Blades of Avernum Scenario Design Contest

9-2-2005: Blades of Avernum Scenario Design Contest Winners - These are the winners of the scenario design contest! These fantastic adventures are available free to all owners of Blades of Avernum.

Blades of Avernum is an adventure that never ends. Anyone with time and energy can create new adventures and share them with Avernum fans all over the world. All you need is the Scenario Editor, which can be downloaded from the Scenario Workshop.

Spiderweb Software wants to reward these creators for their hard work. That's why we're announcing the Blades of Avernum Scenario Design Contest! Design a scenario and submit to Spiderweb Software by June 1, 2005, and you can win big prizes:

1st Prize - $500
2nd Prize - $300
3rd Prize - $200
4th-10th Prize - Free copy of a Spiderweb Software game.

To submit a scenario, read the instructions below. Winners will be announced on September 1, 2005.

Official Rules

• Spiderweb Software, Inc. reserves the right to distribute all submitted scenarios. For more information, see the Blades of Avernum Software License. No exceptions allowed.
• The submitted scenario (and extra graphics file) can be at most 3 MB in size (though you may want to read Hints below).
• The scenario may include a custom graphics file, though this is not necessary.
• Beta testers of Blades of Avernum and employees of Spiderweb Software, Inc. and their families may not participate.
• Scenarios must be submitted by June 1, 2005
• Prizes will be awarded September 1, 2005

How to Submit your Scenario

With each submission you must include your name, address, e-mail address, and phone number. These can be included in the Contact field in your scenario.

By E-mail (preferred)

1) Compress your data with Stuffit Deluxe (Mac) or WinZip (Windows). Make sure you include a text file with your name, address, etc. Uncompressed entry or entries which are corrupted in transit will be discarded.
2) E-mail it as a file attachment to: b l a d e s@ spiderwebsoftware . com (Note: spaces added to thwart spammers. Remove spaces for valid email address.)

By US Mail

1) Put your scenario(s) on ONE CD-ROM. Media will not be returned. We will not accept floppy disks.
2) Mail it to: Spiderweb Software, Inc. (attn: Scenario Contest), PO Box 85659, Seattle, WA 98145-1659

Hints

• When designing a scenario, style and interest is the key. One well-designed dungeon level, with dialogue and interesting special encounters, counts more than 100 dull cookie cutter levels with monsters, treasure, and nothing else. A winning scenario must have special encounters, dialogue, and a reasonably interesting plot.
• A scenario which still contains Warrior's Grove probably won't do too well. Similarly, a scenario that is just a port of a Blades of Exile scenario will have a very hard time of it.
• Do not send modified versions of the scenarios that come with Blades of Avernum.
• Proficiency with scripting will be necessary to create a winning scenario. Innovative terrain and creature scripts are a very good idea.
• Size is important, but creativity is more so. A 5 level, really interesting dungeon will do better than a scenario with 20 towns and dungeons, most of which are dull. However, a really well put together and plotted scenario with 20 towns and dungeon levels will stomp them both. Also, a scenario with only one or two towns or dungeon levels probably won't do well, no matter how clever they are.
• Needless to say, a scenario with explicit sexual content or heavy obscenity has no chance of winning.