Guinness World Record for former lecturers and students
Wed, 11 Dec 2013 10:15:00 GMT
Running in the Halls run away success
STUDIES at the University of Huddersfield meant that a talented group of graduates were able to team up and establish a successful company specialising in the design and creation of websites, apps and computer games.
And now Running in the Halls (RITH) – as the Huddersfield-based company is named – has set a world record after rising to a challenge set by one of the most tech-savvy programmes on TV.
Channel 5’s The Gadget Show decided to celebrate its 250th edition by establishing a new record. Running In The Halls – based on Queen Street South, close to the University – were given the task of designing the technology to break the world record for the world’s largest game based on Projection Mapping, which involves designing a new or pre-existing game to fit around the architectural features of a building.
The five-strong RITH team came up with a massive version of classic game Pac-Man and The Gadget Show viewers saw the record being broken when the anniversary edition was screened on Monday 9 December. The game was projected on to London’s enormous Victoria Dock building.
An adjudicator from Guinness World Records was on hand to present the certificate to the Running in the Halls team plus The Gadget Show presenters Jason Bradbury and Rachel Riley.
RITH partner Shay Moradi said: “We not only successfully broke it, but smashed the world record twice over!”
He added: “As a kid I used to watch the TV programme Record Breakers and every year I’d get a copy of the Guinness Book of Records, which I’d constantly read to try and find a record I could break. So we were very pleased to be working on this challenge.
“Having worked on projects for television, sometimes involving large scale projection, we knew the timelines would be tight and the stakes high. We’re used to making games and apps on a daily basis in our studio so this project was a natural fit on the gaming side – we just had to ensure we partnered up with the right projection company, find the largest empty building ever and do justice to one of the world’s most iconic and recognisable gaming characters – Pac-Man himself!”
The company has now worked on several challenges with The Gadget Show and contributed to Stephen Fry’s Gadget Man programme on Channel 4. RITH has also carried out many interactive installation and specialist projects, ranging from high-end computer games to football goal-line technology.
Running in the Halls was founded in 2009 by Shay (pictured far right), with (left to right) Sam Croft, Gary Wood, Alison Mealey and Jake Stanley. Their portfolio has included development work on the University’s own online game Lemon Tree, which aims to increase the use of library resources.
“We’re exceptionally proud to be associated with the University,” said Shay, who originally studied Multimedia Design and obtained a Master’s in Smart Design at Huddersfield, where he is also a former senior lecturer.
Alison Mealey is also a former Huddersfield lecturer who graduated in Virtual Reality Design with Animation and followed up with a Master’s in 3D Digital Design.
Sam and Gary both graduated with BA (Hons) degrees in Multimedia Design, while Jake Stanley, who is a developer at RITH, is currently studying for a BSc in Computing Science.
