A graduate’s dissertation project V-Art has been nominated in the Best Student Game Category at the TIGA UK Games Education Awards, which recognising outstanding students, education providers and good practice.

Will Hamilton, who recently graduated with first-class honours in BSc Computer Games Development, designed the game to act as an accessible art gallery – sending players inside stunning virtual reality (VR) recreations of well-known paintings, such as The Scream by Edvard Munch.

He said: “Accessibility is really important to me – I grew up with undiagnosed ADHD, and I have loved ones and friends who live with disabilities.

“If you want to see art, you have to be able to travel to where it is – and even then, you might not get to see it for long.

“I wanted to create a VR experience that anyone could use to enjoy real-world art. The twist is, that V-Art sends them inside the picture and allows them to explore a 3D recreation of 2D art.”

Will worked hard to ensure the game was accessible to all – considering everything from how it controls, to the potential for motion sickness. He also added audio descriptions, and multi-language support.

He added: “It was really important to me that the barriers to access were as low as is possible. It took a lot of time and effort, but it was absolutely worthwhile.

“I’m absolutely delighted to be nominated for a TIGA Award – I honestly didn’t think the game had a chance of making the shortlist, and I was quite taken aback to find out that it had.

“I’m really grateful for the support and encouragement of the academics at UWS – it’s meant a great deal to me.”

Gavin Baxter, Senior Lecturer in Computer Games Development, said: “Will has produced something of an exceptional standard and I think, it’s fair to say, of commercial quality. He more than deserves this nomination, and I am delighted for him.

“At UWS, we pride ourselves in producing graduates who are ready to make an immediate impact in their chosen field – and Will is a great example of this. I look forward to watching his career go from strength to strength.”

To play V-Art for free, visit: https://twistdrabbit.itch.io/vart

Find out more about studying Computer Game Development at UWS.