Sonic the Hedgehog Hacking Contest 2012

Sonic the Hedgehog Hacking Contest 2012
(logo by Cinossu)

Well here we are again, it's always such a pleasure. The 2011 contest ended months ago and the results were posted after the contest week alongside SAGE 2011, but now it's time for the 2012 Hacking Contest. You should know the drill by now – work on a hack, submit it by a deadline, get it judged by our own Judging Team and you could win a trophy, or two, or even more (or just none)!

JUDGES

This year's judges will consist of myself, Ayla, Cinossu, Dude, Shadow Fire, Mercury and our new additions, D.A. Garden and MegaGWolf. This team will be reliable and will be able to deal with contest judging as soon as possible in order for us to progress through the contest and get the results out as soon as possible. Judges will be able to submit their own hacks, but will not be able to judge it themselves, nor will they be able to judge submissions that they have been involved with (such as team hacks). Please note that the final decisions are subjected to the Judging Team, and may not reflect your own opinion. Judges may change at any time. 

JUDGED TROPHIES

The trophies are largely unchanged from last year, aside from a few changes, notably the removal of the 8-bit and 3D trophies. Trophies can be added or removed at any time and there is a chance that not every trophy will be allocated. These trophies will be allocated by our Judges.

Hidden Palace Trophy
Grand prize / 1st place. This is given to the overall best hack in the contest.

Wood Zone Trophy
2nd place.

Dust Hill Trophy
3rd place.

Big Trophy
Worst hack submitted. Why was this even submitted?!

Green Hill Trophy
Hack (or specific level of a hack if non-applicable) that plays most like a Sonic game.

Windy Valley Trophy
Best art in a hack submitted.

D.A. Garden Trophy
Best music in a hack submitted.

Lava Reef Trophy
Best level layout in a hack submitted. This was the Palmtree Panic trophy last year, but it has been reverted back to its previous name.

Genocide City Trophy
Hardest level in a hack submitted.

11000101 Trophy
Best technical hack submitted.

Knuckles Trophy
Best new playable character in a hack submitted.

Fang Trophy
Best new enemy/badnik in a hack submitted.

Eggman Trophy
Best new boss or miniboss in a hack submitted.

Spin Dash Trophy
Best new ability in a hack submitted.

Carnival Night Trophy
Most innovative game play feature in a hack submitted.

Emerald Trophy
Best Special Stage in a hack submitted.

Crystal Meth Trophy
Most replayable hack submitted.

Robotnik's Revenge Trophy
Best new concept based on existing concepts in a hack submitted.

Casinopolis Trophy
Most entertaining / fun hack submitted.

Vector Trophy
Most humorous hack submitted.

WTF?! Trophy
Most unique hack submitted.

Christmas Present Trophy
The best hack submitted that no one saw coming.

Tails Trophy
Most improved hack from last year's contest. 

COMMUNITY TROPHIES

Last year we had our first Contest Week, where the public were able to vote for submissions during SAGE 2011. We do intend to hold a Contest Week for this contest, but it is unknown whether it will run alongside another event or not.

Hidden Palace Community Trophy
Best hack submitted overall.

Big Community Trophy
Worst hack submitted overall.

Windy Valley Community Trophy
Best art hack submitted.

D.A. Garden Community Trophy
Best music hack submitted.

Lava Reef Community Trophy
Best level layout hack submitted. Previously known as the Palmtree Panic Community Trophy.

11000101 Community Trophy
Best technical hack submitted. 

HOW TO SUBMIT

Submissions are simple to do. Using the form provided below, fill it out and email it to shc[@]sonicresearch[.]org – Remember, you will have time to update your submission after the submissions deadline, so anything can be submitted again, we'll judge your last version of the entry.
 


=========================================================================
Sonic the Hedgehog Hacking Contest 2012 Submission
=========================================================================
NAME OF HACK:
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
SUBMITTED BY:
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
ORIGINAL GAME:
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
CONSOLE:
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
EMULATORS SUPPORTED:
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
FILE:
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
DESCRIPTION OF HACK:
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
TOOLS USED:
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
DISASSEMBLY USED:
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
CATEGORIES: (Add an X to the categories that apply to your hack)
[ ] Level Edits
[ ] Art Edits
[ ] Sprite Edits
[ ] Programming
[ ] Music
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
EMAIL ADDRESS:
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
MEDIA: (Example: Screen shots, videos, music (all media except videos should be compressed to one file))

-------------------------------------------------------------------------
AVAILABILITY FOR CONTEST WEEK:
[ ] Full Private (Nothing is available to the Public)
[ ] Partial Private (Only Media is available to the Public)
[ ] Public (Contest Submission and Media available to the Public)
=========================================================================




CONTEST GUIDELINES

• Hacks must be emailed as ROMs, compressed in a format such as ZIP, RAR or 7z.
  
• You may enter as many hacks into the contest as you want.
• There are no limits on the editors or tools that you use in your hack.
• Simple palette hacks are not allowed, this isn't the Stone Age! You have enough time to work on a good hack, the judges will not waste time looking at a submission that just has the Spin Dash added from a guide and a recoloured Green Hill Zone.
• No late hacks will be accepted, so get it in on time or we won't include it in the judging.
• Should you enter a hack with stolen content, not only will the hack be investigated, but we will hunt you down, molest you, your account and your pet cat. 
• Things are subject to change at any time. We will inform you if they do and this post will be updated.

DEADLINE

This year's deadline for hacks to be submitted is Saturday 21st July 2012. No late hacks will be accepted, so be sure to get your hack in on time or face disappointment. There will be a period of time where submissions that have been entered successfully into the contest can be updated with new builds for judging, which will be until Saturday 28th July.

CONTEST WEEK

Just like last year, the public will have an opportunity to check out the contest entries. Public entries will be on offer to be downloaded, and you will be able to cast votes for the Community Trophies. 

For those hacks which have been chosen to remain private, please consider throwing out a few screenshots or videos to show what you have. You can also decide not to show anything at all, but any private hacks will not be able to be voted on for Community Trophies. In addition, we might have more events to show, but this is to be discussed.

At the end of the week we will have the Live Podcast where our Contest Team, along with selected members of the community, will announce the results of the Contest and offer their views on the submissions. It is an event not to be missed, but it will be recorded for those that do.

AND FINALLY

Feel free to offer input in this thread regarding the Hacking Contest. We look forward to your submissions! There is plenty of time to make a submission, so let's see how many hacks are submitted by July, okay? Good luck!

 

Should you need more music judges, just let me know.

 

What are the qualifications of being a judge? JK, but still. You guys have already planned out next year's hacking contest? Wow.

 

There is no need for more judges right now. Thanks anyway.

 

Plenty of time to get Itadakimasu prepared with something here, then!


Desperately hoping the turn-out is better next year, however.

 

A new website is now open for this contest - which you can access here.


Have fun!

 

Please do not submit any submissions to hackingcontest[@]candiraver[.]com as the account has recently been suspended. I am working on getting a new email address up and running, and this will be made available when it has been sorted.


Also, somebody emailed me that the submission form had 2011 on it instead of 2012. This has been rectified.

 

One question because I couldn't see it in the FAQ. The hacks we submit, does it have to be complete, or can it be unfinished? For example, have I got to completely finish Sonic 2 Recreation by July 2012 to submit it?

 

It can be unfinished.

 

It can be unfinished, but still needs to be playable of course.

 

That's alright then, I might be entering the contest for the first time ever then.


EDIT: Spellings.

 

I think I might be entering next year, I've got a hidden project I'm working on which should be at least half done by the deadline.

 

We now have a new email address - please send in your submissions and queries to shc[@]sonicresearch[.]org.

 

I'll be entering again this year. It's kind of depressing winning a trophy by default... :V I'll most likely enter my Sonic 2 hack this time around.

 

Oh hey, look who is a judge again.

Just letting people here know too.

 

I'll enter with Sonic 1 Harder Levels if I have time for complete the levels and such things like bug fixing among other internal stuff. Green Hill Trophy and Genocice City Trophy... Ahem... Wait for me!

 

Didn't you say that you left the team and you would never work in hacking Sonic? :S

 

: | Hm ._. Looking forward to the results!

 

Maybe. But Sonic Harder Project is still in development by other persons. I was only ONE member between the 11 members of the Harder Project. So, the hack isn't died. Yet.