UPDATE 11/18: We've picked the eight finalists, so check your email. Voting starts tomorrow!

Get cracking on the best darn ship you can put together, because we’re adding eight finalists’ designs to the release version of Galactic Civilizations III – and entering those eight finalists into a community-voted bracket that awards $1,000 to the ultimate winner.

Submit your ship to the contest here.

Here’s how it works:

Anyone can enter the contest – you don’t even need to personally own a copy of the game. Simply submit your design via screenshot, and the Galactic Civilizations III team will hand-pick eight finalists who will have their design included in the final game.

Once those finalists are chosen, we’ll run a community-voting bracket where you all get to determine who advances toward the grand prize of $1,000.

The schedule looks like this:

• November 5-16: Submissions are open.
• November 16: Submissions close.
• November 19-21: The bracket begins with Round 1, Matchup 1. Voting is open to the community. Whoever gets the most votes advances.
• November 22-24: Round 1, Matchup 2 is open for voting.
• November 25-27: Round 1, Matchup 3.
• November 28-30: Round 1, Matchup 4.
• December 1-3: Semifinals, Matchup 1.
• December 4-6: Semifinals, Matchup 2.
• December 7-9: Final Round! Fight!
• December 10: The ultimate winner is announced.
• December ??: Beta 3 released, adding ship-to-ship combat, the Yor faction, and much more to the game!

Good luck, and don’t forget to check back for the voting rounds that begin on November 19!

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FAQ

Can–
Let me stop you right there and suggest that you read the rules of the contest. Many of your questions are answered there.

Is the contest open to non-US residents?
Yes, though every entrant is responsible for knowing the laws of the jurisdiction where they live. All offers void where prohibited.

Can I submit multiple ships?
Yes, but we reserve the right to be annoyed if you spam us, which probably won’t help your chances of being selected. Probably try to stay under five submissions.

Can I submit a ship I designed a while back and posted to the official forums/Steam community?
Sure, any Galactic Civilizations III ship qualifies.

Can I submit a ship made in the Galactic Civilizations II editor?
No. Only ships that can be successfully imported into Galactic Civilizations III are eligible.

I missed the submission deadline. Will you consider my ship, pretty please?
Nope, sorry.

I have another question that isn’t answered here.
If it truly isn’t answered in the rules (it probably is), ask it here or by tweeting @stardock.

FAQ UPDATE 11/6

What size ships are you looking for?
Any size. Whatever supports your artistic vision.

Do you want bare hulls, or finished designs with lasers, shields, etc?
Hulls, generally. That's most likely how any winners will be included in the game, anyway.

Will ship designs based on TV shows, movies, etc. be considered?
Probably not. Not because they're not awesome, but because Stardock doesn't want to dive into those particular legal waters.

What about ships that we imagine might work in a not-yet-implemented faction (Yor, Thalan, Iconian), since those ship parts aren't available yet?
We welcome any submission that uses any set of parts, or any mix of any parts. Really what we're looking for are awesome, original designs of all kinds.

Should we avoid moving parts since you asked for screenshot submissions?
Absolutely not! Just record a movie of your ship in motion and upload it to YouTube (FRAPS is an easy way to do this, though there are a billion different ways to record and upload to YouTube these days) and include the link in your submission -- we have a text field there specifically for this reason. 

Does that mean our ships need to be animated to have a chance of winning?
Absolutely not! Animation is just another tool in your toolbox. Use it or don't; it's all about whatever works best for your particular design.