Anyone else kinda miss the design focused contests?

I've heard for video game designers they'll interview people in a meeting room. One thing they might do is give them a random theme, like matchsticks or something, and those people present a game concept around that theme.

X-M-O was always good at having forum members create things with that design concept in mind. I feel the earlier ones were the best, as everyone was on an even playing field, forced to use the things provided by their choice engine and nothing more.
(That's not to say the last contest he held didn't have some amazing games. It did.)

I felt these embodied the true essence of game design.

If I could find the support for it, I would consider coordinating a contest myself. Mainly organizing the activities and deadlines and acting as an intermediary between those involved. I may be able to drudge up some design work as well.

I'm studying a lot of video game design and working on two other projects though. There's times when I'm running on 4 hours of sleep.

I'd love some pointers and information on doing this from others who have done it as well.

It's all good down on paper, but in the end the longevity of such contests depends on its participants. If you can prove that many people will actively participate in these contests than it's alright.

If you do that, ill gladly participate ^^

Yeah, there would have to be enough interest in it, and so far I haven't seen much activity to justify a competition yet. But I'll give it time. However there is a festivity competition going on in the competition forum, so I think my timing may just be off for suggesting.

Isn't there already a challenge, currently going on in the Comp Zone, one that is being run by Amerk? the Festival one?

Yep, and I've been sending out various reminders, but aside from a few interests in judging, I haven't heard anything about games. I'll shoot out another reminder, but perhaps people just don't know where to go? If not, contests are in the Comp Zone now, as Jonnie mentioned.

It might also be that people just don't have the same motivation with the theme now that christmas has come and gone?

But it isn't all about Christmas. As the topic states, anything to do with the end/beginning of the year (holidays, winter, winter sports, festivities, etc). It may have been bad timing though, since the topic was created right before VXA was released (in Japan) and people may be more interested in that right now. We'll see.