Imagine Cup 2007 Calls Student Gaming Programmers to Represent the UK

Reading, Berkshire, 8th January 2007- Microsoft® has announced the launch of the 5th annual Imagine Cup, Project Hoshimi Programming Battle, part of an international student competition that calls on young gamers around the globe to explore their creativity by using technology to draw up their own strategy and submit A.I. code to determine the fate of Professor Hoshimi and his faithful crew of scientists and elite programmers in a fantasy world of life and death. The Imagine Cup comprises a number of categories, one of which is the Project Hoshimi Programming Battle. Last year over 65,000 students from 100 countries participated in the Imagine Cup, a competition likened to the "Software development Olympics".

The theme for The Imagine Cup this year is "imagine a world where technology enables a better education for all". This means, as well as encouraging talented programmers around the world to use Microsoft's tool and technology to allow them to compete online, to see who has the fastest programme to save the day, students must also channel their vision to address a wider, real world problem - that of education.

This year students will contend for a share of the $15,000 total prize fund and an opportunity to kick start their careers. Project Hoshimi challenges programmers to write code that conjures up the behaviour and strategy of a team of characters undergoing a range of exhilarating adventures. Participants are being called upon to create an exciting and gripping new world through which people can interact with others and compete directly online. With the potential to reach a burgeoning international audience, students have the ability to make a real impact on the way people think and feel about education.

"Project Hoshimi offers students the opportunity to combine their classroom-learned A.I. theory together with their programming prowess, and compete in a real-time head-to-head gaming environment," says Andrew Sithers, Academic Lead, Microsoft Ltd. "We see the audience for Hoshimi competitors coming from A.I., gaming and traditional Computer Science courses. It really is a unique way of bringing the subject to life, and leads to some really nail-biting situations, as each game unfolds."

To compete, students are encouraged to pair up and participate in two preliminary rounds before the grand final. To enter the competition, each team will be required to upload a Project Hoshimi strategy file developed using one of the .Net family of languages. The deadline for first round submissions is March 1st 2007.

After the second round all qualifiers will be distributed into pools by country. An elimination format is used to determine the favoured 3 teams per country. Those top 3 teams per country are then all put together in one pool. An elimination format is used to determine the top 6 teams to move on to the final round and compete at the International final in Seoul, Korea. The judging panel will consist of notable, industry figures and academics as well as this year's sponsors BT, Capgemini and HP.

Finalists in this category will battle it out for some highly sought-after prizes. Team players in third place will collect $3000, those in second place will celebrate with $4000 and the overall winners of the Project Hoshimi competition will triumph with an $8000 prize.

Students vying for the all expenses trip to Korea, the kudos of representing their country, the opportunity compete on an international stage and unrivalled exposure to the IT design industry's biggest players are urged to visit the Imagine Cup website at: http://www.imaginecup.co.uk

Ends

About The Imagine Cup

The Imagine Cup, now in its fifth year, is a competition sponsored by Microsoft designed to provide an outlet for students to explore technological and artistic interests outside the classroom. More than 65,000 students from over 100 countries competed in last year's competition. The nine different categories that comprise this year's competition are: Software Design, Embedded development, Web development, Project Hoshimi:Programming Battle, IT Challenge, Algorithm, Photography, Short Film and Interface Design.

Further details about the competition can be found on the UK Imagine Cup portal at www.imaginecup.co.uk/ and additional details can be found on the global Imagine Cup portal at www.imaginecup.com where students can also register for all the catergories within the competition.

About Microsoft

Founded in 1975, Microsoft (Nasdaq "MSFT") is the worldwide leader in software, services and solutions that help people and businesses realise their full potential.

®Microsoft Corporation 2005. All rights reserved. Microsoft, Xbox 360 and the Microsoft logo are either registered trademarks or trademarks of Microsoft Corporation in the United States and/or other countries.

For more information please contact

Sara Downey

Inferno PR

020 8434 5577

sara.downey@infernopr.com

For information on Microsoft Ltd, please contact:

The Microsoft Press Centre

Tel: 0870 20 77377, lines are open 9.00am to 6.00pm Monday to Friday

Fax: 0870 20 77329

Email: ukprteam@microsoft.com

www.microsoft.com/uk/press

NOTES TO EDITORS

Below are details of each of the invitationals in this years Imagine Cup event. For further details please visit www.imaginecup.com

Software Design

The Software Design Invitational challenges students around the globe to explore their own creativity by using technology to solve what they consider to be challenging problems. Using Microsoft tools and technology, competitors can unleash their ideas, their curiosities, and their talents towards creating usable software applications. Competitors are asked to demonstrate innovation on the .NET Framework and Windows platform. Globally, students in this invitational conceive, test, and build their ideas into applications that can change the world.

Total prize: $50,000 ($25,000 for the software design invitational winner)

Competition starts: 1st November 2007 (First round closes 28th February 2007)

Short Film

The Short Film Invitational highlights the art and science of telling a story. Students are challenged to share a perspective on the theme of the Imagine Cup, but moreover they are asked to express themselves in a unique medium that still challenges even the most veteran of filmmakers. From concept and storyboard, to footage and editing, these participants must be able to put it all together and move an audience. Unique perspectives and creativity abound in this process but the story must still come through the digital media and have a strong purpose and meaning.

Total prize pool: $15,000

Competition starts: 15th November 2006 (First round closes 1st March 2007)

Digital Photography

Through a photo essay format, students are challenged to communicate a story about education using only photos as the communication medium. This year's competition challenges participants to educate and motivate audiences on how technology enables a better education for all through their eyes.

Total prize pool: $15,000

Competition starts: 22nd March 2007 (First round closes 11th May 2007)

Interface Design

Creativity, innovative ideas, and usability - when these three elements come together for users of software or web applications it becomes pure magic. The experience that the artist and developer can create with a well designed user interface can make or break the application that it sits in front of. The Designer invitational challenges designers all over the world to create useful and compelling user interfaces that are unique and forward thinking. Participants have the opportunity to dream of an application, connect to the theme of the Imagine Cup and show the world how their skills can bring that to life. Innovating and envisioning revolutionary interfaces are the goals.

Total prize pool: $15,000

Competition starts: 22nd March 2007 (First round closes 1st March 2007)

Algorithm

The Algorithm Invitational highlights the pure skill of one's ability to solve a problem. The discovery and use of the right algorithms, clever implementations and application, are building blocks upon which the whole field takes collective steps forward. It is through this remarkable skill that one can attempt unimaginable feats like decoding the human genome, routing millions of packets across networks, and even searching the entire internet. The Algorithm Invitational takes competitors through a series of brain teasers, coding challenges, and algorithmic puzzles, and seeks to engage the sharpest student minds in technology around interesting problems.

Total prize pool: $15,000

Competition starts: 15th November 2006 (First round closes 1st March 2007)

Project Hoshimi - Programming Battle

The Project Hoshimi - Programming Battle invitational brings to life the world of Professor Hoshimi and his faithful crew of scientists and programming experts in a fantasy of life and death. This popular competition uses a background story, comic style graphics, and very real challenges to test the skills of programmers everywhere and allows them to compete, directly online, with people all over the nation the world to see who has the fastest program to save the day. In Project Hoshimi - Programming Battle, entrants write the code representing the behaviour and strategy of a team of characters going through different types of missions, which are then played out in a virtual 3D environment.

Total prize pool: $15,000

Competition starts: 15th November 2006 (First round closes 1st March 2007)

IT Challenge

The IT Invitational highlights the art and science of developing, deploying, and maintaining IT systems that are efficient, functional, robust and secure. In most scenarios IT professionals have a base set of tools and techniques, but still have to work through custom needs and configurations that require an intimate understanding of how all the pieces fit together. They also have to know how far the systems can be pushed before they might break. The IT invitational challenges students to demonstrate proficiency in the science of networks, databases, and servers, as well as the areas of analysis and decision making in IT environments

Total prize pool: $15,000

Competition starts: 15th November 2006 (First round closes 1st March 2007)

Embedded development

Devices are becoming smaller, more portable and are having a greater impact on our everyday lives. This category provides an opportunity to unleash students' creativity and to change the world by developing their own embedded device. Formerly the Windows Embedded Student Challenge, this competition challenges entrants to go beyond the desktop, challenge their creativity, and build a complete hardware and software solution using Windows CE and the hardware provided.

Total prize pool: $15,000

Competition starts: 15th November 2006 (First round closes 15th February 2007)

Web development

The Web has redefined how people enquire, learn, and organize information. There are now endless possibilities for individuals to become exposed to ideas, movements, curiosities, topics, and more. This invitational calls on students to use the Web to create innovative educational sites for their peers using ASP.NET and related technologies.

Total prize pool: $15,000

Competition starts: 15th November 2006 (Round closes 1st March 2007)