Overview
Agenda:
| 11:00 AM | 0:10 | Arrival |
| 11:10 AM | 0:10 | Full Group Ice Breaker |
| 11:20 AM | 0:10 | Intros, Overview of the Day |
| 11:30 AM | 0:30 - 0:45 | Micro-Lesson by Mr. Ameen Al-Tajer |
| 12:00 PM | 0:05 | Introduce Mentor Feedback Protocols |
| 12:05 PM | 2:25 | Student Working / Co-Working |
| 2:30 PM | 0:10 | Full Group Energizer |
| 2:40 PM | 0:15 | Competition Registration (http://bit.ly/GX-Competition) |
| 2:55 PM | 0:05 | Student Survey / Feedback |
| 3:00 PM | 0:20 | Sharing of Works in Progress |
| 3:20 PM | 0:10 | Showcase “Registration” / Complete |
| 3:30 PM | 0:00 | End of Day! |
What
The Game Exchange program culminates in an annual international game design competition, through which participating can enter their original social impact games for the chance to win awesome prizes, including video games, technology, and more!
Who
Game Exchange participants: middle and high school students (ages 12-18)
When
Saturday, 22 January 2022
Theme
United Nations Sustainable Development Goals: Human Rights, Healthy Planet, and Sustainable Societies.
Judging Criteria
Gameplay, Originality, Use of Theme, Game Studio, and Wow Factor
Submission Instructions
Step 1: Join the Competition
Click on the "Join jam" button to be able to upload your game!
Step 2: Submit Your Project
Click on the "Submit your project" button, and you will see a pop-up window.
In this new window, click on the "Upload game" button.
Step 3: Game Details
Now, enter all details of your game, and make sure to include an attractive image!
There are a few critical steps to look out for:
- Select "Games" under "Classifications", and "Downloadable" under "Kind of Project"
- Set the "Pricing" to "No Payment"
Step 4: Add Your Game
In a new tab, go to your game's page on Scratch, then click on "Copy Link" and copy the full link of your game from the pop-up window.
Now, in the competition's page, click on "Add External File" under "Uploads". A new section appears above.
In the new section, change the type to "Source Code", than paste your game's link into the textbox below (https://).
Step 5: Final Touches
Set the visibility of your game to "Public" so others can play your game!
Then, click on the "Save & view page" button to finalize your submission.
Double-Check Your Submission
Visit the competition's submission page and look for your game to ensure that you have submitted it correctly.
About the Game Exchange Competition
The Game Exchange program culminates in an annual international game design competition, through which participating middle and high school students (ages 12-18) can enter their original social impact games for the chance to win awesome prizes, including video games, technology, and more! Game Exchange students will complete their competition entry form during a submission period that follows the round of virtual exchange in which they participated. Games will be evaluated in May-June by international panels of expert judges. All students will be notified of their standing in the competition in early June and winners will be announced at the Game Exchange Awards Ceremony in June 2022.
The hallmark of the Game Exchange student experience is the opportunity to collaborate with peers internationally. During each round of Game Exchange, students work in teams, forming ‘game studios’ with their peers from another part of the world, and together they will collaborate to define their studios’ name, brand (look and feel), studio values and the social impact topics their games will address. In addition to defining their studio identity, students in each country are tasked with creating games that align with their studio brand. The competition is structured to reward students that successfully create engaging and unique impact-oriented games that also reflect the values and brand defined by their cross-cultural ‘game studio.’
Game Exchange Competition Timeline
| Event | Date |
|---|---|
| Submission Period for Fall 2021 Participants | Dec 1, 2021 - Feb 1, 2022 |
| Submission Period for Winter/Spring 2022 Participants | Mar 1, 2022 - May 1, 2022 |
| Judging Period | May - June 2022 |
| Student Notification Letters | Early June 2022 |
| Competition Awards Ceremony | June 2022 |
COMPETITION RULES & ELIGIBILITY
General Rules:
- The competition is only open to students who participated in the 2021-2022 Game Exchange program.
- Each student may submit no more than one game to the competition.
- Entry forms must be completed during the competition submission period. NOTE: The submission period will immediately follow your participation in the program.
- Submission period for Fall 2021 students: Dec 1, 2021 - Feb 1, 2022
- Submission period for Winter/Spring 2022 students: Mar 1, 2022 - May 1, 2022
- Students may work on a game as an individual or in a team of up to four classmates.
- All competitors must meet the requirements in the ‘Student & Team Eligibility’ section below.
- If the game or submission form violates Game for Change’s Terms of Use, the submission will be disqualified.
Game Guidelines:
- Games must be created using a free/open platform (ex: Scratch, Snap!, Twine, etc.). If you are unsure if a platform meets this requirement, email the G4C Team: game.exchange@gamesforchange.org
- Games must be playable on a web browser and shared via a URL
- Games must be about one of the 3 social impact theme categories:
- 1. Human Rights
- 2. Sustainable Societies
- 3. Healthy Planet
- Games may be created by a single student or by a team of up to 4 classmates
- If working in a team, students must select a ‘Team Leader’ who is responsible for completing the submission form and responding to communications related to the competition.
Student & Team Eligibility:
- The competition is open to any student (ages 12-18) who participated in the Game Exchange program (and lives in Bahrain).
- Students must provide a valid email address to communicate with competition organizers. (If possible, a personal email address is preferred over a school-affiliated email address, as it may may restrict emails from outside the school domain).
- Age Guidelines:
- If a student is under the age of 18, they must have consent from a parent, teacher or guardian to enter the competition.
- If a student is under the age of 13, an adult must complete the competition entry form on the student’s behalf.
- All applicants may be required to provide verification of enrollment, age, and parental/legal guardian permission.
COMPETITION THEMES & AWARD CATEGORIES
Competition Structure:
The Game Exchange Competition recognizes excellence in the creation of original video games developed by youth in Bahrain, Israel, the United Arab Emirates and the United States. Students will submit games created during their participation in Games for Change’s virtual exchange game design program, called Game Exchange, and competitors will have the opportunity to win prizes at the regional and international level. First, students will compete at the regional level against others in their country with winners recognized in each of three theme categories derived from the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals: Human Rights, Healthy Planet, and Sustainable Societies. Regional winners from each country will then advance to compete against each other for the title of ‘International Champion.’ An ‘International Champion’ will be recognized in each of the three theme categories.
Award Categories:
Bahrain
- Best Game: Healthy Planet
- Best Game: Sustainable Societies
- Best Game: Human Rights
International Champions
- Best Overall Game: Healthy Planet
- Best Overall Game: Sustainable Societies
- Best Overall Game: Human Rights
Judging Criteria:
Games will be evaluated by an international group of games industry professionals and theme topic experts. All games will be evaluated (and scored) in each of the following judging categories:
Gameplay:
- Is the game playable? Is the gameplay smooth and bug-free?
- Is the gameplay well-balanced (not too easy/hard)?
- Do players have meaningful choices in the process of achieving the game’s goal?
Originality:
- Is the game concept new, fresh, and innovative?
- How unique is the design; does it bear little resemblance to other games?
Use of Theme:
- Does the game address its theme in a meaningful way?
- Is the theme at the forefront of the game?
- Is theme information presented clearly and accurately?
Game Studio:
- Did the student(s) present a clear vision of their game studio’s values and identity?
- Does the game seem to align with the values and identity of the creator(s)’ ‘game studio’ (as described in the submission form)?
Wow Factor:
- How fun is the game?
- Would you recommend it to someone else to play?
