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Guitar-based videogame wins coveted design prize

By Stevie Smith Aug 22, 2007, 12:58 GMT

The attraction and potential of truly interactive videogame technology – as epitomised most recently by the Nintendo Wii – has now also spilt over into the aspiring student design arena. Specifically, the Dare to be Digital competition has awarded a guitar-based prototype title with one of the UK’s most sought after design honours.The student design competition, which is organised by the University of Abertay Dundee in Scotland, draws upon the talents of a dozen student teams and grants them a mere ten weeks of development time to hone their respective entries. This year’s Commercial Potential prize winner, a game titled "Ragnarawk", was created by the Voodoo Boogy team and sees players utilising a powerful magical guitar in order to fend off the advances of evil. The interactive game prototype also scooped the Audience Award, which is decided by gauging public feedback following the open playing of each competition entrant. "We're big fans of role-playing games and rhythm games," commented Voodoo Boogy member Malcolm Brown in a BBC report, "though originally it [Ragnarawk] used a dance mat and you danced at your enemies." However, although the game’s initial design involved players physically dancing to quash evil, the team soon recognised the potential and popularity ingrained in the game industry’s new affinity for guitar and music-based titles (such as massive hit Guitar Hero), where the player interacts through a physical representation of a musical instrument rather than via a traditional game controller.Ragnarawk’s positioning as winner of the Commercial Potential and Audience Award could well see the prototype soon appear as a download opportunity, which is something that Brown points out the team will be "discussing in a couple of days." Other prizes doled out during the competition, which first launched in 2000, included the Innovation and Creativity prize, secured by Bear Go Home (the Phoenix Seed team), while the prize for best Use of Technology was awarded to ClimbActic (the Carebox team).All three winning student teams receive a prize cheque for £2,500 GBP, which Brown says Voodoo Boogy will likely spend on much-needed sustenance, and all will also be automatically entered into contention for the high-profile BAFTA "One to Watch" award.

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