Build, Expand, and Manage (Socially) Challenge is Now Live!

@khawk Just for clarification on “Create a Management game that incorporates at least one social gameplay element.” Does the social gameplay element mean a real live person has to be able to interact in same way? Or can this be AI based?

I already have a basic idea for the city builder and how to incorporate co-op elements, but I wanted to know if I have to actually require a real person or I can “simulate" a person by having AI as the co-player.

Rutin said:
Does the social gameplay element mean a real live person has to be able to interact in same way? Or can this be AI based? I already have a basic idea for the city builder and how to incorporate co-op elements, but I wanted to know if I have to actually require a real person or I can “simulate" a person by having AI as the co-player.

Yes, I intentionally wanted to leave this open to the possibility of simulating the social element. For example, a game may be single player only but encourage social behaviors through AI agents in its game design.

I really wanted to avoid narrowly binding social gameplay to only include live people since social elements - or maybe a “social feel” to the game is a better way of saying it - can also be driven through AI.

Works for me! ? Thanks!

khawk said:
Build, Expand, and Manage (Socially) Challenge is now live.

For some reason I'm not logged in on that page. What's the deal?

fleabay said:

khawk said:
Build, Expand, and Manage (Socially) Challenge is now live.

For some reason I'm not logged in on that page. What's the deal?

@fleabay Not sure what you mean? You're logged out when visiting that page?

When I open that link at a new tab, the site reverts back to white theme, and says “log in” at the right, so yeah ?

EDIT: It also asks for cookie permissions at the bottom.

Here, can still type this message and post it, but no idea if being logged in works across different tabs in the browser.

I can report that no issues are happening on my end. I remain logged in as per usual when visiting that page.

Alberth said:

When I open that link at a new tab, the site reverts back to white theme, and says “log in” at the right, so yeah ?

EDIT: It also asks for cookie permissions at the bottom.

Here, can still type this message and post it, but no idea if being logged in works across different tabs in the browser.

Ok, that is just strange. I have no explanation.. cookies and sessions and such have been an issue lately (and why clearing the cache might help), but for one specific page to be a problem is baffling.

Turns out that was an editor bug with links, so thanks for reporting it. ? Also now fixed (might still need cookie clears).

Now, back to the Challenge!

khawk said:
Also now fixed (might still need cookie clears).

I cleared cache and cookies and did a ctrl-F5, still the same.

Just an idea, add a link to the forum to the challenge page. It's a bit cumbersome trying to find back here. Previously the challenges were hidden in the new fangled groups, which are gone again ?

It's a tad confusing, innit?

@khawk Small question: the challenge page mentions a date and time for the deadline, but which time zone are we talking? ?

UpstreamCasualty said:

@khawk Small question: the challenge page mentions a date and time for the deadline, but which time zone are we talking? ?

Sorry for missing this question until now. You're right the challenge date needs to say the timezone!

In the challenge description we have:

The official Challenge period begins on May 4, 2020 and ends on July 3, 2020 at 11:59pm IDL.

IDL being International Date Line timezone.

As I'm seeing no other activity, here's a screenshot of the current state of my entry.

Administrate a space station, build it to advance. Over all that don't forget to keep your crew happy and interact with them properly.
Probably designed way too big, but something I was thinking of doing quite for a time.

Endurion said:

As I'm seeing no other activity, here's a screenshot of the current state of my entry.

Administrate a space station, build it to advance. Over all that don't forget to keep your crew happy and interact with them properly.
Probably designed way too big, but something I was thinking of doing quite for a time.

Nice! I'm only at the block out stage right now myself.

I have a question about the challenge rules/constraints. Would an online-boardgame-simulation be eligible? My idea has a very simple gameplay for a computer game, because it is meant to work as a regular physical board game as well. In the game the players have to manage a wizards university, research magic, teach students and make money from working together on stuff. It's management, but pretty simple and without almst any “building”. It's social by nature, because it can only be played together (or with AI-players) and there is some interaction between the players. Could that qualify?

Here's my progress so far. Still early days and my first attempt at an isometric game.

r1ckparker said:

Here's my progress so far. Still early days and my first attempt at an isometric game.

Very nice start!

Oh come on, no new to cite as the next comment :P

Now that I get to the actual game play progress comes to a screeching halt. I hope I get a least a few minutes of game play in there before time's up!