National Flag Foundation Game Design Contest

The National Flag Foundation is looking for fun and educational games that teach students about the American flag and its history and is launching a video game design contest that is open to high schools and colleges.

All applicants must complete the submission forms found at contests.nationalflagfoundation.org and agree to the terms and conditions. All submissions must be received by 2 p.m. EST on June 15, 2021. Finalists for first, second, and third place will be announced on or after June 30, 2021 on the National Flag Foundation website, and the final placements will be announced on or after June 30, 2021.

Rewards:

• 1st place: $1,000 in scholarships distributed to all involved, their game featured on the National Flag Foundation website.
• 2nd and 3rd place: $500 in scholarships distributed to all involved, their game featured on the National Flag Foundation website. 
• 4th-10th place: game on the NFF website

Submission Details:

• The game must not exceed 120 MB
• The game must attempt to teach about the American flag
• Select two extra categories to be judged on

Rubric:

When submitting, select two of the following fields to be judged on, these are judged purely on a 1-5 scale based on the reviewer’s feelings.

• Integration of education and gameplay
• Graphics
• Music
• Story
• UI

Submit Your Game

National Flag Foundation: Video Game Design Contest – OFFICIAL RULES MAY 2021 

Abbreviated Rules 

NO PURCHASE NECESSARY TO ENTER OR WIN. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED OR OTHERWISE RESTRICTED BY LAW. VALID IN THE 50 UNITED STATES, PUERTO RICO, GUAM, THE U.S. VIRGIN ISLANDS, AND THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA ONLY. ENTRY IN THIS CONTEST CONSTITUTES YOUR ACCEPTANCE OF THESE OFFICIAL RULES. 

The National Flag Foundation: Video Game Design Contest (the “Contest”) is designed to encourage eligible U.S. high school and college students, their parents/guardians and/or their respective school, college, university, or other higher education institution on their behalf (“Entrant(s)” or “You”) to use their creativity to build and design a fun and educational game that teaches students about the American flag and its history. 

Employees of the National Flag Foundation, Contest sponsors, anyone involved in fulfilling, administering, advertising, or promoting the Contest or supplying prizes of any kind for the contest are not eligible to win a prize. 

Entrant(s) are responsible for ensuring proper functionality of all submissions and understand that the judge(s) of the contest are under no obligation to review games that do not operate correctly upon launch.  

Entrant(s) certify that the game design is their own and that no element of the game infringes upon existing copyright or trademark. 

Donations, contributions, and/or purchases to the National Flag Foundation or any of its sponsors do not increase the odds of winning.  

Official contest rules are published at https://contests.nationalflagfoundation.org/. 

SPONSOR(S): 535MEDIA, LLC. 

ELIGIBILITY. The  contest is an digital  contest sponsored by 535media, LLC. (“Sponsor”).  The contest prize provider is 535media, LLC. (“535media”).  The contest is only open to  U.S. high school students, college students, their parents/guardians and/or their respective school, college, university, or other higher education institution on their behalf.  Entrants must be at least 18 years of age or have their entry filed on their behalf by one of the aforementioned methods.  

The contest is void where prohibited or otherwise restricted by law and is subject to all applicable federal,  state, and local laws and regulations.  Employees (and their immediate families and household members) of the Sponsor, 535media, any entities responsible for sponsoring, fulfilling, administering, advertising, or promoting the contest or supplying a Prize (as defined below), or their respective parents, subsidiaries, affiliated and successor companies, are not eligible to win a Prize. 

HOW TO ENTER. The entry period begins on  Friday, June, 11, 2021  at 12:00 a.m. Eastern Time (“EDT”) and ends on Tuesday, June, 15, 2021   at 2:00 p.m. EDT (“Entry Period”).  Sponsor’s clock is the official clock of the contest.  There are is one (1) method to enter the contest.  

You may enter the contest online during the Entry Period by visiting the contest entry page found at: contests.nationalflagfoundation.org (the “Site”), completing the submission forms and agreeing to the terms and conditions. Any use of robotic, repetitive, automatic, programmed or similar entry methods or agents will void all entries by that participant.

Submission Details: 

• The game must not exceed 120 MB 
• The game must attempt to teach the material provided in the “Learning Materials” section of the site 
• Select two extra categories to be judged on 
• Select a topic that your game prioritizes
• In order to be judged, the game must be in fully working order and free of malicious code when loaded onto official judging devices. 
• Please Review Rubric Above 
• When submitting, select entrant is required to select two of the following categories to be judged on.  T, these categories are judged purely on a 1-5 scale based on the reviewer’s feelings, with a 4 receiving +1 extra point and a 5 receiving + 2 extra points for a possible total of 4 extra points during judging..  
• Integration of education and gameplay 
• Graphics 
• Music 
• Story 
• User Interface (UI) 
• Entries not received by the Sponsor within the Entry Period will not be eligible to win a Prize.  No purchase is necessary to enter or win, and a purchase, contribution or donation will not affect an entrant’s odds of winning.  Limit: one (1) entry per entrant, regardless of method of entry.  In the event multiple entries are received from a single Entrant, the most recent entry will be judged. 
• By registering for this contest, participants may receive e-mails from Sponsor. E-mail addresses are never sold to third parties. 

WINNER SELECTION. Three (3) prize winners will be selected based on their submission, by an employee of Sponsor’s executive team, to take place on or after  WEDNESDAY, JUNE 30, 2021, from all eligible entries received during the Entry Period. 

NOTIFICATION OF WINNERS. Potential Prize Winners will be announced on the National Flag Foundation website on or after WEDNEDSAY, JUNE 30, 2021. In the event a potential Prize Winner is notified by phone, the Sponsor shall not be required to leave a message.  Sponsor may require the potential Prize Winner to execute an affidavit of eligibility, publicity release (expect where prohibited by law), liability waiver and/or IRS Form W-9 (if required by IRS regulations) prior to the delivery of any Prize (collectively, “Affidavit”).  If the potential Prize Winner does not respond to the notification within two (2) days, is found to be ineligible, fails to execute the Affidavit or other documentation required by Sponsor, the Sponsor may consider such Prize Winner to have forfeited the Prize, and another Prize Winner may be selected if time allows.  THE POTENTIAL PRIZE WINNERS ARE NOT THE PRIZE WINNERS OF THE CONTEST UNLESS AND UNTIL THEIR ELIGIBILITY HAS BEEN VERIFIED.   

PRIZES. Prize pool totals $2,000 with  each Prize Winner will receive the following (the “Prize”): 

• 1st Place: $1,000 in scholarships distributed to all involved, their game featured on the National Flag Foundation website. 
• 2nd and 3rd Place: $500 in scholarships distributed to all involved, their game featured on the National Flag Foundation website. 
• 4th-10th Place: Game on the National Flag Foundation website 
• All taxes on the Prizes are the sole responsibility of the Prize Winners. Prizes cannot be transferred, substituted, or redeemed for cash. Sponsor reserves the right to substitute any listed prize for one of equal or greater value if the designated prize should become unavailable for any reason. One (1) Prize per Prize Winner. Prize Winners may not request, and neither the Sponsor nor National Flag Foundation will make (except in their sole discretion) changes to the dates of the show applicable to their Prize. All expenses and costs associated with the acceptance or use of the Prize that are not expressly specified in these Official Rules as being part of the Prize are the sole responsibility of the Prize Winner. 

• Ground transportation, meals, taxes (including income tax on the prize), gratuities, and all other expenses not specifically identified in these official rules are the sole responsibility of the grand prize winners. Each winner will be issued a 1099 tax form for the actual value of the prize. Prizes cannot be transferred, substituted, or redeemed for cash except at Sponsor’s sole discretion. Sponsor reserves the right to substitute a prize, or portions thereof, with a prize of equal or greater value. 

CONDITIONS OF PARTICIPATION.  Participants agree to be bound by these Official Rules and all decisions of the Sponsor, whose decisions will be final and binding. Participants certify that each entry submitted is free from malicious code including malware, bloatware, spyware, computer virus, or any other functionality that would reasonably be perceived as such.  By registering or submitting an Entry Form, participants grant to Sponsor and National Flag Foundation, their agents and others working on their behalf the right to use the Prize Winner’s name, city and state of residence, biographical information, voice, picture and likeness, without notification or approval, for advertising and marketing purposes and all matters related to the sweepstakes, without additional compensation, unless otherwise prohibited by law.  

DISCLAIMERS, DISPUTE RESOLUTION AND LIMITATIONS OF LIABILITY. Each participant hereby releases, and agrees to defend, indemnify and hold harmless the National Flag Foundation and/or the Sponsor, 535media, LLC, those working on their behalf, and each of their respective officers, directors, representatives, employees, agents, successors and assigns (the “Released Parties”) from any and all damage, injury, death, loss or other liability, either at law or equity, whether known or unknown, asserted or non-asserted, that may arise from or in any way relate to or arise in connection with participation in this sweepstakes (regardless of the cause of such injury, damage or loss) or the awarding, acceptance, use or misuse of any Prize. Any and all disputes, claims, and causes of action arising out of or in connection with this contest shall be resolved individually, without resort to any form of class action. If circumstances beyond the Released Parties’ reasonable control prevent a drawing from being held or a prize from being awarded as intended (e.g., labor dispute, strike, lock-out, inclement weather, or similar occurrence) or in the event that circumstances corrupt the integrity or proper operation of the contest, this contest may be modified, cancelled or suspended, in whole or in part, in the sole discretion of the Sponsor. In the event of cancellation, the Prizes may be awarded from among all eligible, non-suspect entries received prior to the event requiring such cancellation. False or deceptive entries or acts will render the participant ineligible. The Sponsor reserves the right in its sole discretion to disqualify any individual it finds to be tampering with the entry process or the operation of the contest or to be acting in violation of the Official Rules of this or any other promotion or in an unsportsmanlike or disruptive manner. Any attempt by any person to deliberately undermine the legitimate operation of the contest may be a violation of criminal and civil law, and, should such an attempt be made, the Sponsor reserves the right to seek damages from any such person to the fullest extent permitted by law. Any failure by the Sponsor to enforce any term of these Official Rules shall not constitute a waiver of that provision. This contest shall be governed by, and construed in accordance with, the laws of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, regardless of conflicts of laws principles. Any action or litigation concerning this contest shall take place exclusively in the federal or state courts sitting in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, and each participant expressly consents to the jurisdiction of and venue in such courts and waives all defenses of lack of jurisdiction and inconvenient forum with respect to such courts. ANY CLAIMS, JUDGMENTS AND/OR AWARDS SHALL BE LIMITED TO ACTUAL OUT-OF-POCKET COSTS ASSOCIATED WITH ENTERING THIS CONTEST (IF ANY). PARTICIPANT HEREBY WAIVES ANY RIGHTS OR CLAIMS TO ATTORNEY’S FEES, INDIRECT, SPECIAL, PUNITIVE, INCIDENTAL OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES OF PARTICIPANT, WHETHER FORESEEABLE OR NOT AND WHETHER BASED ON NEGLIGENCE OR OTHERWISE. THE RELEASED PARTIES ARE NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR: (1) ANY INCORRECT OR INACCURATE INFORMATION, WHETHER CAUSED BY PARTICIPANTS, PRINTING ERRORS OR BY ANY OF THE EQUIPMENT OR PROGRAMMING ASSOCIATED WITH OR UTILIZED IN THE SWEEPSTAKES; (2) UNAUTHORIZED HUMAN INTERVENTION IN ANY PART OF THE ENTRY PROCESS OR THE SWEEPSTAKES; (3) TECHNICAL FAILURES OF ANY KIND, INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO ERRORS ON THE SITES OR MALFUNCTIONS, INTERRUPTIONS, OR DISCONNECTIONS IN NETWORK CONNECTIONS, HARDWARE OR SOFTWARE; (4) TECHNICAL OR HUMAN ERROR WHICH MAY OCCUR IN THE ADMINISTRATION OF THE SWEEPSTAKES OR THE PROCESSING OF ENTRIES; OR (5) INABILITY TO ACCESS, REVIEW, OR USE THE SUBMITTED ENTRY DUE TO DEVICE LIMITATIONS, HARDWARE OR SOFTWARE LIMITATIONS, BUGS, ERRORS, INCOMPLETE DOWNLOAD OR UPLOAD, OR ANY OTHER CIRCMSTANCE RESULTING IN GAME DESIGN ENTRY FAILING TO OPERATE WHEN JUDGED; (6) ANY INJURY OR DAMAGE TO PERSONS OR PROPERTY WHICH MAY BE CAUSED, DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY, IN WHOLE OR IN PART, FROM PARTICIPANT’S PARTICIPATION IN THE SWEEPSTAKES OR RECEIPT OR USE OR MISUSE OF ANY PRIZE. IF FOR ANY REASON A PARTICIPANT’S ENTRY IS CONFIRMED TO HAVE BEEN ERRONEOUSLY DELETED, LOST, OR OTHERWISE DESTROYED OR CORRUPTED, PARTICIPANT’S SOLE REMEDY IS ANOTHER ENTRY IN THE CONTEST IF POSSIBLE. 

PRIVACY. Information collected from participants is subject to and will be used in accordance with the privacy policy of the Sponsor, available at  https://www.535media.com/terms-of-service/.  

OFFICIAL RULES OR WINNER LIST. For a copy of the Official Rules or the Winner list, send a stamped, self-addressed envelope to “National Flag Foundation Video Game Design Contest” – Rules Request, 535media, LLC., 210 Wood Street, Tarentum, PA 15084.  Requests must be received within two (2) weeks of the close of the Entry Period.  

SPONSOR. 535media, LLC., 210 Wood Street, Tarentum, PA 15084.