Xbox, Nintendo and Playstation console appeal for pupils at Culloden Academy in Inverness
A secondary school is appealing for working game console donations so it can relaunch its games design course.
Culloden Academy hopes a new gaming club will provide a more dynamic, inclusive, and engaging experience for pupils with an interest in the video game industry.
However, to make this vision a reality, the school is asking the community for support in the form of donations of old or unused gaming consoles and video games.
The teacher heading the initiative, Marcus Douglas, began the appeal to find old equipment in “need of loving”.
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He said: “The course has run in the school before - it did not run last year however, and we are aiming to relaunch it this year with a bit more ‘oomph’.
“Overall, this course is ideal for pupils who have an interest in pursuing a future career in the video game industry. However, I also think that this course can appeal to an even more diverse audience.
“Within the design and development of video games there is so much covered - you could be someone who has a passion for sound design, musical scores, character design, animation, art, programming, story-telling, and so much more.
“Game design brings together many creative sectors and I think that is something which sometimes gets overlooked.
“Being interested in game design shouldn't mean you have to be a programmer or a fan of playing video games. This is all to say that the video game industry requires talent from many creative sectors - not just people who want to play the games or code them.”
The course will give pupils a chance to show off what they are passionate about and start building a portfolio.
As part of their assessment, students must complete several activities related to game analysis and design.
They are required to describe the characteristics of at least three different game genres and identify key features of game platforms used by at least two existing games.
Additionally, they must accurately describe at least four design elements from observable areas in at least two games.
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While some will have access to consoles at home, some may not - and the specification for this course itself requires pupils to have access to 'a minimum of two gaming platforms’.
The specification does have accessible options (e.g. phones and computers with flash games), however, the experiences provided by the leading gaming consoles from Nintendo, Playstation and Xbox are far more desirable.
So far, 21 pupils have registered their interest in participating in a gaming club.
Mr Douglas added: “We would love a range of consoles from Xbox, Playstation and Nintendo. We are also keen for any older or retro game consoles so that we can observe the progression and advancement of gaming through the years.
“Ultimately, if it can play games - we would love it! We would also be grateful for video games themselves as well as the consoles. It is a big ask, and it is not cheap equipment, which is challenging for a school to provide for a large number of kids, which is why we are starting by appealing for any old or unused equipment in need of love.
“Beyond the games design course, I think having this equipment and being able to use it to offer pupils gaming as an extracurricular activity will enhance our school community by bringing our young people together.
“As with any club, people from different backgrounds are brought together through a shared hobby. Gaming is something which can appeal to a different type of person that more traditional clubs or sports may not be appealing to. So we will be able to cater to the wide range of interests that our young people have.”
