Almost 150 students have taken part Stoke ON TREND GamesJam hosted by Stoke-on-Trent City Centre BID and Staffordshire University.
Over a week, teams of students pooled their creativity and skills to create games that paid homage to one of seven themes which include the world-famous Spitfire aircraft; Victoria Hall concert venue; legendary wizard of dribble Sir Stanley Matthews and the area’s ceramics heritage.
25 games are now available to view or play until 11 July, on smartphones via QR codes located in the city centre. A trail map showing all QR code locations can be found here.
Ellis, who is studying BA (Hons) Augmented and Virtual Realities Foundation at Staffordshire University, enjoyed taking part.
He said: "I personally found the Stoke ON TREND GamesJam to be one of the highlights of my first year. It enabled me to gain new friends, collaborating to make a finished game and explore additional skills outside of my comfort zone. I also gained knowledge and insight on my new home, Stoke-On-Trent, and the interesting history of the city.
Gamers are now being urged to play the games with a view to finding a winner. This will earn the creators the opportunity to work in Staffordshire University’s games studios over the summer to turn their game into a commercially releasable game.
Dr Bobbie Fletcher, Head of Department for Games and Visual Effects at Staffordshire University, said: “Staffordshire University has been involved with several GamesJams over the years, but never one that has based around heritage locations within a city centre, so we are delighted to be working alongside Stoke-on-Trent City Centre BID to lead this innovative world first!
“The games are a fantastic indicator of the budding talent within the games industry that our city and university is home to.... Have fun viewing, playing, rating, and giving your constructive feedback to help our students improve.”
Damon Simms, creator and owner of Paralysis Escape Rooms on Pall Mall, an immersive horror-based escape experience, is backing the Stoke ON TREND GamesJam. He said: "I'm a keen fan of games of any sort, and think that presenting our city centre in a digital format is a great way to attract new audiences and really put Stoke-on-Trent on the map for its innovation."
Jonathan Bellamy, Stoke-on-Trent City Centre BID Chair, added: “We’re so pleased that so many local students have engaged with Stoke ON TREND GamesJam and are showcasing their work to a wider audience here in the city centre.
“Stoke ON TREND GamesJam gives you the opportunity to come and experience our city’s heritage and culture in a brand-new, unique, and digital way through the medium of games."