GAMECRAFT
Version 1.1 - EGaDS 09-10
GameCraft Essentials
------------------------
You will have 15 minutes to present an idea for a video game to a panel of judges as if they were investors looking for a game to make. You will be judged according to how well you convince them your game is worth making.
This basically means two things: 1) You need to have a cool idea 2) You need to make the idea sound cool
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Hard Numbers and Rules
------------------------
Teams may be as big as you like, but there is only ONE prize per winning team.
Presentations (including Q and A) will last for no more than 15 minutes.
------------------------
Competition Schedule and Deadlines
------------------------
Register your team by October 15th (email below). Registration should include team member names and working game title.
Preliminary Presentations on October 29th and November 5th (day assigned upon registration, these rounds are non-eliminating)
Semifinal Presentations on November 19th (these rounds are eliminating rounds)
Final Presentation on November 23rd
All presentations will be held on the UT campus in UTC 1.132 at 7pm
with the exception of the finals which will be held in GAR 0.102 at 6:30pm
Email questions and registration to:
Version 1.1 - EGaDS 09-10
GameCraft Essentials
------------------------
You will have 15 minutes to present an idea for a video game to a panel of judges as if they were investors looking for a game to make. You will be judged according to how well you convince them your game is worth making.
This basically means two things: 1) You need to have a cool idea 2) You need to make the idea sound cool
------------------------
Hard Numbers and Rules
------------------------
Teams may be as big as you like, but there is only ONE prize per winning team.
Presentations (including Q and A) will last for no more than 15 minutes.
------------------------
Competition Schedule and Deadlines
------------------------
Register your team by October 15th (email below). Registration should include team member names and working game title.
Preliminary Presentations on October 29th and November 5th (day assigned upon registration, these rounds are non-eliminating)
Semifinal Presentations on November 19th (these rounds are eliminating rounds)
Final Presentation on November 23rd
All presentations will be held on the UT campus in UTC 1.132 at 7pm
with the exception of the finals which will be held in GAR 0.102 at 6:30pm
Email questions and registration to:
------------------------
Prizes
------------------------
Every year EGaDS finds great prizes for our competitors that are usually provided through the generosity of local game companies.
This year's prize has not yet been announced.
------------------------
Judges Rubric
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150 points total
Mission of GameCraft Scoring: Judges will imagine they are investors looking for a game to make, score contestants with this in mind.
Persuasive Presence (____ / 40)
Scoring should account for: confidence, knowledge/expertise, demonstrated passion
Comments:
Marketability of Game (____/ 50)
Scoring should account for: accurate looking figures, target audience, explanation of market
Comments:
Appeal of Game Idea (____/ 60)
Scoring should account for: sounds fun, looks well thought out, originality/fresh take on old genre, interesting hook
Comments:
------------------------
FAQ
------------------------
Do I have to make the game?
No, just present the game idea pitch.
What will happen to my idea after I present it? Are winning ideas made into games?
GameCraft ends after the winner is announced, winning games are not developed by EGaDS. Of course we encourage you to actually make your game after the competition!
------------------------
Still Confused? Check out this Non-Essential Explanation
---------------------
Many great video games are never made. Why? It's not that people hadn't thought about them or that there weren't people with the knowledge to make them. The reason is that those great ideas never got communicated well enough to convince others that they were great ideas. Many excellent ideas (not just game ideas) are lost everyday because they can't make the perilous leap between the brain of the designer and the brain of the investor. BUT NO LONGER!
After competing in our six week competition, you'll be ready to pitch even the craziest ideas successfully!
Prizes
------------------------
Every year EGaDS finds great prizes for our competitors that are usually provided through the generosity of local game companies.
This year's prize has not yet been announced.
------------------------
Judges Rubric
------------------------
150 points total
Mission of GameCraft Scoring: Judges will imagine they are investors looking for a game to make, score contestants with this in mind.
Persuasive Presence (____ / 40)
Scoring should account for: confidence, knowledge/expertise, demonstrated passion
Comments:
Marketability of Game (____/ 50)
Scoring should account for: accurate looking figures, target audience, explanation of market
Comments:
Appeal of Game Idea (____/ 60)
Scoring should account for: sounds fun, looks well thought out, originality/fresh take on old genre, interesting hook
Comments:
------------------------
FAQ
------------------------
Do I have to make the game?
No, just present the game idea pitch.
What will happen to my idea after I present it? Are winning ideas made into games?
GameCraft ends after the winner is announced, winning games are not developed by EGaDS. Of course we encourage you to actually make your game after the competition!
------------------------
Still Confused? Check out this Non-Essential Explanation
---------------------
Many great video games are never made. Why? It's not that people hadn't thought about them or that there weren't people with the knowledge to make them. The reason is that those great ideas never got communicated well enough to convince others that they were great ideas. Many excellent ideas (not just game ideas) are lost everyday because they can't make the perilous leap between the brain of the designer and the brain of the investor. BUT NO LONGER!
After competing in our six week competition, you'll be ready to pitch even the craziest ideas successfully!
GameCraft
is about selling your video game idea to an audience of investors. To
do this, you have to know your game inside and out. You also have to
know how to explain everything that you know about your game to your
audeince in a way that will convince them to invest in your game. There
are many types of games out there, and many types of games sell, but
all for different reasons. Find the reason your game will sell!
GameCraft is about you selling youself through your game idea.
The challenge of GameCraft is to make your audience believe in your game the same way you do. This means that while on the
surface GameCraft is about designing video games, it's also about
designing an idea of a video game, one that is easily transferable
between you and your audience and that you can express believably. In
the end, GameCraft is about you selling yourself through your game idea.
Here are some questions to help guide your design:
What makes my game fun?
Cool puzzle features! Finely tuned FPS action! Meaningful choices affect game play! Harnesses experience of listening to rock and driving fast!
Who is my target audience?
Introverted middle schoolers! Pre-K! Professionals! University Professors!
What will set my game apart from other games?
Graphic violence! Intelligent Story! Exclamation marks!
How do I know my game will be successful?
Sales of similar titles were in the green. Fan base is very loyal and has money to burn.
What are the best selling points of my game?
Simulation of speed! Music matches pace of play.
What does my game "feel" like?
You're so scared you keep all the lights on in the room and probably have to turn the volume way down.
We're about to give you lots of money, why should we trust you?
Look at these sales charts and pie graphs!!!! I've obviously done my research because I'm dropping sales figures left and right!
You need to have serious answers to these questions (mine weren't serious :) but were meant to give you the idea), all of which will depend on your individual games.
In the Past...
Many teams have used a combination of PowerPoint, music, and their own art in their presentations. However, the "too-much-text" rule applies for the slides so be sure you're not reading off of them, you'll need to know your game better than that.
PowerPoint is NOT required, please feel free to find a new way to present your game idea!
Many teams have had at least one slide devoted to the sales records of games in a similar genre. Don't feel bound by this format, but remember to address all the questions above, including the proof that your game would be a good investment which should be backed up with actual data from game sales.
Some of the winning teams in the past have used PowerPoint as a picture slide show only with music playing in the background. The game was communicated entirely through their speaking without using note cards.
Many teams have kept the audience's attention by making the presentation brief and to the point. After only six minutes of speaking they were ready for Q and A for their remaining nine minutes, the judges got all of their questions answered (that team won).
Sample Tag-Lines
"In a world torn by conflict, a plague of abiding EVIL has taken hold. Hope is almost lost. But one man will rise to challenge the darkness, one man will restore justice,
"It's Chess meets WWF!" - JH
Play through seven sprawling campaigns during which you, as MAGNUS REX, must defeat the evil forces of GROM!
Awesome illustrations from the famous Melissa Garza depict the struggle of MAGNUS REX!
Music scored by the incredible Conor Brace sets the mood for heroism!
Game Features:
Using the new "Positional Combos" system, destroy your foes by employing strategy and brute force!
Customize MAGNUS REX with bone crushing abilities such as the Ligament Wrench, the Neck Whip, and the Knowing Gaze.
Match your strategic force against three of your friends!
---------------------
What makes my game fun?
Cool puzzle features! Finely tuned FPS action! Meaningful choices affect game play! Harnesses experience of listening to rock and driving fast!
Who is my target audience?
Introverted middle schoolers! Pre-K! Professionals! University Professors!
What will set my game apart from other games?
Graphic violence! Intelligent Story! Exclamation marks!
How do I know my game will be successful?
Sales of similar titles were in the green. Fan base is very loyal and has money to burn.
What are the best selling points of my game?
Simulation of speed! Music matches pace of play.
What does my game "feel" like?
You're so scared you keep all the lights on in the room and probably have to turn the volume way down.
We're about to give you lots of money, why should we trust you?
Look at these sales charts and pie graphs!!!! I've obviously done my research because I'm dropping sales figures left and right!
You need to have serious answers to these questions (mine weren't serious :) but were meant to give you the idea), all of which will depend on your individual games.
In the Past...
Many teams have used a combination of PowerPoint, music, and their own art in their presentations. However, the "too-much-text" rule applies for the slides so be sure you're not reading off of them, you'll need to know your game better than that.
PowerPoint is NOT required, please feel free to find a new way to present your game idea!
Many teams have had at least one slide devoted to the sales records of games in a similar genre. Don't feel bound by this format, but remember to address all the questions above, including the proof that your game would be a good investment which should be backed up with actual data from game sales.
Some of the winning teams in the past have used PowerPoint as a picture slide show only with music playing in the background. The game was communicated entirely through their speaking without using note cards.
Many teams have kept the audience's attention by making the presentation brief and to the point. After only six minutes of speaking they were ready for Q and A for their remaining nine minutes, the judges got all of their questions answered (that team won).
Sample Tag-Lines
"In a world torn by conflict, a plague of abiding EVIL has taken hold. Hope is almost lost. But one man will rise to challenge the darkness, one man will restore justice,
one man whose name will endure forever in the records of greatness...MAGNUS REX!"
Introducing, MAGNUS REX, the new PSP title now dominating the 3rd person, turn-based strategy market!"It's Chess meets WWF!" - JH
Play through seven sprawling campaigns during which you, as MAGNUS REX, must defeat the evil forces of GROM!
Awesome illustrations from the famous Melissa Garza depict the struggle of MAGNUS REX!
Music scored by the incredible Conor Brace sets the mood for heroism!
Game Features:
Using the new "Positional Combos" system, destroy your foes by employing strategy and brute force!
Customize MAGNUS REX with bone crushing abilities such as the Ligament Wrench, the Neck Whip, and the Knowing Gaze.
Match your strategic force against three of your friends!
---------------------
Good Luck!