Finalist named in casual games competition

First of three spots in $20,000 Casual Game Evolution Challenge goes to Swing 'n' Strike; submissions still being accepted.

Casual game platform provider Game Trust today announced the first of three finalists in its second annual Casual Game Evolution Challenge for Web-based Java games. Software Prodigy's Swing 'n' Strike (a turn-based strategy game inspired by Worms 2 and Wik: Fable of Souls) took the first spot with 67 percent of votes cast at this year's Game Developers Conference. Two more finalists will be announced April 28, with the developers of all three games being guaranteed a $10,000 distribution contract offer and the winning game earning a $20,000 contract offer and a trip for four to Costa Rica. The deadline for submissions is April 21. For full details, check the official Web site.

18 Comments

  • frankeyser

    Posted Apr 13, 2006 10:16 am PT

    casual competition is like beer pong i think.

  • nullvision

    Posted Apr 13, 2006 9:05 am PT

    Look, if you read the headline and pictured a guy sitting on a couch eating pringles and playing Mario Party, you're like me. If you read the rest of the article and the only thing that changed in your mind was the guy on the couch reaching for another chip, you fail at reading comprehension. If you clicked on the link and the guy in your head just went to the fridge for another pepsi, you watch too much Simpsons.

    The rest of us are excited that every time it seems like the only way to make games is to work for some mega corporation, someone comes up with a new way for small teams or individuals to make money.

    My personal idea is for *individuals* to be able to sell small addons for games, like the horse armor in Elder Scrolls. I don't think that's going to happen for too many obvious reasons to talk about here, but it would be cool.

    I think I'll go write about it in the forums. I'll try not to use the words casual and competition together, so no one gets confused.

  • vash-ht

    Posted Apr 13, 2006 8:50 am PT

    It should seem a little surprising that the contest was held at GDC, meaning the games were voted on by people that weren't casual gamers. It was probably voted on by hardcore gamers and developers who have a lot of experience in games(ie. not casual gamers). If a casual game is meant to be picked up by anyone they probably shouldn't test them out on people who are already so much into games.

  • Vaelwynd

    Posted Apr 13, 2006 7:29 am PT

    "casual readers" that is just awesome. nullvision, you are the man.

    Although I have to say nothing in this thread is as funny as the fact that somebody actually wrote "It doesn't say that it is a game development competition in the article."

    Mind boggling.

  • keldog

    Posted Apr 13, 2006 6:52 am PT

    I think the literacy rate is dropping... Please read the article, not just the headline before posting.

  • ALLoY1717

    Posted Apr 13, 2006 2:46 am PT

    First comment is true.

  • ccgod

    Posted Apr 12, 2006 8:19 pm PT

    I need to enter and show casuals how real gamers do it

  • illisium

    Posted Apr 12, 2006 8:09 pm PT

    ...as far as comments on the ARTICLE go, flash and java based gaming has really come a long way, it seems, to be the subject of a $20,000 purse.

  • Ghost777

    Posted Apr 12, 2006 7:14 pm PT

    lol sry to say Jstarzyk but it is inferred. "in its second annual Casual Game Evolution Challenge for Web-based Java games" that was held at the GDC.

    I do agree with nullvision. After all my time spent on the web it really appalls me to see just how uneducated people really are. I'm not referring to errors in spelling but grammatical and logical errors. Most can't put 2 and 2 together to get four. For some reason they get 3. Actually let me rephrase that. It isn't so much a degree of knowledge but a lack of ability to think outside the box. Most people only see what is in front of their eyes and don't see what is hidden beneath.

  • thatguytony

    Posted Apr 12, 2006 7:12 pm PT

    No offense jstarzyk, but the article makes it pretty clear that it is talking about game design. People really need to start reading these things before they start posting.

  • jstarzyk

    Posted Apr 12, 2006 6:20 pm PT

    Hey nullvision, get off your high horse. It doesn't say that it is a game development competition in the article.

  • nullvision

    Posted Apr 12, 2006 6:18 pm PT

    [This message was deleted at the request of a moderator or administrator]

  • StealthyBurrito

    Posted Apr 12, 2006 6:06 pm PT

    aren't casual and competition kinda opposites?

  • wud1

    Posted Apr 12, 2006 5:18 pm PT

    Casual in the sense that they are easy to pick up and play and there audience is people who may not normally play games. The competition part should be self-explanatory, what with the makers of the winning game receiving the cash and the trip.

  • Kaos-Angel

    Posted Apr 12, 2006 5:17 pm PT

    Interresting...this makes Video Gaming a lot more interresting...perhaps now we shall see a small picture of the interresting thing...interresting...

  • jstarzyk

    Posted Apr 12, 2006 5:14 pm PT

    What?

  • glitchgeeman

    Posted Apr 12, 2006 5:11 pm PT

    What?

  • doomed51

    Posted Apr 12, 2006 5:09 pm PT

    casual+competition=not so casual?

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