Challenge Summary
Welcome to this exciting concept design contest! We’re running a contest based on a previous generated idea from the community, we need to build concepts, ideas and graphics that represent the current theme of a gaming social site.
Round 1
All the requirements - Site Name, Tagline, Logo ideas, Theme.
Round 2
All the requirements - Site Name, Tagline, Logo ideas, Theme.
The primary goal of this contest is to come up with ideas for a site name, theme and logo. Recently we ran an idea contest to get a theme and name for the CSFV Gaming Site. We’d like to dig deeper into this theme idea (attached) and develop more concepts for the site using some graphics (if possible) to help us visualize the site better.
What is CSFV?
The Crowd Sourced Formal Verification (CSFV) program seeks to make formal program verification more cost-effective by reducing the skill set required for verification. The approach is to transform verification into a more accessible task by creating a game that reflects the code model, is intuitively understandable, and is fun to play. Completion of the game effectively helps the program verification tool complete the corresponding formal program verification proof. We are looking to use the tool to verify open source software.
See Project Conceptualization document attached.
Overall site concept
We envision this site as a global community with sub-sites focused on games, a nice mix of social features and heavy information delivery (Social network + gaming website). The website concept is about breaking it down into global website and sub-sites, we will have 5 unique games, and each game will have a dedicated sub-site with content specific to that game, the main/global website will work as an aggregator of the sub-sites and as a Social network community, that means the sub-sites will have the same layout and navigation of the global website with different theme/colors/styles but delivering content specific to the game.
Global website will have the global items like activity stream, member profiles, registration, etc, more details below. The sub-site will be specific to that sub-site, for example, news, leader board, game content, contests, tournaments, forums/discussions, blogging, tutorials, how-to play guides, shared solutions, etc. Global website will have the same specific items as in sub-site but will be more like an aggregator for the 5 sub-sites, which means there could be some differences in how content in page are displayed, for example, a sub-site may have a leader board page with a single leader board that is filtered according to tournament/contest, member, date, while in global site it will have more filtering options, i.e. filter based game type.
This description is meant to guide you on how the site works; you don’t need to create anything mentioned above. This contest only focus on implementing the Global website theme, the sub-sites will be addressed in future contests. It’s important to note that target audience of the website is the general population, and not hardcore programmers or gamers. In a way it has to inevitable be techie, but has to appeal to the POP crowd.
Contest Requirements
Based on the existing theme (read idea document attached), we need you to work with it, develop more ideas to bring it to life, in other words you’ll be creating a new theme through revamping/improving the current theme. We like the idea of “Gaming for Good”, we’d like to focus the new theme on that philosophy. Also, we want to introduce DARPA in the theme somehow. DARPA is the government piece in charge of this project overall (CSFV), they want to make internet safer and fight the hackers.
1) Site name
- We don’t want to use the word “Code” in the site title. It needs to be something more casual.
- We don’t want this to be sci-fi themed.
- Try to get a name that matches or fits well with a real domain name we can use.
2) Tagline
- Come up with a tagline/motto for the revamped theme.
3) Logo
- We want ideas for the logo. We liked the dark/bright colors proposal from the winning submission but we're open to ideas. You can submit sketches, texts or drawings. You’re encouraged to submit a graphic design (rookie, professional, etc, we take anything) to showcase your logo idea better.
- Provide comments about your logo identity, what it is meant to represent and make users feel.
4) Theme
4.1) Description: check how well laid out is the attached theme idea. We need you to elaborate a thoughtful description of the theme based on "Gaming for Good". Build the theme around the main idea and DARPA as the guys who brought the internet want YOU to join the battle in making OUR Internet safer; “let us join forces” – i.e. the players are part of the team against this common enemy. In other words, DARPA belongs to the good peeps, and there is a common enemy (hackers) for all of us. We'd like to have DARPA in as part of the theme (VERY slightly, not a leader act). Also, let’s keep it out of “Sci-Fi”, it should have a wider mass appeal.
4.2) Iconic topic or character: the theme should have a representation through something iconic, it could be a character, a specific graphic, something unique that identifies the project according to the theme’s main idea.
4.3) Color scheme: not something definitive but your thoughts about colors.
4.4) Imagery: what kind of drawings we should place in the site. Think of backgrounds, navigation, etc.
4.5) Site layout: Site layout: can you figure out a possible homepage for this site? How would you integrate the theme into graphic elements that represent it properly? We’d like to read/see how you propose a solution for this. Consider the sub-sites (games mini sites) that are part of the environment
Key Concepts for Theme Development
- We want you to have fun by playing these games. But also, you are doing great software verification work!
- This is Government funded but the point is to not do work for the government, but to help the government make YOUR internet more secure.
- This is going to be YOUR social and gaming community!
- Theme is also how the site should feel like. For instance we can have a site themed with Matrix, Avengers, Tron, anything you come up with and those are the ideas that we want to turn into the site theme.
- “Save the world, by proving/verifying that these programs are secure”.
- “Your effort will lead to a more secure internet for everyone”.
- “DARPA, the folks who invented the internet for you, wants to make it more secure. By playing these fun games, you are verifying key building blocks of the internet, and proving that they are secure”.
- “We are on a crusade against malicious people trying to break the internet and steal data”.
Target Audience
Casual gamers, everyone who likes games from children to adult persons.
Judging Criteria
You will be judged on your creativity of the idea and how well you addressed the outlined requirements.
Submission File
Your ideas can be presented in any way you want as long as the idea proposition is clear. We encourage the use of images (their design and professionalism will not influence the score/placement of the submission), to explain otherwise hard to understand ideas.
You may submit a zip file containing PDF, plain text, Word, OpenOffice, or HTML files. Choose whichever format you find most convenient. We don’t take care too much about the submission files as long as they are “readable” and you cover all the requirements.
Source Files
Identical to your submission file.
Preview Image
Create a 1024x1024 JPG or PNG file in RGB color mode and place a screenshot from your submission within it.
Please read the challenge specification carefully and watch the forums for any questions or feedback concerning this challenge. It is important that you monitor any updates provided by the client or Studio Admins in the forums. Please post any questions you might have for the client in the forums.