If you work in the game industry and you’re wondering why it’s all gone very quiet down in London right now, It’s the BAFTA Games awards tonight. The famous BAFTA masks will be handed out for outstanding achievement in the field of excellence, to games from all platforms and covering all manner of genres. Denki is a nominee for their rather lovely iOS (and now XBLA) game Quarrel.
However, the biggest butterflies will probably be reserved for the winners of the 2011 Dare to be Digital competition who are all now nominees in the Ones To Watch category.
The BAFTA Ones To Watch award is even more extraordinary and awesome than a regular BAFTA. The association created it to recognise the achievement of the teams within the Dare to be Digital competition.
So there are three teams in London tonight, all rather dapper in kilts and combed hair, waiting to hear who’s won.
We spoke to them earlier and asked them the sort of probing, insightful questions you’ve come to associate with Scottishgames.net…
Roman Graebsch – Team leader, Digital Knights (IT University of Copenhagen)
Title: Kinect party title Joust!
What’s happened since Dare ProtoPlay?
A lot! Apart from going back to our studies, we have not stopped working on our game. We have repeatedly presented the game to the public in Denmark, implemented a new game mode and a new scenario. After handing in the BAFTA version, the whole team committed to continue work on Joust! which is great. We’ve been accepted into the DADIU Greenhouse, which is a programme run by industry professionals to help small start-ups to bring their game to the market. Joust! is as
exciting as ever!
Has Dare changed your life?
Well, definitely. Considering we are going to form a company and investing a lot of time and effort into the game over the course of 2012, this is an easy answer. Dare was just the start, a great experience, the seed that changed everything we are doing afterwards.
What would it mean to win?
Certainly it would be a great honour to win. We worked hard on the game, and it would be a great reward for us. Being there is already huge, and it is satisfactory to have the opportunity to attend. Winning or not, the team sat together and we talked about our personal motivation towards the project, and how much we are willing to sacrifice for it. The future of the game is not dependent upon the award.
Malath Abbas – Team Leader, Evolved Ape
Title: PC game Dreamweaver where a child’s dream world becomes a nightmare (studied at Liverpool Screen School, now working in Abertay University on a Prototype Fund-backed project)
What’s happened since Dare ProtoPlay?
I’ve been lucky to land an artist role in a start-up company in Dundee working on a game prototype which we are hoping to get to market within the next 12 months. I met my boss at Dare ProtoPlay in Dundee and it was awesome being able to show him our game.
Has Dare changed your life?
It has certainly had a positive impact on my life, helping me to gain invaluable experience as well as focus. I’ve also gained a number of industry contacts and connections, which is a must in the job market.
How excited are you about the BAFTAs?
I am super excited about the BAFTAs! I am looking forward to meeting up with my teammates who have all been busy with new jobs and final years at uni. Hopefully I will get to meet some of the industry peers that I’ve looked up to too.
What would it mean to win?
I would love to win but I am very happy to be part of one of the three teams that are up for nomination. To go and win it would just be a great bonus.
Sophia George – Team leader, Swallowtail
Title: colourful puzzler Tick Tock Toys. (Studied at Norwich University College of the Arts, now on the Abertay University Professional Masters)
What’s happened since Dare ProtoPlay?
Since August, four of us have been continuing our studies and our 2D artist has been working as an intern in a London studio. During the end of 2011, we were all very busy working on the BAFTA submission of Tick Tock Toys, which included fine-tuning the gameplay and adding levels. We’ve also been considering where we will take the game after the BAFTAs.
Has Dare changed your life?
I’ve learned so much about game development and working with others from the Dare experience, which has been so useful while on the MProf Games Development course at Abertay University. We met lots of valuable contacts during Dare, and even got to visit SCE Sony Liverpool in November. It was an exciting day!
How excited are you about the BAFTAs?
The whole team is so excited for the awards, if not a little bit anxious. Hopefully we will get to meet lots of big names in the games industry. Either way, I’m sure it will be an unforgettable night.
What would it mean to win?
Being nominated for the Ones to Watch Award is a fantastic achievement for us all. But to actually win the BAFTA would be incredible!
