World record bid for disabled teen
A DISABLED teenager from Alfreton is gearing up to help break a computer game world record.
Daniel Gent will be among 300-plus gamers to take part in the attempt organised between Microsoft and Train2Game, who run learning courses designed for the games industry.
But what makes the 17-year-old’s participation even more astounding is that he is paralysed, with no use of his arms or legs.
He uses voice recognition to learn on the games design course.
Daniel, of Mansfield Road, had always enjoyed playing video games and was planning on taking a college course after school.
However, in 2010 he was involved in a road traffic accident where he sustained three fractures to his neck and damaged his spinal cord. Daniel, a father-of-two, lost all feeling in both his arms and legs.
After 11 months in hospital and unable to finish his GCSEs, he returned to his partner and two children who were now living in an adapted home.
He will travel to the University of Bedfordshire today where he and his team will create videogames in only 48 hours.
Daniel said: “I am a tetraplegic and all four of my limbs are paralysed but that isn’t going to get in the way of my chances on getting into the games industry and neither should a disability of any kind stop anybody’s dreams coming true as all it takes is hard work and dedication.
“I’m looking forward to working as a team and learning more during the game jam.
“I’m looking forward to putting the game together and seeing the end product knowing that I was one of the team members who helped develop it.”
During the event Microsoft experts will be on hand and the contestants will use Windows 8 software.
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Friday 24 May 2013
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