FAQ
1. Is there a theme this year?
No. You are not required to stick to any theme. Your game can be about anything you want.
2. What counts for the "Pre-existing assets that were not created specifically for the contest" clause of rule 1 of the official rules?
This clause is mainly focused on allowing people to use pre-existing assets such as RPG Maker resource packs, Unity Store assets, Unity Frameworks, RPG Maker Plugins, and similar items that are publicly available, for purchase or for free.
It does also include materials that you had made for a previous project, as long as you can prove that it was not made for the IGMC project. An example of proof would be:
- A previously released game containing the material.
- Old posts (Pre-IGMC 2018 announce) on forums/blogs that clearly show that it was made for another project.
Other forms of proof are also possible. If you feel that your piece is borderline, please ask @Nick_Degica.
3. Are pre-existing ideas allowed to be used?
Of course. We can't really tell when you had an idea, so there would be no way we could judge this. If you already made a demo using the idea though, it becomes more borderline. In that case:
- You can use no assets from the project that do not fall under the pre-existing assets exemption outlined in FAQ question 2.
- You can use no programming, or in engine work from your previous version.
In other words, all actual work on the project must be redone from scratch. Even with these caveats, in general, we suggest that you work on a game for which you have never done any engine work, as that will guarantee that your project will not get disqualified for violating this rule.
4. How does the Publishing Rights clause for the winners work?
1. A developer wins. We award the prize money.
2. We look at the game and determine whether we want to expand and publish it as a full game in conjunction with the developer
2a. If we don't, we immediately release it to the developer, and the develepor can do whatever they want with it, including making a commercial version on their own.
2b. If we do, proceed to step 3.
3. We negotiate with the developer to determine contract. If they don't want to work on a commercial game, we can negotiate buying out the project to continue on our own here as well.
3a. We come to an agreement, we begin working together under that agreement (or working on it alone)
3b. We don't come to an agreement, and the publishing rights remain with us for 3 years, at which point they revert to the developer.
In all cases, the actual IP will remain with the developer.