Competition

What is NGA?

Norwegian Game Awards (NGA) is a national amateur game development competition for students of any age, up to and including master-level. Our target is to spread interest around games and game development among students, stimulate innovation and to show interdisciplinary elements within game development. As a subgroup of the student organization Start NTNU, NGA's second goal is to show the participants that starting a game development business is a possible career after studies. The competition is held annualy, and was arranged for the first time in 07/08. NGA was formed after the larger Swedish counterpart: Swedish Game Awards, which NGA still has tight relations to.

But what if I don't know how to program?

Game development is not only programming. A good game needs a good concept, good music and nice graphics, and it all has to suit the other parts well. So you do not need to know how to program: If you like to draw, to make music and/or sound effect, or have a good idea, you're just as much needed as a programmer!

There are many good games where the first version was developed by students, or a concept made by students. Portal is a good example of this. Keep in mind, the students did not develop this version, but the first version (called Narbacular Drop). Other innovative games that may be possible to match in a competition such as NGA is e.g. Braid. Keep in mind that if you have a good game concept, you can just deliver a document to the "Best Concept" category: There's no need for a game demo! Read more about the other prizes as well.

Is there only a competition, and nothing else?

NGA does not only have a competition, we also have different events throughout the year. The content varies from year to year, but you're guaranteed that we'll have a kick-off, workshops and a finale! During 09/10, we had a Warmup Competition where you had to make a game related to the theme "Nature Strikes Back". We will also have a game-award at The Gathering 10, where you can win prizes by creating the biggest "hype" around your game. So stay tuned, so you don't miss one of our events!