Reasons For Success
While there has been a great deal of debate on why the Java 4K contest is so successful, the consensus from the contestants seems to be that it provides a very appealing challenge. Not only do the entrants get the chance to show off how much they know about Java programming, but the 4K size helps "even the odds" compared to other competitions where the use of artists and musicians can easily place an entry far ahead of the others.
This may explain why spinoff contests targeting 8K, 16K, or a specific API like LWJGL have never taken off. In fact, the contestants seem to believe that 4K is the "sweet spot" that balances what an individual can do. Because of the tricks developed for the 4K contest, it's believed that adding even a single kilobyte would open the doors to far more complex games that are beyond the ability of a single developer.
Read more about this topic: Java 4K Game Programming Contest
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