Congratulations to Trent Sivek (Game Art, ’17) for winning first at the 2017 E3 (Electronic Entertainment Expo) College Game Competition!
He exhibited his game, Phonetica, at the E3 showroom this past week, June 13-15, in Los Angeles. Phonetica, a playable game with stunning artwork, was selected in early May as one of five finalists chosen from over 400 colleges and universities.
This marks the first time in the history of the Ringling College Game Art program that a student or graduate’s work has been selected for the E3 College Game Competition. On top of that, Sivek concepted, created, and programmed his game by himself, competing against and defeating games in the competition that were created by teams of many students. Of his win, Sivek says, “I am honored to have been able to showcase my project on such a public stage and am humbled by its warm reception.”
Sivek created Phonetica as a Ringling College Game Art senior thesis project rendered in real time using Unreal Engine 4. It is an interactive game in which the players make their way through a musical palace. Sivek dives into the planning, production, and details of his game in an article he contributed to 80 level earlier this month.
Founder and head of the Ringling College Game Art major Jim McCampbell states, “This is the Game Art major’s finest moment. Game Art faculty have worked relentlessly to develop and refine a curriculum that would enable artists to make beautiful, playable games. That structure, combined with great teaching and the superior work ethic that students like Trent possess, are allowing us to create a new generation of super-artists. Congratulations to all of the Game Art faculty, students, and staff in making this a reality.”
In the first round of the competition, the judging panel selects five entrants based on the following criteria:
- Originality
- Creativity
- Technical proficiency
To advance to the next round, a finalist must be accompanied to the E3 Expo in Los Angeles, where the judges review once more based on the above criteria. The entrant with the highest score wins.
According to the E3 Expo website, “E3 is the world’s premier event for computer, video and mobile games and related products. At E3, the video game industry’s top talent pack the Los Angeles Convention Center, connecting tens of thousands of the best, brightest, and most innovative in the interactive entertainment industry.” The E3 College Game Competition, sponsored by Entertainment Software Association (ESA), “identifies top game development talent from US academic institutions.”
According to the E3 Expo website, “E3 is the world’s premier event for computer, video and mobile games and related products. At E3, the video game industry’s top talent pack the Los Angeles Convention Center, connecting tens of thousands of the best, brightest, and most innovative in the interactive entertainment industry.” The E3 College Game Competition, sponsored by Entertainment Software Association (ESA), “identifies top game development talent from US academic institutions.”
See E3 press release from ESA.
Image courtesy of Ringling College: Image from Sivek’s game, Phonetica.