2018 IVRC Immerse-a-thon! (VR/AR Hackathon)

2018 IVRC Immerse-a-thon! (VR/AR Hackathon)

The Idaho Virtual Reality Council, in partnership with the Boise Public Library presents the 2018 Immerse-a-thon! Join us at the downtown Boise Public Library on September 22nd and 23rd. Get ready for an exciting and fun event! Teams can sign up under the Student or Community category. Each division will have a winner. Those winners will compete against each other for the Grand Prize!

What, When, Where

What - A virtual and augmented reality hackathon
When - September 22nd and 23rd
Where - Boise Public Library (Main Branch)
Cost - FREE

Prizes

• $2,000 Grand Prize!
• (2) 1 Year Unity Pro Licenses (1 for each division winner)
• (2) HTC Vive's (1 for each division winner)
• VR1 Passes (Student Division Winner)
• And more!

Participants Get

• Food
• Immerse-A-Thon T-shirt
• VR1 Passes

Theme: Dance Party!

Dates/Times: An overnight event starting 8am the morning of Saturday, September 22nd and ending 6pm Sunday, September 23rd.

Location: Boise Public Library (Main) - Main Auditorium, 715 S Capitol Blvd, Boise, ID 83702

Registration: Registration is FREE! Registration includes t-shirt and food for participants.

Support: Device and periodic tech support available.

Judges

• Duane Mathes - Black Box VR
• Eliza Ruby - Boise Public Library
• Brendan Smythe - VR1 Arcade
• More to be announced!

RULES & REGULATIONS
Hardware/Software requirements

• Each team should have at least one computer with an i5 processor or an equivalent.
• A GPU capable of running Unity/Unreal
• A functioning copy of Unity Game Engine

Not Your Average Hackathon

This isn’t just a hackathon, this is an Immerse-a-thon. This is our special way of telling you that the event will be geared towards immersive technologies such as virtual and augmented realities. So be prepared to create projects that can be tested and showcased on VR head mounted displays

Be Civil, Be Friendly, Be Awesome

You are developers and contributors to what is perhaps one of the most exciting and impactful technologies ever created. As pioneers it is up to you to promote the industry and encourage more people to enter the space. It is on all of us to cultivate a spirit of diversity that is accepting of hackers of every race, sexual orientation, religion, gender, and ability level. Any conduct that is contrary to this will result in the disqualification of the hacker from the event and his/her removal from the premises. So please use this event as an opportunity to teach, learn, build, fail, succeed, and most of all, have fun!

We Want Something New, Original, and Exciting

Don’t be afraid to go for the longshot. This event is about pushing boundaries and identifying teams and individuals who have disruptive visions and are willing to make them a reality.

Don’t Just Talk, Build

Of course we want to hear about great ideas, but ultimately we want to see you turn your ideas into something tangible. At the end of the day it’s what you have built that will speak louder than your words.
If you have identified a potential project that fits within the theme of the event then we encourage teams to go through the ideation and wireframing process beforehand. This will allow your team to spend more time creating and less time trying to figure out what you want to build.

No Coding Before the Event

All projects must be entirely coded during the event. However, if needed, hackers may utilize open-source code, API’s and frameworks. Prefabs and assets may be used as long as their use is fully disclosed, however it does look good if you are able to create some of your own original assets. If teams want to develop their own assets before the event that is OK as long as there isn't any coding involved. Bringing your own custom assets is no different than just buying ones right from the assets store.

Use Version Control Software

Using a version control software like GIT or Mercurial is a good idea. It will help you keep track of your code and verify its originality should your team make it to the finals.

Be Prepared To Show Us Your Code

If your team is selected as a finalist be prepared to show us your code. We want to make sure that your code is original and valid. This will be done by a judge selected by the Idaho Virtual Reality Council. Rest assured that your code and ideas belong to you and only you and will not be shared or distributed to any other parties.

Size Matters

• Team size can range from 1 - 6 hackers. In order to maintain fairness we will not allow teams larger than this to participate.
• If you are a lone hacker but still want to participate sign up anyway and we will do our best to connect you with other hackers that don't have a team.
• Hackers may not officially be a member of more than one team, however it is permissible for a hacker to lend his/her expertise to another team’s project if they choose.

To Participate in the Student Division

You must now be enrolled in an area high school, university, code camp, or have graduated within 12 months prior to the event. If you participate in the event as a student please be prepared to provide proof (student ID, school correspondence . . .).
Be Respectful of Library Staff and Members

Faculty as well as Library members will be in the building during the event. Immerse-a-thon participants are guests of the library and must be respectful of faculty and library member’s right to a relatively quiet space.

Project Scoring

Each team's project will be evaluated by a panel of judges in the following categories:

1. The idea (Is it good?) - 10pts
2. Design (Does it look good?) - 10pts
3. Functionality (Does it work well?) - 10pts
4. Originality (Is it unique?)- 10pts
5. Viability (Could the project become a real product?) - 10pts
6. Simplicity (Can the project be clearly explained in a few sentences?) - 10pts
7. Tech Bonus Points - if you decide to leverage the HTC Focus - 10 pts

• The four quarter finalists will be given the chance to present their project to the whole group at the end of the day on Sunday the 23rd.
  A semifinalist from each division will be selected and named at the end of the event.
• The two semi finalists will be given the opportunity to present their projects at the 2018 VR Bash, where the Grand Prize Winner will be announced.
• Judges begin review on Sunday (Specific timing is dependent on the number of participants)
• Quarter Finalists announced and present Sunday Afternoon (timing TBA)
• Semifinalists named at the end of the Immerse-a-thon
• In the case of a tie, the team with the highest score in the category "could the project become a real product" will be declared winner. If the finalists tie once again, two independent judges not involved in the original judging process will be called upon to evaluate the projects.

For more information please contact Annie Morley - annie@idahovirtualreality.com