Dobbs Challenge Game Competition Reveals Deadlines

Organizers have announced that the final deadline for Dr. Dobbs Challenge Deuce, a game competition from Gamasutra sister website Dr. Dobb's and Microsoft's Visual Studio, is June 12th. This date marks the end of the competition’s main challenge -- to use Microsoft Visual Studio to code a mod of the Silverlight-based Dr. Dobbs Challenge game -- but also the final chance for users to win the monthly $500 best level prize, awarded to players who create levels using the web browser-based in-game level editor. In addition, users will be able to win Dr. Dobbs bobbleheads for the best level created per week until the June 12th deadline. As an example of the high quality of games submitted to the competition, the winner and runner up of the Dobbs Race-To-The-Finish Challenge (a $1000 prize for the best mod developed within half the length of the competition) have been uploaded to the Dr. Dobbs Challenge Deuce website, with users able to play both the winner James Paulin’s entry, Day of Ape, and the runner-up, Martin Szinger’s Tornado. Also, examples of popular and fun user-submitted levels can be found on the official and the official Dobbs Challenge Deuce Twitter. The base game, 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 which debuted in March 2008. The Dr. Dobbs Challenge Deuce 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. All of the mod competition categories (open to coders and artists worldwide, with the results to be available on the Dr Dobbs Challenge website) 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 And The Defy All Challenges Crew ($1,000) - Produce the best game that still stars the Dr. Dobb 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. Dobbs Challenge -- i.e. uses no design aspects or assets other than the use of Visual Studio icons. The deadline for Dr. Dobbs Challenge Deuce is June 12th, 2009. Full information, including rules, source code, and the in-browser game, is available at the official Dr. Dobbs Challenge website.