Cookstown man Mark Quinn, the brains behind The Creeping Dark, is currently holed up in a dark room of his own at Trinity College, Dublin adding the finishing touches to a future video game sensation. But first he has his own hungry opposition demons to fend off.

Mark and his fellow Outer Box Experience production company counterparts are battling 16 other teams in a bid to come out on top of a competition looked upon as a stepping stone into the industry.

And currently sitting in second place on the www.daretobedigital.com ratings, Outer Box Experience are well on their way to being crowned champions.

“Even if we don’t win, I’m not the sort of person who would just give up,” explains Mark, the brains of the operation.

Designed with the Nintendo Wii in mind as its preferred console, The Creeping Dark, although implying a horror stance, is a 3D puzzle solving adventure game for all the family to enjoy and as Mark explains, is one of a rare few games without violence serving as its main method of solution.

“Particularly with the amount of violence in society at the moment, video games get a really bad reputation and I think the fact our game has no violence played in our advantage and got us through the initial interview process.”

Mark, who graduated this year from University of Ulster at Magee in Derry with a degree in Design and Communication, is eager to impress and make a name for himself in the games industry.

“The UK games market is open to so much potential and there’s a big area that can be tapped in to. This is the type of game that will appeal to all - an un-violent, puzzle game adventure.

“The game takes place in an orphanage where a demon has trapped all the children except for three who have to work together to save those other kids that have been possessed.” Those lucky three are Lofty, Missey, and Rabbit; the aptly named trio pictured.

“There’s a Tim Burton type of feel to the game with a strong light and dark theme. A curtain will look how it should when it’s light but when it’s dark it’ll turn into a ghost just like a coat rack with a hat on top will also come into play depending on the situation.”

It’s when it’s dark that the children will be in the most danger but it is only in the pressurised dark environement that they can find a way to defeat Slyghoul and save the other kids.

And it’s under pressure that Mark and his Outer Box Experience team-mates will be working to ready the prototype over the coming fortnight for its exhibition at a judging showcase in Edinburgh where they will hope to be crowned champions.

“There’s a great prestige that goes along with the competition and to win would be a great achievement.