Overview

Participants develop an E-Rated game that focuses on the subject of their choice. The game should be interesting, exciting, visually appealing, and intellectually challenging. The game should have high artistic and social value.

Purpose

Game design demands the use of complex intellectual, artistic, and technical skills. Once learned, these skills may be applied in many other high technology occupations within the science, technology, engineering, and mathematics fields. They may also be applied within many of the artistic occupations. A well designed game not only entertains, but often requires the game player to use complex problem solving skills. Gaming is a major industry today and its potential as an instructional tool is virtually infinite.

Eligibility

One team per chapter. There will be a minimum of two (2) people per team.

Time Limits

1. Entries must be started and completed during the current school year.
2. The game must not be longer than 10 minutes in length.
3. The game starts with the first image or sound and continues until the last sound or image ends.

Attire

Professional dress as described in Competitive Events Attire is the minimum requirement.

Procedure

1. Participants check in their entries (notebooks and DVDs) at the time and place stated in the conference program.
2. Entries are reviewed by evaluators. Neither students nor advisors are present at this time. A finalist list in random order is posted.
3. Two (2) representatives from each finalist team report to the event area at the time and place stated in the conference program for their interview.
4. Each finalist team explains its notebook and game to the evaluators, discussing the purpose, value, design, rules, and development process of their work.

Regulations

1. Games must be turned in on DVD.
2. Notebooks & DVD’s become property of TSA, inc.
3. Entries must be a team project.
4. The game must include original work of the team, but game architecture, game engines, graphics and sounds may be used from other sources.  Work that is not created by the team must have proper documentation showing permission to use.
5. The DVD and 8 ½ “ X 11” notebook must be turned in to event coordinators. The following will be contained in the notebook as hardcopy AND on the DVD electronically:
1. Cover page with title of game, date, and conference, one (1) page
2. Purpose and description of game, including target audience, one (1) page
3. Team’s self-evaluation of the design process to include use of event evaluation criteria, one (1) page
4. Storyboard, pages as needed
5. List of hardware and software used in development of game as well as cost of development, (pages as needed)
6. List of reference that includes sources for materials, copyrighted and otherwise. (pages as needed)
7. Permission letters for copyrighted material. (pages as needed)
8. A list of everything in the game not created by team. (pages as needed)
9. List of team members and their contributions (pages as needed)

Evaluation

Evaluation is based on the game’s aesthetics, flow, story, content, sound (preferred but not required) and characters. Game should be entertaining, exciting, challenging and have social value. Ten(10) bonus points may be added by judges for unique, or exceptional features.