Ofishul Pre-emptive Faq (UPDATED AGAIN - NEW QS IN RED)

[Dan]

The 1st Annual Game Makin’ Shindig

OFISHUL PRE-EMPTIVE FAQ

GENERAL OVERVIEW

So what exactly is this Shindig thing?
A game making competition – kind of like the IGF but not nearly as well-funded and popular. Yet.

And why are you doing it?
Because we want to promote Eegra while contributing something positive to the broader gaming community, and we figured this was the best way to do that.

How long does it run for?
The Shindig goes for three months - from April 8th to July 8th.

Who can enter?
The Shindig is open to all humans over the age of 18. (We’d like to let everyone enter regardless of age, but there’s a whole bunch of legal shit involved there, and frankly, we couldn’t be arsed.)

Can teams enter?
Yes, but you need to nominate an individual who’ll act as prize recipient. We’re not going to divide up prizes – that’s your job.

Oh! There are prizes?
Yes! There are three cash prizes up for grabs:

1st Place: $2000 AUD
2nd Place: $500 AUD
3rd Place: $250 AUD

Sweet! How do I enter?
Go and read the Guidelines for Entry and do everything it says.

When should I submit my entry form?
When you've completed the game and have uploaded it to a server.

CRITERIA FOR ELIGIBILITY AND THEME

What kind of game should I make?
Any kind of game! So long as it complies with the Criteria for Eligibility outlined in the Guidelines for Entry, then it can be whatever you want. Just, you know, make sure it works before you submit it.

What do you mean when you say you can’t accept entries that rely on “third-party applications” to function?
Mods, basically. Entries that rely on common software like Flash, Java, and Microsoft’s .NET framework are fine. If you want to know if your entry’s going to be okay in this regard, ask on the forums.

What’s this about a theme?
As it says in the Guidelines for Entry, the theme is there primarily to ensure that we get original content for the comp. As such, all games submitted to The Shindig have to be accompanied by a brief written description of how they fit the theme. The theme for this year is COLOUR.

COLOUR? What the hell does that mean?
Whatever you want it to mean. Seriously – we’re not going to be super strict about this. So long as you can explain how your game expresses the theme, then you’ll be fine. Of course, games that interpret the theme in unique and interesting ways will generally be looked upon more favourably than those that don’t.

Why do I have to put “Made for Eegra.com’s First Annual Game Makin’ Shindig” in my game?
Because, aside from being a competition, The Shindig is also intended to promote Eegra. Given that we’re funding and organising all this by ourselves, we don’t think it’s too big of a deal to require a small plug.

Can I enter a game that I've already started working on?
So long as the game is not complete, and has never been publicly available, then yes.

TERMS & CONDITIONS

Why are there so many Terms & Conditions? Are you seeking to surreptitiously screw us?
No, we're not trying to screw anybody. The Shindig T&Cs are all standard, and are necessary to ensure the competition's legitimacy.

If I make a game and submit it to The Shindig, who owns the copyright to it?
You do. By submitting a game to The Shindig, you grant Eegra non-exclusive rights to distribute it on the website, and that's it. If you want to modify the game and sell it elsewhere, or even just sell it as is, then you're free to do so.

What's this about a classification fee? Will I have to pay for my game to be classified by those medieval idiots at the OFLC?
Nope. Australian Law requires classification application if the game in question is being sold, hired, or demonstrated. We're not selling, we're not hiring, and we're not demonstrating - so no classification will be necessary.

COMPETITION JUDGEMENT

Who are the judges?
For now, the only judges are Patrick and Dan, but that’ll hopefully change over the next few weeks as we approach others to join in.

How are entries going to be judged?
Subjectively, according to the loose criteria outlined in the Guidelines for Entry. We’re not going to be using scores or anything like that. Basically, once all the entries are in, the judges will discuss their individual merits and make a decision based on that.

But I want my work to be judged objectively, using a method similar to that employed by the natural sciences!
Too bad. I guess you’ll have to wait and see if Gamespot runs a game development comp.

COVERAGE

Will you guys be doing "Shindig Updates" on the site during the comp?
Hopefully! As the comp picks up steam, we'd like to start covering individual entries in depth - interviewing developers, posting concept art, and all that sort of stuff. But obviously that depends on how many people enter, and whether or not the people who do enter will be willing to show off their work prior to the competition close date.

AWESOMENESS

Is this the most awesome thing that has ever happened on the internet?
Yes.

Note that we'll update the FAQ periodically, as we receive new info and such. If you have a question that isn't covered here, please post it in the Shindig forum.