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I am pleased to announce the winners of GameSpot's unofficial Developer for a Day 6 contest.
Everyone who entered should be proud of what they accomplished. Many of you obviously put a lot of work into your submission, and our judges could see that dedication. That said, a few documents rose to the top of our heap, with two documents in particular making it into the top three choices of all three judges. And on that note, let me introduce the judges!
Don Francis, Community Development Manager
Tom Mc Shea, Associate Editor
Lark Anderson, Producer
Give them a hand: they took time out of their very busy schedules to score the entry, and two of them offered feedback on their choices.
And now, for the winners.
Grand Prize: $300 Best Buy certificate
Winner: SophinaK
Entry: Ex-Terra
Score: 12
Judge 1: An adventure game on the DS that makes innovative use of not only its dual screens, but also its stylus and microphone? Sign me up! This is the sort of game that you would think perfectly suited for the system, yet no one has made just yet. All of the gameplay elements are just so compelling, from the strong story to the dual gameplay mechanisms and co-op multiplayer opportunities, and they are described with such detail that nothing is left out. The disparate abilities that the two main characters exhibit make for some fun and exciting puzzle possibilities, and the emphasis on team-work and open communication make me wish I could go out and buy this game right now.
Judge 2: This sounds an awfully lot like The Adventures of Cookies and Cream, which is a good thing in my eyes. It seems to push the idea of how a cooperative game should play, doing away with the design of "double the firepower" and replacing it with pure teamwork. The twin dynamic is a really interesting idea, creating a thread-like link between the characters without drifting too far into science fiction territory. From a technology standpoint, I don't think the NDS would be able to adequately realize the game presented here unfortunately. But we'll leave that up to Nintendo.
Second Prize: $100 Best Buy certificate
Winner: smadiso1
Entry: Mutant League Football: MBP Edition
Score: 10
Judge 1: I've been saying to myself--and anyone who would listen to me--for years that the world needs more Mutant League Football: the over-the-top violence and craziness is enough to make me want to like football (or at least pseudo-football). The Player of the Week and End of the Year awards detailed sound great, especially in conjunction with the fame system, and the addition of online, franchise, and head-to-head modes are the icing on the cake. The design document was very detailed and specific, going so far as to describe how the EA Sports logo should make its intro appearance on start-up, and left no lingering questions. The best part, is that with the included parental controls, it's fun for the whole family!
Judge 2: I would have been content with bringing the ambulance back in Madden, but this is even better. Football games are far too serious now and I miss the days when extreme violence was the main draw rather than secondary adjustments. Not only would this be a game that I personally would be interested in, but I think it would be a critical and commercial success as well. Just needs to reword that NFL acronym.
Third Prize: $50 Best Buy certificate
Winner: oilers99
Entry: Awaking Dream
Score: 7
Judge 1: I've always been a huge believer in interactive fiction, and this design concept is rife with a number of intriguing ideas, from the blend of role-playing and adventure game elements to the unique "combat" system. The design document breaks down most of the more abstract concepts and is very thorough, going to great lengths to describe in detail core game features, something I appreciated as a ton of questions were going through my head as I read it. Ultimately, there are a ton of incredible risk factors involved with creating such an unconventional game, but I love the compelling ideas presented and honestly believe it could be pulled off if handled correctly.
Runners-Up:
misfit1119
Entry: Ex Nihil
Score: 7
Judge 2: I love choices in games. From a gameplay perspective, Nihil sounds like it could be brutal and terrifying, which are pretty key tenets of the survivor horror genre. But the story system sounds like it would be unique and satisfying. To have your choices actually affect the outcome would be a pleasant twist to the classic demon tale. The ability to set the difficulty for both the combat and puzzles is a novel touch that would make this enjoyable no matter your style of play. This has real potential.
Entry: Renegade
Score: 2
Judge 2: This could be very entertaining. We've seen games try to use the "everything is a weapon" mechanic before (such as Dead Rising) but this takes that idea one step further. Sure, it would be a pain to code such a thing, but that's not our worry. I love the idea of transforming weapons with every use, wittling your hefty chair down to a tiny nub of wood. As long as there aren't many "real" weapons scattered about, this would make for a really interesting adventure.
The bug mechanic sounds pretty gross, in a good way. I'm not sure how I'd like to see swarms of gross in HD, but it is an inventive way to at least distract enemies. Hamz is clearly the star of the enemy show, though. Who doesn't love adorable bombs?
Entry: Tourists
Score: 2
Entry: Kremlin
Score: 1
Judge 1: This is a very fleshed out concept for an intriguing alternate history shooter. I believe that the Cold War is a setting full of potential (especially in the case of alternate history scenarios) that has yet to be fully realized, and this design goes a long way towards exploiting that opening. The very story-oriented approach that this idea takes combined with the wide variety of locations present make this pitch sound both fun and compelling. The design document is full of flavor text and dialogue to help set the mood, and the included maps and fully planned out missions help to visualize it in action. The potential multiplayer options listed would continue to add more replay value and variety, though the rank and experience system might need some additional looking into--it seems a bit too similar to Call of Duty 4.
Entry: The Mindless
Score: 1
dark_being
Entry: Saw
Winners: I will be in touch in the next two weeks to discuss prizes. Congratulations to all of you.
I intended on making a fancy little video for this announcement, but I simply don't have the time. Forgive me for this very bare-bones presentation. I promise I'll have something more fascinating for the winner announcement!
And now, for the finalists, in no particular order:
Finalcross
Oilers99
Chikinware
Smadiso1
Braindeadracr
SophinaK
Koba123
Misfit1119
Dark_being
NatendoWhisky64
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Congratulations, ladies and gentlemen!
Developer for a Day 6 is a community-run contest designed to showcase the grand game design ideas of the GameSpot community. In DFAD6, all interested users can create a game design document and submit it to me. I will read all of the entries, narrow them down to a list of 10 finalists, and then a panel of elite GameSpot judges will narrow them down to three winners.
What are the prizes?
The first-place entry will win a $300 gift certificate to Best Buy. Second-place will win a $100 certificate. Third-place will win a $50 certificate. If there is no Best Buy near you, we can negotiate a prize of equal value.
Who can enter?
Anyone who has a GameSpot username; you do not need to a paying member of the site to enter. Because this is not an official contest, but a contest run by me, personally, you can live anywhere in the world—or at least, anywhere that I can ship your prize to via standard courier service (UPS/Fedex/DHL). Because GameSpot users are required to be age 13 or older, you must be at least 13 years old.
GameSpot employees are not eligible, so that I can avoid any conflicts of interest.
When is my entry due, and where should I send it?
In order for your entry to qualify, you should email it to me by May 16, 2008, at 11:59 PM, Pacific Daylight Time. Documents received after that date and time will not be considered. Entires should be emailed to dfad6@yahoo.com.
What should the entry consist of?
Your entry should be a document describing your original game design idea. This document should be submitted in a document that I can easily open with a common application. Acceptable formats are as follows: .doc or .docx, .pdf, .odt, and .html.
This document should describe all important aspects of your original game design idea. It should answer questions like these:
-How is the game played?
-What platform is the game made for?
-How do you interact with the game?
-What does the game look and sound like?
The document itself should include your GameSpot username somewhere within. Your email should indicate your full name, address, and phone number, as well as your GameSpot username. This information will remain private, and is used only for contact information regarding prizing.
Does my entry need to be based on an original intellectual property, or can I use an existing one?
You may use an existing IP (i.e., a TV show, film, comic, novel, and so on) if you want, or you can choose a completely original setting. Previous entries have taken place in the Harry Potter and Batman universes, for example. However, the game idea itself should be your own.
Does the entry have to consist only of text?
Lord no. You are welcome to include images, video, or other media if you like, as long as it complements your text rather than replaces it. You can be as creative as you like, assuming that the base of your idea is communicated clearly within the text of your document. Providing extra media does not necessarily give you an advantage, however, so don't worry that a text-only document hurts your chances.
How should I format this document?
There is no set rule on how you present your document. I do recommend, however, that you consider the following:
-Is it easy and fun to read? You should write in plain English. Don't get overly wordy, and don't be overly simple. You should provide a reasonable amount of detail, but don't bury your great ideas under unnecessary words. Conversely, you should write in complete sentences, and with proper grammar. Run your document through your spellchecker. Some typos here and there are no big deal, but a document that is a chore to read because it's incomprehensible isn't a likely finalist.
-Use the first page or two to give me an outline of what your game consists of. I should have a rough idea of what genre it falls in, what system it's for, and what your overall intent is.
-Organize your thoughts into sections. It doesn't make much sense to tell me about one part of your RPG's battle system on page 4, and the next part on page 11. Again, I want you to be creative, but I want to understand your idea as clearly as possible.
Is there a minimum or maximum length?
No. Your document should be long enough to provide the detail you think is necessary to communicate your vision. A very short document may not provide enough information; a very long one will probably not be very enjoyable to read.
How does the judging work?
From the full pool of entries, I will choose ten finalists based on the quality of the work. I will consider such aspects as the originality of your design, how well it is communicated, how feasible it is, how fun it sounds, and so on. There is no specific point system, as there has in years past. Rather, the finalists will be chosen based on the overall quality of the document—and the quality of the idea. It is, by nature, a subjective process. However, the criteria themselves (originality, presentation, and so on) will be objectively applied. I will select the top 10, and score each from 1 to 10 based on my evaluation. The judges will not know my score.
Once I've chosen the finalists, those documents will be handed over to an elite panel of three judges that will consist of GameSpot staff. The judges have yet to be determined; once they are determined, this document will updated to reflect as much. They will review the 10 finalists, and each judge will apply points as follows:
-1st place: 7 points
-2nd place: 4 points
-3rd place: 2 points
-4th place: 1 point
In the past, ties have made prizing a difficult process. This points system should avoid ties, and allow the highest quality entries to rise to the top. I will not be one of the three judges. In the highly unlikely event of a tie, the score I assigned to the documents in question will be used to break the tie and determine the winner.
Please note that in the past, the finalists had an opportunity to edit their work before it was submitted for final judging. This will not be the case this year. Please be sure the document you submit to me represents the work you want to be judged, as you won't have the opportunity to edit it.
When will I know if I won?
I plan on announcing the winners on June 2. Winners will be notified in DFAD6's official union, in my blog, and via email. Only winners will be emailed; I can't contact all entrants.
Can multiple people enter as a team?
Yes, but I recommend against it. If you should win a prize, I will split that prize equally amongst the users that participated, which dilutes its worth. Should your team wish to enter, be sure the document includes the GameSpot usernames of all members of the team, and that the email lists the personal information for every team member.
Could my idea be made into a game, for real? Can you get me in contact with a real developer or publisher?
We don't make games at GameSpot, and while I encourage you to pursue your dreams, I don't have any kind of strings to pull to make that happen.
Can you give me feedback once my entry has been submitted?
In the past, there have been dozens upon dozens of entries. It would be completely unfeasible for me to provide personal feedback on every entry. However, the judges and myself will provide comments on the ten finalists.
What else do I need to know?
Your entry is your own intellectual property. By submitting it, you still retain ownership of its content. However, by submitting it, you are giving me permission to publish it on GameSpot—in a feature story, in the forums, or elsewhere. If you do not wish others to read your work, you should not submit it. Be aware that you should not include any personal information in the document itself, aside from your GameSpot username. All other information should be in the email proper.
When I post the winners on the site, I will only publish your GameSpot username.
Developer for a Day 6 is not run by GameSpot or CNET, nor do those entities officially endorse it as an official contest. Rather, this is a continuation of Adam Buchen's long-running community project. Adam no longer works at GameSpot, but he started a beloved tradition that I wish to see continue. I take full responsibility for the progress of this contest, and reserve the right to cancel it; adjust the deadline dates as currently published; adjust prizing; and edit all rules as necessary.
Where can I see past entries?
GameSpot posted a feature story on the Developer for a Day 4 winners. I was honored to be the winner that year, back before I was an employee and just an everyday user of the site. Read the story; the entries should help give you an idea of what we're looking for.
What if I have more questions?
Email me any questions to dfad6@yahoo.com.
So summarize it all for me!
Create your original game design document. Make it a Word, Open Office, PDF, or web document.
Email it to me at dfad6@yahoo.com along with any accompanying media, by May 16th, 2008 at 11:59PM PDT.
Make sure the document includes your username somewhere within it. Make sure the email includes your full name, address, phone number, and GS username.
Keep a lookout for an announcement about the winners on June 2, 2008.
