December 16, 2008 - Designed to encourage and recognize innovation and community participation, the Project Darkstar Developer Challenge contest invites independent developers and students to submit original contribution entries of either:

(1) an application which demonstrates the capability of the Project Darkstar online game server software technology

or

(2) an utility which enhances and is relevant to the Project Darkstar community.

Project Darkstar Developer Challenge is now accepting contest entries at: http://www.projectdarkstar.com/developer_challenge For details, review the "How to Enter" section, and submit your entry when you are ready.

The judging criteria for each challenge will be the same, but entries will be evaluated separately. Judging criteria include:

• Creativity and Fun
• Originality
• Relevance
• Usefulness
• Community Participation

Prizes will be awarded to those who submit the best entries as determined by the judges in accordance with the Official Rules. Submissions must be uploaded to the Project Darkstar Developer Challenge website by January 18, 2009 at 11:59 P.M. (PST). Prize winners will be announced in February 2009.

Need some inspiration? Several great resources are available to help you get started developing your application or utility.

Project Snowman is a networked, multiplayer game that can provide a launching point for game developers interested in creating a Project Darkstar based game. Project Snowman is also completely open source, so savvy developers can extend it or leverage it to create their own new game.

Several other interesting open source examples and games can be found on the Projects page. There are also some great sample clients, tools and utilities, libraries, and plugins which might get you fired up. Check it out.

Another smart resource for likely contestants seeking a little guidance is the Developer Tools, Libraries, and Utilities needed section of the Community To Do List. Browse it to get an idea of some of the projects the Project Darkstar community has been hoping to get their hands on. Why not consider taking on the challenge of delivering one?

Whatever you do, don't wait until the last minute. Many contestants are likely already hard at work on their entries, so you should start building your application or utility today!