Mashooo.com is proud to announce the first ever, world open, Silverlight game development contest.

It is an open "no holds barred" style competition, meaning that people from around the world are free to participate and there are no theme limitations. Just bring your talent and zest for Silverlight game development and show the world what you can do.

The contest will begin on March 18, 2009 and last for around 3 months.

The approximate retail value (ARV) of all the prizes is more than $10,000 USD in cash and software packages.

The generous prizes are contributed by Microsoft, Telerik, EnvyGames, IBEX Software and Mashooo.

What are the prizes?

The prizes are a combination of cash and software packages:

• First prize: $1,000 USD + Telerik Premium Collection for .NET + Microsoft Expression Studio + EnvyGames PlayBits game engine. A total approximate retail value of $3,300 USD.
• Second Prize: $600 USD + RadControls for Silverlight and WPF + Microsoft Expression Studio + EnvyGames PlayBits game engine. A total approximate retail value of $3,600 USD.
• Third Prize: $400 USD + RadControls for Silverlight + Microsoft Expression Studio + EnvyGames PlayBits game engine. A total approximate retail value of $2,400 USD.
• Sweepstakes Prize: RadControls for Silverlight. An approximate retail value of $800 USD

For detailed information about the prizes read the Prizes and Contributors page.

What are the competition dates?

• Game Submission period: March 18, 2009 to June 14, 2009.
• Rating period: March 18, 2009 to June 21, 2009.
• Judging period: Up to 10 days after June 21, 2009.
• The winners will be announced on or before July 01, 2009.

What are the Rules?

There is no limitation on the theme, size or resolution. Just let your imagination fly.

Each contestant can submit as many games as he/she wishes. You can even make corrections and resubmit your games (The final submission is the one that will be judged). Eligible entries will be showcased on Mashooo.com for the general public to view them, play them and rate them. Everyone visiting Mashooo.com is invited to rate the participating games.

The top 10 rated games voted on by the community will be presented to a panel of renowned judges. The judges will be asked to rank the top 10 games. The results of the judges will be combined and the top 3 winners will be chosen and announced.

For detailed information read the official rules.

Who are the Judges?

• Arturo Toledo - Product Manager at Microsoft for the UX Platform & Tools team (Silverlight, WPF, Expression etc.)
• Dave Campbell - Microsoft MVP and a member of the Silverlight and WPF Insiders Group is the brains behind WynApse.com and Silverlightcream.com.
• Jeff Webber - Author of the famous Farseer Physics Engine. Creator of games such as Diver and Tire Storm.
• John Kanalakis - President of EnvyGames makers of PlayBits the first commercial Silverlight game engine.

How do I submit a game?

by filling the Mashooo S Prize Submit Game form.

Can I ask for help or assistance developing my game?

Yes, you may turn to the Mashooo team or the community forum to ask questions.

Besides the chance of winning cool prizes, why else should I submit my game(s)?

For many reasons:

• All eligible submissions will be showcased on Mashooo.com giving exposure and linking to your website.
• Showcased submissions will automatically participate in the sweepstakes for a prize of an approximate value of $800 USD.
• Submissions may also qualify for the Ad Revenue Sharing Program.

I'm not sure if my game is good enough, should I still submit it?

Of course!

• By showing your game(s) to the Mashooo community you can receive feedback and help to improve your game. You can ask for advice.
• You can resubmit improved versions of a game as many times as you wish.
• If your game is eligible you will enter the sweepstakes.

Can I submit an existing game to the contest?

The short answer is that a game should be new to Mashooo but you could take an existing game, modify or improve it so it will be different enough to be considered as a different game or a different version of the game. If you are not sure if your game is considered new or not, feel free to submit it for review. We will check the game and let you know what we think about it.

Can I submit a Silverlight 3 based game to the contest?

Yes, we will be accepting both Silverlight version 2 and Silverlight version 3 games. But there are a couple of things to remember:

• A user with Silverlight version 2 installed will not be able to play and rate, a Silverlight version 3 game. This means that a Silverlight 3 based game might potentially get fewer ratings then a Silverlight 2 game.
• If version 3 changes through the beta/RC stages and your game fails to run on the latest version 3 released or the final release version (RTW). You will have to amend the game if you wish the game to be eligible to participate in the contest.

We are all for freedom of choice. In the end it is up to you the developer to decide which version you prefer to use.

How do I get started in Silverlight game development?

There are many free resources on the web. You can start by browsing our Useful Resources on the top left corner of the developers section. It contains links to many valuable Silverlight game related sources.

Can I submit a game to Mashooo without entering the contest?

Yes, absolutely. Just use the regular Submit Game form.

What happens in case of a tie in the ratings by the community or judges?

In any case of an equal rating of two or more game submissions the defining criteria will be the earliest date and time of submission. This means the earlier you submit your game the better.

What are the terms of use regarding my game submission?

Mashooo's Terms of Use are common to the casual gaming industry. They specify that you allow us to show your game on Mashooo.com and, if need be, modify it so it can be integrated into our website. For example images or screenshots that you send us when you submit a game might be resized or transformed into thumbnails. This type of modification can also be referred to as derivative work.

We want to make it absolutely clear that here at Mashooo.com, a submitted game  remains the property of its author. We will not, in any circumstances, sell your game to third parties nor will we use your game code, assembly or any other game resources you submit to us to create a new game that is based on your work without your explicit consent.

Please feel free to contact us if you have any other questions regarding this subject.

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If you have more questions you can ask them in the forums or contact us.