OFFICIAL RULES

These are the Official Rules that govern how Server Quest Developer Contest 2009 will operate (the "Contest").

In these Official Rules (i) "Organizer," "we," "our," and "us" means Microsoft Corporation, the organizer of this Contest; (ii) "Sponsor" means each company and organization referenced in the "Sponsor" section of the Contest web site that supports and contributes to the organization of this Contest; and (iii) "You," and "yourself" means an eligible Contest entrant.

If you meet the eligibility criteria stated below, but are considered a minor in your place of residence, then you should ask your parent’s or legal guardian’s permission prior to submitting an entry.

By entering this Contest, you are agreeing (i) that you will abide by the Official Rules written and referenced below; (ii) that this Contest is governed by the laws of the State of Washington, USA, and that you consent to the exclusive jurisdiction and venue of the courts of the State of Washington, USA, for any disputes arising out of this Contest, and (iii) that Microsoft’s Privacy Policy will apply to this Contest and to all information that we receive from you, including your entry and supporting materials, and that by accepting the Official Rules and submitting an entry, you are also accepting the terms of the Privacy Policy. Please read the Privacy Policy on the Contest entry page before accepting the Official Rules and submitting an entry.

If you do not agree to abide by these Official Rules, please do not enter this Contest.

ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA

Unless otherwise indicated you are eligible to this Contest if you meet the following requirements at the time of registration:

• You are 16 years of age or older; and
• You are not an employee or intern of Microsoft Corporation, or an employee of a Microsoft subsidiary; and
• You are not involved in any part of the execution or administration of this Contest; and
• You are not an immediate family member of (parent, sibling, spouse, child) or household member of a Microsoft employee, an employee of a Microsoft subsidiary, or a person involved in any part of the administration and execution of this Contest; and
• You are a legal resident of the 50 United States (includes D of C).

ENTRY PERIOD

The Contest starts at 12:01 AM PT on January 26th, 2009, and ends at 11:59 PM PT on April 30th, 2009 ("Entry Period"). All required entry materials must be received within the dates specified to be eligible for entry.

CONTEST DESCRIPTION

Server Quest Developer Contest 2009 is a skill contest designed to recognize developers who demonstrate excellence in a Silverlight game development, and seeks innovative contest entries that -best utilize Microsoft Silverlight software features.

HOW TO ENTER

To register, visit www.serverquestcontest.com and follow the instructions to create a user profile and download the free Silverlight Software Development kit (SDK). Participants must use the tools available within the SDK to develop an online game. Entries will be judged based on the criteria listed below, and the winners will be those that best demonstrate the functionality and usability of Silverlight software technology. To submit a game for judging, participants must visit www.serverquestcontest.com within the Entry Period and follow the instructions to upload their game, and accept the terms of the entry License.(Each to be referred to as an "Entry").

To be eligible for judging an Entry must meet the following content/technical requirements:

• The initial file download size cannot exceed 4MB Total file size must be < 10MB
• Resolution limited to 800x430
• There are no frame rate limitations
• The game cannot include any upload file aspects
• The game cannot require or allow any external communication (i.e.no send to a friend components, etc.)
• The game must be developed in Silverlight 2.0 and submitted in object/binary code format.
• The game must clearly indicate to others that it is governed by the Creative Commons license.

During and following the end of this Contest your entry may be posted on a website selected by us for viewing by visitors to that website. We are not responsible for any unauthorized use of your entry by visitors to this website. While we reserve these rights, we are not obligated to use your entry for any purpose, even if it has been selected as a winning entry.

Important: By submitting an entry you agree to grant Microsoft a royalty-free, non-exclusive, perpetual and worldwide license to publicly demonstrate your submission, or any element of the submission in any and all media for the purpose of promoting Microsoft Silverlight software or promoting Microsoft's related websites. In addition you agree to license your entry under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 United States license, a public license, the terms of which are available at: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/us/.

WINNER SELECTION / JUDGING CRITERIA

Following the close of the Entry Period, all eligible entries will be reviewed by a panel of judges based on the criteria below and up to eighteen [18] entries will be selected as finalists.

• [50 %] best overall use of Silverlight
• [50 %] number of Silverlight features

Following the selection of finalists, finalist entries will be posted online at www.serverquestcontest.com and site visitors will be invited to view and rate each finalist entry during the Voting Period. Visitors are limited to one vote /rating per person per finalist entry. No mechanical our automated method of voting is permitted. Microsoft reserves the right to disqualify any votes that are in excess of the voting limit or that are suspected to be created by a mechanical (e.g. "bot") or other automated voting method.

Following the Voting Period, a judging committee will re-review all finalist entries and will select three [3] winners based on the following criteria:

• [40 %] best overall use of Silverlight
• [40 %] number of Silverlight features
• [20 %] a combination of how many people viewed the game and how highly they rated the game

In the event of a tie for any place, all tied entries will be reviewed by a separate judging panel that will break the tie. If we do not receive a sufficient number of entries that, in the judge's opinion, meet minimum quality standards, we may, at our discretion, select fewer than the designated number of winners. The decisions of the judges are final and binding in all matters related to the Contest.

HOW MANY ENTRIES CAN I SUBMIT?

Limit 3 unique entries per person and per email address.

We are not responsible for entries that we do not receive for any reason, or for entries that we receive but are not decipherable for any reason. We will disqualify any incomplete or illegible entries that we receive.

GENERAL STANDARDS FOR ENTRIES

Please note that the intent and spirit of the Contest is to test the skills and creativity on the Silverlight gaming platform. To be eligible for judging, an entry must meet the following general standards:

• The content of your entry and any supporting materials must be acceptable for all viewing audiences. We will automatically disqualifying any entrant that submits any entry or supporting materials that contain text, sound or images that we, in our sole opinion and for any reason, find vulgar, offensive, or inappropriate for public viewing, or that presents us and the Sponsors in a negative light.
• Your entry must meet the content and technical requirements set forth above and in the applicable Invitational Details
• Your entry may not contain any (1) backdoor, (2) code designed to disable a computer program, or (3) virus, Trojan horse, worm or other code designed to permit unauthorized access, to disable, erase, or otherwise harm software, equipment, or data.

By submitting an entry in this Contest, you confirm that, to the best of your knowledge:

• Your entry is your/ original work; and
• Your entry only includes material (including music, video or images) that you own. Please respect the rights of artists and creators. Content such as music, photos and video may be protected by copyright. People appearing in content may have a right to control use of their image. You may not share other people's material unless you own the rights or have permission from the owner.
• You have obtained permission from any recognizable person (parent/guardian, if a minor) that appears in the entry to submit your entry in this Contest and to use their personal data in the entry for the purposes of the Contest (if applicable); and
• Your entry has not been selected as a prize winner in any other contest.

You may submit only legally permissible materials and only to the extent that the use and publishing of such legally permissible materials do not breach the law. You understand that sharing content or materials that violate others copyrights and other intellectual property rights also violates these contest rules. You agree to secure the necessary rights to ensure that your games may be used by Microsoft without violating the rights of any third party or purporting to subject Microsoft or its intellectual property to any other obligations to you or any third party. You represent and warrant that you have all the rights necessary for you to grant the rights under these rules and that the use and publication of the game do not breach any law. By submitting your game, you understand and agree that, with respect to your game, your relationship with anyone who accesses it through this contest with that third party directly and not with Microsoft. Microsoft does not (and will not) accept obligations set forth in any separate license or other agreement which may apply to your game, or any portion of it.

We will disqualify any entries that we, in our sole discretion, find to be a duplicate, or the result of collaborative work contrary to these Official Rules, and to the spirit of the Contest.

PRIZES

Cash prizes (paid in the form of a check from the Sponsor) will be awarded as follows:

• First Place $5,000
• Second Place $3,500
• Third Place $1,500

Your odds of winning a prize will depend on the number of eligible entries received and the level of skill of each entrant. All prizes will be awarded provided a qualified number of entries are received.

All cash prizes are stated in US dollars.

If you are selected as a potential winner:

• You may not designate someone else as the winner. If you are unable or unwilling to accept your prize, we may award it to the next highest scoring entrant.
• If you accept a prize, you will be solely responsible for all applicable taxes related to accepting the prize, as permitted.
• If you meet the eligibility criteria for the Invitational, but you are a minor in your place of residence, then we may award the prize to your parent/legal guardian on your behalf.

We are not responsible for any dispute arising regarding prize dispersal.

NOTIFICATIONS

If you are selected as a prize winner, we may require you to sign an Affidavit of Eligibility, Liability and Publicity Release and W-9 tax form If you are a winner and you meet the eligibility criteria, but you are a minor in your place of residence, then we may require your parent or legal guardian to sign all required forms on your behalf. If you do not complete the required forms as instructed and/or return the required forms within the time period listed on the winner notification message, we may disqualify you and select the next highest scoring entrant.

WINNERS LIST

We will post the names of confirmed winners online on or around 5/25/2009 at www.serverquestcontest.com This list will remain posted until 6/30/2009.

PRIZE OBLIGATIONS

By accepting a prize you agree to participate in promotional events and activities that may include, but are not limited to, showcases of your entry on-stage at industry events, and allow us and the Sponsors to use your name, trademarks, image, comments and/or company logos on presentation slides and other marketing materials promoting the Contest.

You agree to assist us and the Sponsors in the creation of case studies or white papers (together "Studies") detailing your entry(ies). Studies will not include any participant confidential information. Upon your approval of the Studies' accuracy, you agree to give us and the Sponsors permission to display the Studies including trademarks, logos and other identifying information contained therein, on our and the Sponsors' web sites and in other documentation. This documentation may take various forms, including printed materials, on-line articles, video, audio, and other digital recordings.

HOW WILL MY ENTRY POTENTIALLY BE USED?

Other than what is set forth below and any material that we expressly license to you, we are not claiming any ownership rights to your entry. However, by submitting your entry, you:

• are granting us and our respective parents, subsidiaries, affiliates, employees and agents an irrevocable, worldwide right and license to: (i) use, store, review, assess, test and otherwise analyze your entry and all its content in connection with this Contest; (ii) change the format, transcode, or otherwise process the game to conform to the network's or website's technical requirements or limitations, and (iii) feature your entry and all its content in connection with the promotion of this Contest in all media (now known or later developed);
• agree to sign any necessary documentation that may be required for us and our designees to make use of the rights you granted above;
• understand and acknowledge that we, other Sponsors and other entrants may have developed or commissioned materials similar or identical to your submission and you waive any claims you may have resulting from any similarities to your entry;
• Understand that we cannot control the incoming information you will disclose to our representatives in the course of entering, or what our representatives will remember about your entry. You also understand that we will not restrict work assignments of representatives who have had access to your entry. By entering this Contest, you agree that use of information in our representatives' unaided memories in the development or deployment of our products or services does not create liability for us under this agreement or copyright or trade secret law;
• Understand that you will not receive any compensation or credit for use of your entry, other than what is described in these Official Rules.

If you do not want to grant us these rights to your entry, please do not enter this Contest.

LIMITATIONS OF LIABILITY

By entering this Contest you agree:

• To abide by the Official Rules;and
• To the extent allowable under applicable law, to release and hold us and our Sponsors, and our respective parents, subsidiaries, affiliates, employees and agents from any and all liability or any injury, loss or damage of any kind arising from or in connection with this Contest or any prize won; and
• That our decisions will be final and binding on all matters related to this Contest; and
• That, by accepting a prize, we may use of your proper name and state of residence online and in print, or in any other media, in connection with this Contest, without payment or compensation to you, except where prohibited by law.

This Contest will be governed by the laws of the State of Washington, and you consent to the exclusive jurisdiction and venue of the courts of the State of Washington for any disputes arising out of this Contest.

WHAT IF SOMETHING UNEXPECTED HAPPENS AND THE CONTEST CAN'T RUN AS PLANNED?

If someone cheats, or a virus, bug, catastrophic event, or any other unforeseen or unexpected event that cannot be reasonably anticipated or controlled, (also referred to as force majeure) affects the fairness and / or integrity of this Contest, we reserve the right to cancel, change or suspend this Contest. This right is reserved whether the event is due to human or technical error. If a solution cannot be found to restore the integrity of the Contest, we reserve the right to select winners from among all eligible entries received before we had to cancel, change or suspend the Contest.

If you attempt to compromise the integrity or the legitimate operation of this Contest by hacking or by cheating or committing fraud in ANY way, we may seek damages from you to the fullest extent permitted by law. Further, we may ban you from participating in any of our future Contest, so please play fairly.

ORGANIZER

The Organizer of this Contest is Microsoft Corporation, One Microsoft Way, Redmond, WA, 98052 U.S.A.