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ESA holding student competition, winners to be shown at E3

Mike Schramm — Mon, 04 Feb 2013 23:00:00 EST

The Entertainment Software Association is launching an E3 College Game Competition this year, designed to spotlight some solid student game creations at the upcoming E3 convention in Los Angeles. Over 400 schools have been invited to submit "story details and content assets" for a video game they might make, with the ESA (along with the help of industry veterans and professionals) planning to choose the best five by May.

Those five finalists will then be offered the opportunity to present at this year's E3, and get their games and ideas in front of the media and some of the biggest game developers and publishers in the world. IndieCade has been able to show off some of its games at E3 for a few years now, but this competition is designed to honor student work in the same way.

ESA president Mike Gallagher says the group "intends to honor student achievement and provide a deserved spotlight at E3." Interested teachers who haven't yet been contacted about the contest can find out more by emailing the ESA; you can find more info in the press release below.

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ESA holding student competition, winners to be shown at E3 originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 04 Feb 2013 23:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Nitronic Rush: a 'survival driving' game by DigiPen students

Jordan Mallory — Sun, 06 Nov 2011 11:30:00 EST

Skyrim? Pssh, forget that noise, November 11 is all about Nitronic Rush now. A "survival driving" game for the PC, Nitronic Rush has been developed by the aptly named Team Nitronic, a group of students at the DigiPen Institute of Technology, the same school responsible for Narbacular Drop. As you can tell from the release trailer above, the game looks flippin' gorgeous (see what we did there?), and we can't wait to see if the gameplay ends up being just as stellar.

Dragons are so old hat, you guys; glowing mystical daredevil highways are the new hotness.

Nitronic Rush: a 'survival driving' game by DigiPen students originally appeared on Joystiq on Sun, 06 Nov 2011 11:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Students: Free Xbox 360 with purchase of Windows 7 PC

David Hinkle — Fri, 20 May 2011 03:00:00 EST

Microsoft is about to launch a new promotion offering any student who purchases a Windows 7 PC (laptop or desktop) at $699 or more a free 4GB Xbox 360 S. The promotion officially runs from May 23 through September 9, though Windows Team Blog notes that the end date will vary by retailer.

Currently, the offer is only valid in the US, though details on similar offers in France and Canada are forthcoming. For all of the fine print, hit up the source link below.

Students: Free Xbox 360 with purchase of Windows 7 PC originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 20 May 2011 03:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Student-made 'White' redefines 'F.P.S.'

James Ransom-Wiley — Tue, 26 Oct 2010 01:00:00 EST

Created by first-year students at ENJIM, the Graduate School of Games and Interactive Medias in Angoulême, France, White plays on the classic FPS formula by asking players not just to shoot, but to: "Frag, Paint and Share." Designed in just four months, the game is, curiously, "based on both the player's violence and creativity."

You traverse a flat, white canvas, fragging multicolored "Calvis" -- chubby Pikmin-like creatures -- which bleed and burst into beautiful splatter (paint!). Get this: The logo pictured above is actually a bird's-eye view of the after-action gameworld, called a "Whitepaper." Players are encouraged to share these murderous works of art through the official game site.

White was released today for PC. You can download the game here -- it's free! Check out the launch trailer after the break.

Continue reading Student-made 'White' redefines 'F.P.S.'

Student-made 'White' redefines 'F.P.S.' originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 26 Oct 2010 01:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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DS is an excellent tool for teaching Japanese students English

David Hinkle — Thu, 26 Jun 2008 10:15:00 EST

Filed under: News

Japanese students at Tokyo's Joshi Gakuen all-girls junior high school are getting DS handhelds for the classroom, but they're not playing New Super Mario Bros. on them. They're using them to learn a new language: English. What makes it such a great tool in aiding their studies? Perhaps it's familiarity ...

The handheld system is incredibly popular in the country and many students have one they enjoy using to play games on a regular basis. It's a system they're comfortable with, has an easy interface, and mixes a bit of fun in with the learning. If we would've had the option when learning another language in our schooltime studies, we'd probably remember how to ask where the bathroom is in German.

DS is an excellent tool for teaching Japanese students English originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 26 Jun 2008 10:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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A new habit for nuns

Eric Caoili — Sun, 08 Jun 2008 14:00:00 EST

Filed under: Video

Looking for someone to play Wii Sports with? Get thee to a nunnery! We admit that this unofficial commercial is predictable and probably a bit corny, too -- just like our post title -- but at least it's 10 million times more entertaining than Sister Act.

As for the origins of the clip, Youtube user Phil Strahl and several of his classmates at the University of Applied Sciences Salzburg shot the commercial for a Post Production course last year. Make sure you watch it 'til the end for some extra goofiness -- how were they able to knock down bowling pins while playing tennis?

A new habit for nuns originally appeared on Joystiq on Sun, 08 Jun 2008 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Student-made DS games can be downloaded from Japanese Wiis

Candace Savino — Wed, 16 Apr 2008 20:00:00 EST

Filed under: News, Imports

Student-created DS games are nothing new in Japan, thanks to Nintendo's game seminars. When the students finish their games, Nintendo usually makes them available at DS Download Stations so that other people throughout Japan can play and enjoy them.

The company has just one-upped itself, though, by allowing DS owners to download these games from their Wiis. From now until April 22nd, Wakeari no Heya Tsuzuki (a horror game that is played book style) will be available for download on the Minna no Nintendo Channel (Everybody's Nintendo Channel), with more student-made games likely to follow.

While anyone outside of Japan (unless you've imported a Japanese Wii) can't do anything but look on jealously, we have to admit that this is a great move by Nintendo. Nintendo of Japan, that is. From what we hear, the students' games are actually pretty good, and offering them to millions of people benefits both the students who've created them and DS owners who want to play them. Even though the game seminar titles were made available to the public before via DS Download Stations, using DS/Wii connectivity to host them will only make them more accessible than ever.

Still, seeing all the potential of the Everybody's Nintendo Channel with the DS and not actually having it is pure torture.

Student-made DS games can be downloaded from Japanese Wiis originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 16 Apr 2008 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Student-developed DS games appear on Everybody's Nintendo Channel

Eric Caoili — Wed, 16 Apr 2008 11:15:00 EST

Filed under: Imports, Channels

Proof that Japan gets everything awesome -- including first dibs on new releases, Super Famicom Classic Controllers, and giant mechas piloted by bratty kids -- the island country's Minna no Nintendo Channel (Everybody's Nintendo Channel) has started to post student-developed games in its DS downloads section.

For those of you unfamiliar with these titles, Nintendo hosts a 10-month seminar every year in which 40 students take courses on programming and game design, eventually working in teams to develop small DS games to be featured through download stations in Japan. This year's batch consisted of four different titles, including Wakerai no Heya Tsuzuki, a Hotel Dusk-styled horror adventure, and Nan de Momo Koko Yasan, a touchscreen coloring game.

Wakerai no Heya Tsuzuki has already been posted on the Japan-only (for now) Minna no Nintendo Channel, available for free until April 22nd. Presumably, the other three student-developed titles will be set up with a similar arrangement in the coming weeks. Though we doubt Nintendo of America will bring these Japanese releases over when it finally releases Everybody's Nintendo Channel in the states, at this point, we would be happy just to have the dang channel! It has been almost five months since the channel debuted in Japan!

Student-developed DS games appear on Everybody's Nintendo Channel originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 16 Apr 2008 11:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Kaplan SAT test prep coming to Nintendo DS

Ross Miller — Mon, 14 Apr 2008 09:30:00 EST

Filed under: Nintendo DS, Mac, PC

Kaplan, Inc. has teamed with Aspyr Media to create an SAT prep game for the Nintendo DS, according to Newsweek. Versions are also on their way to PC and Mac, where the test prep software is already fairly common.

The project is early in development and does not yet have a name. Newsweek reports that it was Aspyr who pitched the idea to Kaplan. If this is a success, can we get a DS game to help us understand Special Relativity? Perhaps we can get Professor Layton or perhaps even Wario as our virtual teacher.

Kaplan SAT test prep coming to Nintendo DS originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 14 Apr 2008 09:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Nintendo Game Seminar 2008 means more student games for Japan

JC Fletcher — Tue, 08 Apr 2008 13:30:00 EST

Filed under: News, Imports

For the last two years, Nintendo's Game Seminar students have created neat DS games that have later been made available at Download Stations for free (before that, it was GBA games). Nintendo has just begun taking applications for the 2008 round of the free 10-month Seminar, which offers courses on programming, sound and graphic design, along with lectures from industry professionals.

If you should happen to want to make games, if you live in Japan, and if you have time for some extra classes, why not apply? If you're one of the lucky 40 accepted students, you could have the opportunity to have your own tea table upended.

[Via Famitsu]

Nintendo Game Seminar 2008 means more student games for Japan originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 08 Apr 2008 13:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Student-developed titles hit Japan's Download Stations

Chris Greenhough — Fri, 07 Mar 2008 09:45:00 EST

Filed under: News

From late next week, every DS owner in Japan will have totally free access to the first of four student-developed titles. That's because the games in question were originally created under the watchful eye of Nintendo, which is now releasing these at DS Download Stations around Japan. Each game will be available for a fortnight, before sadly disappearing into the ether for ... well, ever.

What's really striking about these is their apparent quality -- if you had told us the above shot was taken from a game developed at a professional studio, we'd have totally believed you (in actual fact, it's from Wakerai no Heya Tsuzuki, a touchscreen horror game)! Equally intriguing is Nan de Momo Koko Yasan, which equips players with a "magical paintbrush" with which to color objects. The other titles are Kiki Master and Watashi no Otochabako.

It's almost a certainty that we'll never play these ourselves, but we'd love to see a similar initiative happening over here. Tap the youthful minds of the U.S., Nintendo!

[Via Siliconera]

Student-developed titles hit Japan's Download Stations originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 07 Mar 2008 09:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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School shooting "hero" confesses to Xbox theft

Kyle Orland — Tue, 04 Mar 2008 13:55:00 EST

Filed under: Culture, Microsoft Xbox 360

Stories about thieves stealing games and systems are a dime a dozen, but those thefts usually don't involve a culprit that was praised as a hero by President Bush. They do occasionally, though, as is proven by a recent Philadelphia Inquirer article about Plymouth-Whitemarsh High School student Lewis Bennett III.

Bennett earned fame and a meeting with the president for thwarting a planned Columbine-style attack by classmate Dillon Cossey back in October. But even heroes have their flaws, and last week, Bennett confessed to authorities that he and two friends had repeatedly broken in to Cossey's house last month to steal a variety of items, including an Xbox 360 that Bennett later sold to a classmate for $20.

Bennett's attorney said the media attention may have driven his client to the criminal act."How does a child, a young adult, deal with that situation, where all these cameras are put in his face and he's required to respond and he meets the president?" The answer to that rhetorical question, apparently, is 'by stealing an Xbox 360.'

School shooting "hero" confesses to Xbox theft originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 04 Mar 2008 13:55:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Turner Broadcasting sponsors game design competition

Scott Jon Siegel — Thu, 17 Jan 2008 06:58:00 EST

Filed under: Culture, PC, Business

Television and media conglomerate Turner Broadcasting is the latest sponsor of Dare to be Digital 2008, a student-centric game development competition based in Scotland. The media giant joins other sponsors such as EA, Microsoft, AMD, Disney Interactive, and many more.

Since 2000, Dare to be Digital has encouraged teams of UK students to gather, developing games over a ten-week period to be premiered at the Edinburgh Interactive Festival at the end of the event. The competition features prizes for top games across several categories.

Part of the Time Warner group, Turner Broadcasting owns a number of major networks, such as CNN, Cartoon Network, TBS, and TNT. Dare to be Digital is still a relatively small competition, and support from such a wide-reaching conglomerate will only help further promote the event.

Turner Broadcasting sponsors game design competition originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 17 Jan 2008 06:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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DigiPen student games released

John Bardinelli — Fri, 27 Apr 2007 09:10:00 EST

Filed under: Culture, PC, Casual

DigiPen Institute of Technology has unveiled most of the student games created for the 2007 academic year. Nearly two dozen projects will available by the end of the month covering a wide range of styles -- from space shooters, to puzzlers and the popular "riding a motorcycle in medieval times" genre.

Unfortunately the most interesting games are still unavailable, but with just a few days left in the month, the wait will be short:

Bossinabox - a fast-paced arcade-style shooter based on the idea that boss fights are awesome. Your goal is to annihilate the boss as he splits into an army of minibosses.
Empyreal Nocturne - a third-person aerial action game in which you combat enormous flying monsters by commanding a legion of birds.
Gigoon - a 3D, third-person action game in which the player takes control of a giant monster rampaging through the tropical city of Rio De Janeiro
PHLOP - a 3D physics-based puzzle game that asks the player to manipulate simple objects to create complex device in order to complete the puzzle.
RydenStryke - a third person action game set in medieval times where the player gets to control a character from the future on a motorcycle.

A well-respected school with game developers, DigiPen's student projects have turned more than a few heads over the years. The team behind Narbacular Drop was snatched up by Valve, and the group behind the block-tossing Toblo have gained a lot of attention for their project.

DigiPen student games released originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 27 Apr 2007 09:10:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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THQ, EA, others recruiting at GDC

Zack Stern — Fri, 09 Mar 2007 16:59:00 EST

Filed under: GDC, Business

The second floor of Moscone West, one of the three buildings housing GDC, holds many publishers and developers looking for doe-eyed talent. Armed with just a dream and a résumé, students try to launch their careers, and industry vets try to find the next opportunity. We checked in with a few of the companies to discuss their outlook and objectives at the show.

An EA recruiter told us that the company is hiring developers for 11 different studios in nearly every position, including character animators, environmental artists, and software engineers. EA has a university relations department to entice students, but the company also helps schools develop programs to train future industry workers.

Heidi Lese, Manager of Recruitment for THQ, discussed her company's role at the show. THQ is looking for both developers and publishers to fit into its 17 studios. With the addition of publishing roles, THQ is seeking nearly all kinds of talent. If a walk-in candidate fits an open position, THQ holds an immediate interview. Otherwise, THQ evaluates and contacts candidates over the next few months.

Lese was more tentative about game schools, saying that some are great and can lead to roles at THQ, while some are still too young to offer a useful program. She didn't specify any school recommendations but said that students should attend one with a high placement rate in the industry. She also advised students get an internship -- whether interested in publishing or development.

THQ, EA, others recruiting at GDC originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 09 Mar 2007 16:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Student Postmortem with DigiPen's Toblo

John Bardinelli — Sat, 03 Mar 2007 15:15:00 EST

Filed under: Culture, PC, Action

Walking the fine line between simple and just plain boring gameplay is a delicate issue, especially with independent game makers. How do you make a game appealing without stripping it of the elements that keep players coming back for more? GameCareerGuide's postmortem with the Toblo design answers just those questions, discussing the high and low points in the development process.

"Light-hearted" and "easy to play" were two key phrases in the design of Toblo, a simple capture the flag game created by a group of DigiPen students. Played in a world of colored blocks, your only goal is to capture the other team's flag. Your weapons are the very blocks that surround you, simply walk up to anything and tear it down to load up on ammo, then dash into the enemy's fort and let 'em fly. Although Toblo isn't a full-fledged game, it's proof that a concept doesn't need to be elaborate to be interesting.

Student Postmortem with DigiPen's Toblo originally appeared on Joystiq on Sat, 03 Mar 2007 15:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Today's hottest game video: Bomberman Evolved

Zack Stern — Fri, 26 Jan 2007 00:00:00 EST

Filed under: Culture, Hacks, Video

Students at the University of Aalborg in Copenhagen are mid-way through creating a virtual Bomberman game called Bomberman Evolved. As shown in today's GameTrailers video, a camera mounted in the ceiling tracks the movement of two colored hats, steering on-screen Bomberman characters based on the two players' positions in the room. The process ranks among our favorite hacker-made videogame remakes, along with all of those Tetris-on-a-building projects.

Watch the video after the break.

Continue reading Today's hottest game video: Bomberman Evolved

Today's hottest game video: Bomberman Evolved originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 26 Jan 2007 00:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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PSP phone resurfaces in design contest

Andrew Yoon — Mon, 09 Oct 2006 13:30:00 EST

Filed under: Fan Stuff

Sony Ericsson recently held a contest for Chinese university students to design a new phone. One creative student decided to take the opportunity to render his idea about the rumored Ericsson PlayStation phone. This render features a UMD slot and a DS-inspired flip-top. This render is also shown to be slightly smaller, but thicker, than the PSP itself. What do you guys think about it? If it didn't cost a gazillion dollars, would you pick one up?

[Thanks, christian! Via slashphone]

PSP phone resurfaces in design contest originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 09 Oct 2006 13:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Guitar Hero hack - a sequencer is born

Jennie Lees — Tue, 11 Apr 2006 18:28:00 EST

Filed under: Hacks, Sony PlayStation 2, Peripherals

Here's a class project that you probably wish you'd managed to get credit for. By interfacing the Guitar Hero peripheral with a sequencing program, these students at the University of California have managed to turn the five-button guitar into something approaching a real musical instrument. From novelty sound effects to an almost orchestral piece, it's an impressive start which could spark off a whole series of musical Guitar Hero hacks.

[Via /.]

Guitar Hero hack - a sequencer is born originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 11 Apr 2006 18:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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