15 replies to this topic

[Dan T]

I'd like to kick-off a coding maker challenge. Please critique. What could make this better?
I’m thinking this should generate several good and unique projects for the Starter Kit.
Will it succeed? Will you contribute?

Announcement post:
------------------------------------------------------------
[This post is NOT the maker challenge. Do NOT submit entries here.]
[The challenge will begin at noon on Saturday, DD/MM/YYYY, and a link to the challenge post will be provided then.]

Announcing the first Netduino Go Maker Challenge!

“Starter Kit Wizardry”

The Challenge Week:
Challenge Begins: Noon Saturday DD/MM/YYYY
Challenge Ends: Noon Saturday DD+7/MM/YYYY

The Challenge:
Build a project using ONLY prominently featuring the Netduino Go Starter Kit.
Your project MUST use:

button module,
potentiometer module,
rgb led module

Your project can also use the shield base, extra modules, found materials, enclosures, explosives, anything really... but the basic Starter Kit should play a prominent role.

The Challenge Rules:

• Start making something creative right away. (In the spirit of a challenge, it should be mostly a new creation.)
• Post your code/presentation in the separate challenge entry thread that will appear when the challenge starts.
  (see “Challenge Week” above.)
• Include a brief but exciting write-up to generate interest (and votes) for your entry.
  Better yet, include a video of your application and increase your chance of winning.
• You can submit as many entries as you like.

The Voting Week:
Everyone, please check out the entries as they are posted. Reproduce them if you can!
Bug fixes are allowed during the challenge (see Rule #4)
The Voting Poll will be posted as soon as the entry period is over: noon on Saturday DD+7/MM/YYYY
Vote for

• Best Use of Starter Kit
• Most Creative Project
• Best Overall

Participants are encouraged to vote, too, but PARTICIPANTS CANNOT VOTE FOR THEMSELVES.

Prizes:
Prizes? Your prize will be a lifetime of knowing you’re a winner of the inaugural Netduino Go Maker Challenge.
That looks good on a resume!

(The community politely asks the winner of Best Overall to create and moderate the next challenge, or to find another volunteer.)

------------------------------------------------------------
The Challenge post:
------------------------------------------------------------
Netduino Go Maker Challenge:

“Starter Kit Wizardry”

*** STARTS NOW ***

Please post your challenge entries here before DD+7/MM/YYYY.

The Challenge:
Build a project using ONLY prominently featuring the Netduino Go Starter Kit.
Your project MUST use:

button module,
potentiometer module,
rgb led module

Your project can also use the shield base, extra modules, found materials, enclosures, explosives, anything really... but the basic Starter Kit should play a prominent role.

[See this Announcement Thread for the detailed rules and discussion.]

Everyone, please check out these entries and then...after the challenge closes on DD+7/MM/YYYY...
We all vote on the winner(s). Everyone can vote!
Challenge participants cannot vote for themselves - that's not dignified - but you are encouraged to vote. (A link will be provided.)

(Numerous edits to convert from a coding challenge to maker challenge and loosen it up a bit.)

Edited by Dan T, 24 June 2012 - 12:19 PM.

[Mario Vernari]

I suggested something similar to Chris time ago, so I can't see your idea badly. Surely is exciting, but...isn't that a bit too strict as a platform? I can't imagine so many derivatives from a Go! with just a button, pot and rgb led. Why doesn't open for a more wide hardware?

[Dan T]

Ciao, Mario,

We all must start somewhere. The Starter Kit encourages us to start with 1 button, 1 pot, 1 rgb led. Many many many first uses of Netduino Go will have nothing else.

As for being restrictive, yes. I think coding challenges have to be "thinly sliced" and well defined to make them challenging. But the real reason this one is restrictive is so that...

EVERY ENTRY WILL RUN ON A STARTER KIT.

[nakchak]

I agree, in all honesty with a single RGB LED a pot and a button, you cant do much more than use a button to control function and the pot to set a value for the led to display or sweep to... That said prehaps a more defined challenge with a predefined feature list where code compactness, feature set completion and educational value are considered could work with such a limited set of building blocks.. Nak.

[Mario Vernari]

The reason behind my doubt about the little hardware is just because that would turn much like to a software contest, than an hacking one. In such a case, you might consider even a PC software or similar. However, Netduino (any flavor) yields the chance to hack easily many things, with simiplicity. Moreover, I'd like to award much more an user that demonstrates to mix soft and hard with ability, other than a pure "software-guy". All that is just my honest opinion, though. So, my doubts are: - why a so limited hardware around the board, and - why has to be only the Go! version, so that many users would be cutted off the contest. Anyway, I confirm my endorsement on the good idea of creating a contest. Cheers

[carb]

Dan,

I like the idea, but agree with Mario. The area that I have the most difficulties with is the coding. I am trying to write code in both C# and Visual Basic at the same time. But for the items that are on the list there already exists a lot of examples of how to code them.

I think that I personally would learn more for a challenge that included all of the Netduino platform or at least sub categories for each board type. The other boards (beside the Go) reguire serial comms, SPI, I2C and networking etc.

I also feel that a large portion of the problems that individuals have using the Netduinos is how interfacing the boards to sensors and output divices (relays, leds, IC chips, internet and phones) and basic electrical / electronic theory.

Problems like resistor networks, voltage regulators, motor / servo control, building software classes and toolboxes, module and PCB design would increase the usability and understanding of the community.

If it is limited to the Netduino Go only, I would reccommend including the shield base as a minimum and suggest a display of some type be allowed but not required.

But don't take this the wrong way, I am not trying to defecate on the idea, in fact I think it is a good idea overall.

Chuck

[Gutworks]

Dan, are the limited requirements only for Netduino Go modules? For instance, can one attach an elastic band to the pot and to another rotational device and use it to tell the direction something is turning, and display the appropriate colour of light, using the button to start a timer for each test? Or Create a Breakout game, using the potentiometer as the paddle controller, and the light will give a visual feedback for power-ups, and the button as an action button to fire missiles, and or enter feedback such as "Start" "Next Level", etc. Or A basic timed etch-a-sketch game where the button switches the pot from the horizontal or the vertical axis, and the LED changes colour as a sort of visual timer. The game would present you with a random simple object to draw (Square, Triangle, etc) and the once the game starts, the LED is green. You have 1 minute to draw. At the start the LED is green, but it will gradually dim or change colour until it turns red at the 1 minute mark. In any case, I think it's a great idea. We just need to be a little more creative, and think outside the box! Cheers, Steve

[Dan T]

I asked for a "critique" so negativity is OK. No worries. Keep it coming.

Maybe I'm more of a "software guy" than I realize.

I strongly agree with you guys. "Coding" is the wrong word for this forum. Even if this contest goes off as I'd like, (mostly software) future contests can go ANYWHERE.

(The community politely asks the winner of Best Overall to run the next challenge, or to find another volunteer.)

So let's figure out a better name... A "Maker Challenge" ? A "Hacker Challenge"?

After some suggestions I'll edit-in-place the original post to incorporate the new name, change "app" to "project", and change the awards to be more maker appropriate.

I still want the first contest to be Starter-Kit-based.
("Blinky" doesn't cut it for me anymore - we can do better!)

[Dan T]

Dan, are the limited requirements only for Netduino Go modules?

Steve, I might cave on this under intense community pressure...
but for now I'm digging in:

Yes, the constraints are very strict: Use the Starter Kit. Only.

This is for two reasons:
1) Sometimes constraints INCREASE creativity. (Ask any entreprenuer.)
2) I really want more Starter Kit projects to check out.

I love your ideas, btw. Maybe a "Video Game" Challenge? or "Projectile Challenge"?

[carb]

See, I told you, Steve has already thought up ALL of the good things.
Chuck

ps. Dan, Didn't intend to be negative, just suggestions and thoughts. You have to start somewhere or you never do anything.

[Dan T]

OK, The wisdom of the community sunk in overnight. Contraints and Makers do not mix.
Thank you Mario, Nak, Chuck, and Steve!
I've tweaked the original post's Challenge description - especially the last line:

The Challenge:
Build a project using ONLY prominently featuring the Netduino Go Starter Kit.
Your project MUST use:

button module,
potentiometer module,
rgb led module

Your project can also use the shield base, extra modules, found materials, enclosures, explosives, anything really... but the basic Starter Kit should play a prominent role.

I've also changed the awards:

Vote for

• Best Use of Starter Kit
• Most Creative Project
• Best Overall

So the worst restrictions are gone but the Starter Kit intent is preserved.
Better?

Keep the feedback coming!

[carb]

I think so Dan. Although I am still trying to figure out how Steve's breakout game would have worked without a display. Chuck

[ItsDan]

Just picked up on this thread, but I do think with the existing core modules it would be a tough competition, you'd end up with a handful of variations on the same project.

[Gutworks]

Although I am still trying to figure out how Steve's breakout game would have worked without a display.

Chuck

Can we not use a computer monitor? I was thinking of an XNA or Silverlight game. Hmm, perhaps we need to wait until the challenge includes [nwazet modules.

Soon, we'll have a plethora of 12 modules to choose from:

• RGB LED
• Button
• Potentiometer
• Shield Base
• [nwazet Touch Display
• [nwazet Relay
• [nwazet Power Supply
• Variable Labs ProtoModule
• Komodex 7 Segment Display
• Piezo Buzzer - coming real soon
• SD - coming soon
• Ethernet - coming a little later than soon, but soon none the less

[Mario Vernari]

I'd a bit worried about the "loud" silence of the moderators: Chris and Stefan. Why don't you tell your opinion about?

[Stefan]

I'd a bit worried about the "loud" silence of the moderators: Chris and Stefan. Why don't you tell your opinion about?

My silence: I'm currently very occupied with some private stuff at the moment, which requires a lot of attention, hence I'm not on the boards much these weeks.
My opinion: I really like the idea. It will show what's possible with the Netduino Go and it will stimulate peoples creativity. Two things I'm really fond of