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Hong Kong

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3:00 PM-6:00 PM

Paths of Play and Possibility

Lectures | Sharing Sessions by Game Jam Mentors

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Paths of Play and Possibility SQ

Step into a space where imagination meets interaction. This event brings together three inspiring voices from France, Germany and Hong Kong to to explore the often unseen dimensions of design, play, and meaning. From handcrafted gaming interfaces to storytelling woven into mechanics, and the mystical qualities of tools, each talk invites you to rethink how we connect with technology and creativity. Join us for an afternoon of curiosity, conversation, and fresh perspectives on the tools that define our digital experience.

15:00 - 16:00
Alternative Controls
Speaker: Emilie Breslavetz

Alternative controllers are original, handcrafted gaming interfaces siding between video games and digital arts. Their design, manufacturing, and distribution methods differ greatly from those of the industry. A closer look at this alternative way of creating and thinking about video games that opens new paths to playfulness.

16:00 - 17:00
Mechanical Storytelling
Speaker: Henrike Lode

Great game stories don’t just happen in cutscenes - they live in the mechanics. Narrative design is about more than words; it’s about shaping player actions, controls, and feedback to make emotions tangible. In this talk, we’ll explore how mechanics can carry meaning through examples like Florence, Papers, Please, and Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons, where systems evoke feelings of love, loss, and moral tension. You’ll leave with practical insights on using mechanics, UI, and diegetic design to tell stories that players don’t just watch - they live.

17:00 - 18:00
Mystical Interface
Speaker: Hochi Lau

As technology becomes more obscure and intuitive, there are gaps in understanding that are bridged by magic and imagination, there is also more room for interpretations in how any tool delivers what it promises. This talk looks into magical tools, ritual tools, and modern tools to think about the functional, symbolic, and faith value embedded in the tools.

Speakers

Emilie Breslavetz is a game designer and playful artist making experimental video games, alternative controllers and interactive installations. In her work, she combines game development with digital and artisanal manufacturing methods such as woodworking, electronics, sewing, hacking, misuse, etc. to create tangible, analog and interactive devices, therefore opening up to a new range of creative and fun possibilities in the field of digital arts.

Henrike Lode (aka Riker) is a narrative game designer obsessed with mechanical storytelling, diegesis, and transformative text. Riker is Game Director at ALL DAY ALL NIGHT and previously served as Lead Game Designer on Nyamakop’s upcoming title Relooted. Riker has lectured on Game Design at universities in South Africa and Europe, holds a Master’s in Game Design from ITU Copenhagen, and has participated in 40 game jams, including co-organizing the Nordic Game Jam for five years.

Lau Hochi is an interdisciplinary artist that creates devices and situations. He is interested in how interfaces organize and pace everyday life. He creates situations that examine and aestheticise the everyday experiences. His works were shown in LA Artcore, Japan Media Art Festival, Ars Electronica Festival, Sónar Festival, and Miller Institute for Contemporary Art.