The department of Game Design at Uppsala University, campus Gotland
Category: Blog
This is the highly informal blog of the GAME-department. We use it mostly to document the things we do outside of running one of the worlds strongest game educations. For information about our education, programs and courses, check the official site at Uppsala University.
Posted on - Comments Off on Gotland Game Hub, February 28 CategoriesBlog Tagsoutreach
Time again for a playtest day with Gotland Game Hub at Rindi, this Wednesday, February 28!
We are especially happy to welcome a grand playtest session of “Odin’s Defense”, an ambitious game project by a group of our very own 2nd-year students. Come and play it before everyone else, and take the opportunity to bring your own games for testing as well, there’s plenty of space.
But that’s not all. As part of our Meet the Faculty talk-series, we also welcome our esteemed colleague and all-round art virtuoso Ray Whitcher, who will give a short talk on “Telling your own story as a game designer”!
So, pack your computers, dice, cards, boards, counters and pawns – or just yourself – for a fabulous afternoon in our gaming living room at Rindi!
Here’s a glimpse of what’s in store:
13:00 – 17:00 Play, Create, Elevate – featuring “Odin’s Defense” • Immerse yourself in playing, testing, and discussing game projects with fellow gamers. • Share ideas and receive feedback.
15:00 Networking Café: • Connect with fellow gamers, designers, and creative geniuses. • Refill on some sweet or savoury treats and hot beverages! 15:30 Ray Whitcher: “Telling your own story as a game designer” Followed by Open Mic: • Announce upcoming game events! • What is going on in the room? • Pitch your game concepts! See you on Wednesday!
Posted on - Comments Off on Role-playing with Kids: Creating Transformative Experiences for Children under 12 CategoriesBlog
Join us for our first lecture in the Erasmus EDGE Event Series: “Role-playing with Kids: Creating Transformative Experiences for Children Under 12” by Angie Bandhoesingh from Dragons’ Nest! This event is part of our Erasmus+ Cooperation Partnership for curriculum development in transformative game design.
When: Tuesday, Feb 6, 7-8:30pm Central European Summer Time (CEST) Where: Online on Zoom Register here: http://tinyurl.com/4hfd6nwj RSVP here: http://tinyurl.com/msbvvp8s Link will be provided to registrants on the day of the event. Make sure to sign in with the same name you used to register.
Erasmus EDGE is a joint Higher Education Cooperation Partnership project between Uppsala University, Turku University of Applied Sciences, Dragons’ Nest, Chaos League, and Avalon Larp Studio.
Description of event:
During this talk we will delve into the use of role-playing games, including tabletop and larp, as educational tools specifically tailored for children under the age of 12.
TTRPGs, besides their inherent fun aspect, serve as exceptional educational tools by creating secure and imaginative environments. Here, participants can engage in experimentation, fostering self-discovery, and honing crucial cognitive skills such as communication, decision-making, out-of-the-box thinking, emotional intelligence, empathy, and teamwork. In contrast, larps offer a hands-on experience where players actively participate in the narrative, applying acquired knowledge practically through experiential learning. Both tools are extremely impactful in the development of life skills of the participants. However, a responsible approach to design is necessary, especially when designing for kids. This includes meticulous consideration of age-appropriate settings and themes and the implementation of emotional safety measures.
Presenter bio:
Angie Bandhoesingh is an educator and an educational game designer for children and adults, with a focus on non-formal education. She has a lot of passion for game-based learning and transformative role-playing games. She has an educator’s degree from the Literature, Philosophy, and Psychology department of the National & Kapodistrian University of Athens. After many years of work in the formal educational system, she cofounded Dragon’s Nest (formerly RPG4Kids), co-creating the edu-RPG ”Sorcerer’s Apprentices” as a tool for the development of soft skills in kids aged 5-12. Since then she has focused on developing meaningful and fun educational experiences for kids and adults, utilizing the power of play, such as larps, boardgames, and other mediums.
Erasmus EDGE is a joint Higher Education Cooperation Partnership project between Uppsala University, Turku University of Applied Sciences, Dragons’ Nest, Chaos League, and Avalon Larp Studio.
This series is hosted by the Games & Society Lab at the Department of Game Design, Uppsala University Campus Gotland. The series explores the use of analog role-playing games as vehicles for lasting personal and social change.
Posted on - Comments Off on Gotland Game Hub, Dec 13 CategoriesBlog Tagsoutreach
Today we are wrapping the season with this year’s final Gotland Game Hub Community pop-up at Gotlands studentkår Rindi!
Come with us to play, test and discuss your games at Rindi for another cozy December afternoon! This Wednesday our hub is also joined by the wonderful Josephine Baird who’ll give a talk and answer your questions about writing for games. Josephine is a lecturer and researcher at the Department of Game Design right here on the island, and a published artist, designer and podcaster to boot. After your most burning writing questions are answered, take the floor to pitch your own game ideas and events! Here’s a glimpse of what’s in store:
12:00 – 14:00: Play, create, elevate! – Playtest, play, or discuss games with others! – Share ideas and receive feedback.
14:00 – 15:00 Meet the Game Maker: Writing for games with Josephine! Q&A and Open Mic. -Pitch your game concepts! -Announce upcoming game events and initiatives.
14:30 – 16:00 Networking Café -Connect with fellow gamers, designers, and creative geniuses. -Refill on some sweet or savoury treats and hot drinks (Lucia edition!)
Also! The official Campus Gotland Lucia celebration takes place in the afternoon, so we’ll wrap a little earlier than ususal. It starts with a march from Rindi to the S:t Nicolai ruin where you can enjoy a traditional Swedish Lucia celebration with the Campus Gotland and student choirs, and Rindi’s Fire Guild. Participants will meet up just outside Rindi at 15:30.
Posted on - Comments Off on Portfolio Jam, Dec 6-10 CategoriesBlog Tagsoutreach
Today we’re am inviting you to sign up for a “Portfolio Jam” which will kick off on Wednesday the 6th of December and comes to a close on Sunday the 10th of December. To sign up and read about what exactly a Portfolio Jam is and why you should attend, check out this page.
The highlights:
No more procrastinating on making a portfolio
Have a portfolio ready for the Career Fair during GGC 2024!
Get info and 1-on-1 mentoring from industry professionals
Coworking with other jam participants + Fika or food on Wednesday, Saturday, and Sunday
Get in the habit of collecting relevant portfolio materials
Get practice in making a portfolio before your (work) life depends on it
If you are convinced already, you can also directly sign up here.
We are looking forward to seeing tons of kick-ass portfolios soon!
