X48:Microsoft XNA GameCamp FREE

X48 is a two-day gamecamp at Birmingham City University's Millenium Point campus, where student teams will develop games with XNA. On the Friday morning you'll be given a theme and sent to the PC labs to code.

The event will take place on Friday 19th February 2010 and go on until the afternoon of Saturday 20th. All teams will be given a brief during the initiation on the first morning of X48 - this could be a subject or a keyword that the game must approach in whatever way the team deem fit, but to make sure the playing field is level no-one will get to know in advance. In the hackday/gamecamp tradition, teams are free to pull an all-nighter to get their games the best they can before the Saturday afternoon deadline, whereupon the teams will present games for judging by a panel of experts. Prizes are up for grabs, and goodie bags will also be given to those that compete.

Maximum team size is 4 but there don't have to be that many of you. You can come along as a pair or trio if you like.

The overnight stay is free of charge, but students will need to bring whatever bedding they choose such as a floormat, sleeping bag, and pillow. Food and drink will be provided also.

This event is free to attend, but we ask that you please do not book tickets if you won't be using them. Only book if you're definitely coming, because by doing otherwise you'd simply be denying someone else a place. If you book then find out you can't come, let us know as soon as possible so we can offer your place to someone else.

What skills do I need? While we will have mentors circulating among the teams, this won't be a place to come to learn to use XNA; you're going to be set loose in a PC lab to come up with something of your own. If you're already familiar with the XNA Creator's Club and know you can crank out a project with it, then you can come down to compete.

X48 Birmingham is proudly supported by Microsoft, Screen West Midlands, Advantage West Midlands, European Regional Development Agency, and Game Central.