The Jetpack Retrofit Contest!
February 9th, 2010 - filed under Development News, Input RequestedThe contest is now over. See the winners here!
I’ve set a goal to release the new web playable Jetpack in May. To get all the programming done in the next month will take a lot of work, not to mention the graphics, music, sounds, and extra levels. If you’ve been following this blog, you know this is an indie release with a shoestring budget, and I can’t afford to hire an artist. So instead, I’ve decided to blow it all on a contest! This will give everyone in the Jetpack fan community a chance to contribute to the new Jetpack, and will help to reward some of the great work that’s being donated.
Calling All Artists, Musicians, SFX Wizards, and Level Designers
I already have a few volunteer Jetpack fans doing some great work, but we need a lot more. You can contribute any of the following resources for the final release:
- Graphics: Use this template and replace the old blocky graphics with new ones that are closer to the style of modern flash games. Just leave the backgrounds transparent.
- Sound Effects: Record your own replacements for the sound effects here. There’s no remastering these, since my masters are 8 bit 8000hz mono VOC. I need 256bit 44khz stereo mp3. Feel no obligation to stay close to the originals!
- Music: I need MOD format music, 50k-150k per song, in styles to suit different types of levels. You must be the copyright holder. I recommend MilkyTracker or ModPlug Tracker. Note the exact format we can support is still up in the air.
- Levels: I’d like to put a lot of new levels in the release. Send me your creations that you consider to be the cream of the crop. Currently the only way to create levels is with the DOS version of Jetpack
New creations are great, and if you have any past work to which you still hold the copyright, that will work too. I’ll use the best parts out of what I receive, as long as it meets my quality standards.
For more details on what’s needed, see the post Retrofit Contest – Week 1.
Prizes
A total of $200 will go to the 6 people who create the most content chosen for use in Jetpack.
- The top 2 will receive $50.00
- 4 runners-up will receive $25.00
In addition EVERYONE who submits work used in Jetpack will receive:
- A FREE premium/deluxe/platinum edition of Jetpack
- Your name in the credits of the game
Get Started!
The contest ends on March 20th. Send in your creations as often as you like, the sooner the better. With your permission, I’ll place your entries in a members-only section of the blog for members to vote & comment on.
The contest is now over. See the winners here!
Rules
* The “Content” refers to any submitted work, data, or content, or any number of parts of such Content.
* You must be the copyright holder of the submitted Content, with the ability to transfer copyright ownership of the Content.
* By sending Content to Adept Software, you grant Adept Software the unlimited royalty-free license to use, modify, publish, and sell the Content as part of a game.
* While votes may be encouraged from users, Adept Software will be the sole judge of the winners of the contest.
* Winners are solely responsible for all taxes and/or fees that may be incurred.
* Adept Software reserves the right to alter the rules of this contest at any time.
BY SUBMITTING AN ENTRY, YOU WARRANT AND REPRESENT THAT IT: (A) IS YOUR OWN ORIGINAL WORK, (B) DOES NOT CONTAIN, INCORPORATE OR REFERENCE ANYTHING THAT IS OWNED BY ANY THIRD PARTY OR ENTITY OR WOULD REQUIRE THE CONSENT OF ANY THIRD PARTY OR ENTITY IN ANY JURISDICTION, (C) DOES NOT INFRINGE UPON THE COPYRIGHTS, TRADEMARKS, RIGHTS OF PRIVACY, PUBLICITY OR OTHER INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY OR OTHER RIGHTS OF ANY PERSON OR ENTITY, AND (D) THAT PUBLICATION OF THE WORK WILL NOT INFRINGE ON THE RIGHTS OF ANY THIRD PARTY. ANY SUCH ENTRANT WILL INDEMNIFY AND HOLD HARMLESS, SPONSOR FROM ANY CLAIMS TO THE CONTRARY. Contest void where prohibited or restricted by law and subject to all applicable federal, state, local and municipal laws and regulations.
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February 5th, 2010 at 8:44 am
That’s cool. Especially the MOD part (I am developing a well-known tracker program myself), maybe I’ll come up with some sounds or ‘ziks.
BTW, concerning the copyright stuff… Does that also imply that f.e. the author of a MOD music is not allowed to publish it outside the game (f.e. on ModArchive) anymore, or is that still possible?
February 5th, 2010 at 8:54 am
Woohoo! I’ll get my cream of the crop together, all right. I’ve even made some new levels in the past couple of years that no one has seen before, so I’m looking forward to submitting them.
February 5th, 2010 at 9:53 am
Good question Jojo, I don’t mind if the music is put on an archive site, or even used in other games with one exception: If the song becomes the official “Jetpack theme” then I’d like to keep it out of other games.
February 5th, 2010 at 11:14 am
I wish I’d saved my levels from the past. I’m not sure if I had any REALLY GOOD ones, but the ones I’d made were fairly decent in any case. On par with the Castlevania and Mega Man level packs or so. Ah man, those were the days… I know I’ve said this at least once before, but I still fondly remember getting my registered copy of Jetback from you back when I lived in the middle of nowhere, Arizona and playing it like crazy…
Okay, so… MOD format, huh? You say “between 50-150 KB”. What about limits on channels? Some MODs have 4 channels and some MODs have 6 or 8 channels. I think later versions of the MOD format include even MORE channels, but don’t quote me on that. I ask this because I used to, at one point in my life, actually make S3M music that wasn’t just video game rehashes. This could be the kind of thing to get me back into original music, perhaps…
February 5th, 2010 at 11:57 am
Quick question -
The graphics you have up top for the sphere and brick tile, are those final images or should those be drawn, too?
February 5th, 2010 at 12:00 pm
Oh and also — What dimensions do you want for the graphics?
February 5th, 2010 at 2:23 pm
Use the dimensions in the template file. I’ll use whatever is best, although the stone is probably unbeatable – the ball I just threw together last night though.
February 5th, 2010 at 2:40 pm
I’m assuming graphics like the stone above need tile seamlessly?
February 5th, 2010 at 2:51 pm
Yep. These will likely be swapped in tile for tile with the original, although I will make exceptions if there’s some great animation that needs an extra frame or 2. I already have to do this with some of them, because they were using palette animation (you don’t want to know).
February 5th, 2010 at 3:16 pm
I noticed you were going to include a pixelated “retro” theme that you can use, do you think you could easily include some of the other graphics modules as well with little or no work? In my master jetpack directory I have A-Z filled with custom modules. I even made a really cool, golden *bling bling* module. I was wondering if that was even a possibility.
February 5th, 2010 at 5:41 pm
Hey, this is great. I’ll probably throw in some levels and graphics.
February 5th, 2010 at 7:19 pm
I’m super excited about this too. I’m going to submit some graphics and try some levels. I haven’t used the level editor in forever though so I don’t know how well that will work out.
February 5th, 2010 at 8:39 pm
Collins: There are currently 2 options for MOD players: Flod http://www.photonstorm.com/flod and Flash MOD Player http://realm.badsectoracula.com/fmp/
I’ll be using whichever is best at the time of release – FMP seems to support more channels (32) and effects.
Kalne: I don’t think its worth supporting those old graphics modules, and I’ll probably save the functionality to add on graphics for Jetpack 2. So whatever gets picked here is going to be it!
I added a link to the contest updates page in the post.
February 5th, 2010 at 9:08 pm
Mod Format eh? Now that’s something I can do I think
Soon as I can figure out how to get MilkyTracker working for MODs that will do.
Few Questions:
CH4, CH6 or CH8 MOD files? CH4 is Classic MOD from Amiga just for refrence, where as CH8 Mods became more widespread during the DemoScene times.
If I do sumbit work, will my name appear in Jetpack 2? It doesn’t have to be just wondering becuase that would be really neat.
When I get my computer up and running I will start work on this, just gotta go dig up my Samples from my old trashy Computer. Thank god the Deadline is March 13th.
Oh and to anyone asking about a Modplayer: Modplug is pretty decent.
February 5th, 2010 at 10:28 pm
Never mind, I just read the blog posts and my questions have been answered.
February 5th, 2010 at 11:58 pm
Question about creating level, is jump distance (height and length) the same? Just something to take into consideration making a level from jetpack dos port over to new jetpack.
February 6th, 2010 at 10:00 am
[...] Tracking Contest for Computer Game Music. On 02.06.10, In kreativkiez, neukölln, By admin An Option for Newschool-Milkytracking-Noobs to be in a Game with your Artwork:The Jetpack Retrofit Contest! | JetpackHQ [...]
February 6th, 2010 at 11:07 am
Ah, another question -
What should be used for transparent color? Is #FF00FF fine?
February 6th, 2010 at 11:31 am
Rach: You’ll need to use actual transparency. PNG supports per-pixel alpha – which also means you can have transparent parts and antialiased edges. I recommend Photoshop.
ventuz: Jump distance will be the same, because changing that would screw up a lot of levels! But it may look a little more realistic, involving acceleration, etc.
Our contest updates page doesn’t have any comments yet, check it out! http://www.jetpackhq.com/blog/retrofit/
February 10th, 2010 at 8:42 am
I just wanted to say, I have been following this blog for quite some time now, and I figure, I should try to help this game progress, so, I have taken the liberty to start working with some of the requests, and I hope to churn out some successful ones!
February 17th, 2010 at 4:44 pm
curse my lack of creativity! I can’t think of one level I’ve ever made for jetpack that wasn’t a disaster. I can’t do anything with sound at all, but I might be able to try my hand at graphics.
But I can definitely spread the word! I’m not totally useless!
February 17th, 2010 at 5:52 pm
Spreading the word is what we need most!