1st Place – Cold Sun

School: School of Digital Arts, Animation and Design at the Université du Québec à Chicoutimi (NAD-UQAC) and the Department of Computer Science and Mathematics at the Université du Québec à Chicoutimi (DIM-UQAM)

  • Karel Bouchard, Bachelor’s degree in 3D animation and digital design, NAD – UQAC
  • Hugo Derome, Bachelor’s degree in 3D animation and digital design, NAD – UQAC
  • Mélissa François-servant, Bachelor’s degree in 3D animation and digital design, NAD – UQAC
  • Guillaume Janicki, Bachelor’s degree in 3D animation and digital design, NAD – UQAC
  • Sarah Picard, Bachelor’s degree in 3D animation and digital design, NAD – UQAC
  • Sarah De Léséleuc, Bachelor’s degree in 3D animation and digital design, NAD – UQAC
  • Ziyang Tan, Bachelor’s degree in 3D animation and digital design, NAD – UQAC
  • Marc-Étienne Foster, Bachelor’s degree in 3D animation and digital design, NAD – UQAC
  • David-Alexandre Hauben, Bachelor’s degree in 3D animation and digital design, NAD – UQAC
  • Natalie Morcos, Bachelor’s degree in 3D animation and digital design, NAD – UQAC
  • Marie-Noël Vanasse, Bachelor’s degree in 3D animation and digital design, NAD – UQAC
  • Megane Gagnon-Tremblay, Bachelor’s degree in 3D animation and digital design, NAD – UQAC
  • Marc-Étienne Foster, Bachelor’s degree in 3D animation and digital design, NAD – UQAC
  • David-Alexandre Hauben, Bachelor’s degree in 3D animation and digital design, NAD – UQAC
  • Natalie Morcos, Bachelor’s degree in 3D animation and digital design, NAD – UQAC
  • Marie-Noël Vanasse, Bachelor’s degree in 3D animation and digital design, NAD – UQAC
  • Megane Gagnon-Tremblay, Bachelor’s degree in 3D animation and digital design, NAD – UQAC
  • Pierre-Luc Jacques, Bachelor’s degree in 3D animation and digital design, NAD – UQAC
  • Vienna Von Arx, Bachelor’s degree in 3D animation and digital design, NAD – UQAC
  • Jonathan Larose, Bachelor’s degree in narrative game design, NAD – UQAC
  • Emmanuel Boucher, Bachelor’s degree in computer science with a major in video games, DIM-UQAC
  • Samuel Proulx, Bachelor’s degree in computer science with a major in video games, DIM-UQAC
  • Etienne Emond, Bachelor’s degree in computer science with a major in video games, DIM-UQAC
  • Emmanuel Boucher, Digital Music, UQAM
  • Tom Millez, One-semester international exchange program, (Bachelor’s degree in computer graphics techniques, video games, game art, Haute École Albert Jacquard) – NAD-UQAC
  • Claire Duchaine, One-semester international exchange program, (Bachelor’s degree in animation, 3D VFX & video games / game art, Haute École Albert Jacquard) – NAD-UQAC
  • Germain Pironet, One-semester international exchange program, (Bachelor’s degree in computer graphics techniques, video games, game art, Haute École Albert Jacquard) – NAD-UQAC

Created by UQAC students, Cold Sun is a third-person stealth adventure set in a post-apocalyptic world with a marked lack of basic resources and overrun by garbage. The main character is accompanied by their little brother and their only goal is to gain access to the last habitable oasis on earth. Cold Sun’s artistry, play and format are reminiscent of triple-A games. Take 30 minutes out of your day to experience art in video game play.

How long did it take your team to develop your game?
Our team put in approximately 9,500 hours collectively to develop Cold Sun.

What were some of the challenges you faced in developing your game?
We met with a few challenges related to remote design. We’re a large project team and we needed to make sure that we communicated effectively and efficiently. We found that communication between the artists and the programmers was paramount especially as we weren’t always working from the same location and we were jumping into the project at different levels and times. We worked diligently to make sure we kept to a consistent pipeline. Even with our planning, just a few weeks toward the end of the project, we considered adding another level to our game. Design the game and using AI also proved to be exciting challenges. We are very proud of how we collaborated and ultimately created a pretty amazing game.

 Favourite video games:

  • Guild Wars 2
  • Overwatch
  • Mario World
  • The Last of Us
  • Tomb Raider
  • League of legends
  • The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild
  • Dragon Age: Origins
  • World of Warcraft
  • The Outer Worlds
  • Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door

2nd Place – WYRMWOOD

Official Team Name: FRÜTPUNCH Games

School: Sheridan College

Harrison Kerr
4th Year Honours
Bachelor of Game Design		 Eve Leveille
4th Year Honours
Bachelor of Game Design		 Klayton Cheuk
4th Year Honours
Bachelor of Game Design		 Selina Muriel
4th Year Honours
Bachelor of Game Design		 Gareth Hudson
4th Year Honours
Bachelor of Game Design

How did your team get together?
In anticipation of our 4th year capstone project, the team formed over the course of our 3rd year in the Sheridan Game Design program. We all have known each other and worked together through our years in the program, and the team formed quite naturally as we realized that if we were going to work on a project of this size we would want to do it together.

How long did it take your team to develop your game?
It took our team a full 8 months to develop our game. It was developed over the course of our 7th and 8th semesters in the Sheridan Game Design program.

What was the most difficult part of the development process?
What we found the most difficult over the entire process was managing our game’s scope. This was something that we constantly had to consider and determine solutions for. We had quite a bit of difficulty reducing our initial large game concept to a small enough size that we could realistically complete it in the 8 months we had. We found though that having up-to-date documentation, being open to change in general, and not getting too attached to ideas really helped.

What was the most exciting part of the development process?
Working alongside close friends for eight months provided many memorable experiences. The most exciting point during development was likely when the team began to see the payoffs of (an externally contested) heavy early investment into design and production planning. When the pace of development began to increase, the team was extremely excited. Otherwise, playtesting and tweaking incrementally until woes subside and the intended experience began to shine through were very exciting. Lastly, reaching the point at which we could say we ‘met’ our design goal of creating a satisfying combat experience where the player cannot attack was deeply gratifying for everyone.

Any comments on your programs? Are they related to game development?
The fourth year capstone program was a great chance for us to develop our skills in both game development and teamwork by simulating a studio environment. We had the opportunity to use many of the skills that we learned over our 4 years in the program in our final project. Having the opportunity to stay updated on what all the other teams were working on and share a studio space with them was an incredible asset as well!

What are your favourite games? (one from each team member)

  • Harrison: Super Mario Sunshine
  • Eve: The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion
  • Klayton: Paper Mario: The Thousand Year Door
  • Selina: Fallout: New Vegas
  • Gareth: Metroid Prime

Does the team have any mentors? Or are there game developers who may have inspired the work of each team member?
Zain Dinath was our Capstone team mentor. He checked in with us weekly to make sure our project was on track and field any questions we had about the process. His experience as a games producer was invaluable in keeping our scope in check and production schedule well organized.

Where do you all see yourselves in the next five years?
As a team, we see ourselves staying in contact, getting involved in new projects together, and making the most of our friendships.

Harrison Kerr
In the next five years I hope to see myself working in a small/indie game studio working as either a game or level designer. I want to keep working on my own projects and games as well with the eventual goal of potentially starting my own studio and working with people who are also passionate and dedicated game developers with the goal of creating games that we ourselves would want to play!

Eve Leveille
Within the next five years, I hope to be working in a game studio that shares my design philosophies as well as my passion for open, friendly, and truly collaborative teamwork. I have a wide range of interests when it comes to game design, so I know I’ll be happy working on any genre of game so long as the studio culture is the right fit for me. I would like to eventually work towards a team lead design position because I found through my time at Sheridan that I very much enjoy inspiring others to contribute their best work to a project.

Klayton Cheuk
My goals are mostly to be working in the indie scene, under a small studio and on projects I am passionate about. I hope to develop some ideas on my own and get involved in the projects of my friends and peers as well. I want the opportunity to further develop my skills as gameplay designer and programmer, UI designer, and UX designer in future projects. I’d like to also be exploring my passion for games development by immersing myself in more design disciplines and learning more about what I enjoy about making games! And of course, I’d love to meet as many incredible, passionate, and friendly game devs as I can along the way. I want to be a part of a community.

Selina Muriel
In the next five years I see myself growing my small business, Carmico, into a full time job for myself while also continuing my work in the games industry on the side. I would like to take my business as far as it can go!

Gareth Hudson
In the next five years I look to see myself pivoting into the role of a Technical Artist working in a game studio that shares a drive for well designed, fun-focused games. I love a wide variety of game genres and hold an interest in the design of many types of gameplay. Wherever I end up I’ll look forward to contributing my best towards making a game experience that is fun, polished, and easy to enjoy. In the meantime I’ll be ever improving my capabilities in code through projects and collaborations with my peers to help see myself reach this goal.

Any advice to students considering developing video games?

  • If you want to get into games but are intimidated by programming, don’t fret! There are more accessible coding resources than ever before to help you get started, as well as many visual scripting tools that allow you to make games without writing a single line of code. In first year, my programming courses were some of the toughest and most stressful, but by fourth year I was coding my own games with confidence.
  • If you want to get into making games but you’re worried that you have many interests and skills and might not want to choose, games might actually be a great avenue for you! Having many skills to bring to the table is a valuable skill, and knowing how other departments work will help you do your individual work better while being mindful of the power and limitations around you.
  • When making games don’t underestimate the importance of design. If you’re looking to produce game art for example, try to study readability, conveyance, and other concepts that will make your art not only look good but be understood by those playing your game. Knowing how to make playing your game a natural learning process is extremely important as it will make more people enjoy your games as a whole.

3rd Place – The Last Frame

Official Team Name: Woodog
School: Université du Québec à Chicoutimi

  • Dorian Antoinet, Maitrise Informatique Spécialité Jeux Vidéo, UQAC
  • Laura Bouzereau, Maitrise Informatique Spécialité Jeux Vidéo, UQAC
  • Victor Delenclos, Maitrise Informatique Spécialité Jeux Vidéo, UQAC
  • Elie Ensuque, Maitrise Informatique Spécialité Jeux Vidéo, UQAC
  • Raphaëlle Garcia, Maitrise Informatique Spécialité Jeux Vidéo, UQAC
  • Clémence Petit, Maitrise Informatique Spécialité Jeux Vidéo, UQAC
  • Clément Ramat, Maitrise Informatique Spécialité Jeux Vidéo, UQAC
  • Baptiste Rey, Maitrise Informatique Spécialité Jeux Vidéo, UQAC

How did your team get together?
We were selected to represent our university during the Ubisoft Game Lab Contest CUBI20. Some of us already knew each other since we studied together at UQAC (three of us also came from the same school in France). We decided to participate in a game jam to strengthen our team before starting the contest.

How long did it take your team to develop your game?
3 months (January 17 – April 19). As part of the Ubisoft Game Lab Contest, we were supposed to do it in only 10 weeks (and were going to), but the Ubisoft Game Lab Contest was cancelled 9 days before its end and with the schools closed, we didn’t have the proper equipment to finish in 10 weeks like we wanted. We decided nonetheless to finish the game because we were so close, and took an extra month to finish.

What was the most difficult part of the development process?
Dorian: It was near the end, when the COVID-19 pandemic exploded. The contest was cancelled and it was hard to get back to work and finish the game.

Laura: Once the Ubisoft contest was cancelled, many of us have lost their motivation. We were convinced that we could win this contest! We have made so many efforts to finish our production…

Victor: As the University closed during the pandemic, we weren’t able to see each other. That not only impacted our productivity but also our overall mood, as we had become close friends.

Elie: The loss of motivation once the Covid crisis started and courses got cancelled. It was also hard to agree on the initial game idea. 

Raphaelle: For me, it was mostly stress as the project manager, and having a clear idea of time management and how much time we needed to develop our mechanics. We also struggled with the fact that we had no official artists in our team (we are all programmers).

Clémence: At the very beginning, when nothing was yet concrete, I found it difficult to know where we were going to go. And in the end, when we couldn’t see each other to work, it was more difficult to keep motivated.

Clément: Debugging and making the final changes at the end of the project was really stressful.

Baptiste: At first, it was hard to agree on an initial game idea as we all like different types of game. Then, working remotely, due to the pandemic, was harder to manage and to communicate with the team.

What was the most exciting part of the development process?
Dorian : When we got to the point where I could play catch & football with my AIs.

Laura : Even if all the development process was really exciting (I am an enthusiastic person), I think I will not forget all the friendships I have made. Certainly the best team I ever worked with. This strong feeling about being part of a great team capable of great things…This is probably how I want to work in the videogames industry!

Victor: Getting fun ideas and adding them to the game.

Elie: Feedbacks from playtesting, making all the core mechanic works, and the Ouija board.

Raphaelle: Seeing the game build up slowly, having a very good team atmosphere and getting feedback from our mentors and testers.

Clémence : Seeing what we imagined to become concrete, and building more than a team spirit, but a group of friends.

Clément: The best parts during the development were when all of the work we did was finally put together and the great team environment we had really highlighted this.

Baptiste: Seeing all the different parts (gameplay, level design) nest together to create a complete experience and getting good feedback from players.

Any comments on your programs? Are they related to game development?
>We are all in the Computer Science Master with a specialty in Video Games at UQAC, so yes, our programs are related to game development.

Our program at UQAC is specialized in game development, but all of us are also taking it as a dual degree with our universities in France and come from a general software engineering college background.

What are your favourite games? (one from each team member)

  • Dorian: S4 League
  • Laura : Baba is You
  • Victor : Mark of the Ninja
  • Elie: Zero Escape : Virtue’s Last Reward
  • Raphaëlle : Journey
  • Clémence: Celeste
  • Clément : Deus Ex: Human Revolution
  • Baptiste: The Legend of Zelda: Majora’s Mask 3D

Does the team have any mentors? Or are there game developers who may have inspired the work of each team member?
We had 2 mentors: Maxime Boudreault & Mathieu Otis. They both work at Ubisoft Saguenay.

Where do you all see yourselves in the next five years?
Dorian: Hopefully working as a gameplay engineer with amazing people in a AAA studio. This would be ideal !

Laura: I hope I can join Ubisoft’s group. They rejected me for an internship but gave me hope by promising a job offer after my studies!

Victor : I hope I’ll become an experienced game developer, who has fun creating games so people can have fun too.

Elie : A fully fledged adult with a solid foot in the gamedev industry. I don’t know yet if I will prefer working in big companies or smaller studios.

Raphaelle: Working for a video game company, either as dev UI or gameplay. My dream is to be a project manager in the video game industry, hopefully I’ll get to fulfill that dream!

Clémence : I’d like to create video games within a team to make players have good experiences they’re going to remember.

Clément : I’m hoping to get into the game industry as an audio programmer as it merges two of my favorites topics.

Baptiste: Working as a gameplay programmer in an indie studio, making cool and small experiences that players love.

Any advice to students considering developing video games?
Dorian: Start small, dream big ! Stay open-minded and keep looking for opportunities. It doesn’t matter if you aim to become the next Kojima or Miyamoto and you start by doing an internship at your local mobile game studio. Everyone has to start from somewhere, and it can take them anywhere !

Laura : Be confident in yourself. (And do not forget putting feedback in your game. Feedbacks are everything).

Elie : Start very small and try doing things by yourself before trying to build a team. Pick a game engine. Follow a complete walkthrough to make some basic game, like Snake or Pong. Then, start to make a game on your own and look up problems online as you get stuck. Keeping a small scope is very important to be sure you can finish your game. Game jams are also very useful to ensure you finish a game.

Victor : Accept the fact that giving your opinion on everything can sometimes slow down the project, and that unfortunately you sometimes may have to let go of some of your ideas.

Raphaelle: Don’t put too much pressure on yourself at the beginning, everybody has to start someday. I’d advise people to do projects with others because it’s much more fun in my opinion! (oh and if you have the opportunity, do participate in the Ubisoft Game Lab Contest. It’s been a fantastic adventure!)

Clémence: Practice, practice again and repeat. Alone or in a team, take every opportunity that is presented to you. Always be proud of what you have created!

Clément: It has been mentioned several times already but starting small is really the way to go because finishing a game on your own is harder than you may believe. Finishing your game is really important in order to see all the steps of game development.

Baptiste: Don’t be afraid to try ! Participate in game jams (there are multiple game jams everyday online) in order to quickly understand the full process of creating games. Then try bigger projects but always remember to keep the scope low.

S