If you don't want to read people's opinion of your competition, then don't tell people about it. Since you told people, you have to expect to hear their opinion on the subject.

The Lowdown said:

There is one rule: Allegro only code.

Other part of The Lowdown said:

1) Everything must exist in your main function.
2) You have to use Allegro.
3) You cannot use any libraries, including libc, only what Allegro needs from it.
4) You cannot include any header files except allegro.h
5) Your program must be contained within a single file.
6) You may not write your own functions.
7) You may not use the preprocessor (except for allegro.h and END_OF_MAIN).
8) C++ embedded functions are a no-no.
9) Type definitions are all that is allowed outside of main.
10) C++ new is also a no-no, it is equivalent to malloc in C.
11) External datafiles are OK.
12) VMs may be used, but they must be implemented as said above.
13) Last but not least, it does NOT have to be a game!

If the one rule is "Allegro only code", how does that necessitate that all code lives in "main()" and that the user can't have functions?

At least with Speedhack, you aren't forced to write really crappy code.

23yrold3yrold

Member #1,134

March 2001

Considering at least 3 other contests are on now/coming soon, this one doesn't sound like it's going to get a big turnout

--
Software Development == Church Development
Step 1. Build it.
Step 2. Pray.

Thomas Fjellstrom

Member #476

June 2000

I asked him that on #allegro... oh well.

Siloh

Member #2,786

October 2002

Quote:

If the one rule is "Allegro only code", how does that necessitate that all code lives in "main()" and that the user can't have functions?

Think. If I allow functions how easy is it for someone to just cut and paste an entire Allegro add-on library into their program? Or some other library?

Secondly... the allowance of Allegro-defined macros was clear with my entry, and just because the wording of my rules wasn't clear at 4:30 AM doesn't mean any different.

Quote:

I am limited on bandwidth this month so this forum is all you guys get for a site.

If you would be willing to host it, I'd be happy to make a site... I make them all the time. But I refuse to put it on some free host with a hundred advertisements forced onto my pages.

23yrold3yrold

Member #1,134

March 2001

Quote:

Think. If I allow functions how easy is it for someone to just cut and paste an entire Allegro add-on library into their program? Or some other library?

This is a danger in most of our comps, and it's usually an unfounded fear. Some like SpeedHack require you keep some kind of log, for example. For something like BlitzHack, cheating is either more trouble than it's worth or easy to get caught in But ultimately, we go by the honor system; you're told not to do that, and you don't. It certianly beats a "no functions" rule. ::)

Let's outlaw variables while we're at it. We can still use HTML ...

--
Software Development == Church Development
Step 1. Build it.
Step 2. Pray.

Siloh

Member #2,786

October 2002

Quote:

I'm glad you live in a world free of cheaters. Come to Real Life(tm) sometime.

23yrold3yrold

Member #1,134

March 2001

Hmmmmm .... has there ever been a cheater in an Allegro comp?

EDIT: There are slight security measures for Speed/BlitzHack (essential info withheld until go time) but that's about it. No need to suck the fun out of it Is there some cash prize or something?

--
Software Development == Church Development
Step 1. Build it.
Step 2. Pray.

Siloh

Member #2,786

October 2002

The safeguards in those compos actually do very little to stop determined cheaters.

23yrold3yrold

Member #1,134

March 2001

Eh. The safeguards in YOUR compo actually do quite a bit to deter possible entrants.

Anyway, good luck with it.

--
Software Development == Church Development
Step 1. Build it.
Step 2. Pray.

CGamesPlay

Member #2,559

July 2002

Quote:

determined cheaters

What! Where?

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Ryan Patterson - <http://cgamesplay.com/>

Siloh

Member #2,786

October 2002

Quote:

A question: #define M_PI 3.141569... is a macro/preprocessor directive?

Use AL_PI.

Zaphos

Member #1,468

August 2001

Quote:

There are no other rules.

If you want to cheat and preprocess your code before submitting it, that is your decision.

... so you already acknowledge that your rules are ineffective and you use an honor system, but you don't think that an honor system works? That's retarded.

Anyway, to basically have functions you can still call main recursively like this:

1int main(int f, char**args)
2{
 switch (f)
 {
     case 1:
     // function 1
     return n;
     case 2:
     // function 2
     return q;
     default:
 }
 // all the main program junk
 int j = main(1, null); // call function 1
 int d = main(2, argarray); // call function 2
 // more main program junk
17 
 return 0;
19}

Furthermore, I think you may be able to change the definition of main as you like it and just get warnings (mangled_main()?) ...

So yeah. These rules continue to be completely rediculous. If you want a pure allegro competition, just have a pure allegro competition. In contrast with, for example, this crap.

Siloh

Member #2,786

October 2002

Quote:

So yeah. These rules continue to be completely rediculous. If you want a pure allegro competition, just have a pure allegro competition. In contrast with, for example, this crap.

This thread has become so full of crap that those who are entering have to sift through tons of garbage just to get any actual information regarding the competition.

Those who have posted here saying that it is 'retarded' and things like that have accomplished nothing but help ruin it for those who are entering.

Just because you don't like it, don't mess it up for others.

Zaphos

Member #1,468

August 2001

1) A thread is started about a competition.
2) People comment about this competition.
This is a perfectly normal sequence of events. If a the compo in question has serious fallacies in construction that would prevent (it seems) most of the forumites from wishing to enter and it's a compo that doesn't sound like it would be entirely bad if it said errors in construction were corrected, it seems perfectly reasonable to me to explain / discuss what the problems are and how to fix them. That is all that has occured.
Since it seems feedback of all degrees and intonations is entirely ineffective, this isn't getting anywhere and I suppose it shall stop. ... shrug. That's not my fault.

Siloh

Member #2,786

October 2002

I see nothing but lameness.

Quote:

Give up now and change the rules.

And where did you come from? You dare ßî+çh about us posting crap. You've only have three posts total. All in this thread.

[EDIT] This post was not edited

Quote:

So yeah. These rules continue to be completely rediculous. If you want a pure allegro competition, just have a pure allegro competition. In contrast with, for example, this crap.

23yrold3yrold

Member #1,134

March 2001

Sorry, but it's my opinion it's a lame compo Especially with a bunch of (IMHO) superior ones running now too.

Is anyone actually entering? I hope you're getting better luck on that other thread you linked to ...

--
Software Development == Church Development
Step 1. Build it.
Step 2. Pray.

Thomas Fjellstrom

Member #476

June 2000

Quote:

I've been called a b**ch and retarded in this thread,

Uhhh.. neither of those happened... Someone said you were bitching (theres a major difference), and that the compo is retarded.

Siloh

Member #2,786

October 2002

Quote:

Sorry, but it's my opinion it's a lame compo

It wasn't so lame 2 years ago when I got over 15 entries (alot for that time), and most of them were really good (some guy wrote a VM that ran sub-Perl code).

Quite frankly I've had enough, competition closed.