News | Review of the Exchange Between Kingsoft Software Incubation Center and Southern University of Science and Technology's School of Design

From October 13 to 15, 2024, the School of Innovation and Creative Design at Southern University of Science and Technology (hereinafter referred to as “the School of Design”) and the Wuhan Kingsoft Software Incubation Center (hereinafter referred to as “the Incubation Center”) held a three-day in-depth exchange activity. The purpose of this activity was to promote innovative cooperation between universities and enterprises through the combination of game design creativity and cutting-edge technology, help students understand the latest developments in the game industry, and inject more creativity and vitality into the game industry.

On October 13, students from the School of Design and visiting experts from the Incubation Center jointly participated in a game co-creation workshop. Prior to the official start of the workshop, Assistant Professor Xiao Ruowei from the School of Design delivered a focused presentation on how cutting-edge technology stacks, such as Extended Reality (XR) and the Internet of Things (IoT), can empower next-generation entertainment experiences, enabling innovative game forms, interaction methods, and experience designs that differ from traditional digital games. Xu Peng, the director of the Incubation Center, personally experienced a fire safety education escape room game developed and produced by students from the School of Design, which combines Cardboard VR virtual reality and RFID technology. This allowed participants to experience the serious game experience that blends the virtual and real worlds.

Visiting experts from the Incubation Center teamed up with students from the School of Design to participate in a game co-creation workshop.

Mr. Xu Peng, Director of the Incubation Center, experiences the XR fire safety education escape room game.

In the subsequent workshop, the incubation center's expert team teamed up with students from the School of Design to deploy XR game technology stacks. In less than half a day, they conceived, designed, and developed five unique prototype games, fully demonstrating the powerful innovation and creativity that can be achieved when technology and design are combined.

Game prototype created by incubation center experts and design school students

On October 14, the Incubation Center team showcased four brand-new games that have not yet been released on the market, providing design students with a unique hands-on experience. These games sparked great interest among the students in attendance, who actively participated and offered constructive feedback on gameplay mechanics, user experience, and other aspects. The Incubation Center team noted that the students' feedback was highly valuable, demonstrating the unique insights and passion of the younger generation toward the gaming industry.

The atmosphere at the game trial event held at the incubation center was lively.

On October 15, the expert team from the Incubation Center delivered an engaging session on cutting-edge industry knowledge for the students. Dean Guan Daowen of the School of Design attended the event and extended a warm opening greeting. Dean Guan emphasized the uniqueness and significance of games as an interactive medium within the field of design, while also acknowledging the positive impact of industry-academia collaboration on game education and research. Two experts from the Incubation Center then provided a detailed overview of the game development process, technical challenges, and future trends in the industry. The session attracted a large number of students interested in the game industry, with a lively atmosphere and constant interaction. Through this exchange, the students not only broadened their horizons but also deepened their understanding of the game industry, providing new directions for their future career planning.  

Guandao Wen, Dean of the School of Design, delivered the opening remarks at the information sharing session.

This exchange activity between the Incubation Center and the School of Design is a successful example of university-enterprise cooperation. It not only provides students with opportunities to learn about cutting-edge technologies and industry information, but also builds a bridge for innovation and cooperation between enterprises and universities. In the future, both parties will continue to explore more ways to cooperate and contribute to the cultivation of more innovative talents.

Group photo to commemorate the event

Contributed by: Wu Ming
Reviewed by: Li Xu