REINVENTING PUBLIC DIPLOMACY THROUGH GAMES

CALL FOR SUBMISSIONS
DEADLINE: March 1, 2006
(Download a .pdf file of this announcement here).

Announcing a competition to design, conceive, and build a game or game prototype that employs the principles of public diplomacy. How can video games improve public diplomacy?

The USC Center on Public Diplomacy is looking for people to showcase their talent with a bit of world class game-making. The challenge to the game mod community, and current and aspiring game designers is as follows: design a prototype or modify a game incorporating the fundamental characteristics of public diplomacy.

What comes to mind when you think of diplomacy? Some ideas include cross-cultural communication, conflict negotiation, shared goals, and international exchange of knowledge. For more on our definition of public diplomacy, please visit our website.

Now incorporate that into a game or virtual world. How? That's for you to decide.

Interested applicants should subscribe to the contest mailing list for updates on the competition, deadline dates, etc.

The following must be postmarked on or before March 1, 2006:

E-mail entries to: cpd@usc.edu
Subject line: PD Virtual Worlds Competition

Entries should be mailed to:
USC Center on Public Diplomacy
Attn: PD Virtual Worlds Competition
3502 Watt Way, Suite 103
Los Angeles, California 90089-0281

PRIZES:

1st Place Prize: $5,000 + airfare and hotel to the May 8, 2006 awards ceremony in Los Angeles, California; Private dinner and screening with world class judges including John Seely Brown, Bing Gordon, T.L. Taylor, and Cory Ondrejka, among other industry leaders.

Finalists: Airfare and hotel to the May 8, 2006 awards ceremony in Los Angeles, California; Private dinner and screening with world class judges including John Seely Brown, Bing Gordon, T.L. Taylor, and Cory Ondrejka, among other industry leaders.

OFFICIAL RULES

Eligibility of Contestants:
The design competition is open to anyone 18 and older in the U.S. and abroad, except in any areas where the competition is prohibited by law. There is no cost to enter the competition.

Eligibility of Entry:
The contest submission (i.e. the public space image, movie and/or text) must be the original work of the submitting entrant. No infringing works will be knowingly accepted, and any works determined by the judging panel, in its sole discretion, to actually or likely infringe the rights of others will not be considered.

Adherence to EULAs:
All "modded" or modified games must be done with strict adherence to the respective games' "End User License Agreement" or "EULA" with regard to modding. Submissions that are found to be outside of this will not be accepted.

Ownership and Copyright:
Submission of an entry does not assign or transfer any ownership of or rights in and to the content of the submission. Those rights remain with the original holder (the creator or the virtual world owner, as applicable). As a condition of entry, the entrant grants a license to the USC Center on Public Diplomacy to reproduce, display and perform the submission upon request and to distribute the submission in print and on the web.

Multiple Submissions:
Entrants may submit more than one submission. Each submission may contain multiple screen shots. But each submission should be unique and distinct.

Submission Deadline:
All entries must be received by USC Center on Public Diplomacy, PD Virtual Worlds Competition by March 1, 2006, 11:59pm PST. Entries submitted after the deadline will not be considered. No extensions will be made under any circumstances.

Judging Decisions:
Judges are looking for the innovative ideas and creative game models incorporating elements that could contribute to the broader intent of public diplomacy. All decisions of the judges in connection with the competition are final and are not subject to appeal or review. The judges may in their sole discretion decide to award all, some or none of the prizes listed above.

Please be advised these rules are subject to change at any time. Any questions related to the rules should be directed to the contest coordinator and project manager, Jean Miller, jeanmill@usc.edu.