2/8/2006
Announcing the 2006 ActionScript Poetry Contest
Thanks for the great submissions this year! The submission window is now closed! If you still want to show off your work, however, feel free to send it to us (or better yet, wait until next year's contest!) Thanks!
It's that time of year again: The 2006 ActionScript Poetry Contest is on! What's an ActionScript poetry contest?
To quote last year's entry rules:
Translate your favorite poem (any poem, but remember: "Nantucket" is not an accepted ActionScript keyword), and post it here in the comments section of this article before March 21 (which is UNESCO's official World Poetry Day). Once the deadline has passed, the judging will begin.
Judging will be based on several factors, including public reaction to the poem (as noted in comments here), its poetic appeal, creativity and the ungodly whims of our nameless, faceless panel of judges. Extra credit will no doubt be given if the "poem" actually does something in ActionScript, or if it somehow manages to retain some sense of poetic integrity.
Please include a link to the original poem in the comments of the script, so that the less literary among us can also figure out what's going on. And as always, keep in mind that this is not a call for Flash animations interpreting literary works, but a real, honest-to-goodness, geekfest in which the code itself becomes the poetry.
As inspiration, check out last year's entries or the original ActionScript Jabberwocky poem.
And to see what it takes to win, here's last year's winning entry, as penned by Ammocell:
[code]
// El Dorado
// Edgar Allan Poe
//
// Translated by Ammocell
// Original poem can be viewed at:
// http://www.mat....“shadow.html
// ========================var elDorado = new Object();
var knight = new Object();
knight.bedight = ‘gaily’;
if( sunshine && shadow ) {
knight.gallant = true;
}
while( knight.journeyed > knight._x + 1000) {
knight.singing[’song’] = true;
knight.search( elDorado );
}while( ground.spot != elDorado ) {
knight.grow(age++);
knight.bold = true;
createEmptyMovieClip(’shadow_mc’, 1000);
knight.heart.setMask(shadow_mc);
}if( length ) knight.strength = false;
shadow = new Object();
shadow.pilgrim = true;
knight.meet(shadow);
knight.query(shadow, elDorado.land[where]);shade = shadow;
knight.search = knight.seek;
shade.reply = function() {
if( knight.seek == elDorado ) {
knight.ride = function() {
moon.mountains._y++;
shadow.valley._y–;
}
}
}
[/code]
For his prize-winning efforts, AmmoCell was awarded an ActionScript Jabberwocky T-shirt which we're sure he treasures daily (assuming it arrived). This year's winner will receive their choice of a custom T-shirt featuring their own poem on the back or the classic ActionScript Jabberwocky digs.
The submission window closes March 21, and judging will begin immediately thereafter. We look forward to seeing what you can do!
The contest begins… NOW! Just leave your entries in the comments form below. To make sure the code formats correctly, please add the tag [code] (in square brackets) at the beginning, and [/code] at the end.If they look screwed up; don't fret — we'll straighten it up asap. Thanks!)
[code]
// Sonnet 18: Shall I compare thee to a summer's day?
// by William Shakespeare
// ported to ActionScript by Satori Canton
//
// Original poem can be viewed at:
// http://plagiari...com/poetry/915/
var summer:Object = {};
var thee:Object = {};
summer.name = "Summer Day";
thee.name = "Thee";
summer.lovelyness = 9;
thee.lovelyness = 10;
summer.temperature = 98;
thee.temperature = 98.6;
summer.lease = new Date(2006, 7, 31).getTime()-new Date(2006, 5, 1).getTime();
thee.lease = new Date(2042, 6, 12).getTime()-new Date(1970, 8, 25).getTime();
summer.complexion = 0xFFCC33;
thee.complexion = 0xFFCCCC;
summer.fair = 10;
thee.fair = 10;
summer.getValue = function():Number {
return --this.fair;
};
thee.getValue = function():Number {
return this.fair;
};
summer.incrementTime = function():Number {
return --this.lease;
};
thee.incrementTime = function():Number {
return this.lease;
};
var man:Object = {};
man.hasEyes = true;
man.canBreath = true;
man.lease = 10000;
man.liveLong = function():Void {
this.lease++;
};
man.giveLife = function(o:Object):Void {
o.lease++;
trace(o.name+" is given life");
};
man.compare = function(o1:Object, o2:Object):Void {
if (this.canBreathe && this.hasEyes) {
this.liveLong();
var n1:Number = 0;
var n2:Number = 0;
var o1isBetter:Boolean;
for (var i in o1) {
if (typeof (o1[i]) == "function") {
o1isBetter = o1[i]()>o2[i]() ? true : false;
} else {
o1isBetter = o1[i]>o2[i] ? true : false;
}
if (o1isBetter) {
trace(i);
}
n1 += Number(o1isBetter);
n2 += Number(!o1isBetter);
}
this.giveLife(n1>n2 ? o1 : o2);
}
};
man.compare(summer, thee);
[/code]
[code]
function if(you){
/* "IF" by Rudyard Kipling,
Actionscript translation by Stuart Bray (www.snappyfingers.co.uk)
*/
If(you.head.owner == you & you.allAbout.head.owner == null{
if(you.trust(you) & allMen.doubt(you)){
if(you.wait() & you.tired == false){
if(you.canDream & you.Master != Dreams){
if(you.meetWith("Triumph","Disaster"){
if(you.winnings > 0 & (Math.random()*pitchAndToss 0){
if(you.force(you.heart, you.nerve, you.sinew).time > you.life.time){
if(you.unforgivingMinute.fill(60, "seconds", distanceRun)){
earth.belongsTo = you
earth.everythingInIt.belongsTo = you
you.aMan = true
you.mySon = true
}else{
earth.belongsTo = null
earth.everythingInIt.belongsTo = null
you.aMan = false
you.mySon = false
}
}
}
}
}
}
}
}
}
}
[/code]
I was loved your translation, Satori, but I have one amendment to suggest. “Temperate” doesn’t really mean “hot,” as you imply, it means something like “more restrained” or in this case “less changeable.” So there’s no reason to make “thee”’s temperature higher than “summer”’s–and in fact, a few lines later, Shakespeare specifically says that a summer’s day can be TOO hot, in contrast with thee. “Sometime too hot the eye of heaven shines…”
[code]
/* http://www.west...e-breaking.html */
class OgdenNash {
private static var DANDY:Number = 500000;
private static var QUICKER:Number = 50;
private var candy:Number;
private var liquor:Number;
function OgdenNash() {
candy = getCandy();
liquor = getLiquor();
}
private function getCandy():Number {
var i:Number;
for (i=0; i<DANDY; i++) {
// wait...
}
return DANDY;
}
private function getLiquor():Number {
for (i=0; i<QUICKER; i++) {
// wait...
}
return QUICKER;
}
}
[/code]
These are so clever and totally creative.
Keep up the fantastic work everyone!
—
http://www.wirah.com
[code]
/*
Gotten from
http://www.obje...oILoveThee.html
How Do I Love Thee?
a poem by Elizabeth Barrett Browning
ported to ActionScript by Carlos Nazareno
for The 2006 Actionscript Poetry Contest
Original poem can be viewed at:
http://www.poet...i_love_thee.htm
*/
var howDoILoveThee:Object = newObject;
howDoILoveThee.ways = new Number();
var iLoveThee:Number;
var maxMovieclipDepth:Number = 1048575;
var maxBitmapWidth:Number = 2880;
var maxBitmapHeight:Number = 2880;
var maxFlashLoops:Number = 200000;
var Being:Number = maxFlashLoops/2;
var idealGrace:Number = maxFlashLoops/2;
var feeling:Number = Number.POSITIVE_INFINITY;
var sight:Number = Number.MAX_VALUE;
var Praise:Number = 0;
var freely:Number = 1;
var purely:Number = 1;
var oldGriefs:Object = new Object();
oldGriefs.passion = new Object();
var childhood:Object = new Object();
childhood.faith = new Object();
var myLostSaints:Object = new Object();
var allMyLife:Object = new Object();
allMyLife.breath = new Object();
allMyLife.Smiles = new Object();
allMyLife.tears = new Object();
var death:Boolean = false;
this.createEmptyMovieClip("mySoulReach", this.getNextHighestDepth());
this.createEmptyMovieClip("sun", this.getNextHighestDepth());
this.createEmptyMovieClip("candlelight", this.getNextHighestDepth());
this.createEmptyMovieClip("man", this.getNextHighestDepth());
var i:Number = 0;
howDoILoveThee.ways = 0;
if (feeling > sight) {
for (i=0; i < (Being + idealGrace); i++) {
mySoulReach.swapDepths(maxMovieclipDepth);
iLoveThee = mySoulReach.getDepth();
howDoILoveThee.ways ++;
mySoulReach._width = maxBitmapWidth;
iLoveThee = mySoulReach._width;
howDoILoveThee.ways ++;
mySoulReach._height = maxBitmapHeight;
iLoveThee = mySoulReach._height;
howDoILoveThee.ways ++;
}
}
with(sun) {
this.createEmptyMovieClip("everyday", this.getNextHighestDepth());
everyday.createEmptyMovieClip("mostQuietNeed", everyday.getNextHighestDepth());
iLoveThee = everyday.mostQuietNeed.getDepth();
}
howDoILoveThee.ways ++;
with(candlelight) {
this.createEmptyMovieClip("everyday", this.getNextHighestDepth());
everyday.createEmptyMovieClip("mostQuietNeed", everyday.getNextHighestDepth());
iLoveThee = everyday.mostQuietNeed.getDepth();
}
howDoILoveThee.ways ++;
man.strive = function():Void {
iLoveThee = freely;
this._x += 1;
}
howDoILoveThee.ways ++;
man.turn = function():Void {
iLoveThee = purely;
if (this._rotation < (Praise + 180) % 360)
{
this._rotation ++;
}
}
howDoILoveThee.ways ++;
with (oldGriefs.passion) {
var iLoveThee:Boolean = true;
}
howDoILoveThee.ways ++;
with (childhood.faith) {
var iLoveThee:Boolean = true;
}
howDoILoveThee.ways ++;
with(myLostSaints) {
//var loveLost:Boolean = true;
var iLoveThee:Boolean = True;
}
howDoILoveThee.ways ++;
with (allMyLife.breath) {
var iLoveThee:Boolean = true;
}
howDoILoveThee.ways ++;
with (allMyLife.Smiles) {
var iLoveThee:Boolean = true;
}
howDoILoveThee.ways ++;
with (allMyLife.tears) {
var iLoveThee:Boolean = true;
}
howDoILoveThee.ways ++;
if (GodChoose) {
if (death) {
iLoveThee ++;
}
}
howDoILoveThee.ways ++;
trace(â€I love thee “+howDoILoveThee.ways+†ways.â€);
[/code]
[...] Competitions: We mentioned a couple Flex competitions in that beta 2 post as well; we have since been alerted to another Flex competition from Ray Camden — this one related to Cold Fusion. And of course we must mention Turdhead’s ActionScript Poetry Contest — submissions have closed, but check out the entries and be ready to pick your favorite when online voting begins later this week. [...]
[...] var author = ‘Charles Baudelaire’; http://www.turd...poetry-contest/ [...]
[...] sonnet 18 in Actionscript post. It’s an annual contest held to make great AS poetry. Geeks delight!http://www.turdhead.com/2006/02/08/announcing-the-2006-actionscript-poetry-contest/Sonnet 28, by William ShakespeareSONNET 28. by: William shakespeare 1564-1616. OW can I then return [...]