International finalists join Dare to be Digital

The global influence of the annual Dare to be Digital event continues to expand as four Indian undergraduates are set to compete in the game development competition.

Collectively known as the ‘Noobeez’ team, the four design enthusiasts had gone to new lengths in order to win an entry in the prestigious contest.

Shortlisted as one of three international teams, the Indian group finally persuaded judges in Scotland of their contendership by demonstrating their game concept via a video conference.

Noobeez – comprised of undergraduate students from the Image College of Arts, Animation and Technology (ICAT) in Chennai, India – will now join contesting teams at University of Abertay’s development ‘hothouse’ in Dundee, with each group tasked build a prototype game within ten weeks.

Judges were impressed with Noobeez’s game idea, called Color Scheme, where a 3D platform ball game is fused with colour mixing strategies.

“Our game is designed for kids in the age group of 9 upwards but we will make it such that gamers of any age would love to play it,” said concept artist Abhi Maruthu.

“We are working on a simple concept with high replayability and improved physics so as to make the game more interesting and challenging for the player.”

The competition kicks off in June. Ultimate winner gets a BAFTA.