Festival Teaches Game Design
Games Britannia, last year’s recipient of the “Best University/Educational Initiative” honor at last year’s TIGA Games Industry Awards, is set to kick off its second iteration this month in South Yorkshire. On January 23rd and 24th Sheffield Hallam University will host a 24-hour game development and workshop marathon aimed at teaching students of all ages how to design and develop videogames. This gathering , which will draw in schoolchildren, teachers, university academics, and games industry leaders, will serve as a launch event for the larger Games Britannia celebration to take place in June.
Dr. Jake Habgood, Festival Director has stated: “We’re very pleased to announce the launch of Games Britannia 2013. Getting children creating with computers is what the festival is all about, and I hope that having the chance of getting their own ideas made into a game will inspire lots of schools to take part.”
In keeping with the theme of teaching youths about game creation, the two-day festival will also serve as a launch event for a game designed by students from All Saints Catholic High School during last year’s Games Britannia. This game has since been developed by Sheffield Hallam University’s own studio, Steel Minions. There will also be a “Game Jam” competition, during which Sheffield Hallam students will be tasked with creating a Windows 8 game in under 24 hours. Judges from Microsoft will be on hand to evaluate the students’ entries and announce the winner at the end of the event.
Students will not be the only ones to benefit from this event. Educators in attendance will receive free licenses of Game Maker software for their schools courtesy of YoYo Games. Teachers will also have the opportunity to attend an exclusive game design conference and will learn details of the 2013 game design competition, the winner of which will have their school’s game released.
Scheduled to appear is SUMO-Digital’s creative director Sean Millard, who will announce his company’s support for the festival and reveal activities to take place at the main Games Britannia festival this coming June. Lee Stott of Microsoft will also be speaking at the festival. Stott will close out the gathering by delivering a Game Republic meeting for the local games industry. This final assembly will be held at Hallam and will focus on developing games for Windows 8.
The main Games Britannia festival will be held at Sheffield Hallam University from June 10th to 14th. For more information or to register interest, visit: www.gamesbritannia.com
