Scirra have teamed up with Microsoft to launch a new Windows 8-based competition with some fantastic prizes!
Create a new game with Construct 2, or port an existing one, and successfully publish it to the Windows 8 Store by June 21st to be entered in to the competition. Allow a week for the store submission to complete, so try to get your entries submitted to the store by June 14th.
Prizes
- 1st: a Windows 8 touch device, a Windows Phone 8 HTC 8X and a Construct 2 Business license
- 2nd: a Windows 8 touch device and Construct 2 Personal license
- 3rd: a Windows Phone 8 HTC 8X and Construct 2 Personal license
- 4th-10th: a Construct 2 Personal license
In addition to the above prizes, the top fifty entries will also receive a $100 voucher that can be redeemed in the Scirra Store! That's right, there are 50 of these available!
How to enter
- Develop your game for Windows 8 in Construct 2, or port an existing one. You can use the Free edition!
- Consider incorporating some of the new Windows 8 features available like Snap View, Live Tiles and Share functionality. You can support these using the Windows 8 object in Construct 2.
- Make sure you're registered as a Windows 8 publisher on the Windows 8 Store. Note there is a one-time sign-up fee of about $50 (depending on your country).
- Export for Windows 8 and submit it to the Windows 8 store. For more information see the tutorial How to make a Windows 8 app. Try to submit by June 14th to ensure your app is published by the deadline.
- Once your game has been published, let us know about it on or before June 21st for a chance to win!
Submission
To enter your game in to the competition, send an email to andrew@microsoft.com with the following details:
- Your name
- The title of your app
- Your publisher ID
- A link to the store page your app is on
- The Live ID associated with your Azure account (if you're using Azure)
The top ten prizes will be based on judge's ratings. (Note: this was edited in to clarify on May 8th) The $100 vouchers are awarded by sweepstakes. Each app you successfully submit to the store counts as one entry in to the prize sweepstakes. However, should you use Azure Mobile Services for your game, you will gain two bonus entries. That's up to three entries per game for the voucher sweepstakes! The more apps that you submit before the deadline, the more chance you have of winning. We will notify winners by July 31st 2013.
Note your game must be published in the store by the deadline to be considered for entry at all, so please allow a week for the store acceptance process, which means submitting to the store by June 14th! You can enter existing games that you've ported from other platforms, which might help you make an entry quickly. However unfortunately we cannot accept apps that were published to the Windows Store before the start of this competition - they must be new submissions.
What we're looking for
- Games created with Construct 2
- Implementation of key Windows 8 features including Snap View, Live Tiles and Share functionality
- Games that are unique, creative and innovative
- Games that are consumer friendly
Tips
Use the Windows 8 object in Construct 2 to access Windows 8 features. See also the tutorial How to make a Windows 8 app.
You can easily add Azure services to your app using the third-party Azure Mobile Services for Windows 8 plugin developed by Henry Hoffman (@thehen). Find out more about Azure at ubelly.com/cloud.
Microsoft technology evangelist Jim O'Neil has posted some guides about integrating Construct 2 with Windows 8.
Got questions about publishing to Windows 8 or Windows Phone 8 with Construct 2? Microsoft have provided a special support email address - send a mail to andrew@microsoft.com with any questions!
Good luck and we look forwards to seeing your entries!