USW Games graduates reach next stage of Tranzfuser competition

Three teams of Computer Games Design and Game Art graduates from the University of South Wales (USW) have been selected for the next stage of national competition, Tranzfuser, to continue developing their games.

Knockback Games and Dragon Scale Studios, from Tranzfuser 2023, and Skyline Studios, one of the winning teams from Tranzfuser 2022, are all taking part in DunDev – a four-week, residential programme that allows graduates to focus on the business of making their games.

Based in Dundee, the teams have access to accommodation, office space and prize money of up to £10,000 to support their work, as well as tailored mentoring to build on what they have learned during Tranzfuser.

At the end of DunDev, the teams will be invited to pitch to the UK Games Fund for grants of up to £25,000 for the continued commercial development of their games.

Skyline Studios – made up of Computer Games Design graduates Scott Dickens, Jack Williams, Chelsea Perry and Finley Bird-Waddington – went on to develop Escalar, a single player fantasy-based adventure game, as a result of last year’s Tranzfuser competition.

Escalar challenges players to platform with precision as they climb the hazardous tower, using grenades, grapple hooks, their climbing skills or by charge jumping their way up the tower. They are able to collect gems to buy upgrades from Burlar’s Bazaar, or use their upgraded abilities to reach new unexplored areas.

Knockback Games – made up of Usman Tarafdar, Jaz Banson and Kothil Rajavelu – are working on Sincognito, a PC horror-style game in which the player attempts to defeat the seven deadly sins.

Usman said: “We’re excited to have progressed to DunDev, as it opens up so many opportunities. The experience of pitching our game has already proved very useful as we have been able to constantly adapt Sincognito and, if we’re successful, we’ll be able to develop it into the commercially viable product we’d like it to be.”

Dragon Scale Studios – made up of Luke Maloney, Jan Palka, Ariana Dring-Sandberg, Ethan Morrison, Sam Riley and Dave Warburton – are working on Set Sail!, a pirate adventure where up to four players can loot, fight and sail together through a range of different levels, firing cannons and plundering treasure chests along the way.

Luke said: “We are incredibly grateful and excited to have been selected for DunDev, as it means we are able to gain even more support to keep doing what we love – making games! It’s an opportunity to network with other artists and designers while creating our own product and having the experience of running our own games company. We’re excited to see what comes next.”