Frequently Asked Questions

1. I'm not sure if I qualify as an independent game. How can I know?
   

If you have money coming in from publishers to produce games, or if your game is being distributed by a major publisher, you are likely ineligible. Your game must be interactive and electronic. If you aren't sure about your qualifications, please feel free to contact the Slamdance office. We'll be happy to help you figure it out.

2. Why do you only accept games in an electronic format?
   

Though games come in all varieties, our competition is focused on independent development in the interactive electronic entertainment industry - video games. Slamdance believes the development of an independent development community is a necessary and important step in the evolution of video games as art. And though many great electronic games are originally based on or prototyped in non-electronic formats, we consider the electronic format part of a game being "feature-complete."

3. How are the finalists selected?
   

As democratically as possible. We have a body of judges, taken in large part from former Slamdance gamemakers and supplemented by entertianment professionals with expertise in animation, sound design, visual design, and writing. All entrants are played by multiple judges, who score the game using a Slamdance designed score sheet. The initial scores are used to select a body of semi-finalists that are played by all of a smaller group of judges. Finally this group of judges meets and discusses the semi-finalists and chooses our finalists - weighing quality, innovation, fun, and program balance.

4. What kind of games are you looking for?
   

Everything under the sun. If you are making it, we want to see it. We've had interactive fiction, shooters, beat-em-ups, platformers, puzzlers, racers, interactive drama, epic space role playing games, and online collectible card games in the competition in the past. Every year Slamdance tries to program the best possible games, while including a broad look at the different kinds of work being done by the indpendent design community.

5. When will I know if I've been accepted?
   

Slamdance announces the finalists officially in mid to late November. If you are a finalists, you will be contacted before the official announcement, so you can begin to make plans to attend the festival. All entrants are informed of their games status just before the official announcement is made. Rejection notices come with a small feedback section synthesizing comments from judges who played your game.

6. Are console games eligible?
   

Yes, but only if they qualify as independent by the distribution and investment standards of the rules. This is rare because of the costs of console development kits. Self-financing is the usually the situation in cases of independently developed console games.

IF YOU HAVE QUESTIONS: e-mail sam at slamdance