MOJO promotes creativity in game development
On June 3rd, another edition of the Games Showcase (MOJO) organized by the Técnico Games Laboratory took place. This 17th edition featured 13 projects by students from the Games Methodology and Development (MDJ) course, part of the Master’s Degree in Informatics and Computer Engineering (MEIC), and allowed participants to showcase their games to other students, teachers and professionals from the games industry.
Among the participants, Duarte, a MEIC student shared his experience: “Our group is presenting the game we developed over the quarter, we’ve already had some students try it out and the feedback has been positive and as expected. The game is intuitive, but when we notice that the participants are having trouble making progress, we intervene and help them.”
In addition to the projects included in the Games Methodology and Development course, MOJO also featured games developed as part of master’s theses, projects by GameDev Técnico and researchers from GAIPS at the Institute of Systems and Computer Engineering – Research and Development (INESC-ID). Diogo Mendonça, coordinator of GameDev Técnico, stressed the importance of the event for improving the group’s projects: “Our aim with our presence at MOJO is to show the games we’ve developed, test them and get feedback from the participants.”
Members of Miniclip, Funcom and the Association of Portuguese Video Game Producers (APVP) were also present at this edition, allowing participants to create a bridge with the business community by sharing ideas. Tiago Santana, general coordinator of the Games Lab and student of the Degree in Informatics and Computer Engineering (LEIC), highlighted the importance of the event for his future: “Contact with members of the companies allows us to develop networking and valuable contacts that can open doors for the future.”
Regarding the educational and practical value of the event, Professor Rui Prada, responsible for the MDJ curricular unit, also highlighted: “It’s a very good experience because it allows the students to get information from those who are playing, understand what works and how they can improve the project. It’s also a way of enriching the experience not only of the students, but also of the campus community who are interested in these areas.”
Montra de Jogos continues to promote the value of games, highlighting the importance of their development for both students and the community, strengthening the link between Técnico and the games industry.