Create an experimental hardware game

Playing Narratives 17.11.2022.
Time n/a
Language English
Location Grafički kolektiv gallery
Price Free

Create an experimental hardware game

As part of the grand finale of this year's Playing Narratives program, as well as a pop-up exhibition of arthouse games from the A MAZE. / Berlin network, in cooperation with the Nordeus Foundation, we are organizing two workshops for high school students, who will have the opportunity to try their hand at designing alternative controllers for video games

As part of the interactive exhibition Playing Narratives x A MAZE., which will be presented in the Grafički kolektiv gallery from November 16th to 25th this year, and will feature 12 interactive works from the arthouse games domain, several special events will be held, such as workshops, lectures and the final pitching event of this year’s Playing Narratives cycle.

In cooperation with the Nordeus Foundation, SGA, the Goethe-Institut and the French Institute in Serbia, as the initiators of the Playing Narratives project which has been implemented since 2021, will also organize two workshops for high school students, which will be attnded by 40 participants who will have the opportunity to work with Robin Baumgarten, a prominent hardware designer and interactive artist.

Absolute beginners will have the opportunity to build their first experimental hardware game from scratch, without any prior knowledge!

They will get to know the BBC Micro:bit hardware system, learn how to talk to LED light strips and use different sensors to experiment with unusual inputs and outputs. They will even use a yoga mat and a pencil to make their own cold pressure sensor!

Knowledge of programming or electronics is not necessary at all. Participants only need to bring their curiosity and laptop, and then everything they end up building with them.

The workshop is not open to the public or for registration. The Nordeus Foundation, in direct cooperation with secondary schools, will organize the arrival of participants in two terms. Thank you for your understanding.

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As in the previous year, the Playing Narratives program is supported by the Franco-German Cultural Fund, which was established in 2003 on the occasion of the 40th anniversary of the Elysée Agreement. The general sponsor is Unreal Engine (that is, the companies Epic Games and 3Lateral), while the prominent sponsor is the company Ubisoft Belgrade. This year, the company Webelinx Games from Niš also joined the implementation as a sponsor, while additional support in the implementation will be provided by the French and Goethe institutes from the entire region. The exhibition itself was supported by the Creative Tech Serbia supercluster, with the support of USAID Serbia and ICT Hub Belgrade (through the Serbia Innovates project).

Robin Baumgarten,
Experimental Playful Hardware Designer
About the lecturer

Robin Baumgarten is an experimental hardware game developer based in Berlin.

Coming from an AI and commercial game dev background, he is now building interactive installation art and award-winning experimental custom controller games, such as Line Wobbler and Wobble Garden.