Get a free ticket to MIX09 for having fun with Silverlight

Did I mention I’m going to MIX?  Will I see you there?  I could imagine that some have tight travel budgets, training budgets shrunk, yada, yada.  I’m telling you…if you are a Microsoft developer in the web and WPF space, you need to be at MIX09.  In an effort to help there are a bunch of ways to reduce some costs…here’s some:

• Register before 27 Feb 2009 with RSVP code: MIXLastChance and get $300 off the registration fee
• Share a creative picture about Internet Explorer (details and post yours here) and get a FREE pass to MIX
• Tell a fairy tale in WPF or Silverlight (details and post yours here) and get a FREE pass to MIX
• Solve some riddles on Laurence’s blog (details here) and get a FREE pass to MIX

I figured, why can't I have some fun as well?  I asked on Twitter for some suggestions and god a few good ideas.  Here’s my ideas: play a game or draw some pictures.

Option 1 – design a Line Rider map for MIX

One of my favorite Silverlight game implementations that requires some artistic skills is Line Rider.  So here’s the skinny:

Create a Line Rider map for MIX.  The map must include elements of the MIX09 art work (logo or current art) as well as some Las Vegas bling.  You could do a Las Vegas strip scene with some famous landmarks, making Bosch (the Line Rider character) cruise around the New York, New York rollercoaster, up the Paris tower, etc., etc.  Get creative.  Here’s some inspiration: Jagged Peak Adventure.

Post a link to a video of your track as a comment on this blog post prepending the subject with [Line Rider].  I’ll pick the winner Monday, 23 Feb 2009.  This gives you a while to do it, but at the same time plan accordingly for a trip to Vegas if you win :-).  This free pass is ONLY for registration so you still have to get yourself to Las Vegas plus any lodging you’d require.

Option 2 – Visualize Some Data with Silverlight

One of the MIX lab projects is Descry.  This is a project in data visualization.  It isn’t a toolkit that you can automatically apply to any data, but a lab project to take an approach on developing infographics which represent different ways to look at data.  So your task would be to get inspiration from Descry and create a data visualization in Silverlight using public data of some sort.  This could be something depressing like the unemployment rates over time in correlation to Presidential administrations or housing market values across your region.  Or it could be something even more interesting like perhaps the visualization of a Porshce design since the automaker’s inception, something with stock data (not a stock chart), etc.  Whatever.  You define it.  But use real information, nothing made up and name the source of your information!

Post a link to your Silverlight project as a comment on this blog post prepending the subject with [Descry].  I’ll also pick the winner of this one on Monday, 23 Feb 2009 by end of day. 

Option 3 – Create a new preloader

Inspired by similar thoughts that Page wrote recently which I agree on, I’m adding another option.  Create a new default preloader for Silverlight apps.  Use some wicked vectors, create an interesting animation.  Get inspired by other designers.  The goal would be to make it generic enough for anyone to use, but also creative.  That’s only a guide though…get crazy on this one.

Post a link to your running preloader as a comment on this blog post prepending the subject with [Preloader].

For both all of these please be sure to use a REAL email address in the comment form – it isn’t made public but will get to me…I need a way to contact you.  If you have questions, leave them here or ping me on Twitter as well!

Have fun and good luck!