The HNC students were tasked with designing a game based on the Olympics, with Lochfield’s P6 pupils acting as their clients. The initial stages of the project involved students from the College visiting Lochfield Primary to understand the needs and desires of the young pupils. Armed with this valuable insight, the students then returned to the College to work on their game designs.
One highlight of this year’s collaboration is the involvement of Aiden McGarry, a former Lochfield Primary student, who took the lead in pitching game ideas to the current P6 pupils. Aiden’s journey from a Lochfield pupil inspired by this very project to a leading student in the HNC program exemplifies the full-circle nature of this partnership. "It's a pleasure to lead this unit and work with the school. It benefits everyone involved," says Dr. Amanda Ford, Computing Lecturer at West College Scotland.
Our students gain valuable experience by pitching to their younger peers and witnessing their games come to life during playtest day.
On Tuesday 29 May, Lochfield’s P6 pupils visited the College for the much-anticipated playtest day. They had the opportunity to play the games designed by the HNC students, provide honest feedback, and ultimately select their favourite.
Reflecting on his experience, Aiden McGarry shared,
Visiting the college as a kid was such a cool experience. It gave me a new perspective on video games.
'Coming to college and creating my own games has been incredibly enjoyable and interesting.”
P6 pupil Emily Rugh commented, “I had never done any kind of game design, but today I managed to create my own game based on my cat, Fudge. It’s very fun to use your imagination and bring things to life.
It’s maybe something I would like to keep up in my free time.
Another P6 pupil, Ella Beatty, said, “I’ve loved it. The people are all funny, and all the games based on fitness and the Olympics are different. I’d heard about the playtesting from older students at our school, so I was really looking forward to trying them out for myself.”
Lyle Brown, Depute Head Teacher at Lochfield Primary School, praised the partnership:
The collaboration with Dr. Ford has been a popular event on our calendar and curriculum.
'Each year, the children get the opportunity to hear from and collaborate with the games design students at the planning stage of their games and then experience the further education setting during the 'Playtest' event. This year is particularly special as we welcomed back a former Lochfield pupil who is now pursuing his passion for games design. It was great to have Aiden back at Lochfield, demonstrating the opportunities that come after primary and secondary education.”
This collaboration continues to inspire the next generation of game developers and brings educational experiences full circle for all involved. We look forward to seeing the innovative games that emerge from this year’s project and the continued success of this unique partnership.