A GROUP of Myanmar computer enthusiasts have succeeded in developing the country’s first 3D computer game – a pioneer product for Myanmar’s computer gaming industry that they hope will reach an international market.

The four-member team, mainly comprised of young men in their 20s, will launch a beta version of the game later this month to get players’ feedback before finalising the game and seeking an overseas buyer for their project.

The game, called The Master Mind, will be available for free on the website of their recently established company, Total Gameplay Studio (www.totalgameplay.com).

The Master Mind is a strategy game which allows players to mastermind and command their characters against those generated by the computer.

The setting of the game is a city in which different criminal groups try to monopolise its businesses while trying to avoid from getting caught by the police.

Ko Myint Kyaw Thu, the project’s lead programmer, said the game was the company’s first successful achievement after four years of effort and three previous projects.

He said when they decided to start an independent game developer team, none of the members had attended specialised courses on developing computer games.

They taught themselves using the internet as their main source of knowledge, as there is no gaming industry in Myanmar and books and training courses on the topic are rare.

“We kept on trying and trying and eventually The Master Mind resulted,” he said, adding that this was made possible by their four years of previous experience, which strengthened their knowledge and skills.

They developed the game using their own scripting language, C++ programming language and DirectX 9.0.

“We don’t expect this game to be popular worldwide and sell millions of copies,” Ko Myint Kyaw Thu said. “Our main aim is to find someone to publish this game so we can make a step toward entering the international gaming industry market,” he said.