Ready? Print… PLAY!
Hosted by NWA3D & Startup Junkie
Ready? Print… Play EAST Class Application
Competition Overview
We want to see the most innovative use of 3D printing in an educational game. It’s not good enough that you can make a fun game; it also needs to be something partially or completely 3D printed that can be used to benefit and/or enrich learning.
The winner will have the opportunity to launch a Kickstarter campaign—with support from NWA3D—and partner with an experienced Kickstarter mentor from Startup Junkie!
Due to the nature of the prize offered in this competition, the EAST Initiative suggests using TinkerCAD, SketchUp, or any open source software, such as Cura or Blender, for your design. Designs created in Autodesk Programs (i.e. Inventor, AutoCAD, Revit, 3DS Max, Maya) will be accepted as valid entries for this competition; however, designers will need to either acquire a commercial license for their software or import their design into a program utilizing a commercial license in order to take full advantage of the offered prize. LEA agrees that the resources within the EAST Classroom shall be used in association with educational activities and purposes only, and that the integrity of software and licensing agreements shall be strictly maintained.
Judging Criteria
Here are some things you might want to consider when creating your educational game:
Rubric: Applications will be judged on the following criteria: Educational Goal, 3D Printability, Fun Factor, Playability, Sustainability, Completion
Educational Goal: The most important aspect of the game is its educational impact. The game’s goal needs to teach about a topic, subject, skill, idea, or anything else relevant to K-12 learning. It can help in any subject or class in any grade. Think of CART:
- Who is the audience for your game?
- What is your game trying to teach?
- What will the players learn from playing?
3D Printability: This is a 3D printing competition, so we want to see as much 3D printing as possible.
- How much of your game is 3D printed?
- How easy is it to print?
Fun Factor: If it’s going to be a game, it should be fun!
- Is your game fun and exciting to play?
Playability: Good games are designed so the rules make sense and players can play over and over again without getting bored.
- What is it like to play your game?
- Are the rules overly complicated, or just right for what you are trying to teach?
Sustainability: The winning game will have the opportunity to go on Kickstarter and get funded, but this can just be the beginning. Kickstarter is a way for anyone to get funding for a project to start a business.
- What is your goal for this project?
- What parts of your game are you going to monetize?
- What parts of your game do you need funding from Kickstarter to make?
- Who is your target audience for your Kickstarter campaign?
- What do you want your Kickstarter campaign to accomplish?
- If your game gets funded, are you going to stop there or make another game?
- What are you going to do with the revenue and profit?
Completion: Finishing is an important part of every game.
- Do you have a working prototype of your game?
Submission Instructions
To qualify, all details and descriptions must be complete. This information is used in the project description and as a part of the judging criteria for this competition. The submission deadline is 3 p.m., CST Friday, January 25, 2019.
REMEMBER: DO NOT wait until the last day or the last minute to submit your application. The submission form will automatically disable at 3:01 p.m., CST on the deadline date. If you are in the middle of submitting a form at this time, your submission will NOT be received. If the form does not disable properly, submissions received after 3:00 p.m., CST will still not be considered in order to remain fair and consistent for all applicants. Please remember that upload speeds can vary depending on file type, school bandwidth, etc. Deadline days have a high volume of students submitting, which can also cause delays in uploading files and submitting applications. If you encounter an issue on the day of a deadline, EAST staff may have limited (if any) availability to provide assistance. EAST staff will not grant you a deadline extension.
Step 1 - Get Ready
Before submitting your application, make sure you have all the required materials:
- Video Pitch
- Photo of 3D Printed Game/Game Piece(s)
- Project Team Photo
- Additional Evidence (optional)
Video Pitch Requirements
- Format: .mp4 encoded with H.264 codec or .mov
- HD resolution of 1920 X 1080 preferred
Create a 45 second (maximum) video pitch about your project. This is not a video competition, rather it’s all about the content. The judges want to know:
- The problem this project solves is…
- The lead client of this project is..
- What makes this project real is…
- The deliverable is…
- Other important information
The winning project video may be shown at Conference.
Photo of 3D Printed Game / Game Piece(s) Requirements
Submit one to five (1-5) photos (jpg or jpeg format) of the 3D printed game and/or game piece(s). Submit one or more computer aided design (CAD) files to illustrate the game or its parts (must be in .OBJ or .STL format).
Additional Evidence (optional)
Upload three to five (3-5) photos or pieces of additional evidence to support your educational game. These can include photos of your 3D printed game / parts, people playing the game, instructions, plans, .STL or .OBJ files of game parts, etc.
Project Team Photo Requirements
Submit one (1) team photo (jpg or jpeg format). This photo may be used on stage if your project is selected as the winner.
Step 2 - Complete the Online Application
Make sure you explain why your project is a great EAST project, including how it fills the CART (critical thinking, advanced, real, teamwork).
Note: You will upload the items from step one in the online application.
Step 3 - Upload Video Pitch, Photos, & Additional Evidence
Combine all files from step one into one (1) Zipped File with a 1 GB (1048576 KB) max file size. Be sure to review the requirements in step one.
Not sure how to zip a file? Click here for Windows instructions. Click here for Mac instructions.
Step 4 - Submit
After completing the online application, click the “Submit” button. Once you see the “Submission Received” page, you will not be able to make any changes. If you do not receive an email confirmation, assume there was an error and your submission was not completed. Please go back and complete the online application again. If you still do not receive an email, please contact [email protected].
Finalist Selection
Finalists will be selected and notified prior to Conference. Additional details for the onsite competition will be emailed to the selected finalist schools. The winning project will be announced at the EAST Conference Gala.
Onsite Competition Details
Each finalist will select two (2) students to present the project to a panel of judges. The presentation will be no more than 10 minutes, and should include:
- Introductions
- Review of the submitted 45-second (max) video
- 3-5 minute presentation describing the project using evidence (i.e. PowerPoint presentations, posters, brochures, pictures, video b-roll, etc.)
- Reserve five (5) minutes for questions from the judges.