Critical Hit calls for applications to Wearable Games, Summer 2015.
Critical Hit is a special kind of games incubator that develops experimental, avant-garde, unique, and otherwise innovative games that would not be made in a commercial setting. Critical Hit: Wearable Games is the fourth summer game incubator organized by the Technoculture, Art and Games (TAG) Research Center at Concordia University and Dawson College. Games from our program have been featured at IndieCade, Gamercamp, Montreal ComicCon, Vector Fest, GDC, Google Play and Steam.
This year we focus on wearable technology. Participants will be working with and thinking around wearable technology as a site for satire, story telling, critical reflection, speculative making, modification of interpersonal relations and experimental forms of playfulness.
Critical Hit: Wearable Games will happen begin June 15 and end on August 21, 2015. This year’s program will feature all of Critical Hit’s program staples: game jams, industry and academic mentors, and public playtesting.
The goal of Critical Hit: Wearable Games is to explore the expressive potential of game design through wearable technology. Critical Hit is not about training participants to work in the game industry, but about giving participants the space and opportunity to experiment with game design, to chase crazy ideas and push to make something novel.
Forget what you know about how games are usually made and embrace the maker inside of you. The organizers hope to see applicants with a variety of backgrounds, expertise and an ambition to tell stories and gameplay that can challenge the status quo of game making. The call goes out to makers of all sorts: game makers, performers, students, indie-developers, choreographers, musicians, storytellers, hackers, coders, and anybody else who wants to push the limits of game design. Use your craft to show the world how you envision games and game-like experiences.
Application procedure:
Who Should Apply?
We accept applicants on an individual basis. Because the program consists of several game jams you will have the opportunity to work with many different people (ideally everyone!) before the program is over.
We are looking for programmers who are flexible and curious to explore wearable technologies including various platforms and environments as well as artists of all kinds: game makers, performers, students, indie-developers, choreographers, musicians, storytellers, hackers, coders. The ideal applicant will have some game design and development experience, such as having participated in game jams previously. Participants should be eager to learn new skills, try new things, and most importantly, work with new people.
Critical Hit is a full-time investment, and participants must be available during normal work hours.
How to Apply
If you are interested in applying to Critical Hit, please fill out this form then send us a single .pdf file named “CH15.YourName.pdf” with the following information to games.collaboratory@gmail.com by March 15, 2015, at 23h59 (11:59pm) EST. Send application emails with the subject “CH15 APPLICATION Your Name”
- Your Name
- Contact information (email, phone, twitter)
- Resume / CV (include relevant skills)
- A link to any portfolio items (please host these online, do not include them with the application) If your game has alternative controllers, include photos or gameplay video as well.
- A short statement (approximately 250 – 500 words max) that addresses the following questions:
- Why do you want to participate in Critical Hit?
- What are your goals for the program?
- What do you hope to get out of participating in Critical Hit?
- What areas do you want to contribute to? Graphics, game design, sound, programming, hardware, hacking, crafting? Anything else?
- What experience do you have in game development/DIY/hacking?
- What tools or programming languages are you comfortable with?
- What other applications, methods, hardware/software are you comfortable working with? Photoshop? Pro Tools? Audacity? Soldering? MakeyMakey? Arduino? Sewing? Knitting? Sticker making? Others?
- Which games have been particularly important or meaningful to you?
Do not forget to fill out the application form at http://goo.gl/forms/61dbIAYgtB
APPLICATIONS ARE DUE
MARCH 15, 2015, at 23h59 (11:59pm).
Mentoring Opportunities
A goal of Critical Hit is to connect participants to skilled mentors. If you are interested in some of our many mentoring opportunities, such as running workshops, playtesting, giving one-on-one feedback, jamming with us for a week, or anything else you can think of, please let us know! Contact us at games.collaboratory@gmail.com and use “CH Mentor” as a subject for more details.
Partner Opportunities
If you happened to develop some awesome wearable technology and you wish someone made a game for it, you might consider donating some of your awesome tech to our incubator for our participants to work with. Please contact us at games.collaboratory@gmail.com and use “CH Partner” as a subject for more details.
FAQ
- When is Critical Hit?
- From June 15 through August 21, 2015.
- What are the deadlines for applying?
- Applications are due March 15th. Top candidates will then be invited for an interview between April 1 and April 15.
- When will participants be notified?
- We will let everyone know by May 1st.
- Will there be financial support for participants?
- Yes! Participants will be paid $3,000 over the 10-week period.
- Will computers be provided?
- We require participants to bring their own laptops and other hardware. Because you will be working with many different people you will not have your own consistent desk.
- Will hackable / wearable things be provided?
- We will do our best to provide a wide variety of wearable technology participants to bring their own laptops and other hardware. Because you will be working with many different people you will not have your own consistent desk.
- When do I have to be at Critical Hit?
- Critical Hit is a full-time investment, and participants must be available during normal work hours.
- Where is Critical Hit?
- Critical Hit will take place in Concordia’s TAG Lab, at Concordia University in Montreal. The TAG lab is on the 11th floor of the EV building downtown. The Guy-Concordia metro station is in the basement of the EV building.
- I have a question that is apparently not frequently asked. How do I get more info?
- Send an email to games.collaboratory@gmail.com with the word “CH Question” in the subject and we will get back to you as soon as you can.