Brock\u2019s GAME students are on a winning streak, showcasing their creativity and technical skills as emerging video game designers.<\/p>\n
The University\u2019s Interactive Arts and Digital Media (IADM) and GAME students recently earned Brock\u2019s fourth consecutive People\u2019s Choice award at the Level up Showcase<\/a> \u2014 a key talent pipeline for Ontario\u2019s gaming industry.<\/p>\n 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.<\/p>\n Organized by Brock University, Algonquin College, OCAD University, University of Toronto and Humber College in partnership with XP Gaming Inc., this year\u2019s Level Up hosted more than 3000 members of the public, who voted for the coveted People\u2019s Choice category.<\/p>\n Brock game Maid Mayhem<\/a> won first place in the People\u2019s Choice and took second place in Achievement in Audio.<\/p>\n In the action party game, players take on the role of the \u201cBig Buff Bald Maid\u201d and must use tools to clean Grandma Twiggy’s house while fighting opponents.<\/p>\n 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.<\/p>\n \u201cThe 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,\u201d Ferguson said.<\/p>\n DisGo<\/a>, 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\u2019s Choice category.<\/p>\n \u201cOur 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,\u201d said Aaron Mauro, Chair of the Department of Digital Humanities.<\/p>\n Other fourth-year capstone project games showcased at the event included My Friend Barrington<\/a>, Cave Crashers<\/a> and a third-year IADM game The Cure<\/a>.<\/p>\n New this year, Brock\u2019s games are all available on the Steam store.<\/p>\n Mauro said graduates from Brock\u2019s GAME and IADM programs leave with a game studio,\u00a0thanks to their capstone project, ready to launch new games and attract investment for further development.<\/p>\n \u201cIn this way, Brock\u2019s 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\u2019s media economy,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n\n\t