Highlights from GDC!

photos from our students, faculty, and alums at the 2023 Game Developers Conference in San Francisco, CA

Students & Faculty! Did you win a competition? Are you working on a cool project or co-op? Have you received any awards? Were you featured in an article? 

Tell us about what your working on & let us brag about you! 

You deserve to be recognized for your incredible work!

Humans of RIT is a new student spotlight project, inspired by Humans of New York. We want to hear about your journey through RIT and share it with the community. What has been your favorite experience since coming to RIT? Is there a project you are particularly proud of? Have there been any challenges during your time here? We want to hear everything; the highs and hardships and inspire others with your stories. If interested in being featured, please contact mxaigm@rit.edu to set up a brief interview. It should last no more than thirty minutes. A quick portrait will also be taken for the spotlight.

ENROLLMENT for classes begins April 10!

shopping carts are open now - check SIS for enrollment appointment time

REMINDER TO ALL FIRST YEAR STUDENTS: you must schedule your first-year advisement meeting with your academic advisor

Next Meeting: Monday, March 27th

Our next meeting is this Monday! We will be welcoming Matthew Wright, Sovantharith Seng, and Saniat Sohrawardi for a tech talk about how racism affects technology. We'll see you in our regular location of GOL 2400 at 6:30pm!

RSVP: https://cglink.me/2d1/r2008755

RPI’s Center of Excellence in Digital Game Development has officially opened the submission portal for GameFest 2023’s Student Showcase and Competition, which will take place on Saturday, April 29 from 12-8pm at the Tech Valley Center of Gravity in Troy, NY.

The deadline for submissions is currently Friday, March 31 at 11:59pm -- but we anticipate extending it by roughly a week (to April 7 at 11:59pm).

Presented by the Games and Simulation Arts and Sciences (GSAS) Program at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, GameFest is an annual celebration of student creativity and innovation in the broader fields of analog and digital game design. The two-day event takes the form of a game development showcase, symposium, and competition with prizes awarded by a panel of local industry experts, which this year features representatives from DANG!, Rocket Science Corporation, Velan Studios, and Wolfjaw Studios.

On April 1st and 2nd MAGIC Spell Studios will be hosting Jam for Hope in partnership with the Dear Jack Foundation in order to fulfill a wish for Zach Sheikh. Zach is a fourth-year game design and development student. The theme of Jam for Hope is to create something that will motivate and uplift kids and young adults facing illness and grief. We want to inspire them to get through the most difficult times in their lives by bringing powerful inspiration, support, and the knowledge that they can be strong, they can be vulnerable, but they can be heroes too!

Be sure to share this with anyone you think would be interested! Whether they're an artist, musician, or anyone who wants to try their hand at making games or animation, we have room for them.

If you would like to be part of a team creating games or animation, or a mix of the two, you can register at https://cglink.me/2d1/r2061344

To read Zach's story, go to https://tinyurl.com/3aujzuy4

Join us for the first chapter in the Living Grand Strategy Role-Playing Game, the Realm of Pyre, a world of angels, demons, magic, and dragons, where monstrous danger and political intrigue live side by side. 

The game will officially run from 1PM until about 10:00.

Note: When signing up, please make sure you will be able to stay for the whole event, to avoid disrupting the experience for others. If you sign up and end up not being able to make it, please contact us ASAP so we can open your slot for someone else.

For signup and more information: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/the-realm-of-pyre-tickets-577742101177

As always, if you have any questions about it, you can email Sean Boyle at sean.boyle@rit.edu

ASTRA just opened up their Fellowship applications for 2023-2024

They are giving $40k grants to developers working in the thinking/puzzle space - to explore their ideas and join our growing community.

You can find more information here: https://www.astragames.org/fellowship

Deadline: April 5th

The Computing Organization for Multicultural Students (COMS) is hosting the Tiger Games!

The Tiger Games is a 24 hour game jam where participants make a game from scratch in teams of up to four people. All participants will have the opportunity to get swag, eat good food, and earn prizes! Participants have a great opportunity to develop new skills and improve existing knowledge. 

This event is open to RIT students of all skill levels and knowledge, whether you are a seasoned developer or haven’t ever developed a game.

There will be an Intro to Unity Workshop during the Tiger Games. 

 When: April 8th & 9th, 2023

Where: RIT Global Cybersecurity Institute (First Floor)

Eligibility: All students 18+ who are currently enrolled at Rochester Institute of Technology

Application: https://forms.gle/dbu AZCh5qmisd 57

Volunteering Application: https://forms.gle/YEeDQcxUXvbe8jEd8

Follow us on Instagram for more updates: @rit_coms

Questions? Email: coms@rit.edu

Be a part of the 2023 Rochester Fringe Festival!

RIT registration is now open and with a new look!

RIT is proud once again to be a sponsor of the12th Annual Rochester Fringe Festival.

The 2023 festival will be held from September 12 - 23 and registration is open NOW through March 29. 

You can participate in many ways: 

Comedy · Cabaret ·Theatre · Children’s Entertainment 

Music · Dance · Physical Theatre 

Musical Theatre · Poetry · Storytelling · Visual Arts

The Fringe Festival is a spectacular celebration of the performing and visual arts in the heart of Rochester’s East End.

Our downtown venues in the festival "footprint" are

The Little Theatre 1 and the RIT City Art Space.

To learn more about the festival, go to:http://rochesterfringe.com/.

Simons Foundation Now Accepting Applications for Pivot Fellowships

Learn more and apply for the program here. Applications are due May 15, 2023.

How to Navigate Your Job Offers

March 23rd, 12:15PM – 1:15PM, Bamboo Room (CPC 2650)

Are you receiving multiple job offers and unsure of how to choose? Do you have questions about the job offers that you received? We are here to help! Come pop by with any questions you have and we can help you learn where to get started and make the best decision for you!

Position with KDAB:

First, a new posting went into Career Connect with KDAB. They are seeking a software engineering intern for a 3-6 month period. They are looking for someone with C++ and JavaScript experience. An individual with 3D knowledge would be an added bonus. Please review and apply here. Also note that this company will be hosting an information session on April 4th from 5:00PM – 6:00PM.

Activision/Blizzard/King Press Play Series of Talks:

Activision/Blizzard/King is hosting a number of informative sessions this semester (all virtual). What is it you desire? The ability to create magic? To devour knowledge? You can have it all with a career in gaming!

The Early Careers team is hosting the yearly "Press Play" series for 1st & 2nd-year college students interested in learning more about our various internship opportunities.

The Spring Series aims to demystify the gaming industry with 10 session topics ranging from Diversity Talks, Preparing for a Career in Gaming, and Building your Player Profile. All event names include hyperlinks for you to register.

Early Careers Press Play Education Series, Office Hours: Q & A Session

March 24, 2023 5:00PM (EST)

Please join us for a 30 minute Office Hours: Q&A Session where you can ask questions to the Early Careers Team that may have not been answered from previous Press Play sessions.

Early Careers Press Play Education Series, Level Up: Preparing for a Career in Gaming

April 4, 2023 4:00PM (EST)

Want to take your first steps towards a career in gaming? Do you not know where to start or what jobs there even are? This session will help equip you with the knowledge and tools on how to begin your journey to working in the gaming industry.

Early Careers Press Play Education Series, Creative and Art Careers in Gaming

April 5, 2023 4:00PM (EST)

Join us to learn more about careers for the creatives in the gaming industry.

Early Careers Press Play Education Series, Accessibility in Gaming with Adrian Ledda

April 6, 2023 12:00PM (EST)

Have you ever noticed how certain visual and audio cues pair together in a game? Like when you collect that spinning, gold coin and a delightful chime plays, letting you know it’s been added to your inventory. Or have you ever thought about how accessibility options (like subtitles or color blindness settings) are designed into gameplay? 

At Activision Blizzard, we strive to build an experience that can be enjoyed by everyone. In this session, we will take a closer look at accessibility in gaming with Adrian Ledda, Head of Inclusive Game Design, and just how much thought goes beyond the initial game concept to make our games more inclusive for everyone to play. 

Early Careers Press Play Education Series, Office Hours: Q & A Session

April 7, 2023 4:00PM (EST)

Please join us for a 30 minute Office Hours: Q&A Session where you can ask questions to the Early Careers Team that may have not been answered from previous Press Play sessions.

Early Careers Press Play Education Series, Meet the Recruiters

April 11, 2023 3:00PM (EST)

Let’s put aside the resumes and join us for a chance to talk with some of the recruiters on the Activision Blizzard King Early Careers team! We want to meet you and introduce you to the team that is reviewing your applications. We are not an end level boss, but a sidekick to help you through your journey!

Early Careers Press Play Education Series, Building Your Player Profile: Resume Workshop

April 12, 2023 5:00PM (EST)

Resumes sometimes feel like the first boss that you do not feel ready for. Come be a part of our Resume Workshop, where we will help you set the ground work for developing an epic resume!

VFX in Games Presentation

June 5, 2023 1:00PM (EST)

VFX in Games Presentation

Need professional clothes for a job interview or presentation?

Stop by Bern's Closet -Food Share for FREE career ready clothing options.

1 in 3 college students faces food insecurity nationally which impacts physical health, mental health, and ability to succeed academically.

Bern's Closet and Food Share (RIT's food pantry) are located in 113 Riverknoll

To be in compliance with fire safety standards and ensure safety, please remember not to prop lab doors open or leave the lab doors unlocked in MAGIC. If the doors are closed, students/faculty should need to swipe in to gain access.

AccessComputing, a National Science Foundation funded Broadening Participation in Computing Alliance, provides mentoring and funding for career development activities for students with disabilities in computing-related fields.

Are you taking an introductory programming course in GCCIS and need some help? The GCCIS Tutoring Center (GOL-24100, overlooking the atrium) provides support for the following courses:

IGME 105 Game Development and Algorithmic Problem Solving I

IGME 106 Game Development and Algorithmic Problem Solving II

IGME 206 Game Development for Programmers

IGME 101 New Media Interactive Design and Algorithmic Problem Solving I

IGME 102 New Media Interactive Design and Algorithmic Problem Solving II