Q1: If my work has been shown in other public occasions (such as a board game exhibition), can I submit it?

A: Entries in the WODC Contest must not have been published on any platform (including but not limited to crowd-funding, exhibitions, magazines, etc.) (with the exception of submissions through the Yoka Games original board game design platform and private game testing).

Q2: After submission, do I still have an opportunity to amend my submission?

A: You may amend or add on to your game content as long as they are submitted before the deadline. It is important to pay attention to the deadlines.

Q3: Which aspects of the submission are being considered in the preliminaries and which are considered in the semi-finals?

A: In the preliminaries, the competition committee checks if the work meets the requirements of the competition, things like if the design is original or appeared elsewhere, whether it contains sensitive content, and more. Following that, the submission goes into the review phase and are screened primarily by reviewing the contents of the rulebook. In the semi-finals, the game will be evaluated through actual tests, including strategic, interactivity, replay ability, substitution, balance, difficulty, operability and fluency, and whether the submission has any unique selling points. Finally, the finalists are selected according to the various factors that makes up the entirety of the submission.

Q4: When my submission is in review and the reviewing committee has a question, will they contact me?

A: No. Explanation of the game rules is part of the criteria for evaluation. To ensure that evaluation is being carried out in all equal fairness, we will not contact any designers about the rules. If there are concerns that explanation in text may not be clear, we recommend that you use the pictures, diagrams or specific examples. Additionally, you may submit supplemental materials such as videos to assist with the explanation. However, please ensure that the materials submitted are relevant, and are submitted before the deadlines.

Q5: After the submission, how is the copyright of the work handled for winning and non-winning submissions?

A: After preliminaries results have been announced and published the website, all rights arising from the submissions that failed to enter the primarilies will be handed back to the designers. For submissions that have entered the primarilies of the competition. After the final results have been announced and published on the website, and with Yoka Games subsequently given up the first rights of signing the submission by not offering a contract to the designer, all rights arising from the submission are also handed back to the designer. All submissions will be kept by the organizing committee during the competition. Please pay careful attention to the official correspondences via email and updates on the official website.

Q6: About the prize pool of WODC...

A： The total prize pool is 9,000 US dollars. The prize amount of the Gold, Silver and Bronze prizes are also intact, with the Gold prize at 3,000 US dollars, Silver prize at 2000 US dollars and Bronze prize at 1000 US dollars each, there may be up to 2 bronze prizes. The Excellence Awards (the finalists who have not won the Gold, Silver or Bronze prizes) will be restructure into a number of judges' selection awards, with the remaining Dollars to be equally divided among the winners of the selection awards. The judges' selection awards will be selected from all the preliminaries who have not won the top 3 prizes. These awards will be selected from submissions that exhibits outstanding qualities in various aspects. In addition, we will also issue certificates for winners of the gold, silver, bronze, and other prizes.

Q7: What if I want my prototype back when the competition is over?

A: The competition committee will not take the initiative to return the submissions, if you wish to have your prototype sent back, you will need to contact Yoka Games with your mailing address, mobile phone number and postage fees. The competition committee will send your submission to the address that you have specified.

Q8: Is original art required for the submission, or may placeholder art borrowed from online sources be used? (As previously asked by Bruce Nettleton on BoardGameGeek)

A: While borrowed graphics are permitted, we will require each participant to state the source of the borrowed pictorials or images. Having said that, we strongly encourage participants to go for submissions containing their own original artwork, this will contribute towards the level of completion in the submission which is a medium level factor for the WODC committee to consider. Gameplay is the most important factor that the committee will rate, even with borrowed graphics (please attach source acknowledgment). In the event where the gameplay mechanics are rated similarly in terms of points in the contest, the committee will look into the level of completeness (including artwork). If the organizing committee decides to sign the project to bring it commercial, we will definitely invest quality artwork for the game, such an example is illustrated in the transformation from the silver prize winner’s Shan Hai Jing to Drifting Lands.

Q9: About the meet up...

A: Before the Finals, the Sponsor will organize offline activities, namely test play, feedback, brainstorm for those who have been shortlisted to the Finals, with special guests including renowned designers, illustrators, entrepreneurs, and media. Participants are expected to make final revision to their work and may submit a new rule/prototype for the Finals. The Committee will evaluate and decide on winners based on participants’ final versions. The time, place, agenda, accommodation and other details of thus activities shall be subject to the corresponding written notice in the form of electronic mail or official site announcement. Note that all participants of offline activities shall sign confidentiality agreement to with the Sponsor, in order to protect intellectual property of others. For those who violate the agreement. The Sponsor reserves the rights to disqualify the participant and take further legal actions where applicable.

Q10: If I do not attend the meet up even though I am one of the Finalists, would it affect my participation in the competition?

A: No, the meet up is run on a purely voluntary basis. If you do not attend the meet up, we would also provide the feedback from the WODC committee, but your submission would not be used at the offline activity. Besides, if you choose to attend but do not want your submission to be used at the offline activity, please let us know after you got our email notification.