VR JAM ESSENTIALS

Q: What's the first step to participate in the Mobile VR Jam?
A: Sign up for ChallengePost and register for the Mobile VR Jam (vrjam.challengepost.com) for either yourself or your organization.


Q: What are the prizes?
A: There will be a total of $1,020,000 in available prizes split between two tracks, each with Platinum, Gold, Silver, Bronze, and Community Choice winners. See vrjam.challengepost.com for specifics.


Q: How will the winners be decided?
A: There will be two rounds of judging. First, Oculus will screen videos, images, and descriptions looking for fun and innovative ideas.  We will also validate that the associated VR build is functional.  Next, we’ll take the top 20% from each track with the highest ratings (a minimum of 30 games and 20 apps or experiences) and pass them on to a panel of judges chosen by Oculus.


Q: What are the important dates for the Mobile VR Jam?
A: The Mobile VR Jam starts on April 13, 2015. There are 3 required milestone deadlines, after which final submissions will be due on May 11, 2015, by 9:00am Pacific Time. The winners will be announced in early June 2015. Here is a summary of the milestone dates and requirements:

Milestone 1 Submission: The Pitch - Due by 4/20 9:00 am (PT)

  • Initial description of your project
  • Images that show concepts or planning
  • Entrant type selection: Organization, Team, or Individual
  • Track selection: “Game” or “App or Experience”
  • Game Engine selection: Unity, Unreal, or Other/Undecided
  • If entering as a Team, enter all team members' ChallengePost ID's
  • Oculus ID's required for each person
  • (optional) Video embedded from YouTube or Vimeo (5 min max)

Following Milestone 1, we will email the terms of this competition to each individual, organization, or each person on a team.  If these terms are not electronically signed within 4 days, you will be disqualified.


Milestone 2 Submission: Screenshots - Due by 4/27 9:00 am (PT)

  • Screenshot(s) of your “Game” or “App or Experience”
  • Updated description and track
  • (optional) Video of current build embedded from YouTube or Vimeo


Milestone 3 Submission: Video - Due by 5/4 9:00 am (PT)

  • Video of current “Game” or “App or Experience” running
  • Updated screenshots, description, and track


Milestone 4 Submission: Final Build - Due by 5/11 9:00 am (PT)

  • Upload your final APK, and post the link to your globally-signed build
  • Updated video, screenshots, description, and track


Q: Where can I find official rules and eligibility?
A: You can find the full rules here (http://vrjam.challengepost.com/rules). 

 

SUBMITTING AND VOTING

Q: How do I submit my content or build for each milestone?
A: You’ll submit your materials for each milestone by 9:00 AM PST through the ChallengePost portal (http://vrjam.challengepost.com/). When it is available, click the “Enter a Submission” button to access your submission form and fill in all required fields for the current milestone.

Q: How do I choose a track?
A: For the purpose of this competition, if your submission has scoring or win/loss conditions, it should be considered a “Game”. Any other type of software should be considered an “App or Experience”.  If moderators believe a submission is mis-categorized, they may contact the entrant.

Q: How do I upload my build?
A: Between the first and final milestones, we'll open a portal to submit your APK's.  Stay tuned for more details.

Q: Can I change my submission during the Mobile VR Jam?
A: You can modify most elements of your submission, from the initial description to track selection, between milestones and before the final due date.  The only exceptions are modifying team members or game engine after Milestone 1 as described in more detail below.

Q: If I miss a milestone, can I still win?
A: If a milestone is missed or is incomplete, you’ll unfortunately no longer be able to compete in the Mobile VR Jam.

Q: When and how do I vote?
A: The Community Choice prizes will be determined by public voting from May 12 through May 26. To vote, register for a ChallengePost account, visit the submissions tab, and click the “vote for this submission” button on each of your favorite entries.

Q: Is there any type of content that’s not allowed?
A: The content of your submission must be deemed appropriate by Oculus' moderators. We reserve the right to disqualify your submission if it has content that we feel doesn't meet this standard, including but not limited to pornographic or extremely violent content.  For specific requirements, please see the official terms of this competition.

 

FINDING A TEAM

Q: Do I have to have a team, or can I compete as an individual?
A: You can go solo, but it won't affect who you'll be up against - you’ll be competing against teams, organizations, and other individuals. 

Q: Are there size limits for teams?
A: A  “team” may consist of 2 to 10 people. Larger groups will need to form a company (an LLC, etc) and compete as an “Organization” with a single accountable representative.

Q: How can I find teammates to collaborate with?
A: We recommend you start by checking the “Participants” tab on the official ChallengePost portal. You can tag your skills and expertise to find others who complement your talents. The Oculus Developer Forums are also a great place to start. Check out the Discussion thread and introduce yourself!

Q: Can I change my team during the Mobile VR Jam?
A: You can add or remove team members before the Milestone 1 deadline. Any prize money you win will be divided equally between the team members declared at the first milestone submission. The ChallengePost submission form will allow you to add or remove team members after this date, however, for the purpose of the competition, team members declared at Milestone 1 will be the final group who will be distributed prizes if you win.

Q: I’m part of a development studio/publisher, can we compete?
A: Yes, you can compete in the Mobile VR Jam as an individual or as a representative of your organization.

Q: What do I do if I witness or experience harassment or inappropriate behavior during the VR Jam? 
A: We want the Mobile VR Jam to be a safe and collaborative environment for everyone, and encourage everyone to review our Code of Conduct in the official terms of this competition. If you notice harassment or inappropriate behavior during the Mobile VR Jam, please message support.oculus.com with as much detail as you are willing to share.

 

UNITY ASSET STORE CREDIT

Q: What do I have to do to get the $50 Unity Asset Store credit?
A: To receive the code for your credits, you must complete all of the following requirements:

  • Submit all Milestone 1 materials
  • Select ‘Unity’ as the game engine you’ll use for the competition in the Milestone 1 submission form
  • Enter email used to login to a Gear VR (i.e. the email for your Oculus account) in the M1 submission form
  • E-Sign the Terms of Service of the competition, which will be sent via email after Milestone 1 submissions end

Q: When and how will I receive my Unity Asset Store credit?
A: Your code will be sent after the Terms of Service signing period, so you may receive your code between April 24 and April 30. These will be sent via email to each “team leader”; i.e. the email address associated with submitting materials to ChallengePost (for an Individual, a Team, or an Organization). 

Q: How do I redeem my code?
A: Detailed instructions for redemption will be provided in the email containing the store credit code.

Q: Can I receive multiple codes?
A: While you are allowed to submit more than one entry, the credit is limited to a single code per eligible entrant (i.e. an individual, team, or organization).

Q: Can I change my Game Engine selection after M1?
A: While it is technically feasible to modify this option in the submission form, builds that do not match your selection at Milestone 1 will be disqualified. If you are uncertain about which game engine you want to use, select the “Other/Undecided” option instead of a specific engine. 

Q: Are there any additional limitations for this credit?
A: The store credit may expire after a certain amount of time, and there may be additional restrictions for its use. The email that sends the code will provide further details.

 

DEVELOPMENT GUIDELINES

Q: How can I learn about developing for mobile VR?
A:


Q: Do I have to use a controller or other input device?
A: You can use the built in head-tracking and touchpad on the Gear VR Innovator Edition to build your game or experience. Judges will have a standard bluetooth gamepad, which will be supported but not required. Judges may not have access to other controllers and they should not be required for your software to function.

Q: Can I use a game design or content that was previously produced?
A:  The Mobile VR Jam is focused on innovation. You can reuse existing art and assets to help speed up development time, but entries that you previously submitted to other contests or publishing sites will not be eligible, including direct ports from Oculus Share.

Q: Do I have to have a specific version of the Samsung Galaxy Note 4 to compete?
A: Please see the Oculus Support article that describes which phones are compatible with the Gear VR.

Q: If I don’t have a Gear VR Innovator Edition or Samsung Galaxy Note 4, can I still enter?
A: You don't have to buy either of them, but you’ll need to make sure your software works before you submit it. Software that doesn't work will not be eligible for prizes.


For more information, please go to support.oculus.com or review the official terms of this competition.