UK "centre of excellence" proposed News
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Johnny Minkley
As part of the much-hyped Digital Britain report, published yesterday, the UK government has revealed plans to open a "Usability Centre for Video Games", to offer industry skills training and provide a "national resource" to "meet the industries' needs".
The centre would be located alongside the BBC's swanky MediaCity HQ in Salford, Greater Manchester, to take advantage of the corporation's facilities, specifically the "Children's and Sports Department, Interactive Education and Literacy Department and key parts of the Corporation's R&D operations".
The report acknowledged the success of videogames-related courses already on offer at the University of Abertay in Scotland, and the government wants to build on this model to offer a greater range of training, development and expertise to graduates who fancy getting paid to play videogames for a living. We recommend it.
There's no info yet on when the centre might open. The government said, in wonderfully clumsy government-speak, that it will "examine the options arising from a feasibility study" and "work with industry and expedite the collection of further evidence in order to ensure the scope of the proposal meets the industries' needs." Which probably means, don't hold your breath just yet.
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Comments: 1-28 of 28 in total
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AphoticCosmos
17/06/09 @ 09:49
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"Centre of excellence"
Who, or what, the fuck comes up with these names? Why can't it just be Games School? |
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Triggerhappytel
17/06/09 @ 09:58
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Good good, is the government finally beginning to realise that the UK is an industry leader in the field of games development?! Now maybe they can propose plans to financially assist the industry in this country and/or give them tax breaks.
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AphoticCosmos
17/06/09 @ 10:01
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"Salford.
Oh god." My thoughts. Again, why the need to build everything up north? Most major UK studios, with the notable exception of Rockstar North, are in the South and Midlands. Makes more sense to build it in somewhere like Brighton, no? |
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It's a great idea :)
But "examine the options arising from a feasibility study"? A bit like "consulting on a proposal to legislate to give Ofcom a duty to take steps aimed at reducing copyright infringement". Is it just me or did that Digital Britain report contain a huge amount of promising to consider things but very little in the way of concrete decisions? Not really surprising I guess.
Edited 2 times,
most recently on 17/06/09 @ 11:08
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I don't think "Up North" is the problem but Salford is a shithole with a reputation for knife crime.
I wouldn't say all the studios are down South either and so far the best place for games degrees is in Dundee (aforementioned University of Abertay). You're also missing out RTW who are also in Dundee ;). |
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AphoticCosmos
17/06/09 @ 10:20
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"I don't think "Up North" is the problem but Salford is a shithole with a reputation for knife crime.
I wouldn't say all the studios are down South either and so far the best place for games degrees is in Dundee (aforementioned University of Abertay). You're also missing out RTW who are also in Dundee ;)." Point taken ;) |
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Lambtron, AphoticCosmos
HOW FUCKING THICK ARE YOU TWO RETARDS? SALFORD HAS A REP FOR KNIFE CRIME? YOU DONT KNOW WHAT THE FUCK YOU ARE TALKING ABOUT. BRIGHTON? I COULD SAY WHY THE HECK WOULD ANYONE PUT SOMETHING DOWN THERE WITH THE REST OF THE SOUTHERN PONCE TWAT BRIGADE? UNLESS YOU ACTUALLY GO TO SALFORD AND KNOW WHAT YOU ARE TALKING ABOUT I SUGGEST YOU KEEP YOU CHILDISH, HYPOCRITICAL FUCKWIT OPINIONS TO YOURSELVES |
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shadowaspect
17/06/09 @ 13:59
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I imagined Layleeloo actually shouting at his(?) screen whilst typing. Made me smile.
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+1
As someone who works in the industry, I'd just like to say that on the face of it it sounds like a pile of old toss. The idea of being paid to play games is crap (though I suspect that's EGs wording), and anyone that thinks that's the job shouldn't bother applying. Even then we're only talking about QA which often gets the guys McDonalds wouldn't give a job to. True, a few make the path to designer from there but it's not easy...
What we need is decent Computer Science courses, decent animation and art courses. Oh hold on, we already do. Why not support them? Decent people will still go through those well-respected channels. The whole hyped-up centre of excellence stuff is all style and no substance, it'll attract dossers who think it's an easy ticket and they'll be wondering what's gone wrong when no one offers them a job. Still, not like the government to waste millions on schemes because they fundamentally misunderstand the issues. |
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To be fair theres been alot of development done in the Salford area now(lots of money pumped in), BBC moved there and a Id imagine alot of other big businesses have followed, perhaps it was because Manchester is a good location and Salford offered cheaper sites near to a big city with all the facilities you'd need(transport ect).
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AphoticCosmos
17/06/09 @ 17:32
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"BRIGHTON? I COULD SAY WHY THE HECK WOULD ANYONE PUT SOMETHING DOWN THERE WITH THE REST OF THE SOUTHERN PONCE TWAT BRIGADE? "
You mean with Eurogamer's UK offices? |
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MrChuckles
17/06/09 @ 22:40
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Guildford Surely?
Lionhead, Media Molecule, EA, Kuju, Codemasters...etc.... |
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@AphoticCosmos: There's a big (and increasing) amount of games development in the North East.
Which brings us to the real problem- why, when any major organisation wants to build something "Up North", this only ever means (Greater) Manchester? I'm *from* Greater Manchester, and I think it's taking the piss a little. |
Comments: 1-28 of 28 in total
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