Young Thai game developers win big

22 กันยายน 2557

Apps created by Thai Matayom (secondary) students for memorizing English vocabulary & for learning about trash recycling win awards at software development contest.

Rayong Wittayakom School students pose for a photo with their BadGreen, a role play game designed to instil a sense of responsibility towards the environment and encourage waste recycling. LAMPHAI INTATHEP

EDUCATION

Young Thai game developers win big

22/09/2014
Lamphai Intathep

BadGreen, a role play game designed to instill a sense of responsibility toward the environment and encourage waste recycling, has been judged an outstanding software creation of Thai youngsters at the 2014 Incubate the Young IT Generation contest.

Worachet Usadee, a Mathayom 6 student at Rayong Wittayakom School and one of seven developers of the game, said he hoped BadGreen would raise awareness of environmental conservation.

Players take on the role of hero to fight against rubbish monsters and are asked to correctly sort different kinds of rubbish into rubbish bins labelled "recycle", "dangerous" and "waste".

“It would help increase environmental awareness, especially of waste sorting among the players somehow,” said the 18-year-old student.

The game is designed for players aged above 15.

He and his friends learned computer software development at their school, Mr Worachet said.

They were taught by a group of alumni who majored in computer science at university and returned to the school often to help teach junior students, he added.

"We also learn from YouTube. A lot of techniques for designing and developing applications are available for free," he said.

The students have a contract with a state enterprise and private company to support further development of the game, which is to be used in the company's corporate social responsibility (CSR) projects.

Meanwhile, a group of three girls at St Francis Xavier Convent School have developed an app called Jack Finds the Treasure, which offers users an entertaining way to learn English and was developed with next year's Asean Community (AC) in mind.

Pitchaporn Likitpanjamanon, a Mathayom 5 student, said English will be more important and useful when the AC is launched, but many students find memorising vocabulary boring.

"The game would help students to remember English words better," she said.

The application was designed for Prathom 4-6 students, and comprises lessons teaching more than 300 English words.

Players assume the role of Jack and are asked to match pictures with correct English words.

Both games were among 13 software projects which passed the final round of the contest (known as Tor Kla Hai Terb Yai), organised by Thailand National Electronics and Computer Technology Centre (Nectec) and the Siam Commercial Foundation.

Developed by Thai youngsters, a total of 67 projects were submitted, but only 13 were selected and exhibited at the Nectec Annual Conference & Exhibitions 2014 at the Sukosol Hotel.

Kwan Sitathani, deputy director of Nectec, said the project was aimed at stimulating Thai youngsters’ interest in and capability to develop computer software programmes.

"The contest is a mechanism to help develop students' IT creations to properly serve users in the real world," he said.

During the contest, software development techniques and technology market expertise were provided.

Science and Technology Minister Pichet Durongkaveroj emphasised the importance of Prime Minister Gen Prayut Chan-o-cha’s policy to increase investment in technology research and development (R and D).

"We must not only conduct research and leave it untouched on the shelf. We have to commercialise and put research into practice in different sectors," he said.

The ministry has plans to increase the country’s investment in technology from just 0.37% of gross domestic product to 1% using tax incentives.

http://www.bangkokpost.com/news/local/433578/young-game-developers-win-big