Students competed as this year's best e-sports game developers at the Regional Science, Technology, and Innovation Week (RSTW) in Central Visayas, with entries centered on Filipino-themed food, resiliency, and cultural heritage.
Displaying both technical skills and creativity, the finalists of the Next Level: Esports Game Dev Challenge, all from various universities and colleges in the region, designed games intentionally connected to current national and social issues.
"We wanted to show that even though the game we developed is creative, we can also show awareness on topics and issues the Philippines is currently facing, such as sustainability, resilience, food security, and cultural preservation," Kenechi Lubostro, Next Level head from DOST-Central Visayas, said.
Takyan X
A game of rhythm, childhood nostalgia, and friendly rivalry, Cebu Institute of Technology - University (CIT-U) team The Interns programmed Takyan X, which was hailed as the best developed e-sports game among the 10 competing groups this year.
The game features the local Visayan traditional street game called takyan, also known as sipa, which revolves around kicking a small metal object garnished with straws as its skirt, either individually or in combat with another player.
Takyan X uses three-dimensional control and perspective and features both single-player and multiplayer modes, with the goal of earning higher points in every hit and charged kick, locally known as burak.
"It is designed to capture the simple joy of takyan, bringing the fast-paced, high-spirited energy of the traditional childhood game straight to the screen," the game synopsis stated.
Sarap!
Securing the first runner-up spot, <blank> Studios of the University of the Philippines-Cebu aimed to preserve heritage recipes of the Philippines through their interactive and competitive game, Sarap!.
Using accuracy and shorter completion time as gameplay mechanics, Sarap! puts the spotlight on a Laguna-Quezon recipe called Kulawang Talong, a coconut-based eggplant stew with a smoky texture brought by direct charcoal cooking.
"We are looking at integrating other now-rare local recipes, particularly in the Visayas, in the upgrade of the game," <blank> Studios said, sharing how extensive their research was for the game development.
When asked whether the game recipe can be cooked in real life, they replied that once the gameplay is followed, it can become an actual meal, as they have also tried it themselves.
AeroSpire
BasangSisiw Studios of CIT-U clinched the third spot with AeroSpire, a city-building game that challenges players to outlast opponents using strategy, wit, and resource management.
The team classified the game as a competitive endurance game that allows players to control supply, manage resources, address crises, and decide the fate of a growing community.
The gameplay simulates sustainable consumption of food, water, and electricity with technological and innovative interventions, especially as the likelihood of disasters increases as the game progresses.
"As a leader you need to commit to decisions for your community, so you need to determine whether to prioritize the happiness of your citizens or your resources," one of its developers shared.
Another team from CIT-U, Limitless, took fourth place after developing Infinitus, a game that enables disaster awareness by using disasters as a destructive power over individuals in combative gameplay.
Salamin at Bakal by CIT-U team The Monchadas settled at fifth place. It is a turn-based combat system game that tells a story of reclaiming voice to influence change through casting skills to defeat the game's antagonists.
Beyond the competition, DOST-Central Visayas plans to expand the event by spearheading bootcamps in the future and exploring partnerships with the Cebu game development community to enhance the skills and talents of student developers.
"We wanted them to learn that even though they already know how to develop the game, at the end of the day, a professional perspective can enhance their current talents," Lubostro emphasized.
The Regional Science, Technology, and Innovation Week (RSTW) is one of the flagship programs of the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) aimed at providing science-based, innovative, and inclusive solutions across four strategic pillars: human well-being, wealth creation, wealth protection, and sustainability. These pillars embody the mantra OneDOST4U: Solutions and Opportunities for All. For more information, visit www.dost.gov.ph or the National Science, Technology, and Innovation Week (NSTW) Facebook page.
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