IMAGINE CUP 2011

GAME DESIGN COMPETIT

G TION
R
RULES & REG
GULATIONS

O
OVERVIEW

TThe object of the Game De esign Competition is to utilize Microsoftt technologiess to create a n
new game tha at
illustrates the Imagine Cup theme. This isi a chance fo
or students whho've always enjoyed playiing games to create
ttheir own gam mprove the global community at the sa me time. Thee Game Design competition
me and help im n
p ortunity to learn and take steps toward a career as a g
provides an exxcellent oppo game develop per or as an
eentrepreneur in the game business.
b

In order to help you to bettter understan

nd this year's theme
t –– ““Imaagine a world where technoology helps soolve the
ttoughest prob
blems" –– we re
ecommend fa amiliarizing yoourselves with h the eight Un
nited Nationss Millennium
DDevelopment Goals (““MDG Gs””). The MDGGs identify som
me of the tou ghest challen nges in the wo
orld today. Le
earn more
aabout the 201
11 Theme.

Iff you choose to compete in this Compe etition, then you agree thatt your particip
pation is subject to the folllowing:
x The Immagine Cup Official
O Rules
x The Immagine Cup Game
G Design Competition Rules and Reegulations desscribed below w.

Iff there are an

ny inconsisten
ncies betweenn the Imagine Cup Official R Rules, the Imaagine Cup Terms of Use, and/or the
Imagine Cup CodeC of Condduct, the Imag
gine Cup Officcial Rules will govern.

W
WHAT ARE THE
T START AND END DAT
TES?

T
This Competittion starts at 00:01
0 (12:01 A.M.)
A Greenwiich Mean Tim
me (““GMT””) on
n July 9, 2010, and ends at 23:59
(11:59 P.M.) GMT on April 27,
2 2011 (““enttry period””).

TThe Entry Period consists ofo the three (3 ounds as desccribed below. Each Round h
3) separate Ro has unique en ntry
rrequirements. All required entry deliveraables must bee received wit hin the designated Round in order for yyour entry
tto be eligible for judging.

Imagine Cup 2011 Gam

me Design Rule
es and Regulattions
 ROUND START DATE ENDDATE
(all times 00:01 or 12:01 A.M. (all times 23:59 or 11:59 P.M.
GMT) GMT)
Round 1 July 9, 2010 March 7, 2011
Round 2 - Worldwide Finals Qualifying March 28, 2011 April 27, 2011
Round 3 - Worldwide Finals July 8, 2011 July 13, 2011

The Competition Sign-Up Period begins on July 9, 2010 at 00:01 (12:01 A.M.) GMT, and ends on March 7, 2011 at
23:59 (11:59 P.M.) GMT.

CAN I ENTER?

You are eligible to enter this Competition you meet the Eligibility Requirements set forth in the ““Eligibility Criteria””
section of the Imagine Cup Official Rules.

HOW DO I ENTER THE COMPETITION?

If you wish to participate in this Competition, you must sign up as instructed during the Competition sign-up
period.

A Team may consist of up to four (4) eligible students (each a "Team"). Your Team does not need to consist of
members who are legal residents of the same country/region, or students at the same academic institution, but
your Team can only represent one (1) country/region and at least one (1) of the Team members must be a legal
resident of the represented country/region..

It is recommended, but not required, that you have one (1) mentor for your Team in addition to your four (4)
Team members. Limit one (1) mentor per Team.

For additional important details regarding signing up for a competition, please see the requirements set forth in
the ““Team and Individual Competitions”” section of the Imagine Cup Official Rules.

Choosing a Game Design Competition Track

New to the Imagine Cup 2011 Game Design Competition, three competition tracks are offered:

1. Game Design: Windows/Xbox (XNA)

2. Game Design: Web (Silverlight)
3. Game Design: Mobile (Zune/Phone)

Prior to competing in the Imagine Cup 2011 Game Design Competition, your Team must select the Game Design
Track(s) in which your Team chooses to compete. Each Game Design competitor will be allowed to sign up and
compete in multiple Game Design Track(s). However, each Imagine Cup competitor will be allowed to be a
member of only one Game Design Team per Game Design track.

Imagine Cup 2011 Game Design Rules and Regulations

If your Team is invited to compete in the Worldwide Finals in more than one Game Design Track, your Team may
only compete in one Game Design Track at the Worldwide Finals. In other words, your Team will be required to
choose one Game Design Track in which to compete at the Worldwide Finals.

ENTRY REQUIREMENTS

Your Team’’s entry materials must meet the following required content and technical requirements:

1. All games must have been developed either using Microsoft® XNA™™ Game Studio 3.1 or later; Visual
Studio, HTML5, or Silverlight technologies.
2. Your Team’’s game must be developed for one of the following environments:
o Game Design: Windows / Xbox (XNA): The game must be designed for the Microsoft Xbox 360
gaming system, or Microsoft Windows Operating Systems (Windows XP SP2, Windows Vista, or
Windows 7) and playable on a Windows PC, as specified in the XNA Game Studio Toolkit, for the
purposes of judging.
o Game Design: Web (Silverlight): The game must work on a Silverlight-capable browser (such as
Internet Explorer 7 or later)
o Game Design: Mobile (Zune / Phone): The game must work on a Windows Phone 7 mobile device
or the Windows Phone 7 mobile device emulator and developed in either Microsoft XNA Game
Studio 4.0 or later, or Silverlight technologies.
3. The content of the Game must address a social cause connected to the 2011 Theme: ““Imagine a world
where technology helps solve the toughest problems””.
4. The content of the Game must be equivalent to an Entertainment Software Rating Board (ESRB) rating of
““E”” for Everyone. (See http://www.esrb.org for details).
5. The judges must be able to play the Game, as specified in the XNA Game Studio Toolkit for XNA-based
games, or in the case of a Silverlight game, be able to be hosted by IIS. If the game is built on Silverlight
and hosted in a web browser, it must be available to be played offline –– games that require some of their
code to be hosted and executed on a remote server will not be eligible. Games that require unusual server
technologies apart from database storage –– as long as it can be automatically set up to be hosted by IIS ––
are not eligible.
6. ClickOnce deployment is only permissible for XNA and Silverlight entries if the set up in its entirety is
delivered as part of the submission. Those ClickOnce setup projects submitted that require internet
connectivity to download components of the games will be disqualified immediately.
7. All entry materials must be submitted and presented in the English language. If a translator is needed, you
are responsible to procure and to make use of one.
8. If pre-existing source code or third party technologies are incorporated into the Game, then this pre-
existing source code must be clearly identified in the Game Summary (this description does not count
toward the 300 word limit but please be brief). Before incorporating any pre-existing source code in the
Game, make sure that your inclusion of such pre-existing source code in your Game does not infringe on
any third party rights, and is used in accordance with all applicable licensing and use terms.

Imagine Cup 2011 Game Design Rules and Regulations

ENTRY MATERIALS

During each designated round, your Team must submit the materials described below.

Round 1

During Round 1, you or your Team must create and submit the materials described below:

1. Game Summary
a. Include a short description (300 words maximum) of the Game including its premise, unique game
play features and how it addresses the 2011 Theme, as an electronic file in the .DOC, .DOCX, .PDF or
.TXT file format
b. If pre-existing source code is incorporated into the Game, then this pre-existing source code must be
clearly identified in the Game Summary (this description does not count toward the 300 word limit
but please be brief). Before incorporating any pre-existing source code in the Game, make sure that
your inclusion of such pre-existing source code in your Game does not infringe on any third party
rights, and is used in accordance with all applicable licensing and use terms.

2. Game Play Instructions

a. Include either a game screen (.JPEG file) or as a text document in .DOC, .DOCX, .PDF or .TXT file
format in a readme file.

3. Playable Video Game Application

a. If your Team’’s game is based on XNA for either the Xbox 360 or Windows environments, include one
of the following installation applications in a zip file: a SETUP.EXE, an .MSI file, or a .CCGAME file of no
more than 300 MB. No source code is permitted and games will be disqualified if they are submitted
as development projects.
b. If your Team’’s game is being developed for the Web track and is based on Silverlight or HTML5,
include in a .ZIP file the complete folder/file structure that can be copied to an IIS web server to be
played and of no more than 300 MB. As these technologies require source code, the disqualification
for submitted source code is not applicable for this track.
c. If your Team's game is being developed for the Mobile track, include a single .XAP file that contains
everything necessary to deploy your game to a Windows Phone 7 device. This XAP file should be no
more than 300 MB.
d. This application should be comprised of at least one (1) playable level that illustrates the game play
and features of the final Game that your team would like to develop; final graphics are not required,
but the Game Demo should represent the conceptual art direction of the Game that you would like to
develop.

4. Game Video
a. Include a video screen capture of your Team’’s game in action. The video should be no more than ten
(10) minutes long and a file of no more than 200 MB. We recommend creating your screen capture
using Microsoft Expression Encoder 3 Screen Capture which is available to students for free at
Dreamspark. This video can include narration and presentation information to convey your Game’’s
premise and intent as well as intended gameplay experiences.

Imagine Cup 2011 Game Design Rules and Regulations

Round 2 - Worldwide Finals Qualifying

During Round 2, you or your Team (if you are advanced to compete in Round 2) must create and submit the
materials described below:

1. Game Summary
a. Include an electronic file in the .DOC, .DOCX, .PDF or .TXT file format a written description (300 words
maximum) of the Game including its premise, unique game play features and how it addresses the
2011 Theme.
b. If pre-existing source code is incorporated into the Game, then this pre-existing source code must be
clearly identified in the Game Summary (this description does not count toward the 300 word limit
but please be brief). Before incorporating any pre-existing source code in the Game, make sure that
your inclusion of such pre-existing source code in your Game does not infringe on any third party
rights, and is used in accordance with all applicable licensing and use terms.

2. Game Play Instructions

a. Include as a game screen (.JPEG file) or as a text in a readme file (name your file as readme only).

3. 100% Playable Game

a. If your Team’’s game is based on XNA for either the Xbox 360 or Windows environments, include one
of the following installation applications in a zip file: a SETUP.EXE, an .MSI file, or a .CCGAME file of no
more than 300 MB. No source code is permitted and games will be disqualified if they are submitted
as development projects.
b. If your Team’’s game is being developed for the Web track and is based on Silverlight or HTML5,
include in a .ZIP file the complete folder/file structure that can be copied to an IIS web server to be
played and of no more than 300 MB. As these technologies require source code, the disqualification
for submitted source code is not applicable for this track.
c. If your Team's game is being developed for the Mobile track, include a single .XAP file that contains
everything necessary to deploy your game to a Windows Phone 7 device. This .XAP file should be no
more than 300 MB.
d. This application should be comprised of at least one (1) playable level that illustrates the game play
and features of the final Game that your team would like to develop; final graphics are not required,
but the Game Demo should represent the conceptual art direction of the Game that you would like to
develop.

4. Three (3) Game Screenshots

a. Take three (3) screenshots of the Game that capture the game play and style of the Game as
accurately as possible; do not include any unfinished artwork or graphical artifacts.
b. Each screenshot should be submitted as a separate file in the .JPEG format.

5. Game Video
a. Include as an electronic file in the following file formats: .AVI, .WMV, .MPEG, .MP4, .XESC.
b. The video should be no longer than five (5) minutes in length, and should clearly depict the
functionality and game play features of the Game. The file size should not exceed 120 MB. We
recommend creating your screen capture using Microsoft Expression Encoder 3 Screen Capture which
is available to students for free at Dreamspark.

Imagine Cup 2011 Game Design Rules and Regulations

Round 3 –– Worldwide Finals

If your Team advances to compete at the Worldwide Finals, your Team must fulfill the competition requirement
described below:

1. Up to two (2) different 20-minute live presentations to a panel of qualified international judges, along
with a ten (10) minute question and answer period per presentation.

HOW DO I SUBMIT MY TEAM’’S ENTRY?

Round 1

Submit your Team’’s entry for Round 1 on the Game Design competition page at imaginecup.com. The required
entry deliverables must be submitted as instructed before the Round 1 deadline.

Round 2 –– Worldwide Finals Qualifying

Submit your Team’’s entry for Round 2 on the Game Design competition page at imaginecup.com. The required
entry deliverables must be submitted as instructed before the Round 2 deadline.

Round 3 –– Worldwide Finals

If your Team advances to compete in Round 3, instructions regarding Worldwide Finals entry requirements will be
provided via e-mail.

ENTRY LIMIT

We will only accept one (1) entry per Team, per Game Design Track.

HOW WILL ENTRIES BE JUDGED?

Round 1

At the conclusion of Round 1, all eligible entries received will be reviewed by a panel (or panels) of qualified
international judges based on the judging criteria set forth below. Up to fifty (50) of the top Teams from each of
the three Game Design Tracks, totaling up to one hundred and fifty (150) teams, will advance to compete in
Round 2.

Round 1 Judging Criteria

Criteria Points
Innovation: How creative and technically unique is the Game? 0-20
Theme: How well the Game addresses the Imagine Cup 2011 Theme. 0-20
Fun Factor: How intense, exciting, and entertaining are the attributes of the Game? 0-20
Production Quality: How complete is the Game including its polish of design, functionality, and 0-20

Imagine Cup 2011 Game Design Rules and Regulations

 thematic execution?
Presentation: How clear and precise is the Game Summary, Game Play Instructions, Game Video 0-20
and Presentation to judges in each one of the rounds?

Round 2 –– Worldwide Finals Qualifying

At the conclusion of Round 2, all eligible entries received will be reviewed by a panel (or panels) of qualified
international judges based on the judging criteria set forth below. Up to five (5) of the top Teams from each Game
Design Track will advance to compete at the Worldwide Finals.

Round 2 Judging Criteria

Criteria Points
Innovation: How creative and technically unique is the Game? 0-20
Theme: How well the Game addresses the Imagine Cup 2011 Theme. 0-20
Fun Factor: How intense, exciting, and entertaining are the attributes of the Game? 0-20
Production Quality: How complete is the Game including its polish of design, functionality, and 0-20
thematic execution?
Presentation: How clear and precise is the Game Summary, Game Play Instructions, Game Video 0-20
and Presentation to judges in each one of the rounds?

Round 3 –– Worldwide Finals

Judging will take place in two (2) phases as follows:

Phase 1: Teams will make a thirty (30) minute presentation of their game to a qualified panel of international
judges followed by a fifteen (15) minute question and answer session.

Phase 2: Teams will provide their games to the judges for a hands-on experience where the judges will play the
games individually in a two (2) hour open-ended play session.

Worldwide Finals Judging Criteria (the following criteria will be used for Phase 1 and Phase 2):

Criteria Points
Innovation: How creative and technically unique is the Game? 0-30
Theme: How well the Game addresses the Imagine Cup 2011 Theme. 0-20
Fun Factor: How intense, exciting, and entertaining are the attributes of the Game? 0-30
Presentation: How clear and precise is the Game Summary, Game Play Instructions, 0-20
Game Video and Presentation to judges in each one of the rounds?

PRIZES

Round 2 - Worldwide Finals Qualifying

Each officially registered member of the top five (5) teams from each Game Design Track (fifteen (15) Game
Design teams total) will win a trip to New York City, USA to compete in the Imagine Cup 2011 Worldwide Finals on

Imagine Cup 2011 Game Design Rules and Regulations

July 8-13, 2011. Trip includes round trip coach airfare from major airport closest to winner’’s home(s), standard
hotel accommodations, select meals, and activities.

Round 3 - Worldwide Finals

Game Design: Windows/Xbox (XNA)

x First Place: $8,000 USD, to be divided equally among each officially registered member of the Team
x Second Place: $4,000 USD, to be divided equally among each officially registered member of the Team
x Third Place: $3,000 USD, to be divided equally among each officially registered member of the Team

Game Design: Web (Silverlight)

x First Place: $8,000 USD, to be divided equally among each officially registered member of the Team
x Second Place: $4,000 USD, to be divided equally among each officially registered member of the Team
x Third Place: $3,000 USD, to be divided equally among each officially registered member of the Team

Game Design: Mobile (Zune / Phone)

x First Place: $8,000 USD, to be divided equally among each officially registered member of the Team
x Second Place: $4,000 USD, to be divided equally among each officially registered member of the Team
x Third Place: $3,000 USD, to be divided equally among each officially registered member of the Team

Imagine Cup 2011 Game Design Rules and Regulations