LEVEL UP YOUR GAME BUILDING SKILLS AT NORTHERN GAME DESIGN CHALLENGE
Coders and gamers this one is for you! Its time to start strategically assembling your team for the ultimate challenge. The task? Create your own video game in 48 hours at the Northern Game Design Challenge. You read that right. FORTY. EIGHT. HOURS. With the theme for this years challenge revealed only moments before, programmers, artists and writers all put their skills to the test working together in one big creative marathon. Only one team will unlock the ultimate achievement and come out on top! Registration for teams is open right now and the competition is set for January 18th-20th, 2019 at Dynamic Earth. Read on for more details to see if you have what it takes to compete!
Tell us about Northern Game Design Challenge and how it has grown in the last five years?
The Northern Game Design Challenge, formerly the Sudbury Game Design Challenge, is a competition between teams of programmers, artists, musicians and writers who must all work together to create a video game within the 48 hour time frame. The NGDC fosters the development of interactive digital media talent here in Northern Ontario by bringing together our vibrant arts & culture scene with the growing tech industry in the name of fun, and creativity.
Over the past five years, the NGDC has grown from a conversation between friends about hosting a small game design competition within their social group, into the largest game design challenge of its kind in the North with a non-profit volunteer board of directors dedicated to organizing the annual event. Last year’s event hosted 25 teams with over 100 competitors.
What are some of the basic rules?
The overarching rule of the game revolves around the theme. Each game must be based on a unique theme that is revealed only moments prior to the opening of the competition. During the event, teams are permitted to use any game development toolset and platform they choose, as long as the end result is a creation of their own design.
In terms of basic rules, there are a few. Teams must have no more than 4 members, and only team members may contribute to a team’s entry. Each team has exactly 48 hours to complete their entry, and any work done outside of this time frame is not eligible for judging. All equipment and software must be provided by participant themselves, and all work must be done on location.
Outside of these rules, there are some guidelines we suggest that participants adhere to as well. We ask competitors to respect copyright and intellectual property as much as possible, and remind participants that NGDC is a public event, and while games may be art, that doesn’t provide a license to be offensive.
What should gamers consider when selecting a team to compete?
Competitors aren’t necessarily gamers!There’s a lot of typing and coding, but there’s also brainstorming and debating and arguing and strategizing, as well as the composing of original music and the painting of pictures that look like they could hang in a gallery. One of the elements that really sets game design apart from other art forms is getting a chance to see so many different skill sets all working together towards the same end goal. Making sure your team has a balanced set of skills, and that each team member can work well together, is the mist important consideration when selecting a team.
How can teams register and what is the deadline?
Teams can register at www.northerngdc.ca by January 11th, one week before the competition.
What criteria are the final games judged by?
Games are judged by a number of components, including mechanical design ( including ease of use and replayability), music (including music quality, music integration and music presence), sound fx (including sound quality, integration, purpose and presence) art and visuals (including technical artistic quality, visual clarity and artistic harmony), UI and UX, story, and spirit. However, the number one criteria every year has mainly been – “is it fun.”
Tell us about some of the past wining games?
2018’s winner was titled Rock Bottom, and was a 2D pixel art platformer. The storyline consists of the game’s protagonist having to climb out of a pit, going through the stages of grief, such as denial and depression. Since the competition, the team changed the focus from grief to depression and mental illness, teaching users about both issues. Give it a try for yourself here.
2017’s winner was a game titled Frozen Dungeon Saga, which is interesting and unique because it’s a co-op game that the player plays alone. It’s an asymmetrical puzzle game where players control two characters at the same time, each having different – but complimentary – abilities. The characters are each controlled by a separate side of the controller. The puzzle requires the player to utilize both characters in order to solve the puzzles – you work together or you die!
2016’s winner was named “Dojies” and it’s a bit like a mixture of Air Hockey, Dodgeball and Asteroids – an interesting combination.
All of the top placing games can be found on the Northern Game Design Challenge website, www.northerngdc.ca/games.
Where can we find more information about NGDC?
You can find more information about the NGDC on our website, www.northerngdc.ca or our Facebook and Twitter profiles.
Jessica Lovelace
Jessica Lovelace is a Public Relations and Communications grad, musical theatre enthusiast, lover of live music and part-time unicorn tamer. Some have said that the Big Dripper from Sub City is a regional delicacy and the perfect end to a Sudbury Saturday Night – Jessica is definitely one of those people. No, the hair is not a perm.
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