Put a standard distribution on those numbers / the number of submissions this contest will
ever receive:
0) Native modsys ("50%")
1) some use WSE extended operations (34%)
2) some use WSE with Lua (13% - everything past this point will probably never occur unless we get >50 submissions)
3) someone uses custom WSE with C# (2%)
4) someone uses custom WSE with F# (let's call this 2% as well)
5) someone uses a custom modsys made in Java (0.1% - our 1000th submission to the scripting contest)
6) someone decides to use Ruby (kt0 doesn't mod M&B anymore)
You have a point. But, I think it's a completely false concern, and if you ever go past #2 (WSE+Lua) I will be completely flabbergasted. I also notice a lot of the "anti-WSE" crowd are single-player focused modders, so the logic of "get more creative with Native" makes sense in the context of SP, but in terms of server-side mods/MP modding in general, not allowing WSE is just saying "most of your cool ideas are impossible again."
I'm not
trying to argue, the decision it seems is final, but I do think it is at best a misguided rule. I reiterate:
Ruthven said:
Is the purpose of these contests to determine the fairest winner, or to stimulate the community?
This question should be answered before these contests can begin, and I don't think I have to tell you which of the two options I deem preferable. The judges are smart people, we shouldn't limit the skill level of submissions based on presumptions of how effectively the code can be judged. If someone comes in with a bangin' script nobody understands, suddenly we have not only an
opportunity for all modders involved (including the judges) to learn new ways of using/looking at modding M&B, but we also have a cool and unique feature that - even if you don't understand it, you can implement and get it working. (<- this is how 99.9999% of all modders learn code anyways - copy, paste, pray.)
I do believe creativity thrives best under constraint. But fewer submissions is a bad thing. Let the constraints be determined by the topic, not the tools.
I also don't like the "one step at a time" notion. There isn't a lot of red tape to cross here. K700 and EmilRegis said something like "I won't do this contest without WSE." Well, turn them away, fine, it's not
wrong to do so, but I just don't see the point. The OP would take 5 minutes to update - I would love to see submissions from two of the best and most active scripters in the community, even if I don't find use for their codes; I'm sure there would be much I (and many others) could learn from it.
Isn't that the whole point?
Regardless, I'm not trying to attack anyone involved - obviously this is a great initiative and I have nothing but respect and thanks to all the organisers, judges, and participants.