SCOTLAND'S biggest video games festival has opened, with thousands expected to descend on the event in the coming days.

The free Dare ProtoPlay festival, organised by Abertay University in Dundee, showcases the best of digital creativity and attracted 13,000 visitors last year.

It was opened by Sophia George, the first game designer-in-residence at the Victoria & Albert Museum, and will feature the first public showing of the iPad game she created, Strawberry Thief, which was inspired by the work of Victorian designer William Morris.

Ms George said: "Computer games are an unbelievably creative medium and one that is often overlooked. With this V&A residency I'm hoping that anyone with a love of art, design or music will start to appreciate the beauty and joy digital technology can create."

The residency is a partnership between V&A London, V&A Dundee and Abertay University.

Professor Louis Natanson, head of the School of Arts, Media and Computer Games at Abertay, said: "What is perhaps most important about the festival is it brings together people of all ages to meet emerging and professional game developers, helping the public to understand how games are made -and to inspire young people to start creating their own games."

The four-day festival, which finishes on Sunday, is being held at the City Square and Caird Hall.