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The big picture: Thanks to ongoing problems in the microchip supply chain, PC hardware has become prohibitively expensive for many enthusiasts. Game developers may eventually have to adapt to this new reality by optimizing their software instead of expecting customers to upgrade aging hardware. Optimization is also essential in game development competitions, where resourceful programmers can earn prize money by creating a complete game within an extremely small package.
Korean website 2P Game Arcade recently launched a new "1.44MB Game Dev Contest." The challenge is simple: developers must create an entire game that fits on a single floppy disk. The maximum file size is 1,474,560 bytes, matching the capacity of the 3.5-inch high-density floppy disks commonly used with IBM-compatible PCs in the 1980s and early 1990s.
The 2P Game Arcade team specializes in organizing game development competitions in which developers from around the world compete against one another. The new 1.44MB contest began a few weeks ago and will accept submissions until October 4. Anyone can participate, the organizers said, as long as every byte counts and the standard 1.44MB IBM PC floppy disk capacity is not exceeded.
