CONSUMER
Student gamers invade Tipperary
14-03-2008
by
Around 300 second- and third-level students from around Ireland gathered in Tipperary Institute, on Thursday, to celebrate the 30th anniversary of Space Invaders.
The institute celebrated the anniversary of the famous game at the Thurles-based campus, as part of Games Fleadh 2008. The event saw 14 Irish colleges and 12 schools compete in variety of programming competitions in Tipperary.
The highlight was the Microsoft XNA Challenge where students pitted their programming skills against each other by designing different versions of the classic, Space Invaders. Their efforts were judged by several gaming companies, including Microsoft, Rare, Blitz Games and Sega.
Finn Krewer, from Gort Community School in Galway, won for his entry Space Invaders Reloaded. "It is Space Invaders spiced up with all new graphics and audio and game-play. The biggest part about it is, it is up to four players, team-play or against each other," Krewer told ENN after his win.
"[The event] is for people who want the opportunity to get into [programming] and get noticed and get out there. It was great. It really made my day. It told me that, even at the age I am atÂ…I can get something out there and get there in the world of programming," the 17-year-old added.
Phil Bourke, the organiser of the event, said the day surpassed expectations and was a great way to promote the work of students to programming companies.
"It is an exciting day to be involved in technology, for second level students, for third level students. The main thing about it is the game studios that were coming over. They were coming over really to see what the developer talent is in Ireland. I think they have left today with a very good impression of what is available in Ireland. To me that is one of the key successes of today," Bourke told ENN.
Bourke first contacted Taito Corporation, which holds the rights to the iconic arcade game, looking to hold the Space Invaders programming competition a year ago. He finally received approval last October.
"We are honoured, of course, to have been endorsed for this event by Taito Corporation and it has been a major attraction for the Games Fleadh 2008," he said.
A special message of thanks was recorded and sent by video link to the original designer of the game Tomohiro Nishikado, who had to withdraw from attending due to business commitments.
Some of the other competitions saw students design AI tanks which battled with each other. The event also marked the launch of Tipperary Institute's new degree in computing and game design.
All of the competitors were presented with a commemorative Yen coin specially commissioned by Tipperary Institute to mark the occasion. Thirty years ago the launch of Space Invaders caused a Yen shortage and forced the Japanese Government to quadruple output to deal with the demand for coins.
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