Page 2 - Other files

Yes, you can use external images.



Yes, you can. And if you can build it more aesthetically pleasing than using static images, i'm sure Matt isn't gonna mind

If you feel using images is wrong, then simply don't.. i felt using different algorithms on the same deck in klondike was wrong, so i simply didn't use it. I may not win, but it's the challenge that's the point.

Good luck!

I totally agree with this. It is a challenge, using gd is part of the challenge. External image files are just cheating IMHO...

I agree...
It's easy to make spicy gfx with photoshop or whatever.
And last time i checked this was a PHP contest, not a photoshop contest.
So use GD if you're up for the challenge.

I agree. Designers design, coders write code and this is a coding copetition. Whilst I can apreciate the ease of which having a few simple graphic files would bring, I still don't think that it's "right", and thus my entry shall be GD alone

OK, I'm going to pipe in here real quick....

Using static images is not cheating as defined by the rules of this competition. I can tell you though that from the submissions I have already received, the ones that make use of the GD library look far better than ones using static images.

Why? Well, obviously you can create images dynamically. With the ability to do this, you can adapt your images on a per maze basis and make things look nicer.

So, am I saying that static images are a definate loser? No. What I am saying is that I think the people who use the GD library in their script have an advantage..

Not to sound like I'm dragging this out, but the rules state the "languages" allowed are php/html/css. External image creation is not anything to do with a language. It's a skill. Same as creating them with GD.

The whole point of these contests is to see who can use the stuff available to them in the best way possible.

Just goes to show from Matt's observation that there doesn't seem to be many people here that can design without the help of GD.

Depending on the maze size, external image tiles would probably load faster anyway, so if speed is an issue, why not?

Since GD is not part of the default php library shouldn't it be considered an external application in the first place? It seems to be more about GD and less about the best/shortest/cleanest php solution to a given problem.

I mean if you are letting people use GD it’s the same as me writing a perl solution (which IMHO would be shorter/cleaner) then using `` backticks to run it from within php.

I've completed all the code I need up until the output stage but I'm not going to bother to install GD because I will never use it again.

Sorry, the first line should read "should be considered" not "shouldn't it be considered".

I think you guys pull things apart too much ;).. It's a simple problem, simple solution. go ahead and win, use what you like..

hehe, nice put