Scotland’s biggest computer games festival opens this weekend
8th August 2011
Scotland’s biggest computer games festival opens this weekend
The Dare ProtoPlay computer games festival will take over the centre of Dundee this weekend (12th-14th August) with three days of family fun.
Dare ProtoPlay is the culmination of nine weeks of intense games development by students from around the world, all competing for a BAFTA. It is organised and run by the University of Abertay Dundee and supported by Intel and other sponsors.
All 15 student games are on show this weekend for the public to play – and vote for their favourite! Full details available at http://www.dareprotoplay.com/
The festival will also be opened by living legend David Braben, who is recognised worldwide as one of the leading innovators in the games industry. He co-created Elite, the first true 3D game, with Ian Bell in 1982 and also founded Frontier Developments.
Fiona Hyslop MSP, Cabinet Secretary for Culture and External Affairs, said: “Scotland is well known as a place of innovation and imagination, with our computer games industry undoubtedly one of our global success stories.
“The spectacular Dare ProtoPlay festival features teams from the UK and abroad, showcasing the skills of some of the world’s most talented computer science and arts students. The competition fosters international collaboration, enhancing Scotland’s creative reputation and contributing to the success of our creative industries sector.”
The Dare ProtoPlay festival also includes:
- brand new games on show from top companies, including Cobra Mobile, Crytek, Digital Goldfish, Outplay Entertainment and Tag Games
- games industry talks, including a talk by David Braben, a BAFTA career workshop, and insights into the hugely successful Bloons, Doctor Who and Wipeout games
- a technology showcase, brought to you by Intel and MEDION
- game jams for both professionals and kids, to build a new game over the weekend. Teams can sign up at http://daretojam.eventbrite.com/
- a professional gamer tournament, featuring world champion computer gamers
There will also be fun and games outside in the City Square throughout the weekend.
Dr Louis Natanson, Academic Director of the Institute for Arts, Media and Computer Games at Abertay University, added: "This weekend is a great moment in the continuing growth of the computer games industry in Dundee.
"Abertay University's Dare to be Digital contest has grown and grown, attracting the very best young computer game designers from all over the world to compete for a BAFTA that is unique to our competition. To have the opportunity to build a game, get advice from world-leading companies and put your game on show to the public at the beginning of your career is a genuinely life-changing opportunity.
"The games are great fun for kids and parents, gamers and non-gamers. Everyone should really come down to the Caird Hall in Dundee this weekend as Dare ProtoPlay is going to be fantastic fun!"
The Dare ProtoPlay games event has previously been part of the Edinburgh Festival Fringe. This year it is coming home to vibrant Dundee – and is bigger than ever before.
The Scottish Government has invested £85,700 in the 2011 Dare to be Digital programme, giving international teams from Norway, Denmark, Sweden, China, India, Finland and Iceland the opportunity to take part.
EventScotland, the national events agency, is supporting Dare ProtoPlay through its National Funding Programme to support a variety of marketing activities and the provision of a stage for activities being held within the square.
Dare ProtoPlay is proud to have the support of EventScotland who work to position Scotland as the perfect stage for events.
Dare ProtoPlay is free, but some events require booking in advance. For more details please visit http://www.dareprotoplay.com/
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