Game Competition Takes it to the Next Level

Eight teams of game creators from The University of Texas at Dallas found out Friday night whether their products had won them a share of $50,000.

In the second Computer Gaming Entrepreneurship Competition (CGEC), teams spent nine months creating a functional demo game and comprehensive business plan.

The winning games of the 2008-09 CGEC are:

• First place and winner of $35,000 in cash prizes and development money – “Balance of Power,” an iPhone game by the 5 Minute Games group. The game puts the player in the role of an arms dealer who provides weapons to both sides of a war.
• Second-place winner and Hughes Ventures Award for Excellence in Innovation recipient – “Hour Zero,” an adventure game and detective story in both 2D and 3D for Xbox 360, created by the Frisky Pixel team.
• Third place – “Ring Runner: Flight of the Sages,” a top-down 2.5D space shooter scenario that blends fast-paced action and massively-multiplayer online (MMO)-style customization, developed for XBOX Live Community Games, designed by the Triple B Titles team.

“This level of support by Kingdon Hughes of Hughes Ventures helps us place the study of game development right next to the study of the business of game production,” said Dr. Thomas Linehan, ATEC program director and Arts and Humanities Distinguished Chair.“Kingdon helps our students connect to the real world they are about to face.”

The first-place winners represent a cross-section of technologically cutting-edge schools at UT Dallas; 5 Minute Games team members are from the Schools of Brain and Behavioral Science, the Erik Jonsson School of Engineering and Arts and Humanities.

“I am continually impressed by the level of sophistication, innovation and hard work these students have shown,” said Monica Evans, competition coordinator and assistant professor of computer game design in arts and technology (ATEC). “Each of the teams worked on their own outside of classes for months to create these games, and I’m proud of each and every one of them.”

The first place team will continue to develop their game this summer with the assistance of Robert Robb, associate vice president of technology commercialization at UT Dallas, and Ludovick Michaud, creative director with Dallas-area animation studio Jamination, as well as faculty members from the ATEC program at UT Dallas.

Teams were made up of three to eight UT Dallas students. Teams received guidance and review of their games at checkpoints throughout the competition design phase.

“It’s a gift for us to have so many game industry professionals in the area who have helped by advising teams, judging the final submissions, or volunteering to assist the winners with further development,” said Evans. “It helps tether these games to the professional world, and gives our student teams a shot at creating something that will flourish beyond the University.”

Kingdon Hughes, head of funding sponsor Hughes Ventures, has high hopes for the competitors and for the ATEC program.

“Maybe someday a business venture will be started from these fledging projects,” said Hughes. “UT Dallas has an enormous opportunity to expand on the gaming business, thanks to Dr. Linehan and his team. With his leadership and the talent of the students coming out of the program, I can see the UT Dallas ATEC program becoming the #1 gaming education program in the country.”

The GCEC is sponsored by Hughes Ventures, UT Dallas, The Institute for Interactive Arts and Engineering and The Institute for Innovation and Entrepreneurship. For more information about the competition, contact Dr. Monica Evans at (972) 883-4332 or visit the competition Web site at atec.utdallas.edu/cgec.

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