GAME at the Tokyo Game Show

The Tokyo Game Show 2014, photo by Makuhari Messe
As the only western university we’ve been invited to take part in Tokyo Game Show.

“It is a great recognition of our courses and a valuable opportunity to forge new connections. In Japan they are interested in our focus on content as a complement to their strong technology development”

says Steven Bachelder, Professor at the Department of Game Design.

Tokyo Game Show is on from 19 to 22 September. A large number of exhibitors will be taking part, mainly from Japan and neighboring countries, and 250,000 visitors are expected. Sweden will have a section of its own, coordinated by the Swedish Institute. The Department of Game Design will be exhibiting research and education within converging media and game design. Among other things, three of our student projects will be on display; King of the Thrill, Little Warlock and Fly or Die.

“At the Swedish Game Awards earlier this year, games created by our students won three out of six categories. We are taking these games with us to Japan to show them at our stand in the Swedish display”

says Steven Bachelder.

One of the students who has created one of the award-winning games will be coming along to Tokyo Game Show to present the games. The group of students voted for who should go and Simon Wulf was elected, the creator of the game King of the Thrill. The students who remain at Campus Gotland will be able to communicate with the delegation via video link.

On Friday 20 September the Department and the Swedish Institute will together organize a seminar at the Swedish Embassy in Tokyo titled “Sweden and Japan – Collaboration in Game Education, Convergent Media and Industry” in Tokyo Game Show.

Student project Crocodile Chow-Down at The Tokyo Game Show 2014, photo by Makuhari Messe

Student project Defunct at The Tokyo Game Show 2014, photo by Makuhari Messe

Ghoulies

Ghoulies is an alternate reality, ghost hunting game for teens, ages 13-16. The players use their smartphones to battle and collect different ghosts and supernatural beings, the so called Ghouls. Ghoulies make use of various smartphone functions, such as the GPS, gyro and camera to put the player in the middle of an exciting game world, right between reality and fiction.

Ghoulies on the Gotland Game Conference 2013 show floor
Ghoulies on the Gotland Game Conference 2013 show floor
Ghoulies on the Gotland Game Conference 2013 show floor
Ghoulies on the Gotland Game Conference 2013 show floor
Ghoulies was awarded Best Second Year project at <a href="http://www.gotlandgameconference.com/2013/">Gotland Game Conference 2013</a>.
Ghoulies was awarded Best Second Year project at Gotland Game Conference 2013.
Ghoulies was awarded Best Second Year project at <a href="http://www.gotlandgameconference.com/2013/">Gotland Game Conference 2013</a>.
Ghoulies was awarded Best Second Year project at Gotland Game Conference 2013.

Team:

  • Lee Kåberg – Producer/Artist
  • Daniel Polgar – Lead designer/Artist
  • Therése Pierrau – Lead Art
  • Tove Ahlgren – Artist
  • Johan Holm – Lead Sound/Artist
  • Max Barnell – Lead Code
  • Kevin Frender Berglund – Coder
  • Marcus Brännfors ( External ) – Music
  • Marcus Sjöblom ( External ) – Music/Sound

The game is developed for android, and will be playable on pads and smartphones. The tools we have used for coding the game is Eclipse and Java. For the graphics we have been using 3Ds Max, Adobe Photoshop, Adobe After Effects. For the sounds and music Reason and Goldwave.