Overview
Yard #4 is a solo, week-long AI hackathon hosted by Hackyard for independent builders. Its theme is gamification: choose an ordinary task, chore, habit, or other mundane activity and create a game that makes someone want to do it. The project must help complete the real-world task. A game merely about laundry would not meet the stated brief, for example, but a game that encourages someone to fold the laundry would.
The event is presented by Ryware, a custom software development company working across web apps, mobile, cloud, and enterprise consulting. Ryware provides the cash prize pool, but has no say in the results. The community vote decides the ranking. The yard is capped at 50 solo builders, and the page shows 33 claimed spots. Builders must check in before kickoff or their spot is released. Any AI model is allowed.
Schedule
All listed times are UTC. Check-in opens Saturday, October 3, at 18:00. The kickoff is Monday, October 5, at 18:00, and late joins close Wednesday, October 7, at 18:00. The build period runs from Monday at 18:00 through the Friday, October 9, ship deadline at 18:00. Community voting closes Sunday, October 11, at 22:00. The page also displays local-time equivalents for the 18:00 UTC schedule, including PDT, EDT, BST, CEST, IST, JST, and AEDT.
Participation and submissions
This is an individual build, not a team competition. Participants must write the project code during the build week, even if the underlying idea is older. The repository must be open source, and each builder must ship a demo video. The central requirement is that the game supports doing the task itself, rather than simply making a game themed around the task. The page lists no workshops, talks, named speakers, or scheduled group sessions. It describes a build-and-ship format, with community voting after submissions.
Prizes and recognition
Ryware supplies a total cash pool of $180 for the top three projects: $100 for first place, $50 for second, and $30 for third. Community voting determines the order and the Champion. The champion also receives a custom, one-of-a-kind heavyweight black Hackyard hoodie marked with their handle, “Champion,” and the Yard. Winners are featured on the Hackyard home page, and Champion, Top 3, and Shipped badges remain on their profiles. Hackyard also plans to publish a write-up about the winning build and how it works. The Champion receives a year of platform support, including a home-page pin, promotion on Hackyard’s X account, first access to future Yards, and a permanent Champion badge.
Format and location
The page gives an online participation process through Hackyard and does not list a physical venue. Builders work solo with their chosen AI model, publish an open-source repository, and submit a demo video for the community to see and vote on.
