LIMERICK Institute of Technology (LIT) won four categories at the hotly contested Irish Games Fleadh 2020, which was held at the LIT, Thurles Campus on Wednesday, March 4.
This year’s Irish Games Fleadh saw a record number of 27 entries from nine colleges vying for one of the coveted titles or hoping to come out victorious in the Robocode series.
Hundreds of software developers and game enthusiasts attended the daylong event that showcased the best of the third level game development community.
The Games Fleadh gives second and third level students the opportunity to explore career possibilities in the €148.8 billion industry, and learn more about the social conscience of the gaming world.
Teams from LIT won Best in Game Mechanics; Best Multiplayer Game; Best in Use of Physics Algorithms; and Best Video Game Trailer.
Griffith College Limerick’s Jocimara Melo, Alex Porfirio and Caoilinn Waldron came third in the Robocode series.
President of LIT Professor Vincent Cunnane said the Games Fleadh leads the way in “recognising the brightest and best among the country’s student game developers”; as well as bringing “the collective knowledge” of some of the gaming industry’s leading names together.
Games Fleadh 2019 Organiser and Game Design & Development Degree Lecturer at LIT Dr Liam Noonan paid tribute to the international companies that continue to support the event year on year.
“Without sponsors such as Microsoft and the support of companies such as Havok and EA, Ireland’s Games Fleadh would not be the success that it is every year,” he said, adding, “I would also like to acknowledge the support of Irish charity Trocaire this year, whose representatives discussed with students the powerful impact games can make in the areas of climate justice, human rights and sustainable development goals.”
Dr Janice O’Connell Head of Department of Information Technology at LIT said this year’s theme “addressed social conscience and positive world change”.
She noted the theme was evident “through the variety of extremely high calibre games on display”.
“This was once again a super day thanks to a wonderful event which highlighted the skill and abilities here at LIT. Congratulations to all involved, and particular thanks to Dr. Liam Noonan for his extraordinary efforts in making the event a huge success,” she concluded.
