Meet the Passionate Creators in Advance at the ‘Burning Beaver’ Workshop 2024-11-28

On November 7, a workshop was held at the Smilegate Campus Future Lab for the participating teams of ‘Burning Beaver 2024’ (hereinafter referred to as ‘Burning Beaver’). The purpose was to introduce this year’s Burning Beaver event and provide a space for interaction among the teams.

Hosted by the Future Lab Foundation, Burning Beaver is an indie game & culture festival that debuted in 2022. It offers a space where creators, players, and industry professionals can come together to experience unique and innovative indie games.

With growing interest and enthusiasm surrounding Burning Beaver each year, the Future Lab Foundation held its first creator workshop this year. The workshop aimed to answer questions about the festival and share know-how on how to run a successful booth.

PM 14:00 / Burning Beaver Pre-Workshop Begins

Sharing the Meaning and Values of Burning Beaver

The workshop began with an introduction to the persona of ‘Burning Beaver’ and the values it embodies. The term ‘Burning Beaver’ symbolizes indie game developers who possess the same ‘burning’ passion as beavers—creatures known for building dams 200 times their body size.

These passionate creators immersed in game development are the true protagonists of Burning Beaver. To reinforce their sense of belonging and shared purpose, the names of participating teams are listed on the official website as co-hosts. This reflects the festival’s vision of growing together with its creators.

PM 14:30 / The 2024 Burning Beaver Concept: ‘Chef and Cuisine’

Expressing Team Identity Through the ‘Chef’s Apron’ Program

The workshop opened with an apron-making activity inspired by Burning Beaver 2024’s concept of ‘Chef and Cuisine.’ Just as every great chef has a signature dish, the idea was that every dedicated creator has a game infused with their unique philosophy and passion. 

Using a ‘Chef’s Apron’ kit, which included markers and felt fabric, each team personalized their apron to represent their game’s identity. It was impressive to see them focused on expressing their team’s vision, values, and game flavor(genre) through visual elements. Just as an apron marks the beginning of cooking for a chef, participants used this moment to symbolically prepare for the upcoming Burning Beaver festival, carefully projecting their determination and spirit into the aprons.

PM 15:30 / Burning Beaver Trivia: Surprisingly Useful Info You’ll Want to Know

Sharing Participation Know-How with Fellow Development Teams

The workshop also included a segment packed with useful information for running booths, cleverly titled ‘Burning Beaver Trivia: Surprisingly Useful Info You’ll Want to Know.’

The program offered everything from basic details like booth size and layout to more advanced tips on how to design a booth with personality and efficiency. It also covered detailed know-how such as creating survey questions aligned with exhibition goals and devising marketing plans to maximize synergy with the game displays.

Participants drafted booth planning documents that outlined goals for the exhibition and feedback collection. They then exchanged ideas on how to design and manage their booths. Listening to other teams’ plans helped them refine and expand on their own strategies.

In the ‘Peer Developer Insights’ session, Ha Sang-seok from MagicCube and CEO Kim Hansle from Ananas Bananas shared valuable lessons from their past exhibition experiences as creators. The topics included ‘Collecting and Analyzing Feedback Aligned with Exhibition Goals’ and ‘Using Game Exhibitions as Promotional Platforms for Indie Games.’ Kim Hansul, who also participated in last year’s event, said, “Burning Beaver is a great opportunity to directly observe user reactions and improve your game. I recommend using various methods to gather feedback on-site, such as QR codes, observational research, and live Q&A sessions.” Participants took detailed notes during the session, gearing up for Burning Beaver 2024 with thorough preparation.

Burning Beaver 2024 will kick off with a pre-festival celebration on November 28. Having fully prepared through this pre-workshop, the participating teams will showcase booths brimming with individuality and present their unique games to attendees. Visitors will explore a variety of booths and enjoy games while helping create a vibrant, inclusive festival with indie game creators. Now it’s time for Burning Beaver 2024 to burst into full blaze, fueled by passion.

Mini Interview @Burning Beaver Workshop