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MFGG Message Boards: Archives > Submit-it > Rules For Submission UPDATED 5/06/05

Posted by: SonicProject Sep 28 2004, 08:12 PM

TD wrote this a WHILE ago but it was never posted. I think it's about time that it was. RULES OF SUBMISSION, V1.3 You are free to submit content to MFGG, as long as you keep within the rules. Any content violating the set rules will not be accepted into MFGG's archive. General Rules (for submitting any type of content): -Must be Mario-related. Note the site's title: MARIO Fan Games Galaxy. All games should feature Mario and other characters and/or elements from the Mario universe as their main draw. In other words, no submitting any Sonic etc or "furrie" games where Mario characters and/or elements make only a small cameo. Of course, characters from other universes may make cameos in your Mario games, as long as they aren't so overdone to the point that the game can no longer be considered a Mario game. Libs must consist of Mario graphics, and tutorials must demonstrate elements from Mario games or elements that would help out in any game, as long as Mario etc. is featured in it. -No stolen content! Simply put, it's unethical. We have our ways of finding out if work is stolen from others, and we can easily crack down on thieves. Anyone submitting stolen content will be BANNED from the site. Also, please note that ripped sprites, sounds etc aren't considered "stolen" from Nintendo. -No inappropriate content. We do not want your naked peach sprites and games full of cussing. No excessive swearing, adult content, bashing of others and so on is allowed in ANY content submitted to MFGG. We want to keep MFGG a family-friendly site. -Quality. All content should demonstrate that work was put into it. We will not accept poorly drawn sprites, games made in two minutes, and so on. This will be explained in greater detail below. Guidelines for submitting games: -Games must be playable. As long as you follow this guideline, your game will most likely make it onto MFGG. By "playable," we mean it contains actual gameplay, not just a bunch of objects randomly slapped on the screen. -Acceptable lengths: your game should be possible to complete, and not just a level you can only walk halfway through. We will not accept engine tests, in which all you can do is walk around and test out basic elements. Demos, or yet to be completed games, must contain at least one or two completed levels. -Make sure you include every needed file. Time and time again, we recieve .zip archives with only some of the needed files. While some programs, such as MMF and Game Maker generate only a single .exe file, others generate multiple files upon saving a stand-alone game. For example, if you made a game in TGF, you'll want to include the .exe and .gam files, and if you saved it as an installer, there should be three or so files needed to run the installer. Be sure to include all these files or else the game won't be playable. Games which require an installer such as the standard TGF or CNC installer will NOT be accepted. Please include only an .exe version of the game, or use an installer such as Clickteam Install Creater. Also, please ensure that your game is zipped using Winzip or Winrar to ensure that the filesize is minimal. Guidelines for submitting sprites: -Contents. We'll accept anything from libs full of dozens of sprites to a single sprite with full animation. But we will not accept such libs as those containing single sprites with no animation. -Must be in a proper format. That said, we will accept either libs made with a Clickteam product (aka Klik Tools) or sprite sheets. Libs are GRAPHICS LIBRARIES, and simply that. That means keep them as pure graphic libraries, we don't want useless mini games and loads of sounds embedded in them. As for sprite sheets, a sprite sheet must be a single image with various sprites or frames of animation on it. The background of the image must be a single color so the sprites can easily be cut out and used. Also, sheets in JPEG format will NOT be accepted due to poor quality. Any other formats of sprite images, such as animated GIFs, will not be accepted. -Useful sprites only. We won't accept useless sprites. Even if they have decent quality, sprites can still be useless. For example, who would use a Super Saiyan Luigi holding a shotgun? Straightfoward Mario sprites is what we want, not wacky edits. --Backgrounds. Backgrounds must be seperated into tiles and objects. You are welcome to include an example of the background when put together with the tiles and objects but you may not submit only the background when it's put together. As for size, 16x16 would be preferred for the tiles but it is not required. http://archive.mfgg.net/index.php?showtopic=16951&view=findpost&p=631141 Guidelines for submitting tutorials/how-tos: -Must be Mario-related. Tutorials must demonstrate an element or elements from the Mario games, or an element which would be useful in any type of game. If you choose the latter, it would help if you put Mario in it. -No incredibly simple tutorials. We'd allow a beginner's how-to if you made it well and to be incredibly helpful, but we won't allow how-tos simply dedicated to simple one-line events, such as scrolling. If you really needed help with such an element, feel free to ask for help on our forum. Guidelines for submitting miscellanious files: -Must have some use in games. The misc. section is meant for resources which prove helpful in either making or playing games. Feel free to submit resources such as sounds and music, but we will not archive such useless gimmicks as screensavers, and so on. Guidelines for submitting reviews: -All fields must be complete. Please do not leave any fields blank. The fields are as follows: Comments: Tell some basic info about the game, story, and general elements. Pros: List some of the game's good points. Cons: List some of the game's bad points. Gameplay: Explain the object of the game, how it plays, and the various gameplay elements. Graphics: Explain which graphics were used, and comment on how they blend together. Sound: Explain which sounds are heard, and how they fit the action. Replay Value: Explain what keeps the player coming back to the game. Final Words: Sum up your comments on the game. Try to keep it short. -Put effort into your writing. Don't just say "the gameplay was good." Explain WHY the gameplay was good, as well how the game played, the game's object, and so on. This isn't just your oppinion, you'll also want to give the reader a good idea of how the game actually plays before he or she downloads it. -No bashing. Do not senselessly insult the person or people involved in the making of the game, or the game itself. Try not to be too biased. "OMG THIS GAME SUX" just won't cut it here. -No spoilers. Especially if the game is story-driven, you will not want to give away later story events and other surprises encountered later in the game. Keep in mind that the reader most likely hasn't downloaded the game yet. If your content was not accepted onto MFGG, either your files were corrupted or they violated the rules and guidelines above. Please take them into consideration before submitting any content onto MFGG. Thankyou for your attention.

Posted by: SonicProject Apr 30 2005, 01:25 AM

Updated. See Submitting Sprites -> Useful Sprites Only -> Backgrounds.

Posted by: Draco Icebane Apr 30 2005, 01:36 AM

That format's a bit hard to read let me tweak on it a bit

Posted by: Draco Icebane Apr 30 2005, 02:19 AM

I hope my HTML works, KLOBBER. >:( EDIT: Adding line breaks EDIT2: Change the "x" in the version type to some number, k QUOTE (SonicProject @ Sep 28 2004, 06:12 PM) RULES OF SUBMISSION, V1.2x You are free to submit content to MFGG, as long as it is kept within the rules.  Any content violating these rules will not be accepted into MFGG's archive.General Rules of ThumbAll submissions must be related to Nintendo's Mario series of entertainment,  hence the title, Mario Fan Games Galaxy.  All Games should feature Mario and other characters and/or elements from the Mario universe as a primary focus. Submissions focusing on any other gaming series will be denied.  However, characters from outside the scope of Mario may make an appearance in the game so long as Mario is the main focus.Library files (Libs) must consist of Mario graphics, and Tutorials must demonstrate elements from Mario games or elements that would help out in most to all gameplay styles with Mario, Luigi, etc. as the main focus.Do not steal content from others, as it is highly unethical. We at MFGG have our ways of determining whether work is stolen from others, and will readily discriminate against thieves. Anyone submitting stolen content will be banned from the site immediately. However, sprites ripped from a commercial ROM (i.e. a Mario game) are accepted.No inappropriate content of any sort. Unnecessary vulgar aspects such as nudity, excessive swearing, or slander will not be accepted in any category.  MFGG is to be kept family-safe.All content should demonstrate care and effort. Rushed or useless sprites and hurried, empty Games will be denied. Further explanation below.Guidelines for Submitting GamesAll Games must be playable. Any external files required to properly execute the game must be included in its download, with the exception of files listed under the Miscellaneous category of the Downloads. There must be some tangible form of gameplay in Games as opposed to a disorganized mass of objects.Your game should be possible to complete, and not just a level you can only walk halfway through. We will not accept "engine tests", in which all you can do is walk around and test out basic elements. Demos, or yet to be completed games, must contain one level for a developed engine and two for a more basic one.Guidelines for Submitting Sprite Library FilesThe currently accepted sprite formats as of April 29th, 2005 are Library Files for the programs "The Games Factory" or "Multimedia Fusion", and sheet files in 256-color format (not JPEG's).We will accept anything from Libs containing hundreds of sprites to a single sprite with full animation. However, we will not accept such Libs as those containing few sprites with no animation.Libs must be compiled in the proper format. Library files are graphics, no more and no less; as such, do not load them full of background music, movements, and sound effects.We will not accept useless sprites.  Even if they have decent quality, sprites can still be useless. A perfect example is a Super Saiya-jin Luigi holding a shotgun... standard Mario sprites are accepted, but not absurd and inane editing.Backgrounds must be seperated into tiles and objects. You are welcome to include an example of the background when assembled using the tiles and objects but you may not submit only the background when assembled. Any practical size is permitted for the tiles; most games use 16x16.Guidelines for Submitting TutorialsTutorials must demonstrate an element or elements from the Mario games, or an element which would be useful in any type of game. Generally, these Tutorials should be using sprites of Mario himself. We would allow a Tutorial for simple concepts if designed in a user-friendly and helpful manner, but tutorials for anything as simple as scrolling, which in most programs is one or two lines of code, will not be accepted. Simple problems like these are best addressed on the forums.Guidelines for Submitting Miscellaneous Files: The Miscellaneous section is designed specifically for resources which prove helpful in either running or creating Games. Feel free to submit resources such as sounds effect and background music, but not archive gimmicks such as screensavers or wallpapers.Guidelines for Submitting Reviews All fields must be filled, so please do not leave any blank.  The fields are:Comments - The introduction to the review. This is generally used to state a basic opinion of the Game in question, to be supported by your later comments, and then repeated again.Pros - A summary of the Game's positive aspects. This field is meant for very brief, general comments such as "Nice graphics".Cons - A summary of the Game's negative aspects. This field is meant for very brief, general comments such as "AI as smart as a sock".Gameplay - Go into detail about the objective of each level, how to use the controls to obtain this objective, etc.Graphics - Here you write in detail the graphical aspects of the Game, whether the sprites are attractive, fit together, etc.Sound - Explain what some of the sounds are, when they play, whether they fit, their quality, and so forth.Replay Value - Explain what aspects will cause a player to play the Game for more than one session.Final Words - This tends to be used to restate your opinion of the Game. It is also the part of your review that is displayed as the link leading to it.You must be fairly detailed in your writing. "The gameplay was good" explains nothing and undermines the entire point of a review; Explain why the gameplay was acceptable. Is it a puzzle, an RPG? What is the goal of each level? A review is not entirely opinion; you will also want to give the reader a few concrete facts. The point of a review is for the reader to decide whether it is a favorable action to play the Game or not, and for the creator to learn if they have done anything improperly.Do not insult the creator(s) of this game. Negative comments in a review are to be directed towards the game itself.No spoilers, if possible, especially if the game focuses on a storyline. If someone is reading your review, they usually haven't downloaded the game yet; therefore, do not reveal important plot devices or secret features if avoidable.If you find your content is not appearing on MFGG, there is a high chance that either the file(s) has / have corrupted, or it was declined. If declined, your submission notes should have a note explaining why from the administrator who deleted it. Take both of these possibilities into consideration; thank you for cooperating. Forgive me for attempting to add a more professional aspect to the wording, and I may have messed up a few technicalities when attempting to be more specific in areas, for example, what formats sprite sheets are allowed in.

Posted by: SonicProject Apr 30 2005, 07:51 PM

I really don't think it needs rewording. But I think that layout might be nicer. Anyway, examples of how tiling and such should be done: http://mfgg.net/files/27/mlss_bowsers_castle_tilesheet.gif http://mfgg.net/files/14/MarioHousenRoyalToad.png http://mfgg.net/files/38/smb3doomship_1109739958.png

Posted by: Draco Icebane May 6 2005, 11:58 AM

QUOTE (SonicProject @ Apr 30 2005, 05:51 PM) I really don't think it needs rewording. I think it does because I had to guess on about 50 parts of those rules exactly what you meant Therefore I ask you to read through and correct any misinformed inferences I've made

Posted by: SonicProject May 6 2005, 07:25 PM

Anyway, latest update. QUOTE Games which require an installer such as the standard TGF or CNC installer will NOT be accepted. Please include only an .exe version of the game, or use an installer such as Clickteam Install Creater. Also, please ensure that your game is zipped using Winzip or Winrar to ensure that the filesize is minimal.

Posted by: Kritter May 6 2005, 07:45 PM

In order fot the latest update to be effective, it needs to be on the site as well.

Posted by: Parakarry May 6 2005, 07:51 PM

Which I'll do now.

Posted by: MarioMK1 Mar 18 2006, 06:49 PM

just wondering... but why are GIF sprites off limits?

Posted by: Techokami Mar 18 2006, 09:15 PM

n00bs only know how to use MSPaint, which dithers images saved as GIFs. You can't have dithering in sprites, as everything has to be pixel-perfect.

Posted by: Ultramario Jul 29 2006, 05:52 PM

I´ve heard that, tutorials must be simple enough to be understandable. Does that mean that, my New supermario´s source code which contains, for exsample: coding for 50 enemies won´t be accepted?

Posted by: Dr. Chaos Sep 8 2006, 08:26 PM

QUOTE Must be Mario-related. Note the site's title: MARIO Fan Games Galaxy. All games should feature Mario and other characters and/or elements from the Mario universe as their main draw. In other words, no submitting any Sonic etc or "furrie" games where Mario characters and/or elements make only a small cameo. Just to make this clear, So this Bomberman Superstar Saga sprite sheet I made is unacceptable? I was kind of hoping I could submit it seeing as how He shared top billing with Wario in Wario Blast (and Wario Blast is a category in the submission form) or do you guys see that as someone trying to find a loophole to cheat the system?

Posted by: Parakarry Sep 8 2006, 08:55 PM

QUOTE (Dr. Chaos @ Sep 8 2006, 10:26 PM) Just to make this clear, So this Bomberman Superstar Saga sprite sheet I made is unacceptable? Not Mario.

Posted by: FireStar Nov 13 2007, 07:27 PM

There aren't any guidelines for submitting sound?

Posted by: Ultramario Nov 16 2007, 02:02 AM

QUOTE (Firestar @ Nov 14 2007, 02:27 AM) There aren't any guidelines for submitting sound? Yes, there is. Check the main site.

Posted by: Chen Nov 1 2009, 12:10 PM

Where does I report sprite thief on the main site?

Posted by: MONEYMAN Nov 1 2009, 12:26 PM

QUOTE (Chen @ Nov 1 2009, 12:10 PM) Where does I report sprite thief on the main site? report the submission you have an account, right?

Posted by: Funky Nov 1 2009, 01:40 PM

QUOTE (Techokami @ Mar 19 2006, 03:15 AM) You can't have dithering in sprites, as everything has to be pixel-perfect. What if I dither in MSPaint

Posted by: RetroXYZ Nov 1 2009, 01:47 PM

Two year bump? It's stickied, but, still.

Posted by: Elyk Nov 2 2009, 07:49 PM

QUOTE (Chen @ Nov 1 2009, 12:10 PM) Where does I report sprite thief on the main site? click where is says " Report This Submission" underneath the update history

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