Java4K 2013!

[davedes]

Why applets only?

[Damocles]

because its almost as easy as starting a flash game.
When everything is set up propperly.

[appel]

Why applets only?

It's a user convenience mostly. The webstart method is a utterly bad way to get people to play small web based games, all sorts of dialogs, system tray icons, window tabs it doesn't recognize because webstart isn't that common.
Webstart may work for some type of applications, but IMHO webstart should just be killed off as a technology because it's horrible. Webstart was only created because they couldn't figure out how to make applets not suck, and I've not seen anyone create a very successful webstart-only application.

Not that I think applets are super great either, my browser hangs like back in 1998 when loading an applet, even if it got 8 cores, 16 gig ram and a SSD.

Besides, if you go to a game web site where you can play small games, users EXPECT the games to be embedded in the web page and playable from there, flash has set the standard and user expectations. Using webstart is like smacking the users in their face with a wrench.

Besides besides, it doesn't look like applets-only is an obstacle for 4k game developers.

Games published by our own members! Check 'em out!

[appel]

I've changed the rules to make it more fair, Apo's games must be 2K, and no pack200 for him either  Nah, just kidding.

There's bunchload of games submitted into the contest already, and I'm trying not to flood the main page too fast. I think this year is going to surpass 100 games, only 6 days since the contest opened and already 25 games submitted, most from Apo and he isn't even done making games I'm even starting to work on my own little 4k game, hurray!

[Jimmt]

I've changed the rules to make it more fair, Apo's games must be 2K, and no pack200 for him either  Nah, just kidding.

There's bunchload of games submitted into the contest already, and I'm trying not to flood the main page too fast. I think this year is going to surpass 100 games, only 6 days since the contest opened and already 25 games submitted, most from Apo and he isn't even done making games I'm even starting to work on my own little 4k game, hurray!

Good to see you make a game yourself 
And someone tell zeroone he has competition...

[Best Username Ever]

I'm curious. How many bytes of source code is 4kB of game?

[ctomni231]

Actually, that depends on how you write the code, but it is anywhere 20KB or less (if you are using the bare-bone classes.) It is all about how you structure the code. I wouldn't be surprised if you can get 30K code can be compressed to 4KB size.

[appel]

I'm curious. How many bytes of source code is 4kB of game?

The bytes of source code does not matter, it does not reflect on the compressed-end-game package size.

I encourage people to write good structured code, comment a lot, use long descriptive variable names. The obfuscators and compressors will strip everything down to their bare bone anyway. You gain nothing by writing cryptic unreadable one-liners that you believe takes up less space than it actually does, I've tried that before, took something like 40KB of source code and made it 20KB by making it less readable, and it actually increased the size of the final jar.

[Best Username Ever]

You inferred a lot. All source code metrics don't mean much. But obviously if someone wanted a such a measure they would want a representation of the organic version of the code, not the obfuscated version. Otherwise they may as well just consult the size of the compiled version.

[pjt33]

My three previous entries are respectively 29315 bytes, 37178 bytes, and 48059 bytes of source code. The main length difference is probably in the encoding of data, because \uxxxx is quite long...

Games published by our own members! Check 'em out!

[teletubo]

Hey appel, I can't seem to register on the Register page of java4k.com

I got this error as soon as I click "Register" button:

Deprecated: Function eregi() is deprecated in C:\wamp\vhosts\java4k.com\public_html\include\controllers\controller.register.php on line 26
Call Stack
# Time Memory Function Location
1 0.0010 702872 {main}( ) ..\index.php:0
2 0.0280 1636272 ControllerAbstract->__construct( ) ..\index.php:49
3 0.0280 1636776 ControllerRegister->doValidate( ) ..\controller.abstract.php:15

I tried on Chrome and IE (although I'm pretty sure this is a server side problem).

[Alan_W]

appel, I can't seem to find Java4k.com.  Is it up?

Alan

[ra4king]

appel, I can't seem to find Java4k.com.  Is it up?

Alan

It's working for me.....

[Alan_W]

appel, I can't seem to find Java4k.com.  Is it up?

Alan

It's working for me.....

It's working for me now.  Must have been a reboot or a duff DNS cache.

[appel]

appel, I can't seem to find Java4k.com.  Is it up?

Alan

It's up was temporarily down because of reboot.

[appel]

I decided to modify one rule: (not popular after contest starts, I know)

The Applet window size may not exceed 800 pixels horizontally or 600 pixels vertically. This is a guideline however, games can exceed this limit if it's deemed acceptable by java4k.com, although exceeding this is at your own risk. Some games do require more horizontal or vertical space, and it is allowed to exceed it a tiny bit. But be careful of exceeding the vertical limit, as vertical space is more limited on computer screens.

Green is the new text.

The reason for this is... well, some games actually slipped in that are slightly larger than 800x600, and I don't see any reason to reject the submissions. 800x600 is an arbitrary limit just to set some limit, going slightly larger is fine, but going somewhat larger may not be.

I guess someone is going to say "I spent a lot of time making my game to fit inside 800x600, and are you telling me now that I could have done it in 840x610??? THAT CHANGES EVERYTHING!!". Well, sorry... drama queen

I think it's better and less hassle just to modify the rule (takes me 30 seconds) rather than tell those forgetful poor souls they need to spend hours in an attempt to squeeze their game into that frame.

[Morre]

Appel,

I'm unable to login to the Java4k.com site to submit my game (I've forgotten either the username or the password, I suppose - site doesn't tell me which), and there's no "Forgot your password?" type link that I can find. Are you able to give me access to my account again somehow?

Thanks in advance,
Morre

[teletubo]

Hey appel, I can't seem to register on the Register page of java4k.com

I got this error as soon as I click "Register" button:

Deprecated: Function eregi() is deprecated in C:\wamp\vhosts\java4k.com\public_html\include\controllers\controller.register.php on line 26
Call Stack
# Time Memory Function Location
1 0.0010 702872 {main}( ) ..\index.php:0
2 0.0280 1636272 ControllerAbstract->__construct( ) ..\index.php:49
3 0.0280 1636776 ControllerRegister->doValidate( ) ..\controller.abstract.php:15

I tried on Chrome and IE (although I'm pretty sure this is a server side problem).

Appel ? Hello? I still can't register, with the same error. Is it just me ??

[appel]

Strange, I've registered one account in Firefox and another in Opera, and everything went through smoothly.

[teletubo]

Strange, I've registered one account in Firefox and another in Opera, and everything went through smoothly.

Derp. My bad. I was already registered with that username.
Anyway maybe you should eliminate this weird warning in this case.

[Morre]

For thread clarity, Appel has been in touch and has help me reset my password. Thanks

[Alan_W]

Time's almost up, so make sure your final version is in java4k.com by the end of february (tomorrow)!

[pjt33]

The site's down again. Another reboot?

[appel]

Up where I am.

[teletubo]

Unfortunately I think the site is pretty unstable.
I just opened the site to search for my entry, found it, copied the link to send to a friend then the link wouldn't open for him. Neither for me anymore.

I've tried to access the site several times last days and roughtly half of the times I got a DOS.
Do you have so many hits to bring the server down ? Or maybe is something else ?

[appel]

It's an hardware issue. I'm working on getting a new box hopefully in the next 2-3 days.