I'm sure, if DB got their new models out, they probably woulda won. A big graphical overhaul might have the yield a two time victory, alas, we must wait for the next phase.
differences between 1.8 (phase1) and 1.9 (phase2) were not that big, mainly replay.
they also judge on changes. so if you submit the same again you have no chance.
I will say that while I'm not floored by Unwheel, the ctf and "rabbit" games are exactly what I was looking for in some of the suggestions I was making to the UD team.. Almost makes me wonder if they were spying. Either that, or they had compared it to the older games I had in mind and wanted the same thing in UT.
Either way, get back to developing. As much as UD is your baby, and you love it as such, there's no denying that unwheel is much further down the road.. no pun intended.
As for it beating Deathball.. gamewise, no way. But when davidm pointed out the criteria... oh.. well... Yeah. DB didn't get enough into the product in time vs the changes uw did.
makes not much sense
on one hand they say you dont need to qualify for another phase, each round is independet, but on th other hand they judge on changes made from phase 1 to phase 2
hm! 0_o
Maybe they made more changes because UnWheel was less 'perfected' than DB, a flawed product that won out of sympathy in Phase 1 and because of this they had to make more changes
..and I've probably played a way too early beta last time I saw it 
