[arg_discuss] Run a Game in the 1st Annual Come Out & Play Festival (September 22-24, 2006)

[Gregory Trefry]

I met a number of you out at the GDC SIG get-together.  A fine get-together
it was.  At the meeting, my partner, Catherine Herdlick and I talked about a
street games festival that we are putting together in New York City.  We're
very interested in work that crosses over from screen into the
real-world--everything from huge scavenger hunts to new types of technology
enabled capture-the-flag.  And ARGs are certainly some of the most
interesting works out there doing blurring this boundary.

I just wanted to send along the call for submissions.  The Festival is going
to have a headquarters in lower Manhattan and will run Sep 22-24.  If anyone
is interested in this type of work, we'd love to see some ARG related games
in the festival.  It should be a big nexus of players and media attention
for the whole medium.  Plus it should be tons of fun.

Have any questions, let me know.

Thanks.

Greg

url: comeoutandplay.org
email: gtrefry at comeoutandplay.org


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TURN THE STREETS INTO A PLAYGROUND BY RUNNING A GAME IN THE FIRST ANNUAL
COME OUT & PLAY FESTIVAL SEPTEMBER 22-24

THE MISSION
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The Come Out & Play Festival seeks to provide a forum for new types of
public games and play. We want to bring together a public eager to
rediscover the world around them through play with designers interested in
producing innovative new games and experiences.

ABOUT THE FESTIVAL
---------
Come Out & Play is the first festival dedicated to street games. It is three
days of play, talks and celebration, all focused on street games. The
festival will have a headquarters in downtown Manhattan where participants
can learn about upcoming games and see documentation of completed games.
The games themselves will be run in a variety of public locations around New
York City.  From massive multi-player walk-in events to carefully
constructed play performances, there will be something for every type of
player.  Throughout the festival players and designers will have the chance
to interact during games and panels and jointly conceive the future of this
growing form.

Street games is an inclusive term for real world games and game-like
performances that transform urban public spaces in meaningful ways. Games
played in public spaces are an increasingly popular phenomenon and often mix
performance art and urban play, inviting players and spectators to
re-examine the tapestry of the city.  From city-wide scavenger hunts to the
real-life games of Pac-Man played around Washington Square Park, these games
invite participants to collaboratively re-imagine their surroundings through
a set of simple rules.  Players begin to see the very layout of the streets
as a game board and never look at the city grid quite the same way again.

The festival will feature roughly 15 official events from September 22-24,
2006. Events will take place throughout New York City at a variety of
locations and times.

Come Out & Play will enable artists and game designers to exchange ideas and
work in front of and with a diverse audience.  During the three-day
festival, New Yorkers will engage with playful art pieces and games,
discovering meaningful and emergent ways to interact in the public spaces of
New York City.  This festival will provide a unique opportunity for artists
and game designers to meet and create engaging experiences for the public.

For more information visit:
comeoutandplay.org

SUBMIT TO THE FESTIVAL
---------
Have you got a game? We want to include as many different types of games as
possible in the festival schedule.

We are looking specifically for games with defined goals and interesting,
meaningful choices for the players.  These games should be interactive and
directly engage the participants.  Your game can have a technology component
or it can be old school with absolutely no tech; to us, it's much more
important that the game produce an interesting experience for the players.
We will be reviewing submissions focusing on these criteria when we select
games for the schedule.

The festival will largely be centered in lower Manhattan, so we encourage
designers to utilize that area as a base for their games.  But it is by no
means a requirement.  The whole city is fair game.
Most importantly, your game must be playable in New York City during the
festival.

Your submission will be reviewed by a panel of experienced designers of
street games including PacManhattan, B.U.G., Conqwest, and Seasons of
Darkness. We really like playing in fun games. So make sure your game sounds
fun and interesting.  We like innovative use of public space.  We like games
which make people interact in new ways.  We like games that alter your
perception of your surroundings.

APPLICATION
To apply, visit www.comeoutandplay.org/submit.php and fill out an
application form.

SUBMISSION DEADLINE
June 30, 2006

NOTIFICATION
We will notify you by e-mail if your game has been accepted into the
festival schedule by July 14 2006.

We look forward to reading your proposal.

SCHEDULE
Submission deadline: June 30

Notifications: July 14

Festival: September 22-24

INQUIRIES?
Email us at info at comeoutandplay.org

PLAY or VOLUNTEER
Don't have a game, but still want to play or be involved?  Visit
comeoutandplay.org to sign up for alerts about the festival.

URL
comeoutandplay.org