SENSE OF WONDER NIGHT(SOWN)
What is "SENSE OF WONDER NIGHT"?
SENSE OF WONDER NIGHT (SOWN) 2020 throws spotlights on game developers to draw wellspring of ideas which may stir the static concept of the game. In other words, SOWN2020 will find out the game ideas causing “SENSE OF WONDER”. To make such unique ideas widely known, SOWN would provide a presentation opportunity for game developers with unique ideas at TOKYO GAME SHOW. SOWN2020 commemorates the 13th anniversary with internationally increasing applications.
Last year, total of 8 presenters had been selected presenters out of 86 Indie Game Area exhibitors. Nomination process was conducted through the screening committee consists of indie game experts, creators and publishers inside and outside of Japan. 8 presenters from 4 countries/regions were selected. Countries of nomination were as follows: four from Japan, two form US, each one from China and Poland. About 400 people attended SOWN2019, where the venue was packed with excitement and international atmosphere applauding each presentation by shaking toy hammers!
"Grand Audience Award" "Best Technological Game Award" "Best Arts Award" "Best Experimental Game Award" "Best Game Design Award" "Best Presentation Award" trophies were given in the end and all of eight developers enjoyed networking at International party + Indie Night with attendees and screening committee members.
The entire applicants for the SOWN2020 are set to be entered as prospective exhibitors for Indie Selected Exhibit (for Free of Charge) at the TGS2020. The applicants are elected as the exhibitors of Indie Selected Exhibit (for Free of Charge) according to fair screening by the selection committee. Furthermore, the finalists of SOWN2020 will be chosen from the applicants elected as the exhibitors of Indie Game Section Selected Exhibit by the selection committee.
SOWN2020 Presentation
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Date
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Friday, September 25, 2020 (17:00 to 19:00, tentative)
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Venue
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The event will be held in Tokyo with the online live streaming. (tentative)
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Prize Money
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Grand prix (Grand Audience Award) 3,000 USD 3,000
Other awards (Best Game Design Award, etc.) 500 USD
Notes: The Presentation Day
- The presenter is assumed to be displayed at Indie Game "Selected Exhibit”.
- Each presenter will be given 10 minutes for their presentation. Each presenter will be asked to present or demonstrate the games to the audience.
(There will be consecutive English-Japanese interpreting for all presentations.)
- Finalists participating from overseas and remote areas will give presentations online or show
presentation videos submitted in prior to the event.
- Video-streaming of all presentations is scheduled. Other information on the presented game ideas provided in advance will also be subject to release on TGS2020 ONLINE.
Objectives of "SENSE OF WONDER NIGHT"
● To introduce game with a game design and ideas that are experimental and creative, and that cannot be called conventional or traditional
● To raise awareness of the great value of "sense of wonder" in games, which may transform the common sense of game, and lead to invigorate the game industry
● To offer people creating experimental games opportunities for the future product release
● To create new domains in the game industry
Why don't you show your idea? And we would like you to be inspired by other presenters and audiences and find new experience and network at SOWN2020.
Acknowledgement
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 2001. We would like to express our thanks to the many people who helped to make these workshops a success and to all our friends.
Games for SOWN
1. A game that realizes a totally new, never-seen-before gaming experience
A game that employs technologies that have not previously been used successfully, such as natural language processing, physics engines, image recognition or gesture control, to present a new kind of experience.
2 . A game that challenges the common sense of games
A game that pursues new ways of gaming expressions and changes the player's vision of the world after playing and experiencing it.
3 . A game with emergent features
A game that brings user's activities into the game world by embedding features such as AI interactions and social elements.
4 . A game that makes people want to play it immediately
A game that makes everyone thinks that they want to enjoy the new experience for themselves and feel that they want to treasure it.
5 . 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:
1. A game in which only the elements comprising the game are the key factor
A game in which the newness and highlights are focused on the one elements comprising the game (such as the background setting, situation, character design, graphics, story, audio, etc.) instead of the game itself.
2. 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.
3. 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.
4. A game created for the purpose of demonstrating a technological innovation, experimental business model, or distribution mechanism
A game of this kind will not be completely rejected from the screening process but they must demonstrate that it is capable of directly and tangibly providing a new game experience.
Member of committee
(coming soon)
Contact
SENSE OF WONDER NIGHT 2020 Secretariat
E-mail：indiegame@eventinfo.tokyo
(Only e-mail inquiries will be accepted)