GDC 2012 Education: “Incubating Indie Games at University”

Posted on March 29, 2012 by Robert Yang

I went to some of the GDC Education summit talks. I doubt Gamasutra was there, as Education talks are among the least attended at GDC, but these talks still deserve coverage, so here it is!

Jason Della Rocca headed a “game incubator” summer program at Concordia University. It was 8 weeks, from July to August, and he thinks other universities should run similar programs.

Judging from a cost-benefit analysis, he thinks the program is definitely worth it. It only cost the university about $50,000 (a $1,000 / month stipend * 11 participants + workspace rental + support from Ubisoft) which, as far as university programs go, is incredibly cheap. Benefits-wise, it helped the university’s image / brand for game design, it strengthened a relationship with Ubisoft, and it helped boost local Canadians indies by pairing them with industry mentors / advisers / networks. (One of these projects was FRACT OSC by Phosfiend Systems.) Continue reading →

A Weekend of Anthropy

Posted on March 28, 2012 by Robert Yang

This weekend, famed game designer / book author Anna Anthropy is bringing New York City to its knees. There’ll be a lot of Parsons / NYU Game Center / Babycastles / NYC indies hangouts and events. Don’t be a stranger; come say hello!

THURSDAY:

Anna Anthropy @ NYU Game Center (RSVP req.) (7 pm, 721 Broadway, 9th Floor Lobby)

FRIDAY:

Molyjam NYC, Day 1 @ Parsons (team formation + Anna Anthropy talk) (6 East 16th St, 12th floor)

SATURDAY:

Molyjam NYC Day 2
Social Game Design Pitch Workshop @ NYU Game Center (RSVP req.) (10 AM, 721 Broadway)
Playtech @ Parsons (we’ll pay you in pizza to test our games!) (1 PM, 2 West 13th St, 10th floor)
Babycastles presents “Harpy Diem” @ Secret Project Robot (curated by Anna Anthropy) (8 PM, 389 Melrose St., Brooklyn)

SUNDAY:

Molyjam NYC Day 3, presentations + awards

GDC 2012 Education: “Team Dynamics for Student Projects”

Posted on March 22, 2012 by Robert Yang

I went to some of the GDC Education summit talks. I doubt Gamasutra was there, as Education talks are among the least attended at GDC, but these talks still deserve coverage, so here it is!

Mia Consalvo is a researcher at Concordia, but she was giving a talk about a project she headed while at MIT-Gambit. This game is Eksa. Continue reading →

Parsons @ Indiecade 2011: “Well Played” with Zach Gage and Nick Fortugno

Posted on February 16, 2012 by Robert Yang

It’s an oldie but a goodie… At Indiecade 2011, the “Well Played” sessions have a critic and game developer engage in dialogue about a specific game’s aesthetics and experiences. Here, Tracy Fullerton presented on Parsons alum / instructor Zach Gage’s game “Halcyon,” and Parsons faculty Nick Fortugno presented on Doug Wilson’s “JS Joust.” The insights will stun you into silence.

Play for Nonprofit, Panel Talks

Posted on February 1, 2012 by New School Games

A little while back, we organized a lovely panel discussion that explored the interplay of games and the non-profit sector. It was hosted by the New School Game Club and the Association for International Development on Dec. 2nd, 2011 at Parsons. Speakers were:

Daniel Osgood, PhD – Columbia University (above)
Naomi Clark – Game Designer/Producer, Brooklyn Game Ensemble
Karen Sideman – Games For Change
Nick Fortugno – CCO/Co-Founder, Playmatics
Katherine Isbister – Research Director, Game Innovation Lab at NYU-Poly