Games event expands across the UK

The 2006 event featured seven teams of students

A Scotland-based competition which aims to seek out the best new talent in the computer games sector is being rolled out across the rest of the UK.

Dare to be Digital, hosted by Abertay University in Dundee and in its sixth year, involves seven teams selected to develop a prototype video game.

From 2007 the event, which has received industry praise, will feature regional heats around the United Kingdom.

The announcement came as the winners of the 2006 awards were unveiled.

The planned expansion will see the event almost trebling in size, with up to 24 teams and 120 competitors taking part ahead of a grand finale in Dundee.

'Rising standards'

Abertay University's director of business development Paul Durrant, said: "The extremely high standard of this year's competition encourages us that our expansion plans will enlarge the opportunities for talented arts and science students and graduates from all over the world.

"It will create an even greater focus on originality, creativity and skills development achieved in real world environments."

The seven teams of six students have spent 10 weeks developing their prototype games, which were pitched to investors.

The main prizes for the 2006 event, each worth £2,000, were won by the team Artisan with its game, Metalheads, for most commercial potential and Log2n with Flux, for greatest innovation and creativity.

Rule of Thumb, which produced Gal-ex:Spatial Delivery, scooped the award for best use of technology.

Metalheads was one of the award-winning games

Another team, Phaigo Interactive, won an additional £1,000 prize for best use of screenwriting.

One of the more unusual games, Flux, devised by the team from Algoma University in Ontario, Canada, allows the player to build a network of power nodes driven by music of their choice.

Richard Leinfellner, vice president of gaming company Electronic Arts, said Dare to be Digital, also backed by Scottish Enterprise Tayside and Dundee City Council, was by far the best proving ground for the interactive entertainment sector.

Mr Leinfellner, who chaired the judging panel, said: "Every year the standards are higher and the aspect of teamwork is something that an employer like Electronic Arts looks for."