NEWS // DARE PROTOPLAY AND GAMESCOM | ALPHA
Dare ProtoPlay ‘vital to launching dev careers’
Abertay’s Louis Natanson says public exposure is the best way to validate what you’re building iPad
Videos are available within the iPad edition of Develop on iTunes and the browser- based Digital Edition, which can be accessed at
develop-online.net
by James Batchelor
THE ORGANISERS BEHIND Dare to be Digital are gearing up for their annual ProtoPlay event, with one fi gure stressing the importance of the showcase to starting new careers in games.
Professor Louis Natanson, who leads computer games education at Abertay
University, said that the public exposure student teams receive at the Dundee event is one of the most crucial aspects of the Dare process. “Showing your game to thousands of members of the public is a daunting prospect,
but there’s no more immediate way of fi nding out if you’re building something the public wants to buy than showing it to them, explaining your ideas and seeing instant feedback,” he said.
“This is an experience that’s important for everyone, from students aspiring to get into games right through to established professionals setting up indie studios.” Previous winners are also quick to sing the competition’s praises. Liam Wong, now director of presentation at Ubisoft Montreal, told Develop that Dare launched his career, adding that by the time it
UKIE bringing the beach to Cologne
TRADE BODY UKIE will once again be hosting a stand for the UK games industry at next month’s Gamescom in Cologne, Germany. This year, the stand will have a ‘British seaside’ theme, so expect deck chairs, buckets and spades. A range of packages are available to developers on the UKIE website, with options covering exhibition and meeting spaces, as well as marketing and networking opportunities too.
UK devs that have already signed up include Team17, nDreams, Fat Pebble, Born Ready Games and Atomicom. “The UK industry stand is primarily there to showcase UK games talent, creativity and innovation,” said UKIE CEO Jo Twist.
DEVELOP-ONLINE.NET
“We attract a multitude of key industry players and business contacts to the stand and ensure they can see and meet the wealth of talent working in the UK.” UKIE will also be holding its own ‘game of the show’ contest, sponsored by Atomicom and with Develop as media partner. “Judged by industry professionals and games development peers, the UK Game of the Show accolade is awarded to an as-yet unreleased game that truly represents the strength of the UK development scene,” Twist said.
For more information on getting involved with the UK industry stand at Gamescom, email
alexa@ukie.org.uk or call her on 020 7534 0598.
Getting feedback
is an experience that’s important for all
developers. Louis Natanson
was over he “had an award- winning game under my belt and still had another year of study ahead”.
Sophia George, the fi rst games designer in residence at the V&A museum, adds: “Dare is the perfect competition to enter, regardless of what
direction you want to take in the industry. It could be a demonstration of your own work to show potential employers or a great starting point if you want to form an independent studio.” Dare to be Digital is an eight-week contest for student developers that off ers them industry mentoring as they attempt to build a game from scratch. It culminates with Dare ProtoPlay, which takes place in Dundee from August 7th to the 10th.
All 15 Dare games will be on display, as well as other titles, including the fi rst preview of George’s game for the V&A.
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P50 JULY 2014 | 05
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