Sheridan students combine to win 10 of 18 awards at Ubisoft video game development competition
Sheridan students accounted for more than half of the award winners in this year's Ubisoft Toronto NEXT competition, an annual showcase that attracted 229 video game development students from more than 30 colleges and universities across Ontario.
Highlights of Sheridan's dominant showing included a sweep of the VFX (visual effects) category, the top two finishers in Level Design, and first and third place in Programming. Honours Bachelor of Game Design student Tucker Fortier's win in Level Design marked the eighth time in as many years that a Sheridan student has finished first in that category.
"Ubisoft NEXT continues to be a valuable opportunity for students to showcase their skills in an industry-sponsored event. The success of our students highlights their strong creativity and ability to effectively apply real-world principles developed throughout our programs," said Jeffrey Pidsadny, coordinator of Sheridan's Honours Bachelor of Game Design degree.
In the Level Design competition, participants were tasked with a two-part challenge spanning design brief to playable blockout, reflecting the real production journey a mission takes. Fortier's winning submission was "a deeply immersive and well-crafted level, with strong layout and spatial design," commented event judge Naveen Prasad. "The cinematic moments added an extra layer of polish, and the subtle AC (Assassin's Creed) nod at the end was the cherry on top."
Visual Effects student Han Wen Chang claimed first place in VFX, which challenged participants to create a scene based on an existing Ubisoft game title while maintaining a high quality of assets, visual storytelling and overall composition to support their interpretation of the scene. "A striking piece centered on fire propagation, with physically convincing behaviour and strong narrative intent," noted judge Luisa Boeppler Abuchaibe. "The flames guide the emotional beat, supported by carefully calibrated lighting and values that create a cohesive, cinematic moment."
Evan Daveikis (Honours Bachelor of Game Design) was awarded posthumously as the winner in Programming, an event that required competitors to build a single- or multi-player game that demonstrated both technical skill and compelling gameplay, featured a creative twist and was created entirely in C++ over the course of one weekend. "Evan delivered an impressive 3D rasterized game that stood out for its strong VFX, 3D rendering and physics systems," judge Neil Hill said. "Combined with well-structured code and a high level of technical ambition, it was a clear showcase of his talent."
Sheridan's other award recipients included:
- Ash McDonald, Honours Bachelor of Animation (second, Animation)
- Tristan Hafkenscheid, Game Level Design (second, Level Design)
- Yunfei Xue, Visual Effects (second, Technical Animation)
- Yi Hong, Visual Effects (second, VFX)
- Lei Wu, Visual Effects (third, VFX)
- Yian Lin, Visual Effects (third, 3D Art)
- Alvin Phillips, Game Development — Advanced Programming and Game Level Design (third, Programming)
Now in its 13th year, the Ubisoft Toronto NEXT competition provides aspiring developers with an opportunity to showcase their skills, connect with industry professionals and gain a real-world glimpse into life in a professional game studio. Participants' work is reviewed by Ubisoft Toronto developers who volunteer their time to mentor students and evaluate submissions. More than 110 Ubisoft Toronto NEXT participants have been hired by Ubisoft.
Sheridan's Faculty of Animation, Arts & Design (FAAD) offers numerous programs that teach skills used in video game development and design, including the Honours Bachelor of Game Design — the first four-year honours bachelor's degree of its kind in Canada. FAAD also recently launched its Master of Animation, Games, and Immersive Experiences, a unique credential that blends animation, game design/development and immersive experiences into one interdisciplinary graduate degree, as well as an Honours Bachelor of 3D Animation and Emerging Technologies degree that teaches 3D tools and skills that drive innovation in film and immersive media.
— Visuals in release are (banner image) a screenshot of Tucker Fortier's winning project in Level Design and (in body) a video of Han Weng Chang's winning project in VFX.
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