Virtual Victories: BCS Hertfordshire Branch’s Epic Browser Gaming Tournament
I have been massively interested in gaming for a very long time now. Ever since I joined the BCS Hertfordshire committee, I knew that I wanted to set up and run a gaming event to share my passion with others. Originally, I envisioned an event featuring downloadable games - one game I wanted to incorporate was Minecraft. After some deliberation, it became apparent that it would be incredibly time consuming to install a selection of downloadable games onto enough computers to host the event, so I went back to the drawing board. This is when I had the idea to rework my original concept and instead host a browser gaming event. Browser gaming refers to playing video games directly within a web browser, therefore eliminating the need for downloads – logistical nightmare averted! Another key advantage of browser gaming is its flexibility, offering players the freedom of enjoying gaming on the go, without being tied to a specific device or location. Additionally, browser gaming often features social elements, allowing players to connect with friends, compete in tournaments, and share achievements within online communities. Browser gaming provides a convenient, accessible, and diverse gaming experience that continues to evolve with advancements in web technologies.
It was at this point that I also decided that I wanted to add a competitive angle to the event to encourage people to battle it out to get the highest scores. After a lot of game sampling, I picked three games that we were going to be featured at the event. The games I selected were Deadshot.IO, Tetris, and Hole.IO. I picked these games because they all had integrated scoring systems, so we could easily record everyone’s scores on a league table that I created in Excel to keep track of the coveted highest score.
From the very beginning, I had intended for the event to be something which generated exposure for the Hertfordshire Branch. I wanted to use the event to attract lots of people who had not heard of BCS before, in the hopes that they not only enjoyed themselves on the day but would also consider coming along to some of our other events and get involved with the work our Branch is doing. I thought that a gaming event would be the best way to do this as gaming is a fun and engaging activity, especially with an element of competition thrown into the mix – a break from some of the typical Branch outreach. Whilst lectures and webinars are very interesting to me, going to a gaming event seems far more attractive than attending a lecture (especially to the younger demographic!). So, this was exactly how I pitched the event at the next committee meeting and fortunately, the committee agreed it was a great idea.
Once a date was confirmed, I wanted to make sure as many people came as possible so that we could maximize the exposure of BCS. I created a short video that we uploaded to our social media pages which I made sure could also be uploaded as a YouTube Short. As the event was being held at the University of Hertfordshire, I also created a poster to pin on their notice boards which I also put up around my college (North Hertfordshire College). We sent targeted emails to people that we knew would be interested in attending the event and told them to bring their friends and families along to get involved. On the day of the event, we walked around the University campus inviting students to test their skills and compete with fellow gaming enthusiasts.
Before we kicked off the tournament on 8th May, I met Paul Moggridge (Chair of the BCS Hertfordshire Branch) and together, along with a couple of others, set up the room ready for the event. After we had completed the setup, Paul walked around the University campus inviting students to test their skills and compete with fellow gaming enthusiasts. Paul was a hit with the students and managed to bring a dozen extra attendees along.
After everyone had arrived and got comfortable, I opened the event with an overview explaining what browser gaming is and how the tournament would work. After all the introductions, it was gaming time! To ramp up the competitive spirit, the Branch had arranged prizes for the top three scorers on each game. Prizes ranged from gift cards to sweets, with the University even donating single board computers for us to use as prizes (which we prevented from becoming e-waste!). Attendees were given an hour and a quarter to set the highest scores they could on all three games – not that this was needed in some cases. One attendee managed to set the Tetris high score within the first 5-10 minutes of the event, so it was very much a battle for second and third place! Once the time was up, I called a halt to the gaming to announce the winners. As there were prizes for first, second and third place for each of the games, a good variety of people were able to take a prize away with them.
Upon reflection, I think the event went very well. Everything was executed as planned which I was incredibly grateful for. New friends were made through competition, and you could really feel the joy in the room - everyone got involved. As I wrap up my first year at college, I look forward to working with the Branch again as part of my second-year placement and hope to plan more similarly engaging events.
If you’d like to know more about our events, or you’d like to get involved, check out the Hertfordshire Branch’s website.
Author Bio:
My name is Nathaniel Sivyer, and I am currently a T-Level student studying Digital Production, Design and Development at North Hertfordshire College. As part of my course, I am working with BCS’ Hertfordshire Branch. I am passionate about coding and gaming. I would like to pursue a career in IT once I have finished my studies.