Cemetech Contest 27: The Dungeon Master
Published by naga_s | Discuss this article

We're starting off this year with the next contest for Cemetech, and this year we've got good things under our sleeves. You may have heard it being teased a bit, so let's dive into the details! This contest has been masterminded by naga_s/naga_serpentis.

The Tools
For this contest, you will be making a game using "Hybrid BASIC" using TI-BASIC and your preferred library, such as Celtic III, xLib, DoorsCS[E], Celtic CE, etc. With that being said, you will be using any of the following calculators for your entries:

  • TI-83/84 Plus/Silver Edition
  • TI-84 Plus C Silver Edition
  • Any variant of the TI-84 Plus CE/T, TI-83 Premium CE
  • Any variant of the TI-84 Plus CE Python/T/Edition Python
Of course, the TI-84 Evo has no Hybrid BASIC libraries yet. In this contest, you will NOT be using any sort of assembly, C, Axe, Ion, ez80 Assembly as the backbone for your entry. The only exception is to provide QoL ("Quality of Life") improvements for your program such as turning off the run indicator.

The Theme
You will be making some sort of a dungeon crawler. If you remember my Base 3 CE game I made a while ago, you'll be making a similar game in your own way. For your entry in the contest, your game must include at least two things:

  1. A basic storyline: It doesn't have to be super complex or full of lore. A simple story goes a long way for your title.
  2. An HP (Health Points) system: The player and all enemies must have HP. One-hit kills don't count!
Of course, your game shouldn't be limited to these: add other things to make it more fun such as power-ups, levels or rooms, achievements, and more! Whatever you believe will make your game look better, have at it!

Judgement and Scoring
For this contest, your program will be judged on various categories. The highest score you can earn will be 100, and it will be influenced for each category. However, there are some conditions that might push your score above 100.

  • Optimization (30pts): Optimization of your code is vital for your game to be snappy and fast for the player.
  • Gameplay (20pts): The play-through is also important, you want your game to be fun and exciting to the player. Having an attention-grabbing game encourages more people to play and actually finish the game.
  • Graphics (10pts): Your game needs to be stunning to look at! Black text on white background are caveman times; we have the tools to make games look good! Use it! 🙂
  • Originality (10pts): Your game should be unique! You can use ideas and inspiration from other games and creators, but don't copycat. You will lose 10 points for a direct copy from someone else!
  • Technical skill (20pts): Your usage of Basic and Celtic CE is also vital to being successful in your entry. Pushing them to their limits to deliver something many will enjoy will get you through the long run. This category will also depend on any bugs and/or errors in the program. It is important for your program to have all its bugs squashed to deliver an excellent experience.
  • Other Attributes (10pts): The judges will judge your entry to look for clever, unexpected, or otherwise skillful additions. More points are earned if your entry really tickles the judges' fancy!
Extra Credit: That's right, there's extra points that will be given if you go the extra mile and add more to your entry if you feel adventurous enough. Here's a list of what those can be:
  • Achievement systems
  • Game save-data system (bonus points for anti-tampering)
  • Sprite usage over tokens
  • And possibly more...
The judges for this contest will be:
  • Naga Serpentis (naga_s)
  • RoccoLox Programs (roccoloxprograms)
  • iPhoenix (i.phoenix)
  • KermPhD (kermmartian)
  • KaiTheMouse (N/A)

Contest schedule
This contest will have an organized schedule to keep things fair, with these dates:

  • May 10th, 2026: Contest announcement, contest begins
  • June 4th, 2026: One week before the contest ends
  • June 11th, 2026: Contest ends
  • June 25th, 2026: Winners Revealed
Users will have one month after the starting day to complete their entry to win.

Prizes and Winners
For this contest, there will only be three winners this contest, and ties will not be permitted.
If you are a winner of CC27, here are the prizes that will be given!

  • TI-84 Evo (Lavendar): First Place winner
  • TI-84 Plus CE Python (Totally Teal, downgraded): Second Place winner
  • TI-84 Evo Emulator License Key (4 years): Third Place winner
The calculators will include an extra battery. The prizes will also include a special hand-written note and sticker! To prize winners both in the United States and internationally, shipping up to $20 is included with your prize, and basic insurance coverage will be added. Your package will be delivered via USPS. Any shipping costs above $20 will be covered by our wonderful friend KermPhD. US "no export" countries are excluded. The unit(s) are "as-is" and are in working condition prior to this contest.

Final information and contact
Good luck everyone! I expect the competition to be intense especially for the prizes! If you have any questions, comments, concerns, or anything else, please hit up naga_s by commenting on the thread to this announcement or by reaching out to the contest judging team. If you have other questions or concerns, please reach out to the administrators of Cemetech and its respective Discord and they will assist you whenever they are available.

Thank you!





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