Emelie Dahlskold, 9 October, 2024 | VC Retro team members: Emily, Josh and Zoe. Also pictured: Dr Alan Woodley (right).
Code Network's 2024 Winter Hackathon
Just before Semester 2 kicked off this year, student-run Code Network wrapped up their 2024 Winter Hackathon at The Precinct in Fortitude Valley.
About 40 participants across 9 teams and 6 solo acts went from having no idea what they would achieve to building unique projects and presenting these to our panel of industry judges.
A hackathon is a collaborative event where you can put your IT skills to the test and build innovative projects quickly. It's a great chance to develop and present tech concepts and ideas.
Dr Alan Woodley, a senior lecturer at the School of Computer Science, was impressed by the remarkable progress made quickly and the sheer creativity of the winning team and their solution.
"Taking an idea from concept through design to a fully functioning software product is no easy feat, yet this team managed it amazingly," Dr Woodley said.
"What truly set them apart was their bold use of a non-traditional input source. It showcased ingenuity and a genuine commitment to inclusivity—something many people talk about, but few truly put into practice."
Hackathons give students the freedom to dive headfirst into projects they're passionate about without the rigid constraints of assignments. Dr Woodley's advice for participants is to not worry about tedious things like test plans or documentation—just pure creativity and innovation.
"It's about working on something you love and having a blast doing it."
Members of the winning team, VC Retro, created a voice-controlled game suite that includes retro classics such as "Snake" and "Tic Tac Toe."
The team's motivation behind the project was to make gaming accessible to everyone. Traditional arcade games have physical controls that may not be accessible. This also enabled traditionally single-player games to be played by multiple people. As the application takes input from any voice, the snake game can be played by multiple people controlling a single snake.
The Hackathon is a thrilling rollercoaster of exploration, challenges and discovery. Teams experience moments of doubt about how they could bring their vision to life, but the excitement when the code finally produces the expected outcome is unparalleled.
Preparing for a Hackathon
The QUT Bachelor of Information Technology program emphasises hands-on programming skills from the very first semester, and students tackle real-world problems through industry-based group projects at the end of the degree.
The combination of coding and collaboration equips students with the tools they need to create practical software solutions for a real-world challenge.
Hackathon participants use the technical coding skills and problem-solving abilities acquired during their studies. The coding units empowered them to grasp the fundamentals of writing high-quality code. Their technical knowledge of various technologies enabled them to design their solution architecture, such as using React for their front end, a technology they were all familiar with.
Group assignments instil the importance of effective communication and collaboration within a team. Setting clear expectations at the beginning of the Hackathon is crucial, as well as ensuring the team focuses on having fun while working together towards a common goal.
VC Retro insights: Tips from the winning team
Why should students join a hackathon?
- Join the fun! Participating in hackathons is an exciting opportunity for students to reignite their passion for coding and have fun using unconventional problem-solving methods.
- It is extremely rewarding! It boosts your confidence in your ability to quickly make something work. With just two and a half days to finish a project, it is gratifying to have a tangible outcome at the end of the event.
- Meet new people! You get to meet many like-minded people, including QUT students, academics, and industry partners on the judging panel.
