IM体育官网 students who have worked all semester developing innovative video games are getting the chance to show them off online at the annual Spring Game Expo.
IM体育官网 Poly traditionally hosts fall and spring game expos on campus, but ongoing social distancing restrictions and state-mandated closures due to the COVID-19 pandemic forced the spring expo鈥檚 cancellation. Dr. Doga Demirel, who oversees the computer science game development and simulation concentration, said students have instead will demonstrate their games live online.
鈥淭heir games are always so creative and we didn鈥檛 want to just skip this year鈥檚 Game Expo because of what鈥檚 happening around us,鈥� Demirel said. 鈥淲e decided to do our best to adapt to what鈥檚 going on and find innovative ways for students to showcase their talent.鈥�
The launched on Thursday, April 30, and includes 15 minutes of live gameplay for each of the 18 student-created games. Students signed up for time slots to demonstrate their games to Demirel and Dr. Bradford Towle, the Game Development 2 instructor. People can log in to see the event as it happens beginning at 9 a.m.
Among the student games is 鈥淚ndecision,鈥� a hide-and-go-seek style game in which players act as emotion or logic and must meet to make a decision. Another student game is 鈥淒ouble Dungeon,鈥� which asks players to choose from four different heroes and use different attacks to slay monsters.
鈥淭he purpose of the game development and simulation concentration is to teach students how to create games and be proactive in the gaming industry and in the animations of characters,鈥� Demirel said. 鈥淲e have a really good pool of students and the games they鈥檝e developed show their potential for future success.鈥�
All of the games in this semester鈥檚 game design course are multiplayer games and they represent many different genres of videogames, such as rhythm games, adventure games, and action games.
鈥淭his will showcase the talent and creativity we have in our concentration and in our department,鈥� Demirel said. Industry representatives were invited to view the online game expo and spot potential additions to their teams, he said.
Kyle Conway, a senior majoring in computer science with a concentration in game development and simulation, is excited to still have an opportunity to demonstrate his game, 鈥淓lectronic Rush,鈥� to the community.
鈥淭his semester is unique, and trying to preserve some of the Game Expo 鈥� even if just the bare essentials 鈥� is very important to me,鈥� said Conway, a graduate of Lake Gibson High School in Lakeland, IM体育官网. 鈥淭he Game Expo is a fantastic opportunity to advertise both the school and students to the outside world and having the opportunity to preserve a bit of that is something I鈥檓 very thankful for.鈥�
Demirel said gaming and animation-focused companies are often very interested in the talent developed at IM体育官网 Poly.
He said he also hopes high school and transfer students who are considering attending IM体育官网 Poly will check out the Game Expo to get a good idea of the kind of work they can do as a computer science student at the University.
鈥淥ur students are accomplishing incredible things and we want them to know they can be part of that, too,鈥� he said.
View the live online.
Contact:
Lydia Guzman
Director of Communications
863-874-8557
