Personally, I was on track and good to go until real life took a turn for the crapper. Nothing like kids, work, and responsibility getting in the way of a good time. Then again, I've never managed to get my entry fully complete, but hey that's the way it goes.

I still think that a starter kit is a necessity, granted it may not be required by all, but each of us has our own weaknesses. Include basic engine code, graphics, sounds, etc that are already out there (or make up some custom ones) and at least its a starting point. May people get hung up on one thing or another (graphics, physics, display, sound, etc) so providing a basic template to work from gives them a hand. If they don't need it, they don't have to use it.

Also, I like the cRobots type idea. There used to be a project similar to this written with GLScene (DRobots LOL) and lots of us played with the AI concept. I don't think its a great "replacement" for the game compo, but its a great thing to keep up and running year round. Quick and dirties can be ran against it easily enough.

Having a way that we the community (at least trusted memebers) can create and run mico-competitions would also be a good thing. This would let members setup and run competitions appropriate to their location in the world. Maybe have a twice or once a year compo based on the "best of the best" where winners from these micro-coimpetitions are teamed up with newer or lower ranked people to build an entry. Just a though.

Any way you look at it, I'm ready for 2010's competition and can't wait to at least give it my best.

- Jeremy