Well since we are asking about dates, how does starting sometime next month (August) sound?

When does the next Ludum Dare take place? I don't think there is one running now is there? My twitter app isn't humming with the sounds of LD so I think we are in a safe zone, yes?

Duration; what do you guys think would be a good time-frame? 2 weeks? 3 weeks? a whole month? How fast can you guys put together a prototype that is playable and gets the basic gameplay across?

The picks idea is just to make it interesting for those that are not participating and when showing off what everyone did to highlight things that were accomplished among the whole event. Really it's mostly just dressing for interest's sake.

And well theme I would pick out something cool, interesting yet something that doesn't have to be a huge game project and could be completed in a matter of weeks for an event. It's kept secret so that everyone is "on par" when the event begins. So far no one has outright hated any of my themes so far. (That they have told me lol) And if you are not crazy about this theme, the idea is that there is another one around the corner in the next challenge that you'll probably like more.