Prizes have always been a fun part of IF events. Rather than give numerical rankings and tiered prizes, we like to do something different: gather interesting, useful, quirky, or funny prizes into a general pool. When the festival closes, authors will rank prizes in order of desirability, and our resident PrizeBot will do its best to pair prizes and authors. (Depending on the number of prizes and entrants, not everyone may receive a prize.) Being awarded a ribbon does not change your chance of receiving a prize.
The prizes donated for the 2023 festival so far are:
- #1: The game Choice of Robots, as a Steam key, donated by Brian Rushton
- #2: A Steam key for Mask of the Rose from Failbetter Games, creators of "Fallen London", donated by Aaron Reed
- #3: A Parser Puzzler Pack prize bundle offered through itch.io for Hadean Lands, Anchorhead 20th Anniversary Edition, and Tristam Island, donated by Kaemi Velatet
- #4: The game development engine GameGuru Classic by TheGameCreators, along with the following DLC: GameGuru - DLC - Antiques In The Attic, GameGuru - DLC - Toolshed Pack and GameGuru - DLC - Retro 80s Pack, as Steam or Humble keys ("FPS Game Design Bundle"), donated by Mike Kleine
- #5: The game development engine AppGameKit Classic by TheGameCreators, along with the following DLC: AppGameKit Classic - Giant Asset Pack 1, AppGameKit Classic - Giant Asset Pack 2, AppGameKit Classic - Visual Editor and AppGameKit Classic - VR Pack, as Steam or Humble keys ("Game Design Bundle"), donated by Mike Kleine
- #6: The game Wasteland 3 by InXile Entertainment, as a Steam or Humble key, donated by Mike Kleine
- #7: The games The Wolf Among Us by Telltale and Where the Water Tastes Like Wine by Dim Bulb Games & Serenity Forge, as Steam or Humble keys ("Beautiful Narrative Adventures Bundle"), donated by Mike Kleine
- #8: The game My Time at Portia by Pathea Games, as a Steam or Humble key, donated by Mike Kleine
- #9: The games Gemini Rue by Joshua Nuernberger, Resonance by XII Games, and Unavowed by Wadjet Eye Games, as Steam or Humble keys ("Classic Point and Click Adventure Games Bundle"), donated by Mike Kleine
- #10: The games AMID EVIL by Indefatigable, Dusk by David Szymanski, and Hellbound by Saibot Studios, as Steam or Humble keys ("Boomer Shooters Bundle"), donated by Mike Kleine
- #11: A $50 gift certificate to Artifact Puzzles (a manufacturer of really cool jigsaw puzzles), donated by anonymous
- #12: Web-based UI customization for a future game. The donor is comfortable with Twine and Ink, and Inform7/Vorple may be a possibility. Scope subject to negotiation. Past results can be seen here: https://youtu.be/YsVxnTzAWKA. Donated by Josh Grams
- #13: The games Fallout: A Post Nuclear Role Playing Game by Interplay Inc. and Fallout 76 by Bethesda Game Studios, as Steam or Humble keys ("Fallout Old & New Bundle"). Donated by Mike Kleine.
- #14: The game Pathologic 2 by Ice-Pick Lodge, as a Steam or Humble key. Donated by Mike Kleine.
- #15: The game John Wick Hex by Bithell Games, as a Steam or Humble key. Donated by Mike Kleine.
- #16: A commissioned piece of instrumental/electronic music by Wade Clarke. Conditions and details available here.
If you're interested in donating a prize, you are an excellent person, and you should please contact the organizer. Need ideas for prizes? Check out the prize list for past Things (such as ’20 or ’18), or look at the current or past prize lists for IF Comp.
Keep in mind that part of your prize donation, if it's a physical item, is the cost of shipping it to the recipient, who may be from a different country than you. Delivery of prizes won't happen until after the festival closes in May. Please prioritize prize donations you think an interactive fiction fan would be excited to receive.