Intel® Level Up 2011 Game Demo Contest Description

1. How to Enter

The Level Up 2011, Intel® Visual Adrenaline Game Demo Challenge, runs from November 29, 2011 12:01 AM (U.S. Pacific Time) to March 19, 2012 at 11:59 PM (U.S. Pacific Time). The contest is open to all game developers and higher education students worldwide to create innovative playable game demos and compete for the chance to win exciting cash prizes and achieve greater exposure in the gaming industry.

Contest winners in the major prize categories may also be given the opportunity to turn their game demos into fully playable game titles and sign a Steam®** online gaming platform commercial distribution contract with Valve Corporation* at Valve Corporation’s sole discretion.

Target System Specifications: Entries competing in the contest must install and run on a Microsoft* Windows* 7 Home Premium 64-bit operating software and DirectX* 9.0c or DirectX* 10.1 software with:

• Intel® 2nd Generation Core™ i5 processor
• Intel® HD 3000 Graphics
• 4GB DDR3-1333 memory

Submissions will be accepted for playable PC game demos from the contest start to the demo submission deadline. Playable game demos of fully completed game titles are allowed as long as the title or demo has not been released for sale commercially at the time of submission. Only game demos that can be installed and are playable on test platforms that use the target system specifications above will be eligible for judging. These demos will be judged in the following contest categories:


• Grand Prize Categories:
- Game of the Year (Professional / Independent Game Developer)
- Game of the Year (Student Game Developer)

• Game Genre Prize Categories:
- Best Shooter
- Best Casual Game
- Best Puzzle Game
- Best Strategy Game
- Best Adventure / Role Playing
- Best Simulation Game
- Best Educational Game
- Best MMO Game

• Judges' Choice / Skills / Craft Categories:
- Best Art Design
- Best Sound
- Best Game with 3D Graphics
- Best Character Design
- Best Use of Game Physics


Participants must complete the online web registration form at the Level Up 2011 contest website (www.intel.com/software/LevelUp2011) including a game demo (with optional screen shots and/or videos) and submit it electronically by the deadlines stated below. The participants will receive a confirmation email after each submission. Participants can submit multiple game demos.

Key contest deadlines are below. All deadlines will occur at 11:59 PM, U.S. Pacific Standard Time (PST).

a. Contest Registration Opening: Participants can register for the contest and start submitting game demos starting November 29, 2011.

b. Submission Deadline: All playable game demos and supporting content (screenshots, videos) must be submitted by March 19, 2012, otherwise their contribution will not be reviewed by the judges and they will not be eligible for prizes.


2. Prize(s)

Content winners will receive prizes as outlined below. All winners and their contributions, including the demo version of their gaming application, may be featured on any Intel.com properties and on third party websites. Winning game demos may also be featured on the Steam®** online gaming platform.

Winners can win in multiple categories except for the grand prize and game genre categories. A developer can win only the professional/independent or the student “Game of the Year” prize package. A developer can win the prize package in only one (1) of the game genre categories, consistent with the genre of the demo they submit.

a. Grand Prize Categories: Professional/independent and student game developers who submit playable game demos that meet submission requirements and are selected by the contest judges will be eligible to win the “Game of the Year” grand prize category. One (1) professional/independent and one (1) student grand prize winner will be chosen.

i. The professional/independent “Game of the Year” grand prize winner will receive:
• A USD $10K cash prize
• Inclusion of their game demo in the Steam®** DEMOS page.
• The opportunity to turn their game demo into a full playable game title and sign a Steam®** online gaming platform commercial distribution contract with Valve Corporation*. This will be offered to the winner but is subject to negotiation until both Valve Corporation* and the winner are in agreement.

ii. The student “Game of the Year” grand prize winner will receive:
• A USD $7K cash prize
• Inclusion of their game demo in the Steam®** DEMOS page.
• The opportunity to turn their game demo into a full playable game title and sign a Steam®** online gaming platform commercial distribution contract with Valve Corporation*. This will be offered to the winner but is subject to negotiation until both Valve Corporation* and the winner are in agreement.

b. Game Genre Prize Categories: All game developers who submit playable game demos that meet submission requirements and are selected by contest judges are eligible for the following prize package in each of the eight (8) game genre prize categories:

• A USD $3K cash prize
• Inclusion of their game demo in the Steam®** DEMOS page.
• The opportunity to turn their game demo into a full playable game title and sign a Steam®** online gaming platform commercial distribution contract with Valve Corporation*. This will be offered to the winner but is subject to negotiation until both Valve Corporation* and the winner are in agreement.

c. Judges’ Choice / Skills & Craft Categories: All game developers who submit playable game demos that meet submission requirements and are selected by the contest judges are eligible for the following prize package in each of the five (5) judges’ choice / skills / craft categories:

• A USD $1K cash prize
• Inclusion of their game demo in the Steam®** DEMOS page.


3. Criteria of Winning Submission:

a. Grand Prize Categories: Winners will be selected by the panel of judges based on overall creativity, innovation, visual quality, entertainment value, game performance (as measured by frames per second) and fun, using a testing platform with similar specifications to the target system requirements stated in section 1 of this document. The winning demos can come from any game genre.

b. Game Genre Categories: Winner for each game genre category will be selected by the panel of judges based on creativity, innovation, visual quality, entertainment value, and game performance (as measured by frames per second) that is consistent with the expectations for each game genre. The judges will use a testing platform with similar specifications to the target system requirements stated in section 1 of this document.

c. Judges’ Choice / Skills & Craft Categories: The categories for additional consideration by the panel of judges are listed below. Only one (1) game demo will be chosen as a winner in each Judges' Choice category, but a game demo can win in multiple Judges’ Choice categories. The prizes will be awarded to a qualifying entry purely at the judging panel's discretion.

i. Best Art Design – will be awarded to the game demo with the best visual quality and visual creativity (e.g., creative interpretations of game scenes).

ii. Best Sound – will be awarded to the demo with the best audio quality in music and sound effects (e.g., use of game positional audio, multi-layered audio, etc.)

iii. Best Game with 3D Graphics – will be awarded to the game demo with the best visual representation of 3D game objects (e.g., most photo-realistic rendering)

iv. Best Character Design – will be awarded to the game demo with the best representation (visual quality, creativity, movement) of a game character/s.

v. Best Use of Game Physics – will be awarded to the game demo with the best simulation of physics in its game play (e.g. near-realistic collisions between game objects) .


4. Selection of the Winner(s)

Odds of Winning: Odds of winning depend on the quality of the submitted playable game demos based on the criteria listed above.

For Major Prize Categories: The panel of judges will play and review all submitted game demos on the testing platform for this contest. Judges will then make their selection of the winners for each prize based on the criteria stated above. All decisions of the judges are made at the judges’ sole discretion and are final in all matters relating to this Contest.


5. List of Winner(s)

The winners for the grand prize, game genres, and judges’ choice/skills/craft categories will be notified by email and/or telephone by May 11, 2012.

The winner’s names will be published by Intel in the Level Up 2011 contest website and in other program-related communications. Prize winners will be notified based on contact information supplied by Participants, the accuracy of which information is the responsibility of the Participants. In the event a Participant cannot be contacted as determined in the sole discretion of Intel, or a winner rejects a Prize, an alternative winner will be identified.

6. Delivery of the Prizes to the Prize Winner(s)

How to Claim Your Prize: Winners in the main prize categories will be contacted by an Intel representative by May 11, 2012. The winner must meet all eligibility requirements set forth in these Official Contest Rules to qualify for the prize. Each prize winner must complete eligibility and liability/publicity releases or the prize may be forfeited and awarded to an alternate winner. Winners will also be asked to complete an affidavit certifying that they own the intellectual property (IP) of the winning game demos.

Cash prizes will be delivered as a check to the winner by secure mail from the Intel representative. An email communication will be sent by a representative from Valve* Corporation to specify the requirements and the process for the commercial distribution contract negotiations.

Legal Documents

Privacy Policy, http://www.intel.com/sites/sitewide/en_US/privacy/privacy.htm?iid=ftr+privacy
Terms of Use, http://www.intel.com/sites/corporate/termsofuse.htm


Intel® Level Up 2011 Game Demo Contest Rules

1. These rules (including the Intel Privacy Policy and the Terms of Use) govern the Intel® Level Up 2011 Game Demo skills contest (the “contest”) and set out the terms and conditions between Intel Corporation and its affiliates (“Intel” or “us/we”) and each participant (“participant” or “you”).

2. You are eligible to participate in the contest if you have registered with the Intel® Software Network at www.intel.com/software or if you have registered for the contest. Participants must complete the online web registration form at the Level Up 2011 contest website (www.intel.com/software/LevelUp2011).

3. No purchase necessary. Purchase does not increase your chance of winning. Void wherever prohibited.

4. You must speak, read and understand English and you must be aged 18 years or over or you must obtain the consent of your parents or legal guardian before you participate in the contest. If you apply to register for the contest, if you contribute to the contest once you are registered or if you accept any contest prizes, you accept these rules.

5. The contest is open to participants worldwide. All national and local laws and regulations of the resident’s country of residence apply. Residents of countries under U.S. embargo are not eligible to enter. The contest is void wherever else it is restricted or prohibited by law.

6. Intel may refuse your contribution for any good reason.

7. Intel provides you with access to a variety of resources on the Intel® Software Network Visual Computing Developer community and Intel® Software Partner Program including communication forums, documentation, download areas, code samples, videos, blogs, articles and contests (the “resources”).

8. You agree to submit contributions to the contest (“contributions”) under the following conditions:

A. Intel does not claim ownership of your contributions to the contest in form of game demos, sample code, content, videos, articles or any other contributions you submit.


B. By submitting your contributions, you are granting Intel and its affiliated companies the following worldwide, non-exclusive, perpetual, irrevocable, royalty-free, unconditional, fully paid-up rights:

(1) to publicly perform or display, broadcast, transmit the contributions in whole or in part, for promotional and marketing purposes worldwide in any and all forms of media, whether now known or hereafter devised, and to distribute (directly or indirectly through multiple tiers) the contributions to Intel affiliates, its marketing agencies and to third parties for these purposes, and

(2) to publish your name or alias in connection with this contest and your contributions for marketing and promotional purposes worldwide in any and all forms of media, whether now known or hereafter devised.


C. Your contributions to the contest will be available to other participants and to ensure they are safe and freely usable by other participants, you warrant that:
• you own or otherwise have all rights necessary for you to provide the contributions and grant the rights described above and you do not disclose any information which would constitute a violation of a confidentiality obligation; Students will be required to identify in the online web registration form and should certify that they own the intellectual property (IP) for their game demo and not their university or other institution of higher education.
• your contributions do not contain any viruses, worms, spyware, or other components or instructions that are malicious, deceptive, or designed to limit or harm the functionality of a computer; and
• your contributions are not subject to license terms that require any software or documentation incorporating or being derived from your contributions to be licensed to others.

D. You further agree and warrant that you shall not submit any contribution:
• that is known by you to be false, inaccurate or misleading;
• that shows another person but yourself or an image created by another person if you submit any photos;
• that infringes any third party's copyright, patent, trademark, trade secret or other proprietary rights or rights of publicity or privacy;
• that violates any law, statute, ordinance or regulation (including, but not limited to, those governing export control, consumer protection, unfair competition, anti-discrimination or false advertising);
• that is, or may reasonably be considered to be, defamatory, libelous, hateful, racially or religiously biased or offensive, unlawfully threatening or unlawfully harassing to any individual, partnership or corporation;

E. Apart from prizes offered as part of the contest, no monetary compensation will be paid for any of your contest contributions.

F. As a condition to participation in the contest and receipt and acceptance of the Prizes, a Participant may, in Intel's sole discretion, be required to complete, sign and return a Personal Release Form (PRF) or Promotional Material Release (PMR) or other similar form. A PRF or PMR will include consent by winner for Intel, and those acting under its control, to use a winner's name, and pictures and description of winner’s winning submission and distribute the winning game demo worldwide, for the purposes of advertising, promotion and publicity without further compensation. Permission is specifically granted for Intel to promote the winning submission in perpetuity in any medium it may see fit including, but not limited to, website, television, radio and/or printed materials.

9. Intel is not responsible for contest entries not received due to lost, failed, delayed or interrupted connections or miscommunications, or other electronic malfunctions. Intel is not responsible for incorrect or inaccurate entry information, whether caused by you or any other persons or by any of the equipment or programming associated with or utilized in the contest.

10. You may be required to sign and return releases of liability, declarations of eligibility, and where lawful, publicity consent agreements, within five (5) days of acknowledged notification. If minors are allowed to enter and a prize is won by a minor, all required documentation must be signed by the parent/legal guardian. If a selected potential winner cannot be contacted, is ineligible (under these rules or due to a failure to comply with any of the other applicable policies, licenses, rules, and terms of service, fails to claim a prize, or fails to timely return the completed and executed releases/agreements as required), prize may be forfeited and an alternate potential winner may, at Intel’s discretion, be selected. Physical prizes awarded for the winning contributions will be sent to participants within six (6) weeks from the date of the notification email or confirmation of the winning participant’s physical address, whichever is later.

11. Prizes are personal to the participant submitting the winning contribution and cannot normally be transferred. All prizes are subject to availability and they may change at any time and Intel may award substitute prizes of equal or greater value. A cash alternative is not available. Odds of winning depend on the total number of eligible entries received.

12. The winner accepts responsibility for all federal, state and local taxes and fees in connection with the prizes. The winner shall be solely responsible to obtain all permissions and authorizations to collect and receive the prize in accordance with the laws of the participant’s country of residence. This contest is void where prohibited or restricted by law, and subject to applicable federal, state provincial and local laws. If the winner is a resident of a country in Latin America, cash prizes will be replaced by goods and/or services of equal value in Intel’s sole discretion.

13. Acceptance of the prize will constitute permission to use winner’s name and/or likeness for promotional purposes without further compensation except where prohibited by law.

14. Intel does not provide any warranty on the prizes. To the fullest extent allowable by law, Intel specifically disclaims any representations or warranties, express or implied, regarding the prizes, including any implied warranty of merchantability or fitness for a particular purpose and implied warranties arising from course of dealing or course of performance.

15. We may, on notifying you, immediately suspend or terminate your rights, if you breach these rules or if we reasonably believe that you have submitted a contribution in violation of these rules.

16. Intel reserves the right, in its sole discretion, to suspend or cancel the contest at any time for any reason.

17. You can withdraw your contribution at any time by notifying us. If a contribution is withdrawn, your rights to win a prize in this contest are lost.

18. These rules apply to your contribution and the resources, unless we provide any items to you under more specific terms, in which case those more specific terms will apply to the relevant items. We may make changes to these rules at any time without notice to you. The most current version of the rules can be reviewed on the www.intel.com/software/LevelUp2011 website. Contributing to the contest or accepting prizes will constitute acceptance of the revised rules.

19. Our only responsibilities with respect to the contest are set out in these rules. These rules prevail in the event of any conflict or inconsistency with any other communications, including advertising or promotional materials.

20. For any feedback or questions regarding the contest or the prizes, you can contact Intel by sending an email at http://software.intel.com/en-us/articles/email-the-intel-software-network-support-team/ or by participating in the contest discussion forum at http://software.intel.com/en-us/forums/levelup2011.

21. If Intel improperly denies you any prizes, Intel's entire liability and your sole and exclusive remedy will be limited to a distribution of the equivalent amount of prizes as set forth above. By participating in the contest, you waive any and all rights to bring any claim or action related to such matters in any forum beyond one (1) year after the first occurrence of the kind of act, event, condition or omission upon which the claim or action is based.

22. If for any reason this contest is not capable of running as planned due to infection by computer virus, bugs, tampering, unauthorized intervention, fraud, technical failures, or any other causes beyond the control of Intel which corrupt or affect the administration, security, fairness, integrity, or proper conduct of this contest, Intel reserves the right at its sole discretion, to disqualify any individual who tampers with the entry or voting process, and to cancel, terminate, modify or suspend the contest.

23. Intel assumes no responsibility for any error, omission, interruption, deletion, defect, delay in operation or transmission, communications line failure, theft or destruction or unauthorized access to, or alteration of entries. Intel is not responsible for any problems or technical malfunction of any telephone network or telephone lines, computer online systems, servers, or providers, computer equipment, software, failure of any e-mail or entry to be received by Intel on account of technical problems, human error or traffic congestion on the internet or at any web site, or any combination thereof, including any injury or damage to participant's or any other person's computer relating to or resulting from participation in this contest or downloading any materials in this contest.

24. The promoter of this contest is Intel. The contest is administered by:

Intel Corporation
2200 Mission College Blvd.
Santa Clara, CA 95052 USA


Intel is a trademark of Intel Corporation in the U.S. and other countries.

*Other names and brands may be claimed as the property of others.
**Steam and the Steam logo are trademarks and/or registered trademarks of Valve Corporation in the U.S. and/or other countries.

© 2011 Intel Corporation. All rights reserved.

The revised and expanded Level Up Game Demo Contest now has contest categories to match popular game genres. Check our Prizes page to review the rewards for winners in these categories.

1. “Game of the Year” Grand Prize Category:

a. One (1) professional/independent and one (1) student grand prize winner will be chosen.

b. Winners will be selected by a panel of external and Intel judges based on overall creativity, innovation, visual quality, entertainment value, and game performance (as measured by frames per second) and fun, using a testing platform with similar specifications to the target system requirements stated in the official rules. The winning demos can come from any game genre in the major prize categories listed in the next section.

2. Major Prize Categories:

a. The best playable game demo in each of following game genres will be selected as the winner for each category:

i. Best Shooter
ii. Best Casual Game
iii. Best Puzzle Game
iv. Best Strategy Game
v. Best Adventure / Role Playing
vi. Best Simulation Game
vii. Best Educational Game
viii. Best MMO Game

b. The winner for each category will be selected by a panel of external judges based on creativity, innovation, visual quality, entertainment value, and game performance (as measured by frames per second) that is consistent with the expectations for each game genre.

3. Judges’ Choice / Skills & Craft Categories:

a. The judging panel will select a game demo as a winner in each of the following Judges’ Choice / Skills & Craft Categories: 

i. Best Art Design – will be awarded to the game demo with the best visual quality and visual creativity (e.g., creative interpretations of game scenes).

ii. Best Sound – will be awarded to the demo with the best audio quality in music and sound effects (e.g., use of game positional audio, multi-layered audio, etc.)

iii. Best Game with 3D Graphics – will be awarded to the game demo with the best visual representation of 3D game objects (e.g., most photo-realistic rendering)

iv. Best Character Design – will be awarded to the game demo with the best representation (visual quality, creativity, movement) of a game character/s.

v. Best Use of Game Physics – will be awarded to the game demo with the best simulation of physics in its game play (e.g. near-realistic collisions between game objects) .

b. A game demo can win in one or multiple Judges’ Choice / Skills & Craft categories.

Check out our Prizes page to view the rewards for winners in these categories.