Richard Jones' Log

Registration is now open for the first Python Game Programming Challenge (also known as PyWeek). The challenge runs from Sunday August 28th to Sunday September 4th. That means there's only (checks website) 29 days to go before the challenge starts! Full details about the challenge, and registration, at the PyWeek website.

You may enter either individually or as a team. If you're keen and would like to join a team, but can't organise your friends, then sign up anyway and offer your services to other entrants. The challenge will use skills in Python programming, graphics, sound or music.

For those who came in late, the PyWeek challenge:

1. Invites entrants to create a game (coded in Python) in one week from scratch either as an individual or in a team,
2. Aims to be challenging and fun,
3. Entries must be developed during the competition, and must incorporate some theme decided at the start of the competition,
4. Will hopefully increase the public body of python game tools, code and expertise,
5. Will let a lot of people actually finish a game, and
6. May inspire new projects (with ready made teams!)

Here's a piece titled The Truth About Violent Youth And Video Games. The conclusion?

The truth is that these are the most non-violent kids we have ever had, and they all own Playstations. The government is so desperate to find some youth crime to crack down on that they're strip-searching kids for 10 bucks while locking up 11 year-old girls for throwing rocks and eating french fries. The most peaceful generation of Americans in recorded history is being shoved through metal detectors, having their civil rights violated on a daily basis, are the victims of unreasonable search and seizure, and are treated with constant suspicion.

All because of a media lie. If nothing else can incite them to violence, maybe that will.

We had the second Melbourne Python Users Group meeting last night at Intrepid Travel's HQ. Really nice venue for this kind of meeting. Justin gave us a quick rundown of Twisted, which sparked my interest (yet again). One of these days I might even have an application that I'll need it for. I stole a few minutes at the start of the meeting to plug OSDC and PyWeek. I've lined myself up for giving a short intro to pygame next meeting (there will also be a presentation on Test Driven Development).

So, all up it was a good meeting. Xander and I ran out at 7:30 to get to the Serenity screening. Not sure what everyone else got up to.

Joss Whedon tells a damn fine story. Lots of commentary about the human condition, lots of things going boom. He needs to work on his big-screen technique a little though.

To say much more would be come close to spoiling things for others. So I just won't. It's not too long until the film opens for real in Australia. We'll be there on (or close to) opening night :)

More info about the film at the shiny new website.

Bug fix release 0.8.4 is out. Go over to the Roundup PyPI page for more info and download.

PyPI's cool, isn't it :)

I got to shake Neil Gaiman's hand last night :)

Rachel and I also saw Sin City last night. Great film. We paid $29 for the experience. I bought A Fish Called Wanda on DVD (commentary by John Cleese, second disc full of extras) for $12.98 on the same day. Now, tell me again why the cinemas are struggling?

I'm working on the PyWeek code, and have discovered some neat Zope Products that have made life a little easier. Zope's still really nice to work with, but there's some parts that are just plain obscure (I really wish there was a nicer way to _Add_Diary_Entry_Permission = ('Manager', 'Entrant') - which doesn't always work)

The date for the first PyWeek challenge has been set: Sunday August 28 to Sunday September 4 (00:00UTC to 00:00UTC). The PyWeek competition:

• Invites all Python programmers to write a game in one week from scratch either as an individual or in a team,
• Is intended to be challenging and fun,
• Will hopefully increase the public body of python game tools, code and expertise,
• Will let a lot of people actually finish a game, and
• May inspire new projects (with ready made teams!)

Entries must be developed during the competition, and must incorporate some theme decided at the start of the competition.

See the competition timetable (including competition dates in various timezones), rules, sign-up (commencing 6th August) at:

http://www.mechanicalcat.net/tech/PyWeek

I've finally settled the rules for the 1st Python Game Programming Competition. The rules are still up for comment, but are unlikely to change significantly. The actual date is to be settled, but will be around the end of August / start of September. Hopefully the date can be nailed this week, allowing the comp to be promoted ceaselessly in various Python forums.

Yes, I'll be running the comp again -- like I have the last two LD48 comps. I'm just a sucker for punishment that way ;)