SECRET STAGE

DEMOSCENE, BEDROOM CREATORS & GAME COSPLAY

In retro environments, independent artists, as well as at home, inspiring ideas and works are created. They are often worth showing and seeing.

This is what the Secret Level zone will serve at the Pixel Heaven Games and Pop Culture Festival 2024. We are making the stage (with technical staff, screen etc.) and exhibition space available to niche creators, and of course the thriving Polish Demoscene.

SECRET STAGE PROGRAMME
8/06/2024 / SATURDAY

12.00
Q&A: JAREK ŁOJEWSKI, “GOOD FAILOWSHIP FOUNDATION”
Failure and unsuccessful projects in the gamedev industry is a fairly common experience. How to deal with it, how to learn the right lessons and translate professional failures into your own personal and professional development.

13.00
DISCUSSION: CREATING RETRO GAMES IN 2024
Why are contemporary games for computers from the 1980s/90s still being developed? What value do they have for developers and audiences? The discussion will include the authors of the game TONY: MONTEZUMA’S GOLD, which will premiere at the Pixel Heaven 2024 Festival.

14.00
H.4.0.S STAGE – NERD CRIME SHOW
We have prepared a special surprise for you. It will be a two-hour event combining paper role-playing games with improv and active participation of the audience. All in the atmosphere of nerdosis, comedy and criminal puzzles! The game will be hosted by Tomek Frejtag (Frejtag’s Games, H.4.0.S), and the roles of brave old ladies solving criminal puzzles will be played by: Zofia Sokolovich (ASZ:journal), Szymon Zurawski (Beta male, ASZ:journal) and Bernard Abramovich (Gryf.). The audience plays a key role in this game. He plays the role of the characters in the story, adding his own plots to the story, helping, scheming or hindering the solution of the mystery. Like dramatis persone in Agatha Christie’s stories.
Co-organizers: Gram.pl, H.4.0.S

16.30
PRESCENE: EARLY DIGITAL CULTURES
Speaker: Łukasz Szałankiewicz, lecturer at Collegium Da Vinci, Social Committee Chronicle of Polish Demoscene
Lukasz will discuss the origins of the first digital cultures and their impact on the development of technology and digital pop culture. He will present the three basic communities – hackers, phreaking and demoscene – their genesis, connections between them and influence on gamedev and mass culture.

9/06/2024 / SUNDAY

12.00
GAME COSPLAY SHOW
We invite all willing cosplayers, but only those who present one of these characters: Lara Croft, Mario or Pac-Man. We count on your creativity!

We have three days of the Festival at our disposal. We encourage those willing to submit their proposals for presentations, discussions, speeches or expositions. If you wonder whether your initiative will find its way into the public space – propose its presentation as part of Secret Level!

Here we can indulge in a bit of craziness, and we are not limited only to gaming topics. We are open to topics related to pop culture in the broadest sense – so movies, comics, books, unusual passions…. Let’s reminisce about the atmosphere of computer exchanges of the 80s and 90s! 8/16 bit computers, hardware, inventions, software, books, comics, board games, vinyl, audio cassettes, CDs, hi-fi, photo and video equipment, thematic exhibitions, panels, discussions, presentations…

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