Back for its fifth year and now a registered charity, FXP Festival successfully utilises the passion young learners often have for computer games with the aim to expand interest and knowledge of STEM subjects and build upon their digital skills. The games design and development festival provides an exciting insight into what a career in the technology, creative digital and related industries has to offer.
Now open for registration, the festival’s new format takes into consideration both current and predicted COVID-19 restrictions, allowing local schools and their teachers to flexibly manage the programme within their timetables and to complete the activities either at school, or virtually via their preferred distance learning platform.
Although different in format to previous years, and after the disappointment of cancelling the 2020 event altogether, the organisers are determined to provide exciting and engaging activities for schools to participate in. FXP Festival 2021 will have three core modules that will be led by experts within the industry:
Game Narrative - expert lead to be announced
Game Concept & Design - led by Mark Ogilvie, Creative Director at Jagex
Game Production - led by Matthew Holland, freelance writer, game designer and developer
This year’s festival will run over a nine-week period, with the first module going live for schools to access on launch day (Monday 26 April). The second and third modules will go live on Monday 3 May and Monday 10 May; following this, students will then have six weeks to work on their projects with the final submission deadline being set for Friday 2 July 2021. Thanks to FXP Festival’s sponsors and supporters, the festival remains completely free for all wishing to participate and, as seen in the past, is set to play host to different teams armed with a wide range of interests and abilities including coding, games design and gaming concept.
Alison Taylor, FXP Festival Co-founder and Trustee and Managing Director of Conscious Communications, comments: “We’re absolutely delighted to bring back FXP Festival for 2021 and we can’t wait to see what this year brings. Although different, this year’s format will be as exciting and engaging as ever and we know that student teams will come together to evolve and grow their games development skills. The core aim for FXP Festival has always been for us to help provide exciting and progressive opportunities for the young people in our region as well as giving them an invaluable opportunity to develop their teamwork, communication and collaboration skills.”
Mark Ogilvie, expert lead for the Game Concept & Design module and FXP Festival Co-founder and Trustee, added: “It’s great to see FXP Festival return this year; I’m really looking forward to working with teams of students again. By leading on the Game Concept & Design module I will be able to work with the teams to help draw out their creativity and interpret this year’s surprise theme!
“FXP Festival is such an important initiative as it allows the next generation of game makers to grow and evolve, regardless of whether they are artists, developers or story tellers. I can’t wait to get started!”
FXP Festival is open to entries from schools and colleges across Cambridgeshire. Teams can be a mix of ages (between 12 and 19) however, projects will be judged in two age categories: Year 8 –Year 11, and FE.
To register your interest or find out more about getting involved please contact Joanna Colley at joanna.colley@consciouscomms.com.