Game students showered with awards

This is the first time bachelor's students in Games and Entertainment Technology have returned home with this many awards, winning three out of seven possible prizes: Best Game, Best Storytelling, and Best Sound Design.

Dan Pumnea and Janko Zorbas created the sound for the award-winning game Life Under Pressure, which takes players into deep and mysterious oceans.

"Sound is crucial for the entire gaming experience and is an important storytelling tool. We wanted to recreate the claustrophobic feeling of being under water by using real sounds and music that build tension," says Zorbas from Serbia.

"We listened to how submarine noise and whale songs sound under water. Creating realistic sound effects challenged our creativity, and we had to think outside the box. For example, we used crunching autumn leaves to mimic the sound of breaking glass, and collapsing caves were created by shaking a box of small stones. A central element in the game is the sound of the submarine's propeller. It must be present all the time but should not be perceived as annoying or disturbing. Many hours are spent in the sound studio to fine-tune details, nuances, and volume."

"We know that many people are afraid of the deep sea, which we used to our advantage when composing the sounds and music. The deeper you dive in the game, the more intense the sound gets. It tells you in a way that your next move is crucial. Some of the inspiration came from games like Subnautica and SOMA and even the movie Titanic," reveals Zorbas.

There were a total of 65 games in this year's competition. Game developers from the Levanger based study programme have won numerous awards before. However, this is the first time Nord students have won three of the prizes. This confirms the study's ability to prepare students for the global game industry.

"I am deeply impressed and very proud. This is a historically good achievement," says Associate Professor Helga D. Isfold Sigurðardóttir at the Faculty of Social Sciences in Levanger.

The three-year study is in English and includes students from all over the world.

The study location Levanger houses around 2,600 students, and many claim that Campus Røstad is among the most beautiful campuses in the country.

"It's a place where you wouldn't expect a university, but that just makes it even more charming," says Romanian Pumnea.

"I like the tranquility and the simple small-town life in Levanger. It's easier to concentrate on studies with so few distractions," says Pumnea with a slight laugh.

"The international student diversity in Levanger strengthens creativity. At the same time, it is a great advantage to be able to collaborate with students across different studies, such as students in Film and TV Production."

Zorbas describes Levanger as a small, quiet town in the middle of Norway, surrounded by sea, forest, and grasslands. He believes that getting to know and collaborating with various creative students is very valuable for challenging each other's and one's own imagination and development.

"Sparring with fellow students from all over the world gives many different perspectives and makes creativity sparkle. We can create the most incredible things," says Zorbas.

The gaming industry is growing rapidly, and gaming is a central part of everyday life for almost all children and young people. According to a report from the Norwegian Media Authority (2024), nine out of ten (86 percent) children and young people between the ages of nine and 18 in Norway play computer games. Nearly half play daily.

"The great engagement for computer games underscores the importance and market potential for studies like Games and Entertainment Technology in Levanger. Here, students learn not only technical skills but also how to use games as a platform for creative storytelling and innovative design," concludes Sigurðardóttir.