New Festival at the HSE Design School — ‘Horizon of Indie Culture’
April 25 at the HSE Design School, another Game Design Festival — ‘Horizon of Indie Culture’ — will take place. This time, the program will feature not only games created by students and talks from industry experts but also creative activities in design and even a cosplay show.
〉FESTIVAL ZONES
Gaming Zone. In the main area of the festival, 30 original games created by students in various genres will be showcased. Guests can personally try out the projects and chat with the developers throughout the day.
Lecture Hall. Those interested in learning more about the industry and education can attend expert presentations, discussions, and workshops in a specially equipped area.
Quests. The organizers have prepared special tasks for the event's guests. Those who complete all the activities listed in the booklet will receive commemorative gifts.
Cosplay. The festival is not limited to games — you can meet characters from various universes, including those from the participants' games.
Student Organizations. Student groups from HSE have prepared a separate entertainment program for guests, including quizzes on famous games and their worlds.
〉FESTIVAL PROGRAM
12:00 || Start of festival activities. Opening of gaming zones and guest registration.
12:20 || Presentation of the ‘Game Design’ track.
Speaker: Anatoly Kazakov — head of the track.
12:30 || Presentation of the ‘Game Graphics and Concept Art’ profile.
Speaker: Eli Goren — head of the profile.
12:40 || Presentation of the undergraduate program ‘Game Development and Digital Products’.
Speakers: Pyotr Skovorodnikov and Denis Pozdnyakov — academic heads of the program.
12:30–17:10 || Tournament for the card game ‘Berserk. Classic’.
A tournament for the collectible card game by Hobby Games.
13:10–14:00 || Lecture from VK Play ‘PnL of the project: how, why, and when’.
In simple terms about the financial side of game projects: how money is distributed, what is important to consider in the project’s economy, and how PnL (Profit and Loss, or in Russian, the income statement reflecting the financial result of a game or studio over a certain period) is used for planning further development and release.
Speaker: Andrey Karelin, Head of Business Development VK Play.
14:10–15:00 || Lecture from the HSE Minecraft student organization ‘Building Without Borders: Lecture on Minecraft Architecture’.
Minecraft enthusiasts can learn how to create epic structures, work effectively with space, and implement any architectural fantasies in their favorite game.
15:10–16:00 || Workshop ‘Recycling Reality or Cardboard Art Object’.
An unusual workshop on cardboard level design, where each participant will design and assemble a room for their hero. Participants will be given regular cardboard, scissors, and glue. They will create a volumetric diorama-room filled with character and details. The workshop leaders, Varvara Badadgulova and Aaron Medvedev, will help realize any idea, whether it’s a hacker's hideout, a princess's boudoir, or an inventor's workshop.
16:00–17:30 || Pitching of projects from the gaming zone participants.
In game development, a pitch is a presentation of a game concept to potential investors, publishers, or partners for funding or collaboration. A pitch usually includes a brief description of the game, its target audience, main mechanics, and competitive advantages.
Festival guests will be able to see examples of good pitches and pointers on mistakes in poor ones.
18:00–19:00 || Announcement of results, awarding of winners.
〉VISITATION AND REGISTRATION
Date and time: April 25, starting at 12:00.
Address: Moscow, Pokrovsky Boulevard, 11 (metro ‘Kurskaya’/‘Chkalovskaya’).
The event is free. Pre-registration is required on the website (indicating the role of Guest or other). Upon entry, it will be necessary to present an identification document.