Games and Animation student named BAFTA Young Game Designers finalist

Capital City College Games and Animation student Alex Bowers has been named a finalist in the prestigious BAFTA Young Game Designers competition.

Alex Bowers, a Games and Animation student at Capital City College (CCC)’s was nominated for a BAFTA Young Game Designers award and shortlisted as a finalist in the Game Making Award for budding game designers.

BAFTA’s Young Game Designers Awards are designed to inspire and celebrate the next generation of game designers. The competition provides a unique platform where young game designers can showcase their talent and gain access to creative opportunities.

Alex, who studies at CCC’s Soho campus, was one of four students nominated by their teacher, Ade Anwar, for the BAFTA competition. Alex’s game, Lattice, is a strategy grid game based on the classic game Minesweeper. The game challenges players to clear seven rounds of minesweeper, gaining upgrades between rounds. Although Alex did not win the final award, he was excited to be shortlisted and have his game made available on the BAFTA Game Making finalists website.

We spoke to Alex to find out more about his passion for games and design inspiration.

What inspired you to make games?

When I was younger, I used to play games on the school computer and I thought they were really cool. Back then I didn’t know how any of this worked and I wondered how they were made. 

When did you start making games?

Eventually I learned about coding and then in secondary I did computer science. I built up coding languages over time and then I started to make games. I’ve actually made three games, but I have four more in progress.

How did you come up with the idea for Lattice?

I was inspired by the classic Minesweeper and combined different game concepts to come up with this new game. I developed the game for fun and made all the elements myself. Once it had reached a playable state, I showed Ade, my course tutor, who told me about the BAFTA competition and recommended that I submit the game.

What do you think makes a good game designer?

I feel like anyone can make a game, as long as the idea for the games is good and they have a strong plot. If they have that, they can explain the game and get other people to make the other parts.

What do you enjoy about the creative process?

When I make art, the process of making art is much more fun than the art itself, because you get to learn techniques while making new pieces.

Ade Anwar, who is Alex’s teacher and Curriculum Manager for Games and Digital at CCC, said: “I was impressed by Alex’s game. It stood out because it was quite an original take on something.”

At CCC, our range of Computing and IT Courses offers students the opportunity to build their technical abilities while also supporting the development of key transferable skills that are vital to career progression. 

Speaking about the College’s approach to course design, Ade Anwar said: “Students are often very interested in the software and the technical skills, but we actually reinforce communication, critical thinking and collaboration in all of our assignments and courses. In fact, we’re even able to get industry giants to come here and explain to our students that those are things you need to develop at the early stage of your career. The games landscape may be changing, but your ability to express yourself and use that as you enter the world of work retains its value.”

Interested in turning your passion for gaming into a career? Take a look at our Computing and IT Courses!

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