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Scottish es 9 I
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As Scotland’s gaming industry reaches new heights of success, we cross the Atlantic to join the top players. Words: Iain Farrell
cotland's top gaming companies have been SllO‘Nllig off
their talent in LA. The annual Expo — Electronic
Entertainment Exposition — is the most important event of the video games calendar and is held in the golden state in mid- May. One of the biggest games profiled at this year's event was born in Scotland.
San Andreas is the latest instalment in Edinbtirgh-based Rockstar North's Grand Theft Auto series to be released in October in the US. ShoWIng for the first time at Expo 2004. the game promises to be a corker. and veices in the industry are hinting at this PlayStation 2 title being something very speCIal.
Dundee-based Visual Sciences is buzzing too. The developers of last year's Christmas No 1. Medal of Honour Rising Sun. and Harry Potter — Ourddrtch World Cup have been chosen to work on a new Carmageddon title. Keeping it homegrown. the title Will
Luwies take over Leith
Big-Shop theatre movement is to use derelict spaces to explore this dramatically changing neighbourhood. Words: Ruth Hedges
t's all a bit crackers. 99p hackers
to be precise. Six derelict spaces in
Leith. including the 99p shop in Kirkgate Shopping Centre. are to be transformed into temporary theatre spaces Within a month for the first Edinburgh Big-Shop. A guide will lead audiences around the venues where 15-minute plays Will spring into life. transferring empty discount shops into scenes such as pubs and golf courses. telling tales mined from Leith's rich history.
Walking along the proposed trail we
pass through the back of housing estates.
explore the changing community of Leith.
'Leith has always had identity and character and now it's in a bit of a void.‘ he says. He Cites Ocean Terminal as having a detrimental effect on the local shops Within the area. ‘What happens to these spaces now?‘ he asks. Money is channelled into executive housing. bringing in more money which is spent in the burgeoning restaurant and bar scene. local money goes to the big stores within Ocean Terminal and the smaller businesses suffer. Macintyre's strategy is to reinvest interest With imagination.
be published by UK publishing house SCI. Expect to cause demolition and destruction to buildings. other players and unWitting victims on foot in some outrageous cars.
‘We're delighted to be working on that title.' says Andy Campbell of Visual Sciences. ‘The Scottish games scene is really punching above its weight. Dundee is recognised as a hotbed of creative talent on a world stage.‘
AlongSide the Scottish (‘levelopments the Expo Will feature many huge announcements from international heavyweights such as Nintendo and Sony. Rumour has it that Nintendo is on the verge of launching an all-new console known only as the 08. This two-screen portable games machine has everyone scratching their heads tiying to figure out how it's going to work. Watch this space for news as soon as we get it.
I ViSit www.eftexpocom to find out more.
sure that what comes out at the end is like the product of the place rather than of us. l'm a kind of duct and hopefully the right stuff Will come trickling down.'
The idea for the Big-Shop. developed by Macintyre. started five years ago in
taking routes less familiar to the new Leith crowd who head straight for the shore. This is part of the plan. With over 100 people now involved and the aim of creating some high quality theatre experiences. artistic director Symon Macintyre is also driven by the desire to
4 THE LIST ‘9. :H May View.
collaboration and creatiVity.
Writer John Harvey has based his pieces on stories he's heard from Leithers' stories and local records he has researched. 'I walk round and round Leith and you pick up wbes.’ Harvey says. ‘You lust have to keep an open mind and make
Nairn. The organisers took over a hairdressing salon. and then a cafe in Forres. ‘lt's a brilliant idea.' says Harvey. 'Because it does make people walk around a little area and Just have a look.‘ I The Leith Big—Shop, 9— 12 Jun, tickets from Traverse Theatre. 013/ 2238‘ 7-104.
lluirdiers
To mark the departure of Celtic’s magnificent No 7 (see page 12), and the publication of our new Adventure Sports Guide, we serve up a feast of facts from a world in which statistics are everything.
Number of British people who stayed up after midnight to watch the UK's curling team win gold at the Salt Lake City Olympics in 2000 6,000,000
Number of ball boys and ball girls used during Wimbledon 200
The reported weekly wage of David Beckham £120,000
The time taken by Ronnie ‘Rocket' O'Sullivan to pocket the world's fastest maximum break 5 minutes, 20 seconds
The age of the oldest man to record a hole in one. in SWitzerland in 1985 99
Number of people who have run the London marathon 540,000
The speed at which the adult bluefin tuna can swim 55mph
Age of Henri Cornet. the yOLingest winner of the Tour de France 19 years 50 weeks
The age of Marcus Hooper. the youngest English Channel swimmer who made the crossing in 1979 12
Number of revolutions which New York ice skater Lucinda Ruh can spin every
minute 270
Number of miles paddled by Florida’s Karen Richardson in a kayak 1750
Weight of the heaViest ever professional sumo wrestler. lvlr Seleeva Fuali
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