A few thoughts:
- Different categories depending on access to equipment (3D printers, etc.)
- Agreed values for some common or required challenge components so people who don't have a huge stockpile aren't penalized for buying things domestically if they are trying to get in under a price threshold.
- Challenges to use interesting, but inexpensive components that don't seem to be widely used due to challenges with interfaces that dont' seem to be tackled often (screens, input devices, etc.)
- Builds should have parts lists made available
- Photos of the "guts" should be part of the submission. There are loads of cool builds out there that no one wants to show the inside of because they are protecting their methods to then sell on eBay, etc.
- What you had to figure out to make it work would be really cool to see. (Examples: How does your safe shutdown circuit work? How did you get that I²C screen displaying the game metadata?)