AUC Library Hosts It’s Fifth International Games Day

By: Nesrien Abdelkader

@NesrienAshraf

The AUC library hosted this year’s International Games Day on November 6 in the Bartlett Plaza with a variety of digital and athletic games,  as well as robotics and virtual reality simulations. 

Assistant Dean of Libraries and Learning Technology Sahar Sobeih said that the event gave AUCian game designers as well as non-AUCians the opportunity to showcase their products and learn more about gaming.

“Students need to know about the latest trends in technology. Every game you play gives you something to learn about and learning is a continuous process,” she said. 

International Games Day is an event celebrated by libraries worldwide every year and is sponsored by the American Library Association, an organization that promotes libraries and education. 

Sobeih believes that AUC will integrate gaming into the classroom in the future. 

“The latest trend in pedagogy, [the approach to teaching], is gamifying lessons. The strategies from games are being used in coursework,” she said.  

Karim Abdel Hamid, a computer engineering senior, showcased two of his original designs at this year’s event. One was a musical game he created in four hours that challenges players to learn piano notes to defeat enemies. The other was a game engine that he spent six years working on. 

Abdel Hamid said that game engines are tools that game developers use and that building one is a huge project which usually takes a team years to finish. 

“Some people play games for a good story that teaches them something. Then, there are games that promote socialization so you become closer to people around you. There are games that are competitive which allow you to increase your response time,” he said. 

Abdel Hamid says that gaming is an inclusive medium because people from various backgrounds are included in the creation process such as writers, artists and musicians. 

“It’s very cool as an Egyptian to see that there’s a booming games industry here,” he said. 

The event also showcased the technological advancements being made by Egyptians. 

Arc Space, an organization that specializes in interior design, for example, displayed a virtual reality home simulator at the event.  

Partner at Arc Space Maged Eskander explained that technology helps customers recognize the scale of their property and visualize it before it is actually finished. 

“After we finish the 3D visuals for the customers, they can enter their future villa and make adjustments. They can experience their property in the design stage as they would in real life,” Eskander said. 

Shahd Abdelraouf, a computer engineering sophomore, said that she loves virtual reality but she had never understood how it could be applied in real life until the demonstration. 

“I would definitely attend the event again and come earlier just to play more games,” she said. 

AUC’s Robotics Club also participated in the event and displayed their Remotely Operated Underwater Vehicle, commonly known as ROV. 

Computer Engineering senior and club member Omar Hisham explained that a team of over 20 people worked on the robot for two years and were proud to show it off. 

Besides the technological aspect, one of the main aims of the event was to highlight the fun of gaming. 

The event also featured magician Moustapha Berjaoui, the mind illusionist, who performed tricks for the crowd.

The International Games Day had free giveaways and refreshments and offered attendees a chance to win concert raffle tickets.