Redesigning Monty Mole at School

KIE’s Andy Payne OBE and Ian Stewart, founder of Sheffield’s Gremlin Graphics, Mark Hardisty of Brinsworth Comprehensive School Academy Trust and Dr Jake Habgood of Sheffield Hallam University

The Games Britannia festival has been announced, and includes a Yorkshire-wide games competition for schools to redesign the classic Gremlin Graphics character Monty Mole – shortlisted games will be made at the Gremlin Game Jam part of the festival. (See www.gamesbritannia.com/montymole for more on this)

Set to be the UK’s biggest ever festival for videogame education, The Games Britannia festival was launched this week at Sheffield Hallam University by the chairman of UK Interactive Entertainment, Andy Payne OBE.

“We’re thrilled to be able to announce the launch of Games Britannia hot on the heels of the games industry’s recent success in lobbying for a new computer science curriculum to replace ICT in schools.

“It’s vital to our future economy that the next generation become creators of technology and software, not just consumers of it. And it is exciting events like Games Britannia that will help to lead the way in redressing this imbalance.”

Running from July 2md-8th at the MAGNA Science Adventure Centre, the festival includes Games Britannia: REPLAYED, which opens the doors to the public for a weekend of games-based learning and entertainment.  It’s all been organised by a partnership that includes Rotherham Metropolitan Borough Council, Sheffield Hallam University, Brinsworth Comprehensive School Academy Trust, Replay Events and UK Interactive Entertainment, and is backed by industry companies including Sony Computer Entertainment Europe.

Dr Jake Habgood is a senior lecturer on Sheffield Hallam’s game development courses, and he’s keen to engage children to demonstrate the opportunities available in the videogame industry.

“Making games is a fantastic way to challenge and inspire students to study programming, science, technology, engineering, and mathematics – as well as art, English and music – by applying them all creatively to a finished product.

The idea, of course, is to tackle the identified skills shortage in the industry, something that needs to be tackled by schools and the wider education establishment.

“The Games Britannia festival will address those issues by providing children with practical hands-on workshops in game development, much of which can be replicated in homes and schools after the event. The festival will also inform young people on career paths in the industry – and it will be a celebration of the rich videogame development heritage that our region has.”

In the lead up to the event, teams of school children from across the region will compete to write, illustrate and compose ideas for a new video game based on one of the games industry’s most iconic characters – Monty Mole.

As part of the launch event, the University gave students from schools across South Yorkshire a lesson in PlayStation®3 development – the first time a class of school children have ever been given an introduction to professional game development kits.

Sponsors of the event currently include Sony Computer Entertainment Europe, local developers Sumo-Digital and YoYo Games. The event is supported with workshops by Raspberry Pi and BBC CBBC/CBeebies.

To find out more about the Games Britannia festival visit www.gamesbritannia.com.