Omnimaga
Omnimaga => News => Topic started by: KermMartian on June 19, 2013, 10:05:25 pm
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(http://www.cemetech.net/img/news/contest10.png)
Calculators are pocket computers. That's one of the tenets underlying the calculator enthusiast community, where we enjoy pushing the limits of graphing calculators to write complex games, utilities, and programs. It follows that graphing calculators are a perfect platform on which to learn to program. Indeed, many of Cemetech's administrators are professional engineers, scientists, and academics who learned to love STEM subjects after experimenting with programming their graphing calculators. We at Cemetech want that proud tradition to continue for decades to come, as STEM skills become ever-more-important in wide swathes of jobs and hobbies. A great way to inspire people to get down and dirty with anything is to challenge them to compete, and motivate them with great prizes.
Cemetech has held nine programming competitions to date, the most recent (http://www.cemetech.net/news.php?id=542) of which challenged entrants to port popular computer programs to calculators or to modify existing programs to add new features. That contest offered fame and prestige as prizes; for this contest, we have four brand-new TI calculators as prizes, plus some smaller secret prizes that will be sent with the calculators. The topic of Cemetech Contest #10 is educational Physics programs. The rules are very simple:
- Write a program or game that teaches concrete physics skills, such as equations and problem solving. Make it as educational or game-like as you want, as long as it teaches specific physics skills.
- Your program may fall into one or both of two areas: (1) particle forces (like particles in magnetic/electric fields, or planets and orbits) or (2) projectile motion. Any program not falling into at least one of those categories will be disqualified. Post in the attached topic (http://www.cemetech.net/forum/viewtopic.php?t=9263) with any questions.
- Programs must be in TI-BASIC, Axe, or ASM. All programs will be tested on a TI-84 Plus Silver Edition running under Doors CS 7.2, so any libraries offered by Doors CS 7.2 may be used.
- Contestants may not release any code or binaries before the end of the contest, including asking for programming help publicly or privately. Violators will be disqualified.
- The contest will run for 8 weeks, ending August 7th, 2013, at 11:59:59pm Eastern Time. No late entries will be accepted.
- All contestants must maintain a topic in the Contests subforum on Cemetech (http://www.cemetech.net/forum/viewforum.php?f=50), including a first post that mentions the name, programming language, and topic of the entry.
- Judging will be performed by the Cemetech administrators (all of whom are disqualified from entering). Results will be posted no later than one week after the end of the contest.
- A grading rubric will be released very soon. Entries will be graded primarily on their educational value, polish, and appeal to students. Although the focus is on education rather than gaming, educational games are allowed as long as they teach concrete physics.
I'm sure you want to hear more about the prizes. We are very proud to offer not two, not three, but four brand-new calculators. The grand prize winner will be awarded one TI-84 Plus C Silver Edition, one TI-Nspire CX CAS, and additional secret prizes. The second and third place winner will each be awarded one TI-84 Plus C Silver Edition and additional secret prizes. The TI-84 Plus C Silver Edition (http://ti84color.com/) is TI's brand-new color-screen TI-84 Plus-series calculator, and if you don't already have one, this is a great opportunity to try out its new math features and of course write new color programs and games. The TI-Nspire CX CAS is aimed at older high school and college students who need the power of a symbolic CAS, and if you win one, you'll also have an opportunity to practice your Lua skills. All participants will earn Cemetech flair in the form of signature bars and respect.
So what are you waiting for? Getting coding, inspire students to use calculator for more than math, and win some calculators!
(http://www.cemetech.net/img/news/contest10_prizes.png)
Source:
Cemetech (http://www.cemetech.net/news.php?id=603)
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Hmm I sense that a lot of Omnimaga members will like this (particularly the Axe programmers from 2011). Remember the physics game craze back then? :)
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I do remember that, and I agree that I think this will appeal to a lot of coders here. Plus, who doesn't want to win one or two calculators?
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Probably not me. :P
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Plus, who doesn't want to win one or two calculators?
I already own a CX CAS and a CSE. But of course, the prize is not the reason why I won't enter the contest: I have oral exams to pass this summer so I will most likely not have the time for a contest.
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Woo, this looks really quite cool. Also the deadline is (kinda) my birthday (7 August). :P
I'm actually really bad at physics, now I come to think of it. But it does interest me and I definitely should learn more about it.
Also, 2 calculators for the big winner? O.O That's really neat. :D
I hope a lot of people compete, but I myself can't promise anything. :/
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wow, two calcs as grand price!
But still, idk if I'll enter, time....
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A lot of puzzle games coming right up :P
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Aww, if I'd only had a TI84 and/or skills to code for it then I would've entered :( Those prizes are pretty nice. Good luck to whoever enters :)
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Remember that human cannonball game for the atari2600?
Is a port a valid entry?
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Well it has to be educational by the looks of it, so it could be that with the forumals or something as well?
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Remember that human cannonball game for the atari2600?
Is a port a valid entry?
I think that you should involve the player learning or solving a physics formula in conjunction with the game. ;)
I have a pretty good idea of what I would like to make, but I would like to check with the judges first. What specifically is meant by projectile motion? It seems to be a somewhat broad term...
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Sounds like fun ! I'll most likely enter. :D
I guess an entry could use more than one language ?
And yeah I guess acting directly on physics parameters as controls or a game is definitely one of the things that's expected. ;)
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I'm in. 'nuff said.
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Just remember: The physics program/game has to be educational too. For example, a game could teach laws of physics or rely on people's skills on understanding physics in order to play well. And yes educational games are possible.
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That's actually what I'm planning ^^^
That's right, computations!!!
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I'm glad you are all so enthusiastic about Cemetech Contest #10! We are equally excited about the many people who posted topics today with entries. Currently under-represented: ASM programs, TI-BASIC programs, and particle forces (eg, planetary simulation or electric and magnetic fields acting on particles). As others already clarified, remember that the goal is to write an educational physics program, not necessarily a game (although some game elements will be allowed). If you make it a non-game, you won't lose points. If you're definitely going to enter, or even if you're just toying with a possible idea, be sure to post up a topic in this subforum (http://www.cemetech.net/forum/viewforum.php?f=50) to register your (possible) entry.
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I'm entering. With a particle force program. In basic. Because I already know stuff about this.
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I'll enter with a particle force program in C. I won't be able to start on it for a few weeks, but I'm excited about it so I think it should be at least partially finished on time.
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By the way, are participants allowed to cross-post some of their updates on other forums as well? Of course I would recommend that they regularly keep their respective Cemetech topics updated regularly, like I feel that should be done with any contest (It kinda irked me when our entire TI-Nspire userbase vanished off the face of the earth during the entire duration of the 2011 Omnimaga contest, leaving the future of the contest in doubt until the final hour, as zero entry were uploaded at that point), but it might be worth precising if some updates can be cross-posted anywhere to ensure that no rules get broken.
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I suggest that next contest, the prize be changed a bit. Maybe the grand prize could be 1 calc + cash? Or just cash? Or maybe modding/hacking materials, like an RS232 interface thing >:D The thing is, I have a feeling that a decent amount of the contestants already have enough calculators.
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I don't have enough. You can never have enough calcs. :P/me runs
Yeah. Six calcs but still no CSE. D:
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You can never have enough calcs.
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Exactly. ;)
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I suggest that next contest, the prize be changed a bit. Maybe the grand prize could be 1 calc + cash? Or just cash? Or maybe modding/hacking materials, like an RS232 interface thing >:D The thing is, I have a feeling that a decent amount of the contestants already have enough calculators.
I know that a lot of people here got a TI-84+ or a TI-Nspire CX, but not a TI-84 Plus C Silver Edition, and there are possibly people who only have one calc who might want to try to get the other.
Also I got 24 calcs and Kerm over 40 O.O
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I don't have enough. You can never have enough calcs. :P
Haha, very valid point :D
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And for those who wouldn't get the first prize, TI-Planet is also organizing another big contest starting very soon :)
It's not even a competition with Cemetech's one, it's actually more chances to win things :P
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And Omni as well AFAIK; but IIRC it starts much later and there are fewer prizes (due to lack of funds).
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Hopefully we can work together between the sites to not be running concurrent contests at the same time, so the maximum amount of people can join all of them.
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From what I have heard (although maybe it is not accurate since I forgot part of it), initially the Omni contest plans were to avoid competing against Cemetech or TI-Planet, so for example, no physic-themed contest this year and starting at a date that would make the deadline far enough from the two other contests. The latest rumor that I had heard, though, was that the contest was slated to start 2 weeks after Cemetech contest, but at the time, it was believed that Cemetech contest would last 4 weeks, not 8, so I am not sure if that is still the plan. Omni staff would probably have to be asked directly.
All I know, however, is that Omni contest will only last a few weeks, because Omni members have a bad habit of starting their entries at the very last minute, making a longer deadline useless. :P Also, Omni has always been short on cash (since most admins are younger), so prizes might either be smaller or in smaller numbers. Hopefully people have fun with the 3 contests, though. :D