Schlagwort: hackathons

  • Introducing: TwitchCon Hackathon 2018

    Introducing: TwitchCon Hackathon 2018

    Reading Time: 3 minutes

    Do you like developing awesome tools to make Twitch better for everyone? Wait, let us rephrase…

    Do you like developing awesome tools to make Twitch better for everyone while a big clock ticks down to 0:00 like you’re in an action movie? If you’re up for a fun and rewarding challenge, you should join us Saturday, October 27 for our 24-hour TwitchCon Hackathon.

    Here’s how it works: Partnered streamers will approach us with ideas for new and useful extensions. Our expert staff will vet their ideas, and then teams of up to four hackers (that’s you!) will race to create prototypes of those extensions by the end of the Hackathon.

    The TwitchCon Hackathon will begin Saturday morning, with the list of hackable extension concepts being revealed. Each team will pick one streamer’s project to work on from the list. After the opening session, hacking begins! Food will be provided; sleep will be optional. 24 hours later we’ll demo the projects. Entries will be judged based on functionality, design, and other criteria, and prizes will be awarded for top extensions. Winners will receive trophies, blog recognition, and a featured extension slot.

    Want to learn about Twitch Extensions before you join the TwitchCon Hackathon 2018? Request a ticket for Developer Day on Thursday, October 25 for a deep dive into the technologies that power Extensions.

    All participants will have TwitchCon access on Saturday and Sunday (but not Friday) and will receive exclusive TwitchCon Hackathon 2018 swag. Check out the full event rules and the FAQ below. When you’re ready to hack, register here!

    Event rules:

    • All participants must be at least 18 years of age.
    • Teams must be no more than four members and can be formed before or at the start of the event.
    • Each participant may only work on one project.
    • A project may not have any code dedicated to it until hacking begins on the Saturday of the event. Setting up your development environment with SDKs in advance is fine (and recommended).
    • Projects must be Twitch extensions and must be built as close to the chosen extension concept as possible.
    • Projects must be submitted by the time hacking ends on the Sunday of the event. After that, presentation materials may be worked on but no more design/development can be done on the submission.
    • Submissions will be judged on creativity, utility, presentation, and that special “Twitch” factor.

    FAQ

    What is a hackathon?
    Think “hack” in the sloppy-creation sense of “hacking” a project together. Think “marathon” in the sense of “you’ll be doing it nonstop for a while”. A hackathon is a software development contest that gives you 24 hours to create a project following certain restrictions. They are spaces for passion, innovation, and they are great opportunities to learn new technologies and meet other builders.

    Who can participate?
    This hackathon is open to anyone who is at least 18 years of age.

    What should I bring?
    All of your work gear, and maybe a few items to make your stay more comfortable. We recommend a laptop, charger, headphones, light sweater, and hygiene products to stay fresh.

    Can I hack with a team?
    Yes! You will be hacking alongside a team of 4 other members. Team creation is informal, so feel free to build an alliance beforehand or at the event, however all team members must apply and be selected to participate individually. We will hold a team-building session at the beginning of the event for anyone who is still LFG.

    Can I submit a project I’ve worked on in the past?
    Out of fairness to other participants, all submissions must have no work dedicated to them before hacking begins.

    Where can I read the full rules?
    The complete rules are right here.

    Website: LINK

  • A Look at the First TwitchCon Hackathon

    A Look at the First TwitchCon Hackathon

    Reading Time: 3 minutes

    TwitchCon was home to many competitions, but beyond the H1Z1 arena teeming with screaming fans and streaming celebrities, past the expo floor with mobile gaming showdowns and esports exhibition matches, one fierce fight was tucked away from the rest. At the end of a hallway, only dull chatter and the click-clack of keyboards could be heard.

    These were the sounds of the TwitchCon Hackathon.

    Photo courtesy of Gary Tong

    We invited university students from all over the country to come to TwitchCon and compete in teams of up to four for 24 hours straight as they raced against the clock to build software projects using Twitch’s suite of developer products. For some of them, it was their first exposure to Twitch’s API. For others, it was their first hackathon entirely — drawn forth by their love for our platform and a desire to improve the experience.

    All in all, we saw 101 student developers flock to Long Beach last weekend representing a host of schools in Southern California as well as a few visitors from out-of-state, including representatives from Brown University, Arizona State University, and the University of Florida. The hackathon venue was the only room in the convention center open overnight, and most students took it as the free lodging it was: a stroll at 3am showed most of the participants asleep at their tables, on the couches outside the room, or on air mattresses.

    Photo courtesy of Gary Tong

    Despite sleep deprivation and the ever-alluring draw of ditching the Hackathon to attend a Meet and Greet with DrDisRespectLIVE, our participants submitted an impressive 24 projects. Here are a few of the favorites:

    Photo courtesy of Gary Tong

    Twitch Audio Split Stream: An extension that encodes certain audio sources from a stream with special “optional” markers, allowing users the ability to either receive or deny them. The demonstration showed how a viewer could mute the streamer’s background music while still preserving their commentary.

    Photo courtesy of Gary Tong

    Kappa Cloud: A data visualization that showed the popularity of all emotes used on a particular stream. Similar to a word cloud, more frequently used emotes would get larger the more they were used.

    Photo courtesy of Gary Tong

    Surprise Me!: A chrome extension that suggests a random streamer for the user to view, specifically focusing on streamers that are on the border of “making it big” with around 500 active viewers.

    We were amazed by the ingenuity and tenacity shown by the hackers, and we can’t wait to see where they will take their projects in the future. We also want to give a huge shout-out to Major League Hacking, the official student hackathon league, for supporting our event and providing us with invaluable resources and expertise along the way. Thanks so much for joining us all in Long Beach, and we can’t wait to see what you build next year!

    Website: LINK