Proposals for a new fantasy setting



PROPOSALS FOR A NEW FANTASY SETTING

Wizards of the Coast, Inc. is searching for proposals for a new fantasy setting (“Fantasy Setting Search”). Such a setting may serve as a vehicle for novels, roleplaying games, card games, miniatures, and other entertainment products. In scope and flavor, your proposed fantasy setting should be similar to our existing settings, particularly Forgotten Realms and Dragonlance.

THE PROCESS

Initial One (1) Page Proposals

All Proposals must 1) be covered with a signed, unmodified copy of the Idea Submission Agreement, 2) include an accompanying cover letter with contact information, and 3) be structured in accord with the attached template. Initial proposals shall be no more than one (1) page in length. At this stage, longer proposals or proposals not meeting any of these requirements will be automatically rejected. All one page submissions that meet the requirements will be reviewed blindly by a panel of Wizards experts.

All proposals must be postmarked no later than June 21, 2002. The panel will then select up to ten entries, who will be requested to submit a ten-page treatment. We will notify those entrants who have been selected for the second stage of the proposal process no later than July 3, 2002.

Please note that the Fantasy Setting Search is available only to individuals eighteen (18) years of age and older. If you are under the age of eighteen (18), your parent or guardian must complete the Idea Submission Agreement, in which case the parent or guardian will take full responsibility for all obligations under the Agreement.

Second-Round Ten (10) Page Treatments

Should your setting be chosen as one of the approximately ten (10) settings Wizards would like to see developed, you will be notified and requested to expand your proposal into a ten (10) page treatment. This treatment must be postmarked no later than July 31, 2002. The ten-page treatments will then be reviewed and a maximum of three entrants will be given the green light to further develop their ideas. You will be notified if your setting is chosen for third-round consideration by August 5, 2002.

Third-Round One Hundred (100) Page Setting Bibles

Should your setting be chosen as one of the approximately three (3) settings Wizards would like to see further expanded, you will be notified and requested to expand your ten-page treatment into a one hundred (100) page setting bible. These entrants will be awarded a one-time development fee of twenty thousand dollars ($20,000). All work submitted at this point shall be the sole property of Wizards and entrants will be required to execute an agreement to that effect with Wizards prior to payment. Ten thousand dollars ($10,000) will be awarded upon execution of a work-for-hire agreement with Wizards. The final ten thousand dollars ($10,000) will be awarded upon actual submission of the 100-page setting bible.

The panel will review those final submissions and select one final Fantasy Setting. A one-time consulting fee of one hundred thousand dollars ($100,000.00) will be awarded to the final entrant. Further, future preferential consideration may be given to the final entrant in assigning development or authorship of game product, novels, and other related material.

Send all proposals to:

New Setting Proposals

Wizards of the Coast Publishing

P.O. Box 707

Renton, WA 98057-0707.

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Idea Submission Agreement

The undersigned (hereinafter “SUBMITTEE”) hereby stipulates and agrees as follows:

1. Idea Submission

(a) SUBMITTEE hereby submits the idea, material or creative work identified more fully in Section 4 (“Idea”) voluntarily and on a confidential basis, and understands that this Idea and its acceptance by Wizards of the Coast, Inc. (“Wizards”) does not, in whole or in part, establish or create by implication, or otherwise, any relationship between Wizards and SUBMITTEE not expressed herein. SUBMITTEE further understands and agrees that Wizards, may accept or reject such Idea and shall not be obligated to SUBMITTEE in any way, with respect to SUBMITTEE’s Idea, until Wizards shall, at its own election, enter into a properly executed written agreement with SUBMITTEE, and then only according to all of the terms of said agreement.

(b) SUBMITTEE declares and warrants that except to the extent, if any, the Idea incorporates Wizards’ existing intellectual property, the Idea is original and contains unique, novel and/or public domain material. SUBMITTEE possesses all right, title, and interest necessary to enable Wizards to use the Idea without any license or permission from any third party.

(c) SUBMITTEE acknowledges that the Idea may be identical with, similar to the theme, plot, idea, format, or other element of the material that Wizards has independently developed or that has or may come to Wizards from other sources and SUBMITTEE shall not be entitled to any compensation by reason of the use by Wizards of such similar or identical material.

(d) SUBMITTEE shall retain a copy of all materials submitted to Wizards and hereby releases Wizards from any and all liability for loss of or damage thereto. Wizards shall have no obligation to return to SUBMITTEE any of these materials.

2. Confidentiality

In the course of submitting the Idea, the parties recognize that SUBMITTEE may have access to information that Wizards considers proprietary and/or confidential. This information may include, but is not limited to, (a) information relating to Wizards products, technology, devices, designs, concepts, methods, processes, calculations, data, manuals, drawings, specifications and research, whether or not patentable or copyrightable, marked with a trademark, copyright or other notice, or marked confidential; (b) records, customer lists, supplier lists, marketing plans, financial information, costs, pricing information, and other information relating to a party’s business; (c) information received by SUBMITTEE which Wizards is obligated, contractually or otherwise, to keep confidential; and (d) other information or documents which Wizards designates as confidential or proprietary. The SUBMITTEE agrees to keep all such information confidential and not to discuss or divulge it to anyone other than appropriate, designated personnel. This provision shall not apply to information known by SUBMITTEE or generally available to the public prior to receipt from Wizards, or information which after disclosing through no act by SUBMITTEE becomes generally available to the public.

3. Waiver

Submittee completely releases and forever discharges Wizards, its past, present and future successors, officers, directors, agents, and employees, from all claims, damages (including but not limited to general, special, punitive, liquidated and compensatory damages) and causes of action of every kind, nature and character, known or unknown, in law or equity, fixed or contingent, which Submittee may now have, or Submittee ever had arising from or in any way connected with the submission of the Initial Proposal or Ten Page Treatment for the Fantasy Setting Search.

4. Miscellaneous

a) This Agreement constitutes the entire agreement between the parties with respect to the Idea and shall not be modified except by a written agreement dated subsequent to the date of this Agreement date and signed by both parties.

b) I HAVE CAREFULLY READ AND FULLY UNDERSTAND ALL THE PROVISIONS OF THIS AGREEMENT AND I VOLUNTARILY AGREE TO IT.

c) The Idea is the Fantasy Setting Description attached hereto.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have executed this Agreement.

SUBMITTEE:

By:

Print Name:

Address:

ACKNOWLEDGED:

WIZARDS OF THE COAST, INC.

By:

Print Name:

Date Material Received: , 20 .

Fantasy Setting Proposal Template

1. Core Ethos Sentence. [A sentence that describes the core ethos of the world. For example, Forgotten Realms is a world of sword-and-sorcery adventure, where heroes battle monsters with magic.]

2. Who are the heroes? [Brief description of heroes central to the setting. This need not be a comprehensive list.]

3. What do they do? [What are the main objectives of the heroes, and what steps do they take to achieve those objectives?]

4. Threats, Conflicts, Villains [What is the main danger to the world, and from whom does it come?]

5. Nature of magic [What is the source of magic? How abundant/scarce is it?]

6. What’s new? What’s different? [What makes this setting unique?]

[Proposals should be no more than one page in length, typewritten. Please put the name of the entrant in the LOWER LEFT-HAND CORNER of the page and nowhere else.]

FAQ

Q. Who can submit proposals for a new Wizards of the Coast setting?

A. Anyone who wishes to do so may submit.

Q. Can I submit a proposal as part of a team?

A. Yes. You can submit as an individual or as part of a team.

Q. Will you accept electronic submissions?

A. No. All submissions must be paper submissions and follow the form of the template above.

Q. Can I submit more than one proposal?

A. Yes, but we strongly recommend focusing all your creative energy into a single proposal.

Q. How will I know if my submission has been selected for further development?

A. You will be notified by mail or telephone.

Q. What should I include with my submission?

A. All submissions must include a cover letter telling us your name, contact information, a signed copy of the Idea Submission Form (see below); and your submission, with the name of the entrant in the lower left-hand corner.

Q. What happens if my submission at this first stage is more than one page?

A. It will not be considered.

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