Any GameSalad Competitions planned for 2011?

StormyStudio

Just wondering if Gendai have any GameSalad game competitions planned for 2011...

Like last years one:

http://www.macworld.com.au/print/4550

Photics

Wow, if they did, the games would be a lot better than last year. GameSalad has improved and the developers have improved too.

So, why not throw our own competition?

$50 to enter, the most successful game (highest ranked game) wins all of the money. (Minus administration fees.) Everyone promotes the games in the competition by placing links, encouraging others to try the other games in the competition. (In other words, you need Professional.) That way, even if you lose, you win.

Actually... that's what GameSalad should do.

If they don't, maybe I could throw a smaller competition to promote The Unofficial GameSalad Textbook. Although, I just finished hosting a competition at Photics.com. It's very tedious running one of these things.

debugdesign

I suppose I could throw in a copy of the Platform or WW2 pack as prizes if someone was organising it?

StormyStudio

nice idea...

I like the idea of cross promoting each others apps.

Could be something setup amongst certain GameSalad developers to help each other out, making sure the games are up to a certain standard. So as not to tarnish your own game designer credibility by being associated with less great games.

Maybe a link on your own game that links to a website which allows you to have your game listed (assuming you have the link to the site in the game).

I can see this would work well for the likes of T-shirt, Utopian and Firemaple. Hopefully me if my new game turns out alright. Maybe someone could set it up so if your game is awesome, you get invited to put the link in your game etc etc.

@Debug...nice idea, I could throw in something...maybe a one off demo of my 'collectable items' setup I made for my current game....

UtopianGames

I would throw in the platform template to compliment Ian's pack to the winner.

Darren.

Photics

Wow, it's great to see people rallying around this idea.

However, there are some concerns...

1) Darren and Debugdesign... I might be able to toss in a copy of the Sound Effects — By Photics and/or a copy of The Unofficial GameSalad Textbook. However, isn't that in the reverse order? Developers should be using resources like this to create their games.

2) Tshirtbooth is popular around here. However, I'm not so sure if it's a good idea to include the T-shirts. I've seen a lot of Star Wars stuff there. Is it officially licensed?

I think an entry fee might be a better idea. I'm not sure about legality around such a contest. A lot of contests say, "No purchase necessary" to enter. I'm not entirely sure about the reason for that.

StormyStudio

I'm sure we can break some rules,

how would it be judged though?

Perhaps all the games get released, and the one with the most sales in the first month wins...

MotherHoose

@debugdesign
@utopiangames
@Photics

How warm and generous of you all...

I would like to see 5 categories of winners... 3 prize levels

Photics said:
...
I think an entry fee might be a better idea. I'm not sure about legality around such a contest. A lot of contests say, "No purchase necessary" to enter. I'm not entirely sure about the reason for that.

State laws regarding contests rules are very explicit... usually entry fees are not allowed... and a purchase is in effect paying a fee to enter.

if I can generate some more sales in the appStore... I would contribute some money for prizes... and I think some of the commercial programs like artText may donate copies to add to the goodies. I would be happy if GS would just donate a free year of Pro!

Nothing generates as much excitement and publicity as a Contest!

thanx @stormystudio!

MH

EDIT: think a user vote webpage... would be fairer than just sales.

Riffel

I could throw in a video edit like e-pig as prize?

UtopianGames

I'm sure GS would like to get involved and maybe judge the games.

I can imagine even for a small comp like this there will be over 100 entries so we need some judges and some nice prizes.

Fingers crossed and if there's anything i can do to help buzz me.

Darren.

StormyStudio

Yes...GS...would you like to get involved...well actually would you like to take over...and run a competition... :-)

please...

with a deadline for a few months away, so I can finish my game and either submit it or make another...

tenrdrmer

I think it would depend on the state weather or not an entry fee is legal. Look at it as a tournament, Golf, Racing, etc. all require an entry fee. its not just a give away so if you wanted an entry fee I think it would allowed but I think you will get more entries without it. hopefully an entry deadline say 3-6 months out would be allowed so some ppl would have chance to turn it up on a project idea maybe they haven't started yet.

And yeah I think there should be other criteria than just sales. I think maybe sales in conjunction with a few other criteria to reduce the entries down to say the top 5 in each pre determined category and then user votes to determine the winners.

Categories could be Itunes game categories. Cause let be honest its not really fair to judge a puzzle game against an action game. You could require a minimum number of entries in each category before there will be a category prize awarded and then a "best in show" for the grand prize. That could actually be the user voted part.

GS and judges select a winner for each category. Categories without enough entries would be placed in a misc. or uncategorized category and one or even two of those could be selected for finals. then users vote on best overall app. and they would get the grand prize. What ever that maybe. then category prizes could be stuff like what everyone here is offering up for donation. and then grand prize could be Something from GS. OR money from entry fees . Or heck if everyone was willing. one of each category prize all to one winner.

RH

I'd definitely be up for this.

stormystudio said:
Perhaps all the games get released, and the one with the most sales in the first month wins...

Personally i think that this could end up being very unfair as it would end up being a contest of those with the best marketing skills and a whole load of luck. l think the games should just be uploaded to GameSalad as a web game and all entries should be posted in a thread, the winning game should be the one with the most likes in my opinion, or possibly set up a poll in the thread.

As far as entering:

Photics said:(In other words, you need Professional.)

I really hope that this isn't the case from a personal point of view as I simply can't afford pro, even at $499, I can only just afford releasing games now that GS is free :P

stormystudio said:
Yes...GS...would you like to get involved...well actually would you like to take over...and run a competition... :-)

Then again, this would be the best Easiest, most stable, and no legal worries. If it were a cash entry I'd way rather paying it to GS rather than a member here, not that I have anything against/don't trust anyone here.

MotherHoose

tenrdrmer said:
I think it would depend on the state weather or not an entry fee is legal. Look at it as a tournament, Golf, Racing, etc. all require an entry fee. its not just a give away so if you wanted an entry fee I think it would allowed but I think you will get more entries without it. hopefully an entry deadline say 3-6 months out would be allowed so some ppl would have chance to turn it up on a project idea maybe they haven't started yet.

well said... but a tournament is not a Judged Contest... the entrant's performance determines their finishing position... the judges do not.... (though they can eliminate/penalze entrants for rule infractions.)

think being a member of GS would be enough of a requirement... and do wish they would bring back an express category...

@stormystudio... you go and get back to that Asylum and finish soonest! so you can run this thing!

MH

Sparkyidr

I'll throw some music into the prize pot.

Photics

RH said:
I really hope that this isn't the case from a personal point of view as I simply can't afford pro, even at $499, I can only just afford releasing games now that GS is free :P

Well, I'm working on six apps right now. If they're really successful, I might have some extra cash to throw a new Photics.com competition. I probably would require use of Professional behaviors though. One of the main goals of the project would be promoting the developers that enter the contest. Without hyperlinks, that app collaboration wouldn't be there.

butterbean

Sweet! Sounds like a great idea!

I think the game with the most "likes" should be the winner too, should voting take place within the community only, or outside of that too?

simo103

hey tsb .... thanks for your offer of free t-shirts, help on the forum, demoes and stuff ... shaking my head when I see you pulled in needlessly to a conversation. If anyone had an issue with anyone else they should take it up privately as in this example! IF tshirtbooth offered free tshirts (which he hadn't at the time of the post) and IF those tshirts contained anything offensive to the judging panel then he could have been asked in a direct email or phone conversation if he would mind exchanging that item and at which time (based on seeing his interaction here) I believe he would have been fine with.

On the other issue of the contest I think it's a great idea. I think open to all members as that is the philosophy behind the software and numerous categories judged by the web population to say top fives then perhaps if Gendai is in, then a panel of judges selects from that set.

I think it would be a boost to be able to include 'selected as Best Platformer' by Gamesalad.com etc. Thanks to all who have offered up stuff potentially to this makes it very exciting.

expired_012

I agree with Tenrdrmer that we should do competitions for each game category. There are all types of games made with GS, some that you can't really compare to others.

Maybe we can so something like all games are handed over to Gendai for them to publish, and whichever is most successful under their hands wins the prize.

Or maybe Gendai doesnt have to get involved at all, and we could do something like $50 for admission. Winner recieves all of the money. This means that if only 20 people sign up the grand prize will already be at $1000

tenrdrmer

tshirtbooth said:
another good idea would be to get GS to upload them to the web via a contest account this way no one knows whos game is whos tell voting is over.

I do like this idea. the only thing I see with this though is it cannot be on the app store at the same time. Which might be a good thing. Winner gets extra GS marketing for their release.

I saw something with the last contest at least one winner if not more got ipod touches. maybe GS could throw out an ipad for the winner. LOL i'm grasping for straws obviously mainly cause I want an ipad and I already plan on winning. LMAO

StormyStudio

tshirtbooth said:
another good idea would be to get GS to upload them to the web via a contest account this way no one knows whos game is whos tell voting is over.

My own worry with this idea is that people can without much effort download your web game project file, without the download option checked (well they used to be able to???) , I'd not want to risk any game if I'd put a decent amount of work in.

MotherHoose

stormystudio said:
My own worry with this idea is that people can without much effort download your web game project file, without the download option checked (well they used to be able to???) , I'd not want to risk any game if I'd put a decent amount of work in.

Yes, you can still easily download the games from the web... so that has to be encrypted or blocked...

I like the anonymous entry idea... with user voting... though still could have all your friends vote... but then I remember that the purpose is more for publicity than prizes! (still like the Prizes ;D )

MH

debugdesign

I suppose we could set a 'Submit to Apple' date and then all have the same 'Release Date'- The first 24 hours the games will be free to download for voting. After that you change the cost to anything you want.

We then create a post for each category with a 'Poll' - The one with the most votes after 7 days wins that category.

Then we have celebrity guest judges in the form of TShirtBooth, Firemaple and the comedy element QuantumSheep...

StormyStudio

double bump...

VoidedSky

It'd be great to have a competition! Even if it were for a couple iTunes gift cards. Competitions are a good way to get ideas flowing.
~CTM

Weswog

I really like the idea of the competition and would like to throw in for the prize, video reviews for the winner's game and any other app the winner has at that point

Cheers, Weswog

Weswog

Bump

Photics

I thought Peach was throwing a competition.

Yodapollo

We definitely have some competitions planned, and next week we'll be making a fairly major announcement concerning the 2011 Global Game Jam. It's going to be awesome.

- Yodapollo

VoidedSky

Yodapollo said:
We definitely have some competitions planned, and next week we'll be making a fairly major announcement concerning the 2011 Global Game Jam. It's going to be awesome.

- Yodapollo

Sweet! Can't wait!
~CTM