2004 DARE WINNERS ANNOUNCED
The winners of the 2004 Dare to be Digital competition, based at the University of Abertay, have been announced at a special awards ceremony in Dundee today (26th August 2004).
The three main prizes, each worth £2000, have been won by City Scrawlaz, for Product with Greatest Creativity; Pixie Dust, for Product with Greatest Innovation and Just Add Water, for the Rare Prize for Technical Excellence. An additional prize of £1,000 went to Fizzle for the Best Team Working Group.
The three winning teams are also being given the opportunity to showcase their products alongside the biggest names in computer games, by the organizers of Europe’s leading trade event for the interactive entertainment industry, ECTS, by organizers CMPi.
As part of the event, which took place at Dundee Contemporary Arts, Minister for Finance Andy Kerr, announced new Scottish Executive funding of around £35,000 for South Asian students to join Dare to be Digital in 2005. This is another part of the Executive’s Fresh Talent initiative which aims to encourage more people to come to Scotland to live, work or study.
Mr Kerr said: “This funding will offer international students fantastic opportunities to be part of a unique experience and to come and see for themselves what Scotland has to offer.”
With access to the cutting edge facilities at Abertay University, which runs the competition in partnership with Scottish Enterprise Tayside and Dundee City Council, the teams have been battling it out over the last ten weeks for the prize fund, as well as follow up-support to develop their prototype to commercial reality.
The seven teams – 27 in total entered this year – to make it through, have to submit a concept for a new and original computer game or educational entertainment product, including a finished digital prototype and business sales document which can be pitched to investors.
“The standard of work was unbelievably high,” said Adrian Curry, Account Manager of Microsoft Xbox. “All the teams have shown real professionalism and commitment in developing these concepts in an extremely short period of time. Dare to be Digital not only provides the students with an invaluable and unique experience, but with out a doubt, provides the games industry with some of the best new talent around.”
Individual winners received an Xbox each, donated by Microsoft Xbox, which were given to City Scrawlaz’ Blair Harrower, for Best Artist; Blue Moon Rising’s David Meikle, for Best Audio and Just Add Water’s Edmund Kapujniak, for Best Programmer.
Due to Dare’s rising profile in the industry and the high level of excellence generated over the last three years, the competition has received invaluable support from sponsors, Microsoft, the National Endowment for Science, Technology and the Arts (NESTA), BBC Scotland Interactive and NCR.
Launched in 2000, the Dare competition allows teams to display their skills in front of some of the country’s most influential games figures and is open to students across Scotland. This year, Dare welcomed students from Ireland, with a team from DCU and Dun Laoghaire Institute of Art, Design & Technology, which made it through the Irish heat, co-ordinated by The Digital Hub in Dublin.
The judges, from across the industry, include: Jon Jordan, Technology Editor, Develop magazine; Adrian Curry, Account Manager, Microsoft Xbox; Mark Fenwick, Business Support Manager, NESTA; Chris Stamp, Producer, Real Time Worlds; Julie Adair, Head of BBC Scotland Interactive; Kieran Connell, Senior Software Engineer, Rare; Richard Leinfellner, Vice President, Executive in Charge of Production, Electronic Arts; Jim Woods, Executive Producer, Codemasters; Mark Grossi, Chief Technology Officer, NCR.
The students were paid on a weekly basis and supported by experienced industry specialists, who offer technical, creative and business advice – mentors who are inaccessible to any student outside the Dare project.
“In the six years since the first Dare pilot was held at Abertay, we have seen the concept grow in leaps and bounds” said Professor Bernard King, Principal and Vice-Chancellor of the University of Abertay Dundee. “Interest, from competitors, employers, and the industry as a whole, is increasing every year - while our recent competitions in Malaysia and Ireland have put the competition on a truly international footing. I’m delighted that this success has now been recognised with this support from the Scottish Executive, and I look forward to watching the DARE competition grow ever stronger in the years to come.”
Clive Palmer, Director of Business Growth at Scottish Enterprise Tayside, comments: “Tayside’s games industry continues to thrive in a demanding and uncertain market, and the emergence of this fresh new industry talent, through Dare to be Digital, is an indication this trend is set to continue. This is an exciting day for both the industry and the rising stars it has attracted and SE Tayside is delighted to have supported Dare through funding since its inception. Dare to be Digital plays a leading role in supporting future talent for the digital and interactive industries and the digital economy is a key component of Scotland's future. We actively support efforts to ensure there is a skill-base to allow this valued industry to thrive.”
Councillor Joe Morrow, Convener of Economic Development, Dundee City Council said, “The city council and its partners are working hard to ensure that the local computer games industry continues to grow and that Dundee’s economy can continue to take advantage of these new opportunities. The individuals and teams involved have done a superb job and the Dare to Be Digital competition continues to raise the profile of the city as an international centre of excellence for digital media.”
