The Red Bull BUILD challenge, a world-wide contest, is searching for five teams of undergraduate students to design an online game in a real work-world atmosphere.

The contest requires games based on the Red Bull X-Fighters motocross theme, and a panel of judges will select the best based on five criteria from Jesse Warden, one of the judges in this year’s contest.

“There’s a stigma that you have to be a genius in order to design,” Warden said. “A lot of Flash games can be done in two weeks, compared to

The winners receive more than just a first place trophy. The final five teams will be awarded with an on-campus production studio where they can work on their game in June.

Name recognition and branding are also the most essential ingredients to create a career in Flash design.

“If you don’t contribute to the [gaming] community, then no one is going to know you’re out there,” Warden said. “The same thing is true for a college student — if you get noticed and recognized, it’s going to help you find a career.”

Red Bull’s involvement presents student games to a global audience, giving them the recognition students may need to break into the design industry.

“We understand the value of having real-life experience when it comes to competing to earn a job in the burgeoning but increasingly competitive video game development industry,” Ellie Applen, Red Bull Communications Manager said.

“Red Bull BUILD came about to deliver that agency experience to these students, to give them an opportunity to work with a global brand like Red Bull, pitch a solution to the client and work to bring their idea to fruition,” he said.

Red Bull will set up a working studio for the winning team near their campus in order to bring their proposal to life.

“It is often the case that schools expect their students to be creative in an environment that is sterile and boring,” Applen said. “Aside from having the best equipment and software available, we will also be working with a professional design team to make sure that the interior resembles the sort of environment the students will want to be working post graduation.”

Students from a variety of majors were encouraged to enter the challenge as well as break into the Flash design industry.

“The beauty of this contest is in the team element. In order to be successful, you will need technical skills, artistic skills and a genuine creative spirit,” Applen said. “This can be accomplished by creating a well-rounded team.”

Warden notes that it is not easy to break into the design world.

“Money magazine rates software development as the number one up-and-coming job, but it’s extremely friggin’ hard. But in college it’s very risk free; you can’t lose anything. Investors aren’t looking down your back — but if it doesn’t sound cool, I wouldn’t take it,” said Warden, noting his role as a judge in the build.

As far as employment after graduation, some students wonder if the payoff is worth the blood, sweat and tears.

“The odds are against you, but success is extremely rewarding, both personally and monetarily. Therefore, personal branding is an extremely important skill to hone in order to be recognized in the swath of other developers and designers in this industry,” Warden said.

“While having public recognition isn’t a requirement for employment, it gives you a better chance of choosing your employment rather than begging for an intern position at menial pay,” he said. “You prove you’re the shiz, and the good employers will hire you as such.”

You can find out more about the Red Bull Build at www.redbullusa.com and find out more on Jesse Warden and Flash Design at www.jessewarden.com. Look for the results of N.C. State student proposals in June.