THE YORKSHIRE Games Festival is in full swing as visitors attended talks and workshops on day three of the festivities in Bradford.

Held at the National Science and Media Museum, the event provides insights into the gaming industry and potential opportunities for those who may be interested in a career within it.

Yesterday, Patrick O'Luanaigh, of developer nDreams, spoke to budding games developers, enthusiasts and students, about virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR).

"VR brings benefits to the industry. There's a real excitement for using VR, not just in gaming but also in the workplace, with things like remote meetings.

Patrick said that AR smartglasses will revolutionise the way we game, communicate and receive news: "With AR, some of it is just scoping the surface of what's possible - these are the early stages, there's going to be so much growth in the future.

"We look at old photos of people reading newspapers on the train and we think it's old fashioned. Soon, people will be saying that about mobile phones - AR is not ready to replace them yet, but all of the components needed are here now."

He also voiced his perceptions on Bradford, saying, "I've been really impressed with the quality of education I've seen coming out of Bradford, that excites me, because I see a real hotbed of talent here."

Craig Duncan, of developer Rare, spoke about its popular game Sea of Thieves and its development process: "We set out to make a game the world doesn't have and to give players experiences they've never had before. We wanted to build a game that had a rich canvas of emotions, and we brought the gaming community on the journey with us, putting players at the centre of the experience."

Chloe Crookes, of developer Team17, said, "It's great seeing so many people from Bradford here. It gives them a really good insight into the industry and that's very useful."

Tyler Rotherham, a student from Liverpool, who was nominated for the BAFTA Young Games Designer competition last year, was in Bradford for the festival, and said, "It's been amazing to engage with developers and get industry links", while games designer William Pugh, from Halifax, said, "The festival is fantastic and I wish it was here when I was starting. Most events like this are in London so it's great to have an accessible venue in Bradford."

Alicia Contestabile, games designer from Canada, said, "I've spent a lot of time in Yorkshire over the last few years and I really like it here - this is my first local event and it's a really good festival."