[game_edu] Game Idea and Concept Contest - Can a Video Game Save the Earth?

[S. Gold]

Game Idea and Concept Contest
Overview
This contest is for a game idea and concept only, does not require a
prototype or demonstration, and is open to all ages.

Background
The IEEE Committee on Earth Observation (ICEO) has created a two-phase
international computer game creation contest. The purpose of the competition
is to create a conceive of a video game related to using Earth Observations
to solve a myriad of environmental issues, and demonstrate how real-world
events and big issues affect the Earth and impact its people.

What are these big issues? According to the international Group on Earth
Observations, comprised of 76 countries (www.earthobservations.org), Earth
faces big challenges in nine societal areas:
* Disaster relief/response,
* Health, 
* Energy, 
* Climate Fluctuations,
* Water Conservation,
* Weather Systems, 
* Ecosystems, 
* Agriculture, 
* Biodiversity. 

Through the competition, development and creation, use and distribution of
game ideas and prototypes, our desire is that citizens of the earth learn
the valuable lessons of earth observation and the application of this
knowledge to preserve and conserve our planet¹s resources. The three major
objectives are:
* Provide broader visibility and understanding of the availability and
benefits of Earth Systems Information globally, particularly in a younger
generation audience (in the 9-18 year age range) in both developed and
developing countries
* Stimulate participation and interest in Earth information systems
* Stimulate dialog and problem-solving related to significant societal
issues 

Details
The Game Idea Competition involves creating and submitting an original game
design and storyboard that defines and addresses one or more of the nine
³Challenge Areas² above, using real or simulated Earth observations.
The submission document should be 3-5 pages in length and no more than 15
pages. It should include 3-4 relevant visuals. The format of the document
will need to be in .pdf or .tif, such that it can be easily viewed across
platforms. The age category of the entrant may affect the level of detail or
length of presentation.
Documents will then be judged by our panel with finalists and the first
prize winner being announced in May of 2009.

Critical to the all submission in this category are the following criteria:
* Work must be original.
* Work must define the problem the game is intended to address. This
includes not only stating the problem but providing some underlying logic to
why the problem was selected, and demonstrate some effort to understand and
motivate the challenges faced by the particular area the game is meant to
contribute to. 
* Work must define the role of Earth Observation data and systems in how the
player will tackle the problem. Entrants should identify what specific
systems and data they have identified as being relevant.
* Work should identify at least one subject matter expert that the Entrant
has worked with to gain an understanding of Earth Observation technology as
it might relate to the problem(s) selected.
* Work must then detail a game or game-based application that attempts to
address some aspect of the problem as defined in your design document. A
critical judging factor is the ability for the document to describe a
creative game-based approach to engaging players in the Earth¹s problem(s)
using Earth data. Poorly defined problems or very general descriptions will
score lower. 
* Submission must include at least three visual design aides. These do not
need to be sophisticated works of art. They must, however, provide some
strong capability for judges to understand how the game will work and how
the user will interact with the software. Wireframe diagrams, mock ups that
cut and paste elements together from other games, basic screen diagrams, or
hand-drawn art are all more then sufficient. The quality is in how well they
communicate how the game will work and demonstrate strong design ideas, not
the overall quality of the artwork itself. Documents may provide more then
three diagrams - the more that add to the document and play a meaningful
role, the better. 
* Work should define the audience for the game. Stronger entries will
consider a younger and global audience.
* Documents must include an approach section. You must define some basic
detail on how you see the game being developed (what critical technologies
will it use, what platform(s) will it run on, how much will it cost to
develop?) and to what degree players might access the game from different
parts of the world.
* All submissions should include a single image representing your idea. This
will also be used to represent your submission in press.

OFFICIAL RULES 
The following are the official rules (the "Official Rules") for the Game
Idea and Concept Contest (the ³Idea Contest²) sponsored by the ICEO that
comprise the ³Save Earth Game² game design and development competition (the
"Competition"). To the extent that the terms of these Official Rules
conflict with any other information regarding the Competition, including,
but not limited to, the information set forth on the Competition's official
website, the terms of these Official Rules shall govern.

HOW TO ENTER : 
To enter the Contest, an Entrant who is otherwise eligible under these
Official Rules must submit all of the following materials at any time
between 12:00 a.m. PST. on March 16, 2009 and 11:59 p.m. PDT on April 10th,
2009 (the ³Entry Deadline²):
* A properly completed official entry form, located on the Contest
application page of Sponsor¹s website, www.SaveEarthGame.org (the ³Contest
Website²). 
* A digital copy of the submitted idea or concept being entered (an ³Entered
Game Idea²), submitted by uploading the materials in a single .zip or .rar
archive file to the official Contest Website.  There is a limit of 10 MB for
the submission. 

ENTRANT REQUIREMENTS :
Any winner or runner-up that does not satisfy all of the requirements of
this section may be disqualified, and Sponsor may select an alternate Game
Idea from the remaining Entered Game Ideas.

Each winner and runner-up (³Selected Team²) will be required to sign and
return a declaration of eligibility and release of liability within seven
(7) days of notification. The declaration and release will include, to the
extent permitted by law and even if already granted by a Selected Team¹s
acceptance of these Official Rules, the grant by each Selected Team of
permission (without further compensation) for Sponsor to use the Selected
Team¹s name, photograph and likeness (if an individual), logo (if any),
state of residence, and Entered Game Idea for advertising, promotion,
marketing, and administration of the Contest, including mention in Sponsor¹s
magazine and on IEEE.org. Each Selected Team that is a business entity also
must use its best efforts to obtain for Sponsor similar rights from its
employees, to the extent permitted by law, upon Sponsor¹s request. Each
Selected Team must provide Sponsor with its social security or taxpayer I.D.
number for tax reporting purposes.

In the event there are several individuals on a Selected Team, each
individual needs to provide this information in order for the Selected Team
to remain qualified. The team will need to specify a recipient or recipients
for the prize. 

FINALIST SELECTION PROCESS/NOTIFICATION :
Entered Game Ideas initially will be evaluated by a panel of approximately
five (5) to ten (10) selection judges appointed by Sponsor (the ³Judging
Committee²). The Judging Committee will review the Entered Game Ideas and
select finalists during the period from the Entry Deadline to approximately
May 5th, 2009 (the ³Judging Period²). Each member of the Judging Committee
will assign a score to each Entered Game Idea. Entered Game Ideas will be
ranked by each of the following categories (each, a ³Category²):
* Under 12: Individuals/Teams with individuals 12 years and below.
* Age 12-18: Individuals/Teams comprising individuals aged 18 years and
younger. 
* Over 18: Individuals/Teams comprising individuals with no age limits
The age is determined by the age of the individual as of January 1, 2009.
For a team entry, the oldest member will determine which category the team
falls in.

Each Entered Game Idea receiving the highest average score from all members
of the Judging Committee in its Category will be the winner. Up to 3 runners
up may also be identified per category, at the discretion of the Judging
Committee. In the event of a tie score, the decision of the chairperson of
the Judging Committee will break the tie. On or around May 15th, 2009,
Sponsor will notify each Entrant by electronic and/or regular mail if that
Entrant¹s Entered Game Idea was judged to be a winner or runner-up.

PRIZES : 
Each winning Entrant will receive:
* Cash 

> * $1000 for the over 18 category,

> * $500 for 12-18 category, and

> * $300 for under 12 category

* A profile in the Conference¹s official program
Each member of the winning team, up to a maximum of 8 individuals per team,
will receive:
* A Computer Game Development Workshop from DigiPen Institute of Technology,
a leader in computer game education (NOTE: some conditions will apply) in
Redmond, Washington
* Mention in IEEE Computer magazine;
* Mention in IEEE Spectrum;
* Coverage in a Sponsor-issued press release;
* A one (1) year limited use license to use a version of the official
Contest name and logo in promotional materials.
Each Runner-up will receive
* Mention in IEEE Computer magazine;
* Mention in IEEE Spectrum;
* Coverage in a Sponsor-issued press release;
* A one (1) year limited use license to use a version of the official
Contest name and logo in promotional materials.
In the event that the Entrant is a team, the cash prize will be awarded to
the individual designated as the team leader on the Entry Form. It is the
team leader's responsibility to allocate the prize among the members of team
at issue. The Finalist prizes will be shipped to the designated recipient
after receipt of the declaration and release mentioned in the Finalist
Requirements section of these Official Rules.

PRIZE TERMS : 
All monetary amounts in these Official Rules are indicated in United States
dollars. Sponsor reserves the right to substitute any non-monetary prizes
with items of equal or greater value. Each recipient will be solely
responsible for bearing any income or other taxes, fees, or other costs
relating to any prize.

OWNERSHIP OF ENTRIES; PUBLICITY RIGHTS :
Each Entrant shall retain all intellectual property rights to the Materials
(as defined below) that it submits as an entry in the Competition.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, in consideration of and as a condition to the
eligibility of each entry under the terms of the Competition, each Entrant,
by submission of an entry in the Competition, hereby: (a) grants to the
Sponsor a perpetual, irrevocable, fully-paid, royalty-free, transferable,
non-exclusive, world-wide right and license to use, copy, reproduce,
publish, distribute and otherwise exploit the materials, images, ideas,
writings, look and feel and other property, whether or not copyrightable,
submitted as an entry in the Competition, whether alone or in conjunction
with any other person (collectively, the ³Materials²); and (b) acknowledges
and agrees that (i) any ideas, procedures, processes, systems, methods of
operation, concepts, principles or discoveries described or otherwise set
forth in the Materials (collectively, ³Non-Protectable Material²) are not
subject to intellectual property protection, including, but not limited to,
protection under the Copyright Law of the United States (title 17 of the
United States Code) and (ii) none of the Sponsor, or any of the Affiliated
Persons shall have any obligation to ensure that such Non-Protectable
Material is treated as confidential or proprietary.

RESTRICTIONS/ELIGIBILITY :
The Contest is open to business entities and to individuals, in each case
who have access to the Internet on or before January 1st, 2009. Individuals
under the age of 18 years must provide evidence of parent or legal guardian
consent satisfactory to Sponsor.

By entering the Contest, each individual submitting entry materials
(including an Entered Game Idea) represents and warrants to Sponsor that:
* such individual either is the Entrant (if the Entrant is an individual) or
is a fully authorized representative of the Entrant (if the Entrant is a
team or business entity);
* the Entrant and the Entered Game fully comply with all eligibility
requirements and all other provisions of these Official Rules;
* in preparing the Entered Game and entering and participating in the
Contest, the Entrant has complied and will comply in all respects with all
applicable laws, regulations, and rules and has not violated nor will
violate any agreement or understanding by which it is bound, including any
confidentiality, employment, consulting, intellectual property assignment,
or license agreement;
* the Entered Game consists entirely of Entrant¹s own original work or of
work to which Entrant has all necessary rights; and
* neither the Entered Game nor the duplication, use, display, performance,
or distribution of the Entered Game will infringe or misappropriate any
intellectual property or other proprietary rights of any person or entity.
All applicable federal, state and local laws and regulations apply. The
Competition is void where otherwise prohibited by law.

RELEASE : 
By entering the Contest, each Entrant releases and holds harmless Sponsor,
its parents, subsidiaries, and affiliates, and each of their respective
officers, directors, agents, and employees from any and all responsibility
or liability arising out of or relating to participation in the Contest.

By entering the Contest, each Entrant consents to the use of the Entrant¹s
name, photograph and likeness (if an individual), logo (if any), state of
residence, and Entered Game Idea materials for advertising, promotion,
marketing, and administration of the Contest without additional
compensation, to the extent permitted by law.

MISCELLANEOUS :
If any part of these Official Rules is held by a court of competent
jurisdiction to be invalid, illegal, or otherwise unenforceable, such part
will be deemed modified or eliminated to the extent necessary, in the
court¹s opinion, to make it enforceable while preserving the original intent
of the Sponsor, and the remaining parts of these Official Rules will remain
in full force and effect. The Contest is void where prohibited by law.

 

-- 

Prof. Susan Gold
Chair, IGDA Education SIG

"It is the supreme art of the teacher to awaken joy in creative expression
and knowledge." - Albert Einstein 

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