Brock University’s Interactive Arts and Digital Media and GAME students recently participated in the annual Level Up Showcase in Toronto. The annual event brought together more than 1000 game design students from across Ontario to launch their games with industry experts serving as judges for awards for excellence in technical design, audio, accessibility, game play and art. Brock’s GAME students are on a winning streak, showcasing their creativity and technical skills as emerging video game designers.
The University’s Interactive Arts and Digital Media (IADM) and GAME students recently earned Brock’s fourth consecutive People’s Choice award at the Level up Showcase — a key talent pipeline for Ontario’s gaming industry.
The annual event brings together more than 1000 game design students from across Ontario to launch their games with industry experts serving as judges for awards for excellence in technical design, audio, accessibility, game play and art.
Organized by Brock University, Algonquin College, OCAD University, University of Toronto and Humber College in partnership with XP Gaming Inc., this year’s Level Up hosted more than 3000 members of the public, who voted for the coveted People’s Choice category.
Brock game Maid Mayhem won first place in the People’s Choice and took second place in Achievement in Audio.
In the action party game, players take on the role of the “Big Buff Bald Maid” and must use tools to clean Grandma Twiggy’s house while fighting opponents.
Digital Humanities Instructor Michael Ferguson said the game highlights competitive multiplayer cleaning mayhem set in a whimsical cartoon art style and is an excellent expression of how the programs in the Department of Digital Humanities mix theory, practice and robust technical skills.
“The team came together and delivered on all aspects of development from overall design and feel to the technical balancing of abilities and mechanics. It was incredible to see all of them working together and solving problems week by week,” Ferguson said.
DisGo, a Brock game that pits four friends against each other in a split-screen battle for the disco dance spotlight, won third place in the People’s Choice category.
“Our successes at Level Up are a tangible way to celebrate the tremendous work of our students, but these awards also validate our programs by confirming that our graduates are industry ready and prepared to contribute to this growing sector of the Ontario economy,” said Aaron Mauro, Chair of the Department of Digital Humanities.
Other fourth-year capstone project games showcased at the event included My Friend Barrington, Cave Crashers and a third-year IADM game The Cure.
New this year, Brock’s games are all available on the Steam store.
Mauro said graduates from Brock’s GAME and IADM programs leave with a game studio, thanks to their capstone project, ready to launch new games and attract investment for further development.
“In this way, Brock’s Department of Digital Humanities is growing the next generation of Interactive Digital Media professionals and generating waves of new businesses ready to contribute to Canada’s media economy,” he said.
