1. Terms of Submission:

Authors must submit a complete copy of each game, including all materials and notes, formatted for distribution.

2. File Format:

The Game submission must be in Adobe PDF (Adobe Reader 7.0 Compatible) or MS-Word .DOC (Word 2003 Compatible) format. Mac users may submit in Word 2004 in a Stuffit 9.x Archive

The Game must be one file, or all files must be included in a .ZIP (WINZIP 9.0 compatible) archive. If the game uses fonts other than Times Roman or Arial, the fonts must be included.

The submitted single file must be "ready for distribution"

3. Fonts:

Fonts other than Times Roman or Arial required for producing the game must be included with the game in either Windows .TTF or Adobe Type 1 format. Optionally Mac .TTF format may also be included.

4. Specifications:

a) Size:

8.5 x 11 for U.S. or A4 for European Submissions.

b) Margins:

All pages and graphics must have minimum margins of:

8.5x11 - ½"
A4 - 11mm

Wider margins are acceptable. Oversize graphics such as maps must be produced as overlapping tiles at the above sizes, so that they can be printed on a standard printer and taped together.

Games must be capable of being printed legibly in Black and White on a standard Laser or Inkjet printer, though they may include color elements so long as they are not integral to the game, and print legibly in greyscale.

c) Color:

All materials must be clearly legible in Greyscale. Files provided in color must be printed in Greyscale for judging. As an enhancement, color files may be provided, however these will not form the basis for judgment except in terms of "enhancements."

d) Cards:

Cards formatted for Avery 5371 Business Card Stock (or other same-sized stock) do not require printable guidelines, since this stock is readily available.

Other size cards may be used but must be clearly identified by Avery number, and must carry guidelines for cutting from cardstock without purchasing specialized printer stock. Irregular card sizes not represented by a standard Avery printer product are not permissible. Highly unusual or irregular stock may result in a negative evaluation in one or more categories.

e) Labels:

Must be clearly identified by Avery number. Highly unusual or irregular stock may result in a negative evaluation in one or more categories.

5. Specifications

The goal of the specifications is to produce games which are viable under those circumstances most often encountered when running games at large events with short sign-up lead and variable player participation. Resulting games should be flexible and engaging without requiring extensive preparation or reading. Rating forms will reflect the desirability of these qualities.

a) Runtime - 2-4 hours

The planned runtime of each entry must be declared in advance and should be either two hours or four hours. Fifteen minutes will be allocated for setup. Games may choose either two or four hours as their runtime length, but may not change that length after their initial declaration. Details of submissions may be changed up to the deadline for submitting the Small Game Contest Entry Form listed in the Official Contest Rules.

b) Size:

Each Entry must declare a size "range" that allows for a flexibility of at least six players. The actual number of players will be roughly equivalent for each game within a category, with allowance for slight differences due to drops, uneven signups in various time slots, illness, etc.

Micro Category - 5-12 players (minimum range is 5-11 or 6-12)

Standard Category 12-24 players (minimum ranges 12-18 and 18-24)

Entries may accomodate any range of six players - for example 13-19, or 14-20 is fine.

Additional Mechanical Points may be awarded for the ability to accommodate more or fewer players and run with reasonable integrity.

Games featuring "horde" or "generic" characters are permissible, however each player will still evaluate the game on the same criteria - there is no difference in scoring.

c) Additional Specifications

On the Fly Casting

Must be capable of being cast "on the fly" one hour in advance of runtime without any previous contact with players. The actual advance release time of materials will be determined by the Contest Staff and will be up to 48 hours before runtime, however players will be asked to evaluate whether they could have assimilated the materials in an hour.

Condition of Site

The room must be left suitably clean for the next run, and this must be accomplished in the allotted time. Any "wrap" must be conducted within the allotted time.

d) Space

Games will have one relatively small room for play. Declared Horde and Adventure style games can use a hallway area outside or are allowed two scrims (stage screens) to stage behind. Staging in the hallway area must be neat and orderly enough not to cause problems with other guests of the Convention.

e) Live Combat

Each Live Combat game must include explicit safety rules. Guidelines for weapons safety, inspection, and instruction must be given in the text. Reference to a copyrighted system is not appropriate, however the specifics of weapons construction do not need to be addressed as it is assumed that any group choosing to run the game as a module will have their own system and standards of construction. Any weapons to be used in the Competition must pass a basic safety check by the Judging Staff, determining that the weapon is within the general range considered safe for use in Live Combat games. LARPA and the Competition are under no obligation to furnish principal or replacement weapons if weapons are found to be unsafe.

While Entries will be accepted which use Live Combat as a resolution system or have an adventure style, the point of the contest is to create new games and scenarios which can be run as exhibitions for LARP at major gaming conventions. In most cases this involves using a fairly small space, indoors.

The facilities at Intercon call for a game to be run in a small single room. Any Live Combat game must be firmly predicated on this concept.

6. GM Briefing Materials

a) GM Briefing

Final submission must include all materials necessary for a GM to read, understand, and run the event. Must include all materials necessary for presentation with the following exceptions.

b) GM "Shills"

Each game may include provisions for up to three GM "shills" being played at any given time. This includes the Lead GM and two assistants, if desired. These individuals may play controlled or scripted characters who are expected to have previous knowledge of the game appearing at any one point. The information for these characters must be fully documented.

Any other characters may be GM controlled, however they will be drawn from the pool of participants and should not have any foreknowledge of the game prior to the time at which the game is allowed to distribute characters and materials.

7. Properties

a) Assumed Properties

• The assumed runsite for games is a "lightly furnished indoor space," comparable to a hotel function room, community recreation hall, classroom, or private residence. Furnishings which can reasonably be expected to be available may be assumed if they are not explicitly intrinsic to the plot. Typically this will be chairs, tables, lighting, etc.

• Additionally a small number of items can be included if they are commonly found in nearly all homes and are not bulky to transport. A single ink pen, a water glass, a light bulb, a t-shirt, would be permissible. "A stack of index cards" would not, since while some people may have this at home, they are not universal household objects.

b) Primary Properties

• A list of props may be included. Props must be widely available at a major U.S. chain Pharmacy/Variety Store (Walgreen's, CVS, etc.), Variety Store (e.g. Wal-Mart, Target, K-Mart) or Grocery Store.

• Aggregate cost of all props and materials must be under $25 at a major chain Pharmacy/Variety Store, Variety Store, or Grocery Store. Location used for spot checking is at the discretion of the Judges.

• Cellophane and Masking Tape, #10 envelopes, stapler and staples, standard sized paper, and standard writing implements are not counted in this total as supplies, but must appear on any props list if they are necessary.

• The cost of producing the game by copying or printing onto standard sized paper, Avery cardstock, plain cardstock, or Avery labels is not counted as part of the base cost.

• If the game calls for the use of padded weapons as the principal means of combat resolution, one padded weapon per player may be provided. The Official Representative is responsible for providing these props to the players at runtime, as well as safety briefing and explanation of rules.

c) Auxiliary Props

The game may call for or suggest other props which are desirable in production, however these must be able to be replaced by an item card or some object falling under category 1.

Judged runs will not be allowed to use Auxiliary Props, but must use a card or substitution.

For example, the game may suggest that a briefcase is a desirable property, however this must either come out of the budget for props, or be represented by an item card in the judged run.

8. Genre

In order to set the expectation of the Judges, Games should declare in one of the following categories.

Salon/Theatre Style – in this type of game, Players are expected to receive a "character sheet" which will provide them with information as to who they are and what their purpose in the game is.

Horde – the chief characteristic of this type of game is that a core of Players remain as central characters, while others go through a rapid series of short characters. For example in one game, core players are workers at a fast food restaurant, while "horde" players cycle through a series of characters who represent diners at the restaurant each of whom has various idiosyncrasies.

Adventure – in this type of game, Players are expected to spend some time creating characters from a set of rules, and to design the character backgrounds themselves along lines set out by the GMs. These "create your own" characters then engage in an adventure which may be guided by GMs or GM controlled characters. Declared Adventure games must require at least half the participants to play without a GM generated character sheet, but are allotted one hour of extra time before runtime commences to handle character creation.

Other – it is permissible to declare genre as "Other" however a statement of intent may be desirable. It is permissible for GMs to downgrade a game which has listed itself as "Other" if it is felt that the materials are lacking.

"Genre Games" based in systems which require the purchase of a specific external ruleset or use copyrighted background – Cthulhu LiveTM, World of DarknessTM, Star WarsTM, etc. are not accepted in this Competition, because of the vastly different specifications that might be expected for a successful game.

8. Originality

The work submitted for judging must be a substantially original work which has not run previously at any public site (open to the public for either free general admission, or paid general admission), including any Convention. The work may have been run previously, provided it was privately advertised, and attendance was not open to the general public.

Runs which were arranged for a discreet local or regional group which were advertised exclusively to that group, even if that group's membership was open to the public, are acceptable. Information about previous runs must be disclosed on the Entry Form.

The final judgment of substantial originality, and public attendance will rest with the judges, however a content of more than 50% new material would be a minimum requirement to distinguish the Entry from any previous similar work.

The requirement for "original material" does not in any way imply the negation of requirements regarding legitimacy of copyrights.

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