UK Cyber Police Games
2019 - 2021 / Toasted Digital
Lead Game Designer & Developer
Game Design • Learning design • Front-end Development • Scripts • Artwork
The Matrix Challenge is a national cyber competition aimed at young people aged 11-17, to educate about cybercrime and find the top upcoming cyber talent in the UK. Yorkshire & Humber ROCU commissioned the competition, and in 2020 it ran across all regions of the UK.
I designed the main qualifying web-based games for the 2019 and 2020 competitions and the 2020 live final. Last year over 65,000 young people played the game, in the most impactful law enforcement initiative of its type to date.
Gaming in the classroom.
The qualifying games were played in real-time in the classroom, with the competition's local representatives leading the workshop sessions. The games had to be playable online, on school machines.
Design.
Players beat cyber, and crime-themed challenges to unlock pieces of the key that lets them enter the final. The game teaches about the law, and tests tech, crypto and lateral thinking skills. The top players from each region won a place in the grand final.
Live Final - Capture the Flag.
The coronavirus pandemic meant a rethinking of the live final of the competition. The client asked my agency to come up with a virtual final in its place, and I designed a Capture the Flag game which successfully ran in January 2021. The 700 top entrants played over a weekend to get the highest score by beating technical challenges that ranged from fixing code to finding hidden answers around the internet.
Project Impact.
The Matrix Challenge grew from a regional event in 2019 to a national competition, with 65,000 entrants taking part in the qualifying rounds.
Awards.
The Matrix challenge received Honors on Awwwards.