Challenge Rules

Sponsor

Challenges are run by The Convergence Zone (Joe Boomgard-Zagrodnik), the maker of Paleo Planet Simulator. Apple is not a sponsor of, and is not involved in, any challenge. Questions go to joejoezz@gmail.com. These rules add to the Terms of Service.

A contest of skill

Each challenge ranks planets on one measured climate result, such as average October wind, under the rules shown on the challenge card. The climate model is deterministic: the same planet always gives the same result. Nothing is drawn at random. The challenge card in the app lists its goal, its rules, its prizes and its closing time, and is part of these rules.

Entering

• Planets are entered with the "Enter open challenges" switch on the Build page, which is on by default. You can turn it off for any launch.
• A planet counts if it was launched after the challenge opened, finished its full run before the challenge closes, uses the standard grid, and meets every rule on the card. Rules are checked when the run finishes; a planet that doesn't meet them is simply not entered.
• Every new player gets free starter credits, so no purchase is necessary to enter.
• Each player can win at most one place per challenge: your best planet counts.
• Accounts used for testing, reference planets made by the sponsor, and hidden or deleted planets are not eligible.

Winning

• When a challenge closes, the top three players win the prizes on the card (currently 20, 10 and 5 credits). Every other entrant receives a finisher trophy.
• A tie goes to the planet that was launched first.
• The top three planets' recipes (their slider settings and map) are made public when the challenge ends.
• Winners are notified in the app. Results are final once published, except where a planet is later found to break these rules or the Terms of Service.

Prizes

Prizes are in-app credits for running more planets. Credits have no cash value, can't be exchanged, sold or transferred, and are used only inside Paleo Planet Simulator. To receive credits you must be signed in with Apple; if you win while signed out, your trophy is kept and the credits are added the moment you sign in.

Changes

We may extend a challenge's closing time but will not shorten it. If a bug or outage affects a challenge's results, we may re-check affected planets or void the challenge, and will say so in the app.