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Ideas about contests

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Redcap
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I am trying to get more print and play submissions for my website www.gamesinprint.com ; and am toying around with the idea of hosting a contest, in which the best submission (judged by myself) would get $100 straight up.

But to sweeten the deal I would raise the pot by $50 for every 10 accepted submissions.

So if I got 10 accepted submissions the total prize would be $150. 20 accepted submissions, $200. 30 would be $250 and so on.

I want to do this contest to spur submissions but I really don't know how it would be recieved. So I am coming to you, my trusted community, to see if you would be willing to give me suggestions and feedback as to whether or not this would be something you would respond to, and why or why not. Would $100 + $50 + $50 + $50 be large enough to peak you interest? What else would you like to see in a contest like this? ect...

Dralius
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To assure diversity maybe you

To assure diversity maybe you could have several prizes. One for each category lets say. Even if the prize money was a bit less the chances of winning would be increased.

DARE the Vegetable
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The rest of the world

Categories! Really exciting! It's just like a... a contest!

Although... I'm underaged and outside of the states, so I'm somewhat put off.

Redcap
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I like the idea of several

I like the idea of several prizes, to encourage diverstiy, however I have a lot of categories and even a small payout like $10 would come out to be a lot of money. I am willing to payout quite a lot of money to encourage game submissions, but I want to make sure that I get the most for my money. So would it be more incentive for you to have steep competetion but the ability to win $100 - $250 (depending on the number of entries), or would you rather have an easier chance of winning $10-$20?

So knowing you are right that I need a way to encourage diversity I have come up with some ideas to maybe fund this, let me know what you think.

First, I would provide the grand prize of $100+; maybe a second place of $50 + and third place of $25 +

I could then require an entry fee into the competetion, and depending on how much you pay to enter the competetion I could offer incentives (kind of like kickstarter)

Entry with no "donation": would get your game into the competetion with the chance to win only the grand prize

Entry with $5 "donation": would get your game into the competetion with the ability to win any of the prizes and you would recieve detailed playtesting notes.

Entry with $10 "donation": would get your game into the competetion with the abiltiy to win any of the prizes, you could select 1 of the games from my website to download for free (with the authors consent) and recieve detailed playtesting notes.

Entry with $20 donation: Sames as $10 donation, but you can download 4 free games.

Entry with $50 donation: Same as $20 donation, except you can download all the games after the competetion.

Ect.

These donations and there rewards could obviously be different then the ones I posted but it gives you a flavor of what I am thinking. Also I would have to get concent from the games already submitted before I offered them as free downloads, but I would make it required that new submissions would allow their games to be downloaded by big donaters.

The donations would then be used only for the competetion. Meaning whatever money was put in, would stay in. If I got $1000 in donations, we would find a way to distribute that amongst the grand prize, second place, third place; and best of show per catagories. If we get a lot of donatations, the prizes (even the catagory prizes) would be substantially large.

Let me know what you think? Would you be interested in something like this, why or why not? ect :)

Redcap
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To Dare the

To Dare the vegetable,

Outside of the states wouldn't stop you from participating. Being under aged would though, but I guess you could always have your parents submit it for you.

Kirioni
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Joined: 09/20/2009
Diversity, and increasing pay out

Perhaps you use the method of uping the ante but not based on sheer numbers, but numbers within the category. For example if there were 5 categories 2 submissions to each would raise the over all prize 50$ This way if it were skewed towards one or two genres there would be pressure to diversify into other ones, while still keeping the quality high to win the big prize. Also, offering runners up opportunity to get their game professionally printed at a discount would be huge incentive, I also like the idea of people getting feedback in form of prototype notes. Just some thoughts for what it is woth.

drktron
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keep it simple

Just keep it simple. I don't like the idea of "donations" and 5 different entry levels. I would just keep the main prize for the best entry, give every entry feedback, and maybe the best of each category could get a free download. Just getting feedback on a game should be incentive enough to enter considering how hard it is to get good playtesters. Just my 2 cents.

Redcap
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I do want to get games that I

I do want to get games that I can sell through the site too, and I don't want to become a playtesting game service per say. If I offer free feedback on everything, then I will get uncomplete games with users hoping not to win, but to get feedback. It was just a thought, but if too complicated I can scrap that idea and keep thinking.

drktron
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feedback on incomplete games

feedback on incomplete games could be as simple as "incomplete" or "unfinished". It doesn't have to be thorough feedback if someone is crappy enough to send you an incomplete game or one thats obviously flawed. Since your main goal is to get people to sell quality games through the website what if you offer anyone who submits a game worthy of being on your website a free download of another game. This won't cost you anything up front and gets you more games. You could have a finalist in each category and give them detailed feedback. Give a big prize to the best entry overall. As long as your fair in judging the game in the context of its category, people should be fine with submitting games in any category. Besides we don't know what category you favor anyway.

Redcap
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Very true, I am planning on

Very true, I am planning on creating a somewhat objective grading rubric so entry can know what I look for. I don't care if it is a fantasy or word game, but as long as it follows some certain elements it could do very well no matter what genre.

I am curious how many of you would be willing to enter a competetion for $100; because if it is only like 5 people it wouldn't really be worth it to me.

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