Toshi's QuickBASIC Intro Contest (Spring 2001)

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Status

The results are in. Check out the contest results page.

Optimus	Into the Fight
Sane	I'm the Superhero
Sancho	Monotony
Qasir	Chronic Madness
Lithium	LINTRO (The Sphere)
Toshi	FX

Target

The target of this contest is to improve the state of the art in QuickBASIC visual and audio effects by holding a intro competition. An INTRO is basically a short version of a DEMO, explained here.

Entry

Entries must be received by March 31, 2001 at the following email address. horie@sake.eecs.berkeley.edu. The entry should be attached in a .ZIP file with the alias or name of the author, e.g. LITHIUM.ZIP. The entry contain the full QB source code and any additional files needed to build and run the entry. It should also contain a README.TXT describing the entry and how to run it.

Rules

1. Up to and including 96KB (98304 bytes) compiled standalone .EXE. No EXE Packers!
2. Up to 512KB of external files for tables, graphics, sound data allowed.
3. Pure QuickBASIC source code
   • SHELL is NOT allowed
     (this means INT21,4B and other indirect ways of executing external programs is NOT allowed.)
   • CALL ABSOLUTE / ABSOLUTE is not allowed
   • CALL INTERRUPT is allowed.
   • No .LIB or .QLB linking other than the ones needed for reserved QB commands.
   • The internal QB libraries may not be modified.
   • People who find loopholes in the rules to do mixed language programming (using asm, etc.) MUST
     • Report the loophole to horie@sake.eecs.berkeley.edu.
     • Wait for a written approval or denial of the usage of the loophole from Toshi.
     • If an approval is given, two versions of the entry must be submitted:
       1. The one using source code consisting of ONLY Pure QuickBASIC commands.
       2. The one using the loophole to allow other languages
     • The two versions will be judged in separate categories for fairness.
4. Test system
   • Operating system: MS-DOS 7 (Win9x Command Prompt only).
   • 133MHz CPU minimum (you may target the average QB user's CPU speed instead)
   • 16MB RAM
   • VGA card only 60Hz or 70Hz refresh (no VESA)
   • SoundBlaster 16 compatible (intro must also run without sound using the -nosound switch at the command line.)

Judging

For fairness, the judging will be done by members of the QB community that are not entrants and are not active in the IRC channels.

1. Technical (speed, difficulty of effect) (40%)
2. Artistic (music, fluidity, ambience) (30%)
3. Wow and "Coolness" Factor (30%)

Approved Loopholes

1. Using GETed or BLOADed asm interrupt handlers that are executed using CALL INTERRUPT.