Rule Clarification – Base Code
Each LD I’ve been starting with an entirely blank page, using only one library (jQuery). Part of that has been because all my games have been very different so far, but I’m thinking that if I want to do a game similar to an older one then I probably don’t want to start from scratch.
construction
From the rules:
Base code and personal code libraries are allowed, but should be declared and shared with the community prior to beginning your entry.
Are there any restrictions on base code / personal code libraries? Does this mean it’s legit to use most of the code of an old game, recreate the art assets, and create a sequel?
Leave a comment — How do you handle this; what base code do you start with?
Comments
11. Apr 2014 · 14:59 UTC
My interpretation is based on an older writing of the rules that made this a bit more obvious. Reading rule 2, though, makes me think this is still the intent. Starter code cannot have any specific game-related logic. If it’s boilerplate, like the code to get a screen up, that’s not game specific. If it’s a utility function, like find me a path between two points, that’s not game specific. If it’s “find the player, path to him, once a ray test shows a clean shot, shoot him with this bullet”, that’s game specific logic and is not valid. Unfortunately things like Unity and Gamemaker blur the line between what’s game specific and what’s not (Unity’s character controllers seem sketchy to me).
11. Apr 2014 · 19:10 UTC
Well, there are a ton of people who use AS3 and start with the very expansive Flixel. So my rule has always been “Anything the people who use Flixel can start with, I can start with.”
12. Apr 2014 · 06:09 UTC
That’s an easy one. Basically it comes down to availability:
deathray
12. Apr 2014 · 14:57 UTC
Madpew’s interpretation is definitely more liberal, and would allow for a sequel or re-skinning of a previous game (so long as the code was made public & openly licensed).