UH Computer Science Dominates Microsoft Imagine Cup 2011


Three teams from the University of Houston, AAMP, Righteous Noodle, and STC, have qualified to compete in the final round of Microsoft’s Imagine Cup 2011US Competition.

They carry on a legacy of strong Imagine Cup competition by UH Computer Science teams. In 2008, one UH team finished in the top 20 in the international Imagine Cup competition. In 2009, one UH team ranked in the top 150. In 2010, two UH teams (Teams Ifrit Salsa and LeveL13) won 2nd and 3rd places in the national competition and four UH teams ranked in the top 150 in the International competition. The teams are supported by the Game Development and Game Art instructors Dr. Olin Johnson, Dr. Zhigang Deng, Dr. Chang Yun and Mr. Jose Baez.

Imagine Cup is the world’s premier student technology competition in software design, embedded development, game design, digital media, and Windows Phone 7 development. It is open to undergraduate and graduate students at colleges and universities, as well as to high-school students.  Designed with the United Nations Millennium Development Goals in mind and sponsored by Microsoft, Imagine Cup challenges student teams to solve some of the world’s toughest problems.

Here is the Imagine Cup 2011 US finalists from the University of Houston:

Game Design – Windows and Xbox

Righteous Noodle

Team Righteous Noodle (Windows) The team created “Eva Frontier,” a real-time strategy game designed to develop problem solving skills by managing a humanitarian mission that delivers food and medicine to villages.  The team is composed of Computer Science undergraduate students Jackchalat Chaiyakhom, Thien Pham, Kyuho Shim, and Son Tran (Mentor:  Dr. Chang Yun).

Subject to Change

Team STC (Xbox360) The team developed “Deep Sea,” a game designed to protect the ocean environment and promote innovation in keeping oil rigs safe.  The team is composed of Computer Science Ph.D. students William Holtkamp and Philip Trevino, and undergraduate students Melissa Dickinson and Carlos Lacayo (Mentor:  Dr. Chang Yun).

Game Design – Mobile

AAMP

Team AAMP (Windows Phone 7) The team developed a mobile game “Operation Clean Sweep,” where the player has the objective of cleaning up rivers polluted by their adjacent cities. The team is composed of Computer Science graduate student Mark Rojas and undergraduate students Antonio Farias, Ashish Khatri, and Patipol Paripoonnanonda (Mentor:  Dr. Chang Yun).

A total of 12 teams (6 teams in PC/Xbox360 and 6 in Mobile) will be invited to the national final in Seattle, Washington, in April 8-11.  Six teams (3 teams in Windows/Xbox360 and 3 teams in Mobile) are selected in this fall and another 6 in next spring.  In the fall competition, the UH gaming teams dominated the Game Design competition by taking 3 out of 6 available seats after competing against more than 100 teams in the nation.  In addition, it is first time where three teams from one university are selected as the finalists in a single season.

By qualifying, the AAMP, Righteous Noodle, and STC students have earned an all expense paid trip to Seattle, Washington on Aril 8, 2011.  Righteous Noodle and STC will compete to win the national final in the Windows/Xbox360 category, and AAMP in the Mobile category.

If you are interested in gaming coursework in Computer Science, please contact Chang Yun.

Visit the UH Interactive Game Development website here.