Original Post
After thinking about this contest and all the feedback that I have received, I have determined that we, collectively as a group here, have a few options.
Option 1: We start the contest with the arena executable (almost) as-is with a few defect fixes.
Advantages:
The contest starts within the next 2 weeks.
The core of the arena works well. It's just the presentation that needs work.
Disadvantages:
The arena executable may not work properly for everyone.
The defects everyone has been seeing with the download, for the most part, will remain until a later date.
Everyone accepts the interface as-is.
Option 2: I rewrite parts of the arena executable to allow for some of these other features that have been mentioned. Advantages: The arena executable will (hopefully) work well on everyone's machine.
All defects have been fixed due to a redesign.
Some of the features that have been requested are implemented, or at the minimum, easily added due to the redesign.
Disadvantages:
The contest will not start anytime soon. It could be another 2 months or more (keep in mind I only worked on this for about 3-5 hours per week for 2 months.. that trend would have to continue).
Potential for new defects due to redesign.
Option 3: We start a contest without prizes (for fun) using the current arena executable - a sort of trial run. During the lifetime of this contest, the arena executable and the interface is redesigned and reimplemented to fix defects and include improvements/features based on feedback. Advantages: We have a contest.
We get immediate feedback on: the arena executable, the arena interface, and the contest format.
Everyone gets a chance to give their input to make a better product (product being the contest).
The first official contest would be (in theory) better due to a low defect yield and a reworked/rehashed/reimplemented arena with improvements.
Everyone tests the current arena for the contest, as well as the new arena for feedback.
Disadvantages:
We do not have prizes.
The real contest does not start for another couple of months - at least until this first one is over and the new arena version is ready.
If anyone has any other advantages/disadvantages for each of these, I'd like to see them. Basically, I realized that my attempt at quickly developing the arena executable might not result in the best and most fair contest possible. And given that I cannot stand having people use my software if it is buggy, I would rather improve it if that is what everyone would rather have. Another reason is that this is a completely new contest for GameDev.net, and while I do not expect to get it right this first time, I would like to make it as good as possible. I leave this up to you, however. If Option 2 or 3 are decided, then just remember that I will not be working on this fulltime, and I will not be spending a couple hours every night trying to complete it. I have a life that I want to keep, a book that I need to get busy on, and everyday work.
However, I would spend a few hours per week, and I would be willing to make this contest better if that is the consensus I received from those interested in participating.
Also, feature creep will be kept at a minimum. If a new version is to be created, it will have a defined set of improvements, and only those improvements will be included. Anything else will have to wait until after the "official" contest.
***EDIT: To clarify a point made in a reply below, these features have already been determined for the next version of the arena executable. While people may request many features, some extraneous at this point, I already have a list of improvements and fixes. So by saying that feature creep will be kept at a minimum, I mean that my list of improvements is already defined for the next version, and new requests during that version's development will not be implemented.
Anyway, as always, provide comments, suggestions, ideas, your name and credit card number, etc. and let me know as a collective whole what you want to do based on the advantages and disadvantages of each option.
*** This post has been edited. Please review it for any changes since your last visit. ***
Option 2: I rewrite parts of the arena executable to allow for some of these other features that have been mentioned. Advantages:
Option 3: We start a contest without prizes (for fun) using the current arena executable - a sort of trial run. During the lifetime of this contest, the arena executable and the interface is redesigned and reimplemented to fix defects and include improvements/features based on feedback. Advantages:
If anyone has any other advantages/disadvantages for each of these, I'd like to see them. Basically, I realized that my attempt at quickly developing the arena executable might not result in the best and most fair contest possible. And given that I cannot stand having people use my software if it is buggy, I would rather improve it if that is what everyone would rather have. Another reason is that this is a completely new contest for GameDev.net, and while I do not expect to get it right this first time, I would like to make it as good as possible. I leave this up to you, however. If Option 2 or 3 are decided, then just remember that I will not be working on this fulltime, and I will not be spending a couple hours every night trying to complete it. I have a life that I want to keep, a book that I need to get busy on, and everyday work.
However, I would spend a few hours per week, and I would be willing to make this contest better if that is the consensus I received from those interested in participating.
Also, feature creep will be kept at a minimum. If a new version is to be created, it will have a defined set of improvements, and only those improvements will be included. Anything else will have to wait until after the "official" contest.
***EDIT: To clarify a point made in a reply below, these features have already been determined for the next version of the arena executable. While people may request many features, some extraneous at this point, I already have a list of improvements and fixes. So by saying that feature creep will be kept at a minimum, I mean that my list of improvements is already defined for the next version, and new requests during that version's development will not be implemented.
Anyway, as always, provide comments, suggestions, ideas, your name and credit card number, etc. and let me know as a collective whole what you want to do based on the advantages and disadvantages of each option.
*** This post has been edited. Please review it for any changes since your last visit. ***
