Ever noticed that when there's a major or something with multiple formats to enter, that theres always a format or two that ends up getting more entries?

I'm sure theres a case for saying that the popular formats are popular for a reason, that's fair enough (some serve as a 'bucket' for whatever doesnt fit into the others. It might be your music making platform of choice doesn't have it's own dedicated format). Also, I get that specialism also can be good, eg if you're exclusively working with famitracker then you'll probably get really good at it with time.

Anyway- perhaps there's something interesting that could be cooked up to incentivise the other formats. Ideas?

I wonder if an obstacle to anyone trying a new format out of their comfort zone, is that while learning for the first time, you might initially see no badge progression while you're getting the basics down. Maybe lack of opportunity is another one.
Perhaps botbrs could share obstacles to going into new territories.

I'm really glad someone pointed this out; i would love certain entries to be here BUT they aren't because not too much botbr actually are into it lol, i would love to propose a PC speaker compo; they're easy to get working and n00bish friendly, i use a tracer called monotone for it = ) also, i'm pretty surprised here are no demo compos, i mean; botb already focuses on music, even if not demo compos; visuals could be pretty neat compos to watch = )

i think a better chance to medal or top 7 has always been a good incentive to try more obscure formats. thats what got me into them, anyways :p

I remember when I tried to learn sgen for a compo, after submitting a comfortable format - I had the time and I felt intrigued. I only got far enough to learn the PSG, and a lot of ppl were like, "NO FM, boo-hoooo" or "I don't think this should qualify because no FM" - I didn't know anything about sgen or SMS systems at that point and why only using a PSG would be "unsatisfactory" to some people for that format.

I remember wanting these people to understand that SOME people, like me, had never even programmed a PSG in their life yet until trying sgen format - and I don't believe the sgen format ever strictly called for FM in the first place.

All I'm saying is that the response bummed me out a little, but of course I keep on truckin' :) Experienced formatters having an open mind to ppl learning a new format would be kind! :)

This very website is what convinced me to expand my chiptune background, even if the computer I was creating my music on wasn't exactly optimal. I created an Adlib entry (via DOSBox and FMC), an ASCII entry, a Mario Paint entry (this one I am definitely not interested in trying again), various small modules, an NSF entry (I would have never done this had I not been referred to IT2NSF), a pixel entry, a remix entry (reminded me of Sample Pack Compo...), a Renoise entry (I've decided this utensil makes me produce stuff that feels a bit like a musical uncanny valley at times), a S3XMODIT entry (my home for 10 years and counting), a Sega Genesis entry (I'm backing away from this one for now due to not feeling good about VGMMM's exporting abilities, and me thinking about trying to do something raw), a SID entry (via GoatTracker), a SMS entry (via IT2VGM, if I recall correctly), a SPC entry (my favorite! via SNESMod), a wildchip entry and a ZX Spectrum Beeper entry (via a variety of sound drivers, although Tritone seems to be the most common one for now)

Even though I didn't release any music on BOTB, I also attempted AYM (via Atari ST emulator), Deflemask (this one I decided wasn't worth my time in the long run), FamiTracker (One of my FCP2015 covers was made with Famitracker to intentionally throw someone looking up sound drivers in for a loop), Game Boy (I don't have LSDJ, but I do have a couple of Game Boy music editors, one of them Mac native, the most recent one I'm seriously considering using under the condition that I get the thing to compile for the Game Boy... and a few bugs get fixed), MIDI (I have past experience with this, and if I make one, then it will be using QMIDI due to a platform incompatibility with the default renderer you specified. At least it uses the same sound set. This is the format for which I am the least happy about these days due to playback inconsistency, as I learned the hard way through the defunct VGMusic forums), NTRQ, SAP (using an atari 8-bit series emulator), TIA (I attempted to create my own sound driver. It is partially functional, but it also works pretty poorly, especially with timing), and the VIC20 (via VICTracker, if I recall correctly).

So I tried a variety of formats, even if they weren't very well loved in the first place.

I remember keramon was hosting an obscure format weekly for a while a year or so back. She'd host a format that few people had experience with but gave em a week or so to figure out a tool for the format before hosting the OHB. Maybe we could start it again?

I wanted to enter those ohb's the last time those came around, just it's just my luck that I wasn't available for them :((

The FM synth/snes echoes battles have been good for practice, and going further back the zx beeper speaker major - those majors were a chance to try those formats out in longform which I think is positive.

What if there was always a one-format major going on, like say even if they only lasted for 7 days or something? That way, you can take more time to make something, rather than cram all youve learned into one hour. Also it doesn't rely on being available for a particular point in time.

Yeah, something like 7 day compos sound like a good idea.

A few days ago, there was a SunVox OHC, so I finally downloaded SunVox and checked it out, but 1 hour just isn't enough to figure something out and make something half decent with it.

If the compo would have had a 7 day deadline, I probably would have put some time into learning a new software/format.

It is in fact entirely possible to not only make something good with a program you've downloaded in the hour, but to get gold in the ohb too.

Git gud

OK. I'm off usually Sunday through Tuesday. If one of you can drum up interest with people enough and coordinate it with me -- given IRL duties -- I can provide additional incentives.

Many "unloved" formats need practice times. Some people battle giving the performance of "their best"; and some battle just for fun. When most people do not understand something and are pressured to do it, it is usually not very fun.

As having access to all formats I can host then and provide the additional rewards for participants. I'll need a curator to guide interested prospects toward the OHB with practice with me providing additional assistance.

PM me on IRC with ideas. :)

@Xyz Ohh yes, it's definitely possible! There are a lot of very, very talented people here, who could probably get a great track out of a half empty glass of water in an hour, if they had to.

I'm just sharing my perspective on things, and in that particular case, a longer entry period would have lead me to learn something new.

Im entering OHBs not so much to challenge others, but mainly to challenge myself. I rarely get anything done, because I get lost in the smallest details all the time and I'm never really satisfied with my stuff. When entering OHBs, I'm telling myself to submit anything I have at the end of the hour, no matter how bad or stupid is.

Yes, I'm mainly here to git gudr, and something like 7 day compos would probably help me to git gudr at new things.

1 hour may be enough for some folks to learn something entirely new and use it, but that's certainly not the case for all. Disclaimer: I'm pretty far in the latter camp. :P

Keffie's obscure format thingamajig was a cool thing, but the idea of a 7-day rotating semi-major (...can we refer to it as a "minor"?) compo is an even cooler idea IMO since we get access to the theme early, getting the gears turning on what actually to do, etc. It's a more natural flow for me, at least.

I personally find it much more motivating to tinker with things if I have a goal to work toward -- "we are the aliens" was me doing exactly this with Deflemask, and that turned out okayish. :P

Anecdotes!