DEVELOP QUIZ: All-star team victorious

An all-star team last night took home the sought-after Develop Quiz trophy, after a closely fought tiebreaker finish at the UK games industry’s bi-annual meeting of minds.

The winning team, named ‘So Long and Thanks For Phil Fish’, consisted of a collective of indies and industry experts from studios Spilt Milk, Mobile Pie and Indie Skies, as well as media law firm Osborne Clarke, and audio outfit Gavin Harrison Sounds.

As the quiz’s final round drew to a close, three teams were tied for first place on 61 points each; one from testing specialist Testronic, The Creative Assembly 1 (one of two teams sent by the developer), and the victorious So Long and Thanks For Phil Fish.

The final result was decided by a tense two tier knock-out tiebreaker. The first round saw Testronic resign themselves to accepting third place after a talent competition centered on Mario impressions saw the crowd turn into boisterous judges.

With Testronic off the stage to ponder their faux Italian accents, it was left to Andrew from Spilt Milk Studios and The Creative Assembly’s Alex Wright-Manning to name as many games as possible in 30 seconds in front of a noisy – and knowledgable – industry crowd. While Wright-Manning managed 16 games in the half-minute, Smith delivered an impressive 21 titles in the time period, securing his team first place, the trophy, and a prize of champagne for all team members.

In the build up to the final stand off some of the games industry’s sharpest minds tussled over movie one liners, sporting innuendos, surviving falling down shafts and some of the worlds most popular sex scandals, in a night that saw 85 games developers empty a free bar at central London’s up-market Sway Bar.

Thanks to everyone who attended, and the quiz’s sponsors Deep Silver, and our generous round sponsors Jagex, Testronic and Avatar Games Recruitment, last night’s event was a huge success, and everybody enjoyed themselves a great deal.

Congratulations to all the members in the winning team: Jas Purewal from Osbourne Clarke, Will Luton of Mobile Pie, Spilt Milk’s Andrew Smith, Gavin Harrison of Gavin Harrison Sounds, and Indie Skies’ Laurie Brown, who are now faced by the daunting task of deciding who gets to keep the desirable trophy.

If you want to be there next time, check back with us for more on the second 2012 Develop Quiz, or email kathryn.humphrey@intentmedia.co.uk.

In order of points, starting with the winners, here are the results of last nights Develop Quiz.

1. So Long, And Thanks For Phil Fish
2. Creative Assembly 1
3. Testronic
4. Shepard Lives
5. Bossa Studios 1
6. Blitz Games Studios
7. Unity UK
8. Splash Damage
9. War Chest
10. Curve Studios
11. Wave Studios
12. First Touch Games
13. Bossa Studios 2
14. Jagex
15. Big Head Games
16. Creative Assembly 2
17. Deep Silver