Dan Slutz, the 17-year-old National Invent A Game winner, speaks exclusively to Kidzworld about winning the National Invent A Game challenge with his original game concept for Rhythm.
KW: How did you hear about this competition and why did you decide to enter it?
DS: I saw it on www.inventorspot.com and decided to enter because I have always wanted to get into the video game industry.
KW: Had you had the idea for the Rhythm game before you decided to enter the contest or was it something you came up with specifically for the contest?
DS: I thought of the idea for Rhythm after I heard about the contest and decided to submit that idea.
KW: Tell us a bit about the process you went through to enter your game idea in the contest – what did you have to do? What materials did you have to submit?
DS: I filled out a few pages of forms with details about the game describing things like the concept, the characters, the basic premise. I also made drawings by hand and submitted as scans.
KW: How did you feel when you found out you won?
DS: Happy!!!!!
KW: What are you going to do with your prize money?
DS: Put it towards college.
KW: What will it be like to know other kids all over the country and even the world will soon be playing the game you created?
DS: Exciting! It puts me one step closer to doing what I want to do, which is design video games.
KW: What do you want other kids to get out of playing your game?
DS: I want to show kids that they may be ignored because they’re young but they can do a lot more than people think they can. And they should stay creative.
KW: Have you always loved video games?
DS: Yes.
KW: Tell us a bit more about the game and how you came up with the idea for Rhythm.
DS: Rhythm is a music based platformer that’s unique because the actual music that you play in the game effects the surrounding environment and allows you to solve puzzles and defeat enemies. I came up with the idea when I was sitting in art class. I drew the Rhythm character and decided to make the game around him.
KW: Do you love music, as well?
DS: I don’t play any musical instruments but like listening to music.
KW: Will you be helping to design and develop the game or is your part in it over now that you’ve won the contest?
DS: I’m going to work closely with the team at EA to develop the game. They have a site set up where we can exchange information and ideas, and we will also hold meetings on Skype. We also talked about me providing more art for the game.
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