Hi!

So yeah, basically, I made a game that I called "Worldwide Combos". I chose that name because it sounds similar to "4-wide combos".   
Actually, this is very similar to games such as Tetris Battle®. Yet, I would like this plate-form to provide some competitive aspects that most existing similar games do not have.

The game is to be played with your browser. It should work at least on Safari, Firefox and Google Chrome (haven't checked all existing browsers). It was mainly made with jQuery client side, and with Node.js server side.

Here is a little preview.






Features

For now, it only supports 1 versus 1 games. Yet, if you don't have anybody to play with, you can play the "solo" mode which is actually a 1 versus 1 mode using asynchronous gaming (yes, I had a lot of fun making this).

The multiplayer games are made through a matchmaking system, that matches you to another waiting player according to your multiplayer ratings (there is a solo rating as well). There is a spectator mode, even though I am not 100% sure it works well...   

There are two handicap types : solid garbage (for both modes), and garbage with holes (for the multiplayer mode only).

You may also customize the speed tunings, as well as the keys, and the time limit, and the KO limit. There is no "hurry up" mode either right now.

Upcoming features

I will probably try to make a better design, but for now it's not so ugly to my opinion.
There are many things I want to add, like an in-game chat system, more handicap types, or converting replays into videos. Also there is a Discord server: http://discord.gg/uWsr6vh.

I also want to make this plateform competitive, with an integrated tournament system.

Known issues

There are a lot of security issues right now, and I know it. I will fix them little by little.
Also, be careful not to press Enter while customizing options, as it might reload the game.


Hope you will like it, I had a lot fun making this, despite several (very) fustrating bugs. It is my first Node.js application, and I am quite satisfied by the result, that's why I am posting it now. Actually, I always wait until my projects are consistent before talking about them, because I am never 100% whether I will be able to do something that works or not.   

If you have comments or suggestions to make, feel free.
Thank you for reading! 

Noël.

The TI-Concours

The TI-Concours is a programming contest on TI calculators, which was created in 2011. It was held once a year from 2011 to 2014, and in 2016, and lets all coders, whether they are experienced or not, challenge themselves by solving programming tasks. It is already the sixth edition of the contest, and no matter your experience in the programming field, it is an great opportunity to compete against other community members from several countries ! 

Hall of fame

Note : only TI-Basic z80/ez80 winners are mentioned here.

2011 : Loulou_54
2012 : Torio
2013 : Deep Thought
2014 : m@thieu41
2016 : Ruadh
2017 : maybe you?

The TI-Concours in 2017

Categories

This year, we decided to make only one category : z80 and ez80 TI-Basic. For those who are not sure of what it is, recall that it is the Basic language which is available on calculators such as a TI-82 Advanced or a TI-83 Premium CE, and a few other compatible calculators.

Calendar

The contest will be held from March 25th to April 23rd, and will last 30 consecutive days. This year, it is not cut into separate rounds anymore, you will have to manage your time by yourself!

What you will have to do

Earlier today, three different tasks were released simultaneously. Each of them focuses on a specific topic:

• a fun task, that is to say, a game to make;
  
• an algorithmic task, which asks you to solve an algorithmic problem in the most efficient way speaking about speed;
  
• an optimisation task, which requires to produce a sub-optimal solution to a problem and maximize its score.

The goal is the following: in 30 days, solve at least two tasks as well as you can. Of course, you can solve all three of them, but at the end, the final ranking will be based on people's two best scores. For every solved task you will get a score between 0 and 100, but these scores will be harmonized in order to guarantee the fairest possible ranking.


Prizes

If you win, you will enter TI-Concours's legend, and you will thus be covered with honor and glory.
If you think this is not already enough, you may chose one of the following prizes. The winner choses what he wants to get, the second contestant gets what remains.

First prize:

• a TI-Nspire CX CAS;
  
• a TI-Planet sticker.

Second prize:

• a TI-83 Premium CE;
  
• a TI-Planet sticker.

Furthermore, the winner for every single task will win an additional TI-Planet sticker, and all the contestants that get a strictly positive score will win a TI-Planet premium account. 

Other remarks

Everybody can compete. However, in previous editions, people with the highest degree didn't necessarily win...
Please note, that you will not be asked advanced knowledge in topics such as mathematics.

You will have to send your programs by e-mail. All the details are written in the tasks' statements. Be sure that you have a link cable in order to transfer your programs from your calculator to your computer. If you are facing issues related to this, you can ask questions on this forum or on the chat.

One last thing: have fun! We are sure that you will learn something from entering this contest. 

Today I am very glad to let the TI-Concours 2016  begin !


What is the TI-Concours ?

Created in 2011, the TI-Concours is a programming contest on TI calculators. Initially made for high school students who had a z80 calculator, he gradually extended to all categories of age, and other platforms and languages.
Organized four years in a row, it quickly became a major contest, with participants from several different communities on the net.
Unfortunately canceled in 2015, I am really happy to organize a fifth edition, which I hope will be full of success.

How the contest will run

This year, there are two categories :

1st category : z80 and ez80 TI-Basic.
2nd category : ez80 Asm / C ez80 and Nspire Basic/Lua.

From January 11th, you will have four weeks to enter the qualification round. There will be several questions, which will all consist in making a program on your calculator. Subjects are made to be entertaining, so that you may have fun in participating and improving yourself at the same time.

The questions' difficulty is globally increasing. It is not necessary to do everything, and for that reason I advise you to send us what you have done whatever your degree of progress.

After this qualification round, the best participants will be selected for the final, which will be held in the beginning of March. These people will be given another subject, which will be harder. The time limit will also be strict : only 3 hours and 30 minutes !

At the end, there will be a ranking : you can get at most 100 points for the qualification round, 400 points for the final.
You may participate in both categories.

Prizes

Here are the prizes for both categories :

• 1st prize : 1 TI-83 Premium CE + 2 TI-Planet stickers + TI-Planet Premium account;
  
• 2nd prize : 1 TI-82 Advanced + 1 TI-Planet sticker + TI-Planet Premium account;
  
• 3rd prize :  TI-Planet Premium account.

Another TI-Planet Premium account will be given to the qualifications' winners, in case they wouldn't be on the podium. :

Subjects


Note : if there are mistakes, and especially english mistakes, please tell me quickly.

Update : the TI-Concours 2016 starts on January 11th ! Get ready !

Hello,

the TI-Concours 2016 will probably be held in a few months, and now I am trying to decide which languages will be allowed this year.

The TI-Concours is a programming contest in which you use your calculator. Il was held once a year from 2011 to 2014 but it was cancelled in 2015. In order to win this year you will have to make several programs that will mostly be entertaining, so that you may enjoy it. 

There is no oral exam from now on.

If you are interested by this contest, and if you are willing to participate when it starts, then please help by filling this form : h t t p :// goo.gl/forms/7k4B5Hyo1R.
This is not a registration form, this is a survey to help me choose which categories there will be in 2016.

Thanks !

Noël.