intfiction.org

For the last two IFComps, there has been a private forum for authors involved in the Comp where they can discuss the comp, reviews, etc. with each other without violating Rule 5. Unfortunately, it looks as if the forum previously used for this is offline now. I've heard no plans for resurrecting this forum on a different site, but I'm convinced it would be a good thing to have. There was a lot of camaraderie and excitement generated by being able to speak freely with the other entrants about our freshly-completed works.

I've talked with Stephen Granade and his preference is that it be here if possible. Would it be possible for intfiction.org to host a private forum for this purpose? If not, I'd be happy to set one up myself.

All right, I took the idea and ran with it.

1. I separated the normal IF Competition talk board from Playing into a new category Competitions - where, if needed, more boards can be added, for example for the next Spring Thing. This one is available to everyone.

2. I created a new user group for IF Comp authors.

3. I added another board to the Competitions category, which can only be accessed by administrators, global moderators and if comp authors. This is for the private talk between authors.

4. I added Stephen Granade as the leader of the group, so any author who wants to be able to see that private board can contact him for access to it.

Fantastic! Thank you very much!

I have a question. I just started working on a game. I'd like to enter it - having a deadline seems like a good idea - but what happens if I don't finish it in time? Do I withdraw my entry? Submit something potentially buggy and incomplete?

I've never completed a game or entered a comp before, and unfortunately, I posted the intro text to my game before realizing there were restrictions against that sort of thing (or even that there was a comp coming up). Does that disqualify my current work?

Don't do that. It'll just make people annoyed with you and your game. If you find that you won't hit the deadline, you can always release it outside the comp, or if you really want to do the comp thing, there's the Spring Thing, or even next year.

_________________
"The thing I like about deadlines is the wonderful whooshing noise they make as they go past."
- Douglas Adams

Please don't! That's a sure way to get reviews that totally slam your work and make sure you never want to publish another game again. It's unfair to the players as well if you submit something you know isn't ready to be published.

If the game isn't ready to be published when the deadline hits, you can just withdraw your intent. There's basically three options: 1) If you have the patience, wait for the next year's IFcomp and you'll have plenty of time to finish and polish the game; 2) Submit to another comp. There's 6 months until Spring Thing, for example. 3) Finish the game and release outside competitions.

(edit: or, uh, what Trumgottist just said.)


I don't think that's enough to disqualify the work, but if you want to be sure you could ask the comp organizers.

It's a relief to hear that I could withdraw my entry. I certainly wouldn't want to ruin my reputation that way!


6 months doesn't seem so long. Maybe I'll save it for Spring Thing. I'm having trouble figuring out how big the game is going to be...

I think what's more important to me right now than a deadline or a chance to compete is having a community of authors to discuss design and writing with. I don't want to share spoilers with the wider world, so the idea of a private authors forum sounded appealing.

Is there a chance there might be more things like that on this site?

Currently, we of course have the authoring boards, but they are public, and it's intended they stay that way. Of course, mwigdahl's question about the possibility of opening a board specifically for authors in the IF comp got me to act and do it - any other corresponding requests (for example for the Spring Thing once that gets a bit closer) are very likely to be approved as well. But what I don't want to do is open a new board for general authoring discussion that would be hidden from anyone.

There's always the possibility to start a writer's club and set up a private forum or mailing list for it. The web is full of free services to do that. I think Jim Aikin ran a group like that a while back.

That was my inspiration. I think maybe he did it on email, though.