Name: Seattle VR Hackathon
Start: 2016-04-22T19:00:00-07:00
End: 2016-04-24T22:00:00-07:00
Location: UW Center for Education and Research in Construction (CERC)

Seattle VR Hackathon

The Seattle VR Hackathon Organizers (Trond, Greg, Karl, Eva, Heather, and Bridget)

<H2>The Seattle VR Hackathon is back! </H2>
Come join us for our third event, an opportunity to meet exciting new people and get hands-on experience with VR design and development while working on compelling projects.
<H2>What is a VR Hackathon?</H2>
A hackathon is a weekend-long event where people come together and form teams to work on project ideas and win prizes. As well as hacking together, a hackathon is an opportunity to meet awesome people and learn.
The VR hackathon focuses on the rapidly evolving technology of Virtual Reality and its many relatives - augmented reality, mixed reality, and novel interface technologies like gestures and haptics. 
The VR hackathon isn't just about technology, however - it's about content creation, design, and problem solving. If you have skills or interest in 3D modelling, film, graphics, education, sound design, game design, or any problem domain where VR might be relevant, a VR hackathon will be an event you'll enjoy and learn from.
<H2>Who can participate?</H2>
Even though it says "hacking" in the name, the hackathon is open to the whole VR community. We welcome developers, artists, industry professionals, researchers, film-makers, psychologists, sound designers, game designers, and general enthusiasts.
You don't have to be an expert. The VR hackathon is a great introduction to VR design and development, and we normally have participants at a whole range of skill levels.
Younger attendees are also welcome, but should expect to be participating with adults and must have an adult present if they are younger than 16 years of age. We are looking into how we can run a hackathon for teenagers at some point in the future. If you would like to know more, please reach out to us.
<H2>How much does it cost?</H2>
Registration for the weekend costs $60 per hacker. All proceeds go to paying for food and the venue. Anything that's left afterwards goes towards prizes.
Because we believe in transparency, we'll be publishing our financials after the event so you can see we haven't managed to slip a trip to Brazil in there somewhere.
<H2>OK. I'm convinced. When and where?</H2>
The Seattle VR Hackathon will be hosted at the University of Washington's Center for Education and Research in Construction, a 25,000 square foot facility at Sand Point. For those who have been to past VR hackathons, this is the same location.
The event will run over the weekend of April 22-24, starting 6pm Friday and ending 6pm Sunday.
<H3>Schedule</H3>
<H4>Friday </H4>
<UL>
<LI>
6:00 PM - VR Mega-Mixer begins
</LI>
<LI>
7:30 PM - Presentations 
</LI>
<LI>
8:00 PM - Hackathon Kickoff / Lightning Rounds / Team Formation 
</LI>
<LI>
10:00 PM - Adjourn
</LI>
</UL>
<H4>Saturday </H4>
<UL>
<LI>
9:00 AM - Registration / Breakfast 
</LI>
<LI>
9:30 AM - Hacking Begins!  
</LI>
<LI>
1:00 PM - Lunch 
</LI>
<LI>
7:00 PM - Dinner 
</LI>
<LI>
00:00 Hack overnight
</LI>
</UL>
<H4>Sunday</H4>
<UL>
<LI>
9:00 AM - Breakfast 
</LI>
<LI>
12:00 PM - Lunch 
</LI>
<LI>
1:00 PM - Hacking Concludes / Judging Begins
</LI>
<LI>
4:00 PM - Prizegiving 
</LI>
<LI>
4:15 PM - Hacker Expo Begins 
</LI>
<LI>
6:00 PM - Doors Close
</LI>
</UL>
<H2>Frequently Asked Questions</H2>
<H3>Do I have to know how to program to come to this event?</H3>
No! We welcome anyone with an interest in creating content for VR. People with skill in graphics, sound, and design are usually in high demand over the weekend. 
<H3>Do I need my own VR headset?</H3>
No! That said, if you have one, you should bring it.
VR applications can be quite credibly developed to run on smartphones using devices such as the Samsung Gear VR headset and the Google Cardboard. Though the Oculus, Vive and PSVR are likely to be the coolest VR systems available over the next year or so, the Gear and Google Cardboard will probably be how most people first experience VR. Both are very easy to work with and cheap to obtain online. 
To buy a Gear VR, try Amazon. To obtain a Google Cardboard, try https://www.google.com/get/cardboard/. 
<H3>What should I bring?</H3>
You will need to bring a computer that you can work on and any peripherals you want to use.
If you have a gaming PC, this would be a good choice, as VR runs best on machines with dedicated graphics cards. If you don’t have one, don’t worry - you can achieve an awful lot with a regular entry-level laptop, particularly if you’re building for a lightweight device like the Google Cardboard. Even if you don’t have a computer, you’re welcome to participate, as there are many aspects of design that don’t involve working on the computer. You’ll need to join a team that has computers, however.
You might also want to bring extension cords and power strips. We will provide many of these, but it’s always helpful to have your own. 
Make sure any equipment you bring is properly labeled with your name. As a community run event, we cannot assume any liability for any equipment that is lost or stolen over the weekend. We've never had anything go missing before, and hackathon participants will be in the space for the entire time, so you should be fine, but the best person to look after your stuff is you, so plan accordingly.
We will provide meals and snacks throughout the weekend. If you’re planning on hacking overnight, don’t forget to bring a toothbrush and some deodorant! Your teammates will thank you.
<H3>Do I need to have a particular project to work on?</H3>
No! You can just come along and see what happens.
For this hackathon, we will be trying out a special theme related to mosquito-borne illness with it's own special prize. We'll have experts and resources from the PATH foundation present over the weekend to help you develop project ideas if this sounds like something that's interesting to you.
If not, there are always many people with ideas for projects that you can join. Similarly, if you have an idea but need someone to help you with it, there will be people there with skills that you can leverage and consult.
<H3>Can I bring a project I’m already working on?</H3>
Yes, you can. If you do, however, you won’t be eligible for prizes, as that wouldn't be fair to teams that are building their entire project over the weekend. Exceptions may be made if you’re working on a distinct sub-project that builds on something else you've built in the past. Talk to the event organizers onsite if you're unsure.
All of that said, a big part of the hackathon ethos is the collaboration that occurs when people come together to create something new, so we don’t recommend this approach.
<H3>How do I learn about developing for VR?</H3>
There are many ways to learn. If you’re a self-starter, there are excellent tutorials available online - you can pick an engine such as Unity, Unreal, or A-Frame and work through their tutorials and examples to get a good entry-level understanding of development.
Another option is to participate in one of our workshops, each an introduction to some VR-related technology. To get more information about these, join the <A TARGET="_blank" HREF="https://vrslack.typeform.com/to/cGjRjN" DATA-MSYS-CLICKTRACK="0" REL="nofollow noopener noreferrer">Seattle VR Slack</A>.
For those looking for a more thorough educational experience, there are several groups around Seattle that offer courses in VR and 3D development, including the University of Washington, Chronos VR, the Art Institute of Seattle, and Digipen. Which of these is right for you will depend on your existing skills and how much time and money you're willing to spend. Some even have placement programs that will help you get a job.
Finally, to help you out on the day, we'll have coaches at the hackathon who can help you with any problems you might have over the weekend. 
<H3>What are the prize categories?</H3>
We will be announcing the prize categories soon, but here’s a preview of some of the categories:
<UL>
<LI>
Feature Prize - VR Global Health Challenge, focusing on issues around mosquito borne illness. Sponsored by Booz Allen Hamilton and the PATH Foundation
</LI>
<LI>
Never-Used-Before Technology prize - Awarded to the best VR experience created around a technology that team has never tried before.
</LI>
<LI>
Best VR Experience - Graphics
</LI>
<LI>
Best VR Experience - Audio 
</LI>
<LI>
Best VR Experience - Interaction
</LI>
<LI>
Best VR 360 film
</LI>
</UL>
Details about the prize categories will be available on the event website once they’re announced.
<H2>Contacting Us</H2>
For more information about the event, visit our main page at <A TARGET="_blank" HREF="http://vrhackathon.com/seattle.html" DATA-MSYS-CLICKTRACK="0" REL="nofollow noopener noreferrer">http://vrhackathon.com/seattle.html</A>
If you have questions, drop us a line at <A TARGET="_blank" HREF="mailto:seattle@vrhackathon.com" REL="nofollow noopener noreferrer">seattle@vrhackathon.com</A>
If you get involved in the Seattle VR community, check out the following community groups:
<UL>
<LI>
<A TARGET="_blank" HREF="https://www.facebook.com/groups/1457926677836973/" DATA-MSYS-CLICKTRACK="0" REL="nofollow noopener noreferrer">Seattle VR Facebook</A>
</LI>
<LI>
<A TARGET="_blank" HREF="https://vrslack.typeform.com/to/cGjRjN" DATA-MSYS-CLICKTRACK="0" REL="nofollow noopener noreferrer">Seattle VR Slack</A> 
</LI>
<LI>
Meetups:
</LI>
<UL>
<LI>
<A TARGET="_blank" HREF="http://www.meetup.com/Seattle-Virtual-Reality-Meetup-Group/" DATA-MSYS-CLICKTRACK="0" REL="nofollow noopener noreferrer">Seattle VR Monthly</A>
</LI>
<LI>
<A TARGET="_blank" HREF="http://www.meetup.com/Virtual-Reality-Enthusiasts/" DATA-MSYS-CLICKTRACK="0" REL="nofollow noopener noreferrer">Virtual Reality Enthusiasts</A>
</LI>
<LI>
<A TARGET="_blank" HREF="http://www.meetup.com/Eastside-Virtual-Reality-Meetup/" DATA-MSYS-CLICKTRACK="0" REL="nofollow noopener noreferrer">Eastside Virtual Reality</A>
</LI>
<LI>
<A TARGET="_blank" HREF="http://seattle-vr-audio-meetup" DATA-MSYS-CLICKTRACK="0" REL="nofollow noopener noreferrer">Seattle VR Audio</A>
</LI>
<LI>
<A TARGET="_blank" HREF="http://www.meetup.com/Seattle-Unreal-Engine-4-Meetup/" DATA-MSYS-CLICKTRACK="0" REL="nofollow noopener noreferrer">Seattle Unreal Engine 4</A>
</LI>
<LI>
<A TARGET="_blank" HREF="http://www.meetup.com/SeAR-Seattle-Augmented-Reality/" DATA-MSYS-CLICKTRACK="0" REL="nofollow noopener noreferrer">SeAR - Seattle Augmented Reality</A>
</LI>
<LI>
<A TARGET="_blank" HREF="http://www.meetup.com/Seattle-Unity3D/" DATA-MSYS-CLICKTRACK="0" REL="nofollow noopener noreferrer">Unity User Group</A>
</LI>
</UL>
</UL>
<H2> We look forward to seeing you! </H2>

UW Center for Education and Research in Construction (CERC)

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