Northamptonshire students' car repair game creating industry buzz

Games art student Tom McLennan, from Podington, and computer games development undergraduates Kieron McNamee, from Corby, and Joseph Higgins, from Wilmslow, showed off their co-operative car repair game Mechanic Panic at the UK’s biggest games expo, EGX17, and the north’s biggest, Play Expo Manchester

Mechanic Panic is a multi-player title which sees gamers race against time to repair cars.

The team came up with the concept when they were challenged to come up with a game within 48 hours with the theme ‘give and take’ at the Brains Eden games jam over the summer.

While Mechanic Panic is still in the development stage, a playable demo went down a storm with gamers at the recent conventions – and received a great review from the respected website Big Boss Battle.com

Tom said: “The response from people playing the game at the expos has been incredible. We’ve had people shouting and almost fighting as they scramble to get the right parts to fix the car – that sort of response is definitely a good sign!”

The trio say they will continue to develop the game as they look to attract a publisher.

Tom added: “Hopefully a publisher will see something they like, sign us up and get the game out to the public next year.”