ATASCII Compo Rules

General rules

  • Do not break any laws like copyright, etc.
  • Inappropriate entries may be disqualified or simply ignored.
  • Everybody can participate.
  • Upload your entries here (A link for submissions will appear on the main page in time.)
  • Your entry must stay unreleased until the compo is over.
  • No conversions or similar. Please provide handmade ASCII only.
  • Genuine and new artworks preferred. Adaptations of old artworks, spinoffs, covers, remixes, mash-ups, etc. must be declared as such.
  • It’s all about fun.
  • Maximum entries per person: 5
  • Submission deadline: See main page.

Technical information

Main category ("Pure ATASCII")

  • Colours: One character for the background and one for the foreground (to be exact: same colour with different brightness)
  • Resolution in characters: width 40, height 24-28 (Atari standard height is 24, Playscii standard is 25, 28 would still be visible well on Atari PAL and NTSC versions)
  • Stay within the given restrictions
  • Do not use enhanced techniques (tricks) to add more colours, pixels, animations, etc.
  • We recommend to use Playscii with the ATASCII Exporter as editor
    • Download and installation instructions are here
    • Usage of Playscii is described here

Coloured ATASCII category

  • Mainly as above, with one difference:
    • Colouring of whole characters is allowed, e.g. using sprites or DLI (raster interrupts) 

Prizes

  • The top 3 will get a certificate.

Release

  • Provide following files: within one zip file (do not use rar or 7z):
    1. File runnable with an emulator and on real machines:
      • Exported .xex file obligatory
    2. Screenshot/preview as .png file
      • Use Altirra emulator and export the screenshot/frame (View->Save frame / Alt+F10)
    3. Description file (name it file_id.diz or info.txt)
    4. Source file(s) if possible (usually a .psci file)
    5. Steps are not necessary but welcome
  • You now only need to provide the xex file and a screenshot. That's it.  The description file gets generated automatically. Additional files are optional only. 

Remarks

  • Avoid special characters in filenames
  • Name all mentioned files identically (except of the extension) if possible
    • Does not count for file_id.diz obviously

Wild

  • All entries, that do not apply to the rules, will be put into the Wild category
  • For example, added features like:
    • animation
    • sound
    • positioned and altered character
    • etc.

 

 

Template for file_id.diz (download) - Optional!

<Name of Release>

Author: <Name of Author or Handle / Group>
Category: <type of release; e.g. ATASCII>
System: ATARI 800
Description: 
<your description here>
Notes:
<notes to the organizers>
Comments:
<extended description with details about tools used, etc.>

Example for file_id.diz (download)

ATASCII Wonder

Author: Max / Superstars
Category: ATASCII
System: ATARI 800
Description: 
What a wonder
Notes:
-
Comments:
Created using Playscii with ATASCII Exporter