Mr Bosen Teh (second from left): We want to concentrate on long-term playability of our games.

Do not be surprised if the next PlayStation3 (PS3) or PSP (PlayStation Portable) game you buy comes with a “Made in Singapore” tag.

On 23 March 2010, Nanyang Polytechnic (NYP) officially announced the launch of the PlayStation Development Community at its Games Resource Centre (GRC) with four pioneering local companies – Gamma Games, Redeye Studio, Red Hare Studios and XYZ Wave. This GRC is the only set-up in Singapore where local budding games developers can access to the PlayStation development kits.

Looking to take advantage of NYP’s interactive digital media facilities and the PlayStation development kits that Sony is providing to the GRC, the companies are aiming to be the first in Singapore to incubate proof-of-concept games for the PS3 and PSP platforms.

Gamma Games, which was set up by NYP alumni Mr Jason Chew Ngai Seng, Mr Bosen Teh, Mr Goh Wai Kit, Mr Mitch Hamid, Mr Samsuri Kario and Mr Virgilo Lustre Jr, are hoping to launch its first game in about nine months’ time.

“Alien Bomber” is an action/shooting game that runs along the lines of the popular “Gunbound” multi-player online game series, but in full 3D.

“We want to concentrate on long-term playability of our games. Some games have good graphics, but the game-play factor is low, so they don’t hold the interest of the gamer for long,” said Mr Bosen Teh, 29, Director/Designer, Gamma Games.

The PlayStation Development Community presents an opportunity for local companies to break into the PlayStation network, as NYP offers them the opportunity to work with the PS3 reference tools in the GRC, allowing them access to PlayStation source code and training materials. It also gives them live feedback on whatever code they have written, facilitating games development.

Furthermore, through the PlayStation Development Community, the four pioneering companies will be allowed to begin development before achieving Sony’s “licensed developer” status, which is typically granted only to companies that are already established and have had game titles published internationally.

Said Dr Koh Wee Lit, 30, Producer with Red Hare Studios, “If we went through the normal channels, we would have had to first pitch our games ideas to Sony and be accepted before we could even start, and our company would have to fulfil several pre-requisites, like having ‘licensed developer' status. We would certainly have had to be a much larger company than we are today. At the GRC the entire development process is set up for us, and we have reference tools that we can’t get outside.”

The GRC was established in April 2009 as a collaborative effort with Sony Computer Entertainment Asia and Premium Agency, and with the support of the Infocomm Development Authority of Singapore (IDA). More than 100 students and working professionals have gone for its training workshops and two-day certification courses to date.

“The setting up of the PlayStation Development Community is in line with NYP’s efforts to forge meaningful collaborations with the industry and provide more learning opportunities for our students,” said Mr Chan Lee Mun, NYP’s Principal and Chief Executive Officer. “We look forward to working with the companies within this community to foster innovative ideas in game development, and spur the growth of the interactive digital media industry in Singapore."