GameFlood, an online site for playing and creating add-on video game content and division of Turbo Squid, yesterday announced the winners of its Mod and Map Making Contest. The winners collectively took home $25,000 in cash and prizes. GameFlood’s community nominated the top 10 finalists in each category, and a panel of industry expert judges chose the winners. Over the past few years, modding, or modifying an existing game, has increasingly gained acceptance as being a recognized path for aspiring game developers to show their chops and get into the industry. The pastime was once thought of as being just for hobbyists, but is now even accepted by The Independent Games Festival as a type of student game submission. Modders or students who are looking to enter similar contests can view the winning submissions, listed below, at GameFlood’s web site for inspiration, as well as information about the level of competition they can expect to face. WINNERS 1. Best FPS Mod First Prize: Project Reality by requiem Second Prize: Follow Freeman HL2 Co-op Beta 2 by Merciless Development Third Prize: Frag.Ops by Frag Ops 2. Best FPS Map First Prize: dod_dijon by Furyo Second Prize: de_stratocorp2 by heyo7 Third Prize: cs_xmas by stormseeker 3. Best RTS Mod First Prize: Fall from Heaven II 0.23c by Kael Second Prize: Cold War Crisis v0.6 by InvaderZim Third Prize: The Ancient Mediterranean by Laurino 4. Best RTS Map First Prize: Earth 18 civs by Rhye Second Prize: D-Day Coop (3 Players) by Mannerheim Henry666; Third Prize: Thanksgiving III by RF_Gandalf 5. Best RPG Mod First Prize: Tamriel Rebuilt by TR_Team Second Prize: Natural Environments by Max_Tael Third Prize: Wayfarer’s Rest by baratheon79 6. Best RTS Mini-Mod ActualQuotes for Warlords by Willowmound 7. Best RPG Mini-Mod Capes and Cloaks by Someone1074