Announcing the Macworld 2010 GameSalad Challenge!

Cobra

Ladies and gentlemen, start your game engines!

From December 21, 2009 through January 25, 2010, Gendai Games and Macworld 2010 are teaming up to host "Macworld 2010 GameSalad Challenge." Individuals and teams will compete to create the most innovative, creative, and fun video games for the Mac and iPhone. Finalists will receive a Macworld 2010 Platinum Pass, with a chance to win a GameSalad Pro membership and an Apple iPod Touch.

Have an awesome game idea you'd like to show the world? Here's what to do:

- Create your game using GameSalad Creator for Mac (http://gamesalad.com/products/creator).

- Upload your game to the web by clicking the orange "Publish" button in GameSalad.

- Log in to GameSalad.com, visit your game's page, and press the new "Macworld 2010 GameSalad Challenge - Submit Game" button in the top right corner.

On January 29th, we'll notify the five Finalists and post their games to the GameSalad main page where the general public can vote on their favorite. These five games will also be presented live at Macworld 2010, where a panel of judges will demo and critique each game. On February 13 we'll announce the winner, determined 50% by the public vote and 50% by the judges, at an awards presentation on the Macworld 2010 expo floor.

We look forward to playing all the innovative, creative and fun games that you come up with!

Learn more here: http://gamesalad.com/macworld/

RSVP to our Facebook event:
http://www.facebook.com/GameSalad#/event.php?eid=211371334914

jonmulcahy

awesome, I saw this on the front page too. Now I need to get a good game idea

Gamexcb

Cool! I need to get to work!

butterbean

Cool!

Can the game that you submit already be in the App Store, or does it matter either way?

I would think it would be best to create a "new" game and then submit it to the app store once the contest is over right?

Weswog

I got to get started too:)

Cobra

@Butterbean,
No, pre-existing games are not accepted for this contest -- we're looking for all-new, original games. We know you can do a lot with GameSalad in a month...

ktfright

i don't see where to send in the game.

Gamexcb

A few questions:
Can we compete in teams?
Is there an age restriction?

adent42

@tshirtbooth
we know... we know...

@ktfright
you upload the game to the site, sign in, and a button will appear where the ad usually is that will allow you to submit your game.

@Gamexcb
You can compete in teams, though you will have to figure out how to divvy up the prizes.
Age restrictions is a minimum of 18 years of age and whatever the age of majority is in your state (e.g. whenever your state considers you an adult).

Gamexcb

So can one person in the team meat the age qualification?

quantumsheep

Are we eligible to compete if we don't live in the US?

I imagine it'd be expensive to get to MacWorld... unless we swim...

QS

Cobra

@Gamexcb,
The person submitting the game is entering into a legal agreement, and must meet the age qualification. However that person does not necessarily have to be the game's creator; he or she could be one member of a team, or a representative such as a parent. Of course, any prizes would be awarded to that person as well.

@quantumsheep,
Sorry, no -- the contest is open only to U.S. residents.

eliehang

Does the game have to be under 10MB?

ktfright

I'm halfway done, soooo winning this!

ktfright

Done and here is my entry-

http://gamesalad.com/game/play/32237

micah

I have a question.. the rules say "All entrants certify that their game is a 100% original creation and that they own all rights to the game, titles, images, sounds, and any other component of the game." Can we use royalty-free game assets that we own the rights to but didn't make ourselves, like specifically Creative Commons Attribution Licensed music, as long as we give credit to the original artist as required by the CC license?

QiZGeimz

Is there a place where we can see and play all of the entries so far?

ktfright

Ima add another game just for kicks... Hint? It involves nerds, n00bs, and lots of poorly drawn monsters!

ktfright

Cobra, might as well give me the crown now! J/K

JamesZeppelin

/agree with quizgeims. It would be very cool to make a section to view all the entries.

eliehang

well it does say that the top 5 picks will be on the front page.

jonmulcahy

now that V is for Vortex 1.1 is out the door, time to get crackin on my MacWorld game - F is for Falling

I started the real artwork today

ktfright

i hope i at least be a finalist. i got 2 games in already.

BeyondtheTech

I'm interested in Micah's question, too. I have a SmartSound library, which is royalty-free music. In speaking to the reps at SmartSound, I don't even need to list them any credit for the music in the game.

http://www.smartsound.com/products/licenseinfo.html

Please clarify this part of the regulations of the contest. Thanks.

Cobra

@micah,BeyondtheTech:
You don't need to personally draw every image, record every sound, and compose every note of music in your game. But you do need to have the right/license to use all of those assets in your game. Simply put, everything in your game must be there legally.

Some examples:
- You could create your own art from scratch.
- You could hire an artist to create additional art for your game.
- You could get written permission from a musician to use one of her tracks in your game.
- You could purchase royalty-free sounds for your game through a sound library service.
- You could find assets offered for free under a Creative Commons or similar license, making sure to follow the terms of the license.

Some examples of what NOT to do:
- Don't use music from your iTunes library. (Buying a song does not give you the right to use it in your game.)
- Don't assume that "royalty-free" means "completely free." (Typically you'll purchase the asset via a subscription or a one-time payment, and/or provide credit.)
- Don't assume that anything is in the public domain. (For example, Beethoven's 5th is 200 years old, but any given recording of it is still under copyright.)

BeyondtheTech

Assuming one gets picked to be a Finalist, you would register us into Macworld 2010 and we would just have to find a means to get there before February 9? I'd like to compete, but I have to consider scheduling nearly a week vacation from work with fairly short notice, then obtain travel and lodging to California.

What would happen if a Finalist was unable to attend the conference? Would that disqualify them from winning the Grand Prize?

Cobra

No, Finalists are under no obligation to attend and can win the Grand Prize regardless of whether they're able to make it to San Francisco or not.

Of course if you are able to make it we'd love to see you there -- that goes for everyone here, Finalist or no.

JoshKahane

Sorry if its already been mentioned somewhere, but I have been able to find out.

But can someone like you Cobra or any official confirm what an international entry like myself would receive?

Can we enter at all?
Can we become finalists if we are allowed to enter?
If we are, do we get coverage at your stand at Macworld as mentioned in another thread I saw?

Any information would be much appreciated, thank you.

JoshKahane

All cleared up in other post, thanks.

Crazybreadman

Anyone else having trouble with the state dropbox in the application? I tried on 2 dif comps and neither worked.

Crazybreadman

The submission form worked on Internet Explorer, just not Safari or Firefox. Hope this helps if someone runs into the same prob.