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Announcement: Dr. Dobbs Challenge Deuce Game Competition Launched
by Staff [PC, Console/PC]
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March 9, 2009
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Gamasutra sister programming brand Dr. Dobb's Journal has launched Dr. Dobb's Challenge Deuce, a game competition from the world-renowned Dr. Dobb's website for software developers and Microsoft's Visual Studio.
This program, which was co-created by game developer Adam Saltsman of Semi Secret Software (Wurdle for iPhone, Gravity Hook), builds on the success of the original Dobb’s Challenge game competition.
The original competition debuted in March 2008, and allowed visitors to the site to download Windows and Windows Mobile source code and mod an existing game starring Dr. Dobbs and the 'Defy All Challenges' machinima crew to win up to $10,000.
The new Dr. Dobbs Challenge once again gives away almost $10,000, but switches things up by going in-browser. As one of the most advanced uses of Microsoft Silverlight technology to date, it allows full in-browser game play of an addictive platform title, again starring Dr. Dobbs and the machinima characters.
There are two levels to the competition this time. Firstly, the application includes an innovative in-game level editing tool, so anyone can name and create their own level and dynamically save it, accessing it with a custom URL or via the in-Silverlight browser - for example, 'Ball Skillz' by challenge entrant Ben Caron.
Anyone can browse all the levels created so far, sorting them by most-played or most recently uploaded. Specific to the in-browser level editing competition, weekly 'best level' winners will get a Dr. Dobbs bobblehead doll, and the monthly best user-created level will win $500 in cash until June (the first deadline to win is March 31st).
Secondly, full source code and art for the games are freely provided for programmers and artists to download the Silverlight source code, make larger modifications, enter their modified Silverlight app, and win thousands of dollars of prizes. The categories for this section are as follows:
- The Dobbs Race-To-The-Finish Challenge ($1,000) - Produce the best modded game (of any kind) in half the length of the competition.
- Best Game ($2,000) - Produce the best modded game (of any kind) across the whole challenge.
- Best One Button Game ($1,000) - Produce the best game that uses only one button for input.
- Best Game Starring Dr. Dobb's And The Defy All Challenges Crew ($1,000) - Produce the best game that still stars the Dr. Dobb's and The Defy All Challenges Crew (though these characters can be redrawn or otherwise used in any way in the title.)
- Best Total Conversion ($1,000) - Produce the best game that is completely different from the original Dr. Dobb's Challenge -- i.e. uses no design aspects or assets other than the use of Visual Studio icons.
The deadline for Dr. Dobb's Challenge Deuce is June 12th, 2009, and the deadline for Dr. Dobb's Race-To-The-Finish Challenge is April 6th, 2009. Full information, including rules, source code, and the in-browser game, is available at the official Dr. Dobbs Challenge website.
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