Dare 2006 gets underway with a bang (or two)

PHOTO-OPPORTUNITY

Date: Monday 12 June
Time: 12 noon
Venue: Hannah Maclure Centre, top floor, Abertay University Student Centre, Bell Street, Dundee

Dare to be Digital 2006 got off to a rousing start today (Monday 12 June) when the participants found themselves 'drumming up business' before they had even switched on their computers.

The UK's premier computer games design competition, run by the University of Abertay Dundee, was launched with a session of African drumming for the 42 students from all over the world who have qualified this year.

The Scottish-based Ghanaian percussion ensemble "Drumming Up Business", led by Chief Suleman Chebe, was on hand to make sure the contenders get into a creative groove for the 10-week tussle.

The seven teams of students will be working night and day to develop a prototype video game, receiving daily support and weekly training sessions from industry specialists, with accommodation and a weekly allowance of £170 thrown in.

At the end of the competition, a panel of experts will judge the prototypes and award prizes at a special awards ceremony and talent showcase in August.

Competition organiser Jackie McKenzie said: ³This is the first time all the teams will be gathered together, so we wanted something that would help to break the ice and get things off to a really lively start. Suleman and his group are the perfect solution.

The teams for Dare 2006 comprise four from Scotland, one from Northern Ireland, one from Ireland, and one from Canada. In addition, the Scottish Executive's Fresh Talent initiative has funded seven places for Chinese and Indian students, each of whom has joined one of the teams.

(Ends)

NOTES FOR EDITORS

Dare to be Digital 2006 is funded by Abertay University, Scottish Enterprise Tayside and Dundee City Council, and sponsored by NCR, BBC Scotland, Belfast City Council, The Digital Hub, NESTA and the Scottish Executive.

Dare to be Digital has established an enviable reputation for producing high-grade talent. Of the four Scottish teams that entered last year, for example, one became a start-up games company in Glasgow, and another is currently negotiating with a major publisher. A third team became a start-up company based at Abertay with funding from NESTA and is developing its concept into a commercial product, while the fourth ­ whose members are completing their studies - is negotiating the sale of its game to a developer. Team members from previous years have gone on to work for major names such as Lionhead, Electronic Arts, and Microsoft while local talent is also retained in Dundee by Real Time Worlds, Denki and other companies.

Media enquiries:
Kevin Coe
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E: k.coe@abertay.ac.uk
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