The APL Challenge (A challenge for only the 1337est of the 1337)

general
#1

I’m making a new challenge for everyone, and it’s called the APL challenge.

Rules:
In the garage, you are limited to text-based games only.
In the 2nd/3rd office, you are limited to 2d games only.
In the 4th office, you are limited to 3d games only.
You can only make 5 engines in total, no more than that amount.
You can research a total of 30 features
You are only allowed to research the first 5 topics
You can only use the Strategy, and Action Genre, (both of those genres are actually two of my favourite genres)
You can only develop for the lowest-marketshare platforms
You are not allowed to develop consoles or MMO games
In office two, you are required to buy one staff member. In office 3, you have to buy one more, and one more in office four.

No save game editing
Mods are allowed, but nothing that can make MAJOR changes, and only modded topics are allowed to be used in the mod.

I hope someone tries this because it seems like quite a challenge. Also, the normal game rules apply, if you go bankrupt you lose.

#2

Considering I have a good understanding of most of the mechanics of this game, here’s what I think of this challenge:

  • When you say “3rd office”, I’m assuming you mean the final office (which is actually the 4th office).
  • Only being able to make 5 engines means that 3D Graphics V5 cannot be used in an engine (thus AAA games would suffer a penalty).
  • The difficult part about developing for the worst platform isn’t the fact that it’s the lowest; it’s that the platform keeps changing. Also, this limits the ability to use publishing deals to get to 100k fans.
  • 10 topics is more than enough. For it to actually mean anything, it should be only the starting topics.
  • I’ve currently got a game in Y50 that doesn’t use any features besides Graphics and Basic Sound (constantly getting 9+).
  • There should be a restriction on staff. It probably wouldn’t have much effect, but it feels like it’s missing.
  • The only genre this forbids is Casual. This means nothing to me. It would be more interesting if all but one or two genres were forbidden.

All in all, not a bad challenge. You would be stuck in the garage longer due to not being able to use 2D Graphics V2, but from then on all you have to do is deal with different platforms (and no ability to make a successful console).

#3

I’ll update the thread, with some of your suggestions.

#4

i edited it and also added it so you cannot make MMO’s

#5

I’m not clear on the staff restriction. Is it exactly one staff member per level, or at least?

The way I see it right now, there’s no reason to go to the 2nd office until the 3rd office is available since medium games will likely fail with only 2 people.

Also, I noticed a mod by this name. Does it enforce all these restrictions?

#6

you increase by one staff each office

#7

bumpidy bump bump so people can try the challenge.

#8

10 engines would be better. Then you can do the max version of 3D graphics.

#9

there’s the challenge.

#10

Did someone did it?
And, I agree with [quote=“TFC, post:2, topic:8764”]
I’ve currently got a game in Y50 that doesn’t use any features besides Graphics and Basic Sound (constantly getting 9+).
[/quote]

Maybe I don’t get 9 too much, but 6,5+