Joozey, I just read about your problem in the ticker:
What about a 'fake' solution: measure the distance between the gears, compare the distance to the sum of their radius, if they match, set a flag, if another gear's distance matchs too, stop the gears from turning.
So, every time when a gear with the flag already set touches another gear the connected gears stop.
I don't know what sort of game you are going to make, but it is too bad to cancel it.
Aheh, no, that's what I got working, exactly as you described
. The problem was the collision detection itself. I couldn't make a gear collide in TWO gears at the same time, and thus affect rotation to it (e.g. gears should be jammed when you connect 3 to eachother). It's always one, the closest one to the mouse. They turned eachother, but the third one remains unaffected. I need this to work in order to be able to make interesting puzzles.
I quit mainly because I didn't want to spend a whole day breaking my head over mathematical issues. I need more time for such problems. Instead I spent my time on a nice book,
Mainspring .
As far as the time is concerned - Thats an interesting dilemma we're in, huh? If the time we give is too long, then you can't really take part when you have a bigger project. If its too short, then these kind of problems arise. What would be a better time? A week?
That, of course, depends on the task. And if we need to lay a task ourselves, as in this contest, then the time required is also relative per project.
We've toyed with the idea of doing this kind of contest semi-regulary (say, four times a year), so we are naturally very interested in hearing your opinion on it: How often, what amount of time, with or without themes, give more or less "inspiration", etc. If you could take a moment and answer these questions, that'd be great! smile
I can't tell you how often. I wouldn't mind if it took place every two weeks, but not that I would participate every two weeks. I'd like to just look to participants as well. Whether or not this is realisable depends on participant animo.
As said, the amount of time depends on the task. An adventure game deserves a longer timespan for development than snake, as it's logics are more complex.
I'll be honest, I was kind of disappointed that we got limited by a theme. Not that I cared a whole lot afterward, but it's what I experienced as somewhat negative nonetheless.
Also, artists have, once again, an advancement over programmers to win due to the fact that the public chooses the game. They will, in almost all cases, choose the best looking. Peek at the official contest for prove. Why did the fishy "game" won again?
Well alot of yadeeya and no positive stuff, but you asked for opinions
. Nothing here is ment offensive, use it as you please. You did a fine job already!
Regards,
Joozey
and I feel happy when someone succeeds 
