MRC Snowfall Challenge

It's almost December which means winter, Christmas and short dark days in which it's tempting to use your computer(s) even more than usual. As we all know, the MSX is a lovely computer system to develop for, so the MSX Resource Center challenges you to do exactly that.

What's the challenge? We would like you to create a demo for the MSX computer which contains an effect in which you can see snow falling. You can do this in any programming language you like: BASIC, Pascal, C, Assembly, DM-System2, NestorBASIC, Kun-BASIC,... it doesn't matter as long as it works on real MSX computers. Same goes for system requirements: you can do it on an MSX1 with 16kB RAM, but you can use any configuration up to a MSX turboR with 4096kB RAM, GFX9000 and MoonSound. If you want to add other demo-elements like a scroll or an animation: feel free to do so!

If you need other people to help you with graphics or music, if you want to know how to create such an effect or if you want to talk about what you're working on, head over to our development forum and start a forum thread about it. On our forums many experienced MSX developers can probably help you out.

The rewards? Well, first and foremost we will pay a lot of attention to every entry that is submitted by putting it on our frontpage and in our downloads database. The entire MSX Community will have a look at your submissions! Second, some entries will win interesting prices. We will not (only) look at the quality of the code, also originality and circumstances (e.g. programming languages and system requirements) will be taken into account. To make things even more interesting: We will even pick one or two winners randomly, so every entry could be a winner. So, by sending in a submission you can win one of the following prizes:

ASCII MSX Magazine 2
Toshiba MSX-Audio
One of the two PSX controller to MSX joystick connector convertors

So experts, beginners and people who never even coded in BASIC before: grab this oppurtunity and join the MSX Resource Center Snowfall Challenge!

You can send in your submissions until January 5th, 2004 by mailing them to snowfall@msx.org

Comments (5)

By wolf_

Ambassador_ (10135)

22-11-2003, 22:26

naaa... equal system requirements rock way more imho

By Bart

Paragon (1422)

23-11-2003, 01:01

Thanks for your opinion on this Wolf, but I have to disagree. There are a couple of reasons why this contest should not be restricted to certain system requirements. First of all, if we bound this challenge to restrictions then it may be possible that not every MSX developer can enter the challenge. That's because the restrictions possibly could not be met by everyone. Furthermore without restrictions this challenge offers more freedom in development for the contestants. Also it is possible for beginners without knowledge of "new" hardware like GFX9000 to enter the contest this way. But let's focus on the purpose of this challenge. The goal that we'd like to reach here is that MSX developers of every level can put his/her creativity in this challenge and to create something cool with his/her MSX again. Last but not least, when we determine winners we will ofcourse see what the developer did. So creating a Snowfall that requires a Turbo R with GFX9000 but could easily been done the same on a regular MSX2, will be less favourable for high points then creating a Snowfall on MSX1 which is pushing the MSX1 to the edge. All in all, there's no need (and we don't wish to do so either) to determine specific requirements.

To get back to the topic, I know you can do some nice stuff with MSX, so when can we expect your entry?

By Bart

Paragon (1422)

23-11-2003, 01:06

Before I forget, creativity is a big issue too. It's not just what you can do with your MSX, it's also very much about how creative your challenge entry is.

By wolf_

Ambassador_ (10135)

23-11-2003, 21:02

yeah well, a noobdemo on a tR/gfx9000 is nice when a die-hard coder does the same on an msx 1 ... however, can you imagine the situation being the other way around ? a noob using an msx1 and a die-hard coder on a tR/gfx9000 ?

By anonymous

incognito ergo sum (116)

23-11-2003, 22:29

That's their choice, isn't it...

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