ParserComp 2021 Registration ... Soon, very soon, but how soon?

Competitions
#1

… may be open VERY soon … as in, next few days …

How itch.io works is that once I publish the comp page then from that point on anyone can register their intent (once they have an itch account respectively), so it appears that there isn’t a “registration period” as such other than you can register any time up to the end of the submission window. Submission if you’ll recall from the rules is June 1st to July 31st at 11:59pm UK time (as i’m in the UK).

I’m thinking to just go ahead and publish the comp page so that registrations can begin, I know its 4+ months away but I know myself that time has a habit of running away with you so its probably not as long as all that.

Any strenuous objections to my publishing the page, let’s say Friday this week, so that people can start registering intent?

Thanks

Adam

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#2

Just letting you know I’d love to participate in and support your ParserComp, but I won’t be able on time constraints, because my current parser game will be lucky to be finished by next IFComp, even if I work on it every chance I get… Glad you’re doing this though, and I hope it goes well!

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#3

Thanks :slightly_smiling_face::+1:

No problem, I know all too well myself how long these things take so completely understand!

Adam

#4

Why not open it up on April 1st?

The TALP jam is running until then and it’s plenty of time to have people join before the start date. Adventuron jams usually have 10 - 14 days for the startup period.

2 Likes
#5

Go for it!

I have my game design worked out already.

Well, mostly :slight_smile:

2 Likes
#6

I’ll go with @adventuron’s suggestion of April 1st. That will give us a timeline of…

April to May - Registration plus promoting the heck out of the comp via every social media platform I can think of.

June to July - Submission (also registration as this is just part of the itch package)

August - Voting

September 1st - Result!

Adam :slightly_smiling_face::+1:

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#7

Thanks Adam. I’ll be promoting ParserComp where I can as soon as TALPJam is over. Also gives you a bit more time for putting together promotional material too. Good to co-ordinate these things.

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#8

Again that voting period will clash with IntroComp, which is not ideal for either competition …

http://introcomp.org/

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#9

I know, I’m a little out of room though unfortunately - sorry! :frowning: If I move any more towards the end of the year it’ll be too close to IFComp, any further the other way and there’s a bunch of Jams plus Spring Thing.

When I ran the “when does everyone want ParserComp to happen” July and August topped the polls.

Also, in a more positive sense, I wanted to include the rule that a game that had previously been entered into IntroComp could also be entered into ParserComp; and therefore the overlap would work because you could enter IntroComp one year, finish your game, then enter ParserComp the next year.

It’s not entirely too late to move it but there isn’t much wiggle room, I’m also now conscious that people have ‘mentally’ registered with the current timetable in mind and moving it could force them to rethink.

I suspect we’ve reached as close to a sweet spot as we can find, but happy to hear suggestions.

Thanks :+1:

Adam

1 Like
#10

June was actually top in the poll, by quite a stretch. But I know you’re tight on options.

Also to be fair IntroComp hasn’t been confirmed for 2021 yet. Though it usually happens.

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#11

Must admit I wrote that without checking back :grimacing: I would have swore it was July & August though, that’s where my legendarily bad memory has let me down again!

This is where it gets tricky then. In theory June sounds fine, but that is presumably for voting which means April and May for submissions and anytime prior to April for registration/intent… But I’ve just agreed with Chris Ainsley to open registration/intent from April 1st onwards so as not to clash with the preceeding Jam.

I guess in theory it could be June for voting, May for submission and April for registration which may be fine but it certainly feels more compressed that I’d like.

Who runs IntroComp? I can always have a chat and see what they think.

Adam

#12

Xalavier Nelson. You can find a contact email address for him on the IntroComp page I linked to above.

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#13

Okidoke, well look, I’ll reach out to Xalavier and see what the plan is for this year. I’ll do my best but it might just be one of those situations where its one juggle too far!

Plan B might be to shrink the window (as I described in my earlier post) for reg, submission and voting but my guess is that might be a little tight and I don’t want to lose anyone that’s been excited to enter.

Watch this space :+1:

Adam

1 Like
#14

@vivdunstan

Viv, what was the timetable for IntroComp last year, can you recall?

With the June-August plan would the overlap/conflict be the voting phase?

Xalavier has replied that IntroComp is happening this year, there’s no room for manoeuvre on when it happens (which is fine, ParserComp is the new kid in town) but he hasn’t said when or what the timetable is.

I’m trying to work out whether I can hit a nice compromise and go April for Registration, May & June for Submission, July for voting.

Adam

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#15

Update!

Xalavier came back and there’s no getting around the fact that IntroComp and ParserComp are going to overlap by 50% at least; whichever way I cut it.

The best I can do is…

April - Registration
May & June - Submission
July - Voting

That means at least the voting period itself won’t clash.

I’ll make a formal announcement early next week. :slightly_smiling_face::+1:

Adam

1 Like
#16

I’m guessing you’ve got this info now, but in case not … quoting from the IntroComp web page I linked to:

Intents to Enter Accepted: June 7, 2020
Intent to Enter Deadline: June 30, 2020
Excerpt Submission Deadline: July 31, 2020
Voting Deadline: August 3, 2020
Result Post Deadline: September 5, 2020

It was the voting period that would have clashed.

How about considering running ParserComp earlier in future years? So a partial clash this year but it needn’t be so bad in 2022 etc?