Battle of the Bits

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::|CONTENTS

OHC Rules
OHC Formats
OHC Variants
Hosting an OHC
OHC Stages
FAQ

OHC is an acronym for One Hour Competition. An OHC actually lasts about 90 minutes including time for setup, the hour of composing, voting and, finally, the results. However, if a larger group plays together, some of these steps can take a while longer.

OHCs come about through chatting on IRC where most BotB communications occur. In the #BotB Channel you can query BotB_IRCbot if an OHC is currently in play by typing "!ohc". If a BotBr wants to get a link to the OHC, they can type in "!compo" and BotB_IRCbot will link the compo in the IRC. You can also get notified whenever an OHC is taking place by adding yourself to the OHC spamlist by PM'ing the BotB_IRCbot "OHC_AddMe". BotBrs can participate without IRC but this behaviour is strongly discouraged.

BotB is attempting to rename OHC into OHB... perhaps this page should be moved into the OHB page...

OHC Rules

* Have fun!... :D

* An OHC requires at least 3 BotBrs to play and 250 boons. The host deposits the boons and gets them back if 3 or more entries are submitted.

* Every OHC has an acting host. The BotBr OHC host is in charge of setting up the OHC including title, battle format, sample pack (if applicable) and theme/rules of the OHC.

* When a format is declared all entries uploaded must be that format.
(Formats and their descriptions are below)

* When a sample pack is provided, all entries must only use the sounds/images provided with it - no external sounds/images allowed (unless the rules specify, e.g. an allgear OHC)

* Follow the rules of the OHC!! If a rule-breaking entry is submitted, it will most likely be down-voted by other OHCists.

* All entries must be original works. No previously uploaded battle entries or covers of songs allowed.

* All entries must be kept anonymous - BotBrs must refrain from putting their names inside entries in case of the AUDIO/CHIP OHC and BotBrs must refrain from putting their names in the PIXEL/GRAPHICS OHC files. BotBr names are appended to the entries after the OHC is over & finalized.

* The OHC lasts one hour. All entries should be uploaded before this time expires. If an OHCist needs more time to upload their entry then they can use the "Submit late" button (or add /Submit to the end of the OHC URL), but this means that the OHCist will not be able to claim any points for uploading to that OHC!!

OHC Formats

The host's decision on format is based on what allows the most BotBrs to play.BotB OHC's currently support the following formats:

AUDIO/CHIP OHC
* NES/Famicom 2A03 (Nintendo Sound Format -- 2A03 inc. DPCM only -- *.NSF:[NSF] ).
* NES/Famicom 2A03 w/ expansion (2A03, VRC6, VRC7, N106, MMC5, FME-07 and FDS chip -- *.NSF:[NSF]).
* Nintendo Gameboy ( -- *. MP3, *.OGG or *.GBS ).
* S3XMODIT (an array of Classic Trackers -- *.XM, *.IT, *.S3M, *.MOD).
* ALLGEAR Any Software/tracker and YOU CAN ADD extra sounds -- *.MP3 or *.OGG.
* Remix Any Software/tracker is used to mainpulate the SAMPLE PACK. Entries are *.MP3 or *.OGG.
* Pandatracker ( -- *.panda ).
* SNES' Mario Paint ( zsnes + mario paint rom as a tracker ).
* Amiga ( -- *.MOD or *.AHX ).
* MIDI ( Musical Instrument Digital Interface -- *.MID ).
* Adlib ( AdLib Music Synthesizer Card (ALMSC) -- *.??? ).
* Atari POKEY Chip ( -- *.SAP ).
* Atari TIA Chip ( -- *.BIN ).
* AY-3-8910 / YM2149 ( -- *.??? )
* Channel F ( -- *.??? )
* SEGA PSG ( Sega SMS/Gamegear SN7* "Sneven" chip -- *.VGM ).
* SEGA FM ( Sega FM -- *.VGM ).
* Commodore 64 ( -- *.SID )
* Commodore VIC 20 ( -- *.VT or *.PRG ).
* WILDCHIP - Anything remotely chiptune related. ( -- *.MP3 or *.OGG ).

PIXEL/GRAPHICS OHC
* Pixel formats ( -- *.GIF, *.PNG, *.BMP, or *.ZIP, *.RAR when they are a pack and rules allows).
* Text-based ( -- *.TXT)
* HTML/CSS ( -- *.ZIP, *.RAR containing all necessary attributes)
* Scalable Vector Graphics ('only used once) ( -- *.SVG)

OHC Variants

Types of OHC
AUDIO/CHIP = something you can hear.
PIXEL/GRAPHICS = something you can read/see.

Themes
An OHC's title typically has little to do with what is expected of the OHC entries. However, if the OHC host declares a theme then all entries should be voted on based around that theme. Themes can be based on any sort of thing like genres, an emotion, video games, holiday humbuggery, etc.

Sample Pack
Sample packs are source files used in the AUDIO/CHIP OHC typically packaged using .ZIP or RAR formats. Sample packs are accessible once the OHC starts. Unless otherwise noted by the host, the only samples that can be used within the OHC are the ones provided. Outside samples are not allowed.

Rules
The OHC host may take suggestions from other BotBrs or use their own imagination to create a set of rules for the OHC.

The OHC host may declare rules that either help OHCists by granting liberties, or hindering them by imposing limitations. Allowing synths and outside sounds would be granting liberties. Commonly imposed limitations include certain scales, number of voices, time signature, exclusion of notes/chords, etc. Both limitations and liberties could be mixed for more interesting play.

These OHC Variants are defined by the host before the OHC begins.

Hosting an OHC

If you want to host an OHC, you must have previously participated in three or more other OHC's on this site and you must have more than 250 boons.

1. BEGAST an OHC requires a deposit of 250 boons.
2. OHC host must be present on BotB IRC channel.
3. Host fairly decides when voting is done and then tells BotB to tally the results.
4. Host shares results on IRC (or skips this step if he/she is lazy).
5. Host finalizes the OHC, receives hostist points and boons as a bonus.
6. Deposit of 250 boons returned if 3 or more entries were submitted.

OHC Stages

OHCs have 3 stages:
1. Countdown -- (normally 5 minutes, but host can decide)
2. Competition -- (exactly 60 minutes)
3. Voting -- (normally 5-15 minutes, but host can decide)

1. Countdown:
During this time a countdown timer is set while the particular sample pack/rules for the competition is prepared by one of the players. This guarantees (hopefully) that no one can be ahead of others time-wise and that OHCists do not use a piece which they have been working on prior to the OHC (we trust the host creating the sample pack not to cheat on us :D).

This countdown also allows OHCists to finish up whatever they are doing at the time (work, food, games, and a long etc) in order to set up their own tools and be ready to participate. The countdown timer usually is to five minutes, but can be changed by the host depending on what the host's/other OHCists' will.

Once the countdown reaches zero (0), the sample pack/theme/rules are released to the public.

2. Competition:
During this time the sample pack, theme, and/or rules are provided to the OHCists for consideration when creating their submissions. It officially lasts for just sixty minutes. If an OHCist needs more time to upload their entry then they can use the "Submit late" button (or add /Submit to the end of the OHC URL), but this means that the OHCist will not be able to claim any points for uploading to that OHC!!

During this time you're allowed to chat on the IRC channel (of course) but please do not explicitly try to get people to vote for your song in order to win. You can also use the IRC chat as a way of checking how much time you have left by typing "!ohc".

3. Voting:
Voting do not usually take a long time because OHCs are normally very small competitions. Also there is no time to listen to each tune 2-4 times or even compare between them all that much. Because of this, decisions should be made relatively quickly so that all OHCists can see their results and claim their prizes!!

Voting is done on a scale that goes from 1 (awful) to 7 (outstanding). The highest scores are given to those OHCists whose entries adhered to the rules set for that particular OHC (format, theme, usage of the sample packs, and any other extra rules set) as well having great melodies and design. A well-made entry can get you far, but if you broke the rules of the OHC, you can expect to only get 1's and 2's from the other voters!!

Who can vote?
Any BotBr registered with the site can vote on the OHC. Note that the voter can be someone who did not compete in the OHC.

In addition, an OHCist cannot vote on their own entry, and trolls are not allowed to vote at all.

Voter Strength:
Voter strength is a "level" system among BotBrs. It causes high-leveled BotBrs' votes to have a greater influence on the final scores (a greater weight) than the votes of a low-leveled BotBr. It is implemented to ensure that no single BotBr can create multiple accounts to up-vote their own entries whilst down-voting other OHCists' entries.

For full details, read the article on Voter Strength.

FAQ

What will happen if I don't submit my track on time?
You are able to submit your entry late by clicking the "Submit late" button, or by adding "/Submit" to the end of the URL. By submitting late, you will not be able to claim any points for uploading to that OHC, so beware!!

Can I record vocals/drums/guitars/farts/etc. for use in an OHC?
Normally, no, you must use the samples provided within the sample pack. But if the rules say that you may or it is an allgear OHC, then you may do so.

Can I submit a cover song, or a song I have been working on previously?
No, you must create an all-new song within the 60 minutes provided.

What is a PIXEL/GRAPHICS OHC?
It is a competition similar to an audio/chip OHC, the main difference being that visual art is created instead of music.

Can I any colour I want in a PIXEL/GRAPHICS OHC?
If the sample pack/rules include a palette, then you must only use the colours from that palette. Otherwise, feel free to use any colour you like!!

What is an ASCII OHC?
An ASCII a text-based OHC. This means you could either be set to write a story/haiku/etc., or create art using only text characters.

Despite being called an ASCII OHC, it is debatable whether characters of different encoding (e.g. Unicode) may be used. It is best to stick to ASCII to not risk being down-voted.

Can I use an ASCII generator?
Obviously, not. Voters will probably down-vote your entry if you use one.

Can I hotlink in a HTML OHC?
No, you can't.

When is the next OHC?
There is no set time for any OHC, they are hosted spontaneously (provided there are BotBrs around to participate in it). To compete in an OHC, it is best to hang around in the IRC #botb channel - that way you can talk to other BotBrs and collectively decide who will be the host of the OHC.

Do I need to vote for all of the submissions in the OHC?
Well, no, not technically. But it is common courtesy to vote on all of your fellow BotBrs' entries. It means you can claim criticist points, and the host gets hostist points. It makes everybody happy!! Plus it doesn't take very long.

But, be sure not to ever down-vote every single entry in an OHC - that will give you "troll" points. If you gain too many troll points, then you will be marked as a troll and as a consequence you will not able to vote on any more OHCs or major battles!!

How much time do I have to vote for the tracks?
Well, it is dependent of the length of the entries, the number of the entries and how many times you listen every track. But remember to be considerate - you are not the only one voting.

Can I upload an NSF in an S3XMODIT?
Obviously not. If an OHC's format is S3XMODIT, you must upload either a .S3M, .XM, .IT or .MOD file - the valid filetypes are determined by the format. If you still don't understand check the FORMAT list.

How long must my song be?
However long you can make it!! All BotBrs are at different skill levels; some will have many years of experience and will be able to make around 2 minute songs or even longer, whereas newer musicians may only be able to make about 30 seconds. It is not too big of a fuss, and indeed sometimes less is more!!

Occasionally the OHC rules may specify a maximum/minimum song length, in which case that rule must be adhered to. In addition there is a filesize limit for all formats on BotB, but it is unlikely that you would encounter this problem in an OHC.

How many times I can host OHCs?
As many as you like, so long as your boons can afford it!!

How many boons do I need to host an OHC?
As aforementioned, you need a 250 boon deposit to start an OHC. As long as three or more BotBrs (you included) submit, then you will get your deposit back. It is a good idea to not start an OHC until you can be sure that three or more BotBrs will compete in it.

What do I win?
You get some OHCist points, as well as a medal if you place 3rd or above. Also, as you compete in more and more OHCs you will gain some experience too!! But in reality it is not about who wins or who loses, but entertaining ourselves and having fun and getting to know your fellow BotBrs!! <3

P.D: all n00bz...

C A T E G O R I E S

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