I had an idea for a new Perl (programming) game today, let me know if it already exists or I am crazy.

Group Code (temp lame name)

Group Code is a project based game and teaches coding in groups as well as expands the players understanding of the language or at least the diversity of it.
One person acts as the "Manager" they decide what needs to be coded, time allowed, team size, and constraints (aka requirements).
Once the Manager has determined everything, people volunteer to be on a team. Once teams are created the Manager then randomly assigns the first round of coding to one of the team members. The team member is NOT allowed to know who the Manager is. The team member will receive initial requirements and guidelines and can start anywhere they want on the project. They will also receive a time/date that there work has to be returned by no matter what state it is, in. They can forfeit their turn, in which case the code advances with no revisions (see points below). When returning the code to the Manager the player can/should include a file called "HELP" which would contain questions about the project or aspects of the project. The Manager can then decide to revise the requirements based on the HELP file or simply forward the HELP file with the package to the next player. This continues until each player returns the code ball stating they feel it is complete.

Now for the really fun part, you can't talk to the other players. You are given the code blind of the other players. It relies on honest players, since I can think of a dozen ways that a person could include contact information inside of the code ball innocently enough, but the Manager should look for any blatant attempt to supply contact information.

Points are awarded by finishing ahead of time and satisfying all the requirements. Extra points can be earned by adding beneficial features as long as the requirements aren't compromised. If a player returns the code earlier then the date originally suggested by the Manager, the Manager has to decide if the player should be penalized or rewarded, based on the reason for the early return, returning because they feel it is complete is NOT eligible for penalty or reward.
The final code ball would be placed in a public location and judged by whom ever wanted to download and test the project. Since I would like this to be a part of the Perl Monks, there could be XP awarded to the winning players and the players could vote on how well the manager did his job to determine how many points they earn.

To test the game I thought it might be fun to make the game the first project. Create a system that would support game play, that is does the auto select of the first person to get the code and the order in which the code would be passed to the other teams. It would manage the return of the code ball, notifying the Manager the ball is waiting for review and then send the ball along once approved again by the manager. It would also allow a user to mark the ball as completed. The players would be able to see how many players there are, the date they should expect to get the ball, and how many players have marked it as complete.
Another idea is to have the system related with Perl Monks and Monks can select to be included in their profiles and the gaming system would auto create teams based on XP and make an even spread of "assumed experience".
I know this is a much more complicated sport/game then Perl Golf, but I think it holds more real application then Golf.

THIS WOULD NOT BE A WAY TO GET A PROJECT DONE. IT WOULD DEAL WITH ABSTRACT CONCEPTS THAT COULD BE APPLIED TO "REAL" PROBLEMS. "REAL" PROBLEMS THAT ARE COMMUNITY RELAVENT (perlmonks site, common problems) WOULD BE FAIR GAME.

This is just food for thought.

In reply to Fun new game ??? by trs80

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