Gamers unite at UAlbany

The University at Albany became one of 53 intercontinental locations that welcomed people to participate in a gathering of computer game innovation last Friday.

The UAlbany College of Computing Science and Information hosted the 1st Annual Global Game Jam, that lasted Jan. 30 through Feb. 1. The event attracted students from neighboring schools and tried to spark their interest in the industry of computer science and technology. "A game jam is a cooperative gathering of game developers who meet to encourage experimentation and innovation," stated a university press release. "Participants are given a theme to incorporate in the creation of a game while meeting and working with new developers" By the third day of the Game Jam, over 1,000 new games were invented, submitted and uploaded to a global hub.

Over 35 students from ten colleges and two groups of professional programmers from two local game development studios worked together to create these games. First, 6 teams of gamers watched an International Game Developers Association video that explained the goal to make a computer game in 48 hours. Then they got to work. The IGDA has 27 chapters; 20 in Europe, 12 in Asia, 45 in the U.S., one of which is in Albany. The local Albany chapter helped to co-sponsor this event.

Tobey Sauliner, a student at R.P.I, is also the C.E.O. of 1st Playable Productions LLC, an independent game development studio in Troy, N.Y. that also helped organize the 2009 Global Game Jam. "I attended the second annual IGDA leadership forum in San Francisco this May, where a board member proposed support for more networking events," he said.

"We began conceptualizing this event when I met with development studios December," said the Director of the College of Computing and Information Women in Technology program, Jennifer Goodall.

"CCIWIT wants to raise women's interest in technological fields and I believe that game development is a way to build that connection," she said. Mathew Oliver, a junior studying Computer Science at the UAlbany, worked with a team of students form RPI and Cornell in developing a simulation which used physical principles of elasticity to connect 2 characters as a player guides them through mazes.

"They are being held together by love," said Cornell Computer Science student Chelsea Koughe.

"The theme of the gaming weekend is 'As long as we have each other, we will never run out of problems," said Andrew Dolce a freshman studying computer science and a member of the Game Development Club at RPI. Andrews's team included 3 other RPI students. "The International Game Development Association is sponsoring this global event as a community building and development opportunity for both current and aspiring game developers," said Ian Stead, Albany IGDA Chapter Coordinator. "Our Albany IGDA Chapter is excited that our area is part of this global event."