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[Kairos]

I'm not exactly sure where to post, but I'm assuming that this is the right place to ask a question like this. I've tried contacting Simon Carless but he doesn't seem to check his email so I was wondering if anyone would help clarify this:

Student Requirements: The spirit of the Contest is to showcase what students can do, unassisted by professionals. As a result, only games that have been developed entirely by full or part-time college or high school students are eligible for entry. If a game has been developed with any assistance from a professional, it is not eligible for entry.

This was on the student-specific rules page, and I'm rather uncertain whether that includes music or not, since music is important in games (games that are based on music, however, are a bit different). Has anyone had experience with the student IGF to be able to say if the rules include music or just the development, the programming? Would I allowed to use other people's music or have a professional compose them?

Thanks for your time.

[c-foo peng]

I think you'd be able to use music licensed for free use if you specifically remember to include that in your writeup. However, to have an outside professional compose the music FOR your game would probably be against the rules.

IGF is more about the spirit of the development than the nitpicky details. You have to ask yourself, would doing X put you at an advantage against other developers? Is it in the spirit of being indie?

[Kairos]

I think you'd be able to use music licensed for free use if you specifically remember to include that in your writeup. However, to have an outside professional compose the music FOR your game would probably be against the rules.

IGF is more about the spirit of the development than the nitpicky details. You have to ask yourself, would doing X put you at an advantage against other developers? Is it in the spirit of being indie?

Yea, I suppose I might have gone too far in trying to analyze the rules. Although I try to be as independent as possible, I can't help but wonder if music is such a big factor of the games in the (student) IGF. I remember Narbacular Drop used some music made from a group of people who are pretty famous for their works, GreenWire Music. This added to the confusion.

[chiavelli]

I remember Narbacular Drop used some music made from a group of people who are pretty famous for their works, GreenWire Music. This added to the confusion.

I could be wrong here, but I think DigiPen may have acquired that music to be available for all of their student games, not just Narbacular Drop. Whether or not that is in the spirit of the student competition, I'll try not to get into

For the games I worked on, we always just had one of our friends who was slightly less tone deaf than us write the music. It wasn't amazing, but at least it was passable. Also, unless music is central to your gameplay, you are not going to be judged on its quality.

In a somewhat related side-tangent, don't the USC game teams have access to professional art from EA? I remember hearing about this once(maybe for Cloud?)

[Steve Swink]

I'm not exactly sure where to post, but I'm assuming that this is the right place to ask a question like this. I've tried contacting Simon Carless but he doesn't seem to check his email so I was wondering if anyone would help clarify this:

Student Requirements: The spirit of the Contest is to showcase what students can do, unassisted by professionals. As a result, only games that have been developed entirely by full or part-time college or high school students are eligible for entry. If a game has been developed with any assistance from a professional, it is not eligible for entry.

This was on the student-specific rules page, and I'm rather uncertain whether that includes music or not, since music is important in games (games that are based on music, however, are a bit different). Has anyone had experience with the student IGF to be able to say if the rules include music or just the development, the programming? Would I allowed to use other people's music or have a professional compose them?

Thanks for your time.

The best possible response to this has already been posted:

IGF is more about the spirit of the development than the nitpicky details. You have to ask yourself, would doing X put you at an advantage against other developers? Is it in the spirit of being indie?

Just use your best discretion.  If it feels wrong, it probably is.  Thanks, sifu, I couldn't have said it better myself .

In a somewhat related side-tangent, don't the USC game teams have access to professional art from EA? I remember hearing about this once(maybe for Cloud?)

Are you thinking of the grant awarded to the Cloud team by EA?  It was monetary, and had nothing to do with assets.  As far as I know, Jenova did all the artwork.  And Vincent Diamante did the music and sound effects, which were amazing.

[chiavelli]

Are you thinking of the grant awarded to the Cloud team by EA?  It was monetary, and had nothing to do with assets.  As far as I know, Jenova did all the artwork.  And Vincent Diamante did the music and sound effects, which were amazing.

Yep, that must be what I was thinking of.

[Jay Jeon]

I wondered too. now, I know.
Let's make a funny thing.

[mechacrash]

in this situation though is it ok for a team of two or three to come together. e.g. in my situation im the game builder, scripter, designer, and producer, while my partner is the games graphics, audio and resource designer... is this ok?

[chiavelli]

in this situation though is it ok for a team of two or three to come together. e.g. in my situation im the game builder, scripter, designer, and producer, while my partner is the games graphics, audio and resource designer... is this ok?

Yup, not a problem at all.

[mechacrash]

excellent... now that this is cleared up... BACK TO ADVENTURE <- name the game that phrase was from... just try it! XD