TUS inspires young developers with gaming camp
Technological University of the Shannon (TUS), Athlone Campus, recently became a hub of creativity and innovation for the next generation of game developers.
TUS hosted the gaming camp in their state-of-the-art Engineering Building from August from August 12 to 17.
The camp involved student from local secondary schools including Banagher College, Coláiste Chiarán, Marist College, Our Lady's Bower, Tullamore College, and Mercy Secondary Kilbeggan.
The camp, designed for secondary students from 2nd to 6th year interested in ICT, required no prior experience, making it accessible to all who were curious about game development.
It was more than just a crash course in coding; it offered an all-encompassing venture into game design, testing, and deployment, giving students hands-on experience with the software used to make popular games like Hotline Miami and Undertale.
The students were guided by TUS Athlone lecturer Denis McCarthy and PhD student Samantha O’Sullivan, who were thrilled with the progress made by the participants.
“This camp was an incredible opportunity for students to step into the shoes of a game developer,” said Denis.
He added: “It’s been amazing to watch them grow and see their ideas come to life through coding and design. We hope the camp has left a lasting impression on these young developers, equipping them with the tools and confidence to continue their journey in game development.”
On the last day of the camp, every student proudly deployed their fully functional 2D shooter games onto their phones and PCs - a testament to their hard work and creativity.
Samantha, who holds a BSc in Software Design from TUS Athlone and is now pursuing a PhD in ICT, echoed this sentiment as her coleague Denis.
She said: “The creativity and technical skills these students have displayed are remarkable. They’ve not only learned how to code but also how to think like game developers, considering every aspect from design to deployment. The future of gaming is bright, and it’s starting right here in Athlone!”