SENSE OF WONDER NIGHT 2010
Organized by
Computer Entertainment Supplier's Association / Nikkei Business Publications, Inc.
Cooperation by
International Game Developers Association Japan Chapter (IDGA Japan)
Sponsored by
Affiliated businesses (TBD)
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What's New
8/26/2010 SOWN 2010 announces the 9 presenters!
The SENSE OF WONDER NIGHT (SOWN) is an event to discover new game ideas that will catch people by surprise and give them a "Sense of Wonder" - a sense that something will change in their world - right at the instant of seeing or hearing the concept. It spotlights motivated game developers by providing them with an opportunity to present their ideas and prototypes.
Two new initiatives are being introduced in 2010, the third year of SOWN.
1) Introduction of the Smartphone Category
In consideration of the recent trend in which applications for iPhone, iPod touch, iPad, Android, and Windows Phone are being developed even at the individual level, a new category focusing on smartphone games is being introduced.
2) Installation of the SOWN Pavilion
During the two Business Days, games selected for the presentation will be exhibited at the SOWN Pavilion. This will also provide opportunities for the presenters to meet industry participants, and to exchange and share opinions and ideas for future developments.
We have begun inviting entries to SOWN 2010. Why don't you show your idea to the Tokyo Game Show audiences who come from around the world? And we would like you to be inspired by other presenters and audiences and find new experience and network at SOWN.
Objectives of “SENSE OF WONDER NIGHT”
- To introduce games with a game design and ideas that are experimental and creative, and that cannot be called conventional or traditional
- To heighten awareness of the importance of creating a game that gives people a “sense of wonder”, a sense that something will change in their world, and to invigorate the game industry
- To offer people creating experimental games opportunities for the future
- To create new domains in the game industry
Games of any genre, platform, language, degree of completion, already released or non-released, which meet one or more of the following criteria:
- A game realizing an innovative user interface
A game that employs features such as natural language processing, image recognition or gesture control to present a new kind of experience - A game created through an automatic generation process
A game that creates a world where the game play or the environment in which the users are playing is changed dramatically according to selections made by the users - A game with an interactive story-telling concept
A game that presents a story experience in a new way with a potential of developing into a tool to create a totally new story - A game with emergent elements
A game that creates a new form of game play by skillfully incorporating the physical system into the game play elements and by combining AIs - An amazing game
Any kind of new, eye-grabbing, and impressive game!!
Games to which the following conditions apply will NOT meet the selection criteria:
- A game in which only the elements comprising the game are the key factor
A game in which the newness and highlight are focused on the elements comprising the game (such as the background setting, situation, character design, graphics, story, audio, etc.) instead of the game itself - A game of a new genre created by combining or rehashing existing genres
However, a game providing a truly new game experience may be considered for acceptance. - A game that is new only in targeting a specific user group
A game will not be deemed as being new and innovative just because it is focused on a specific user group (such as female users or the elderly). However, a game providing a truly new game experience may be considered for acceptance. - A game created for the purpose of demonstrating a technological innovation, experimental business model, or distribution mechanism
Games of this kind will not be completely rejected from the screening process, but they must demonstrate that they are capable of directly and tangibly changing the game experience.
Thanks
The "SENSE OF WONDER NIGHT" event has received a lot of inspiration from the "Experimental Gameplay Workshop" that was started at the Game Developers Conference in 2002. We would like to express our thanks to the many people who helped to make these workshops a success and to all our friends.