Joseph Brown: Joseph Alexander Brown was born in Niagara-on-the-Lake, ON, Canada, on July 6, 1985. He received the B.Sc. (Hons.) with first class standing in computer science with a concentration in software engineering, and M.Sc. in computer science from Brock University, St. Catharines, ON, Canada in 2007 and 2009, respectively. He received the Ph.D. in computer science from the University of Guelph in 2014. He also holds a к.ф.-м.н. issued by the Russian Higher Degree Attestation Committee in 2019. He previously worked for Magna International Inc. as a Manufacturing Systems Analyst and as a visiting researcher at ITU Copenhagen, and was most recently Associate Professor and Head of the Artificial Intelligence in Games Development Lab at Innopolis University in Innopolis, Republic of Tatarstan, Russia. He is currently an Assistant Teaching Professor at Thompson Rivers University, Kamloops, BC, Canada and an Adjunct Professor of Computer Science at Brock University, St. Catharines, ON, Canada.
Matthew Guzdial: Matthew Guzdial is a Assistant Professor at the University of Alberta whose research focuses on creative artificial intelligence and machine learning, with two major research vectors. The first is the application of AI/ML to domains we would typically consider requiring human creativity, which exposes limitations and potential for development of current AI/ML approaches. The second is the application of computational models of creativity to standard AI/ML tasks to improve the performance on these tasks.
Patricia Pizer: Patricia Pizer, a veteran in the gaming industry with a lifelong passion for games, intertwines her childhood memories of card and board games with her interest in animal intelligence, particularly parrots. Meeting her companion, Buster Keaton, sparked her curiosity about cockatoos, eventually leading her to merge her love for games with her fascination for avian cognition, resulting in her role as Director of Game Research and Fun at Parrot Concepts, pioneering mobile games aimed at enriching parrots' lives and bonding experiences with their human owners.
Aaron Gordon: Aaron Gordon knows a thing or two about design. Currently working at Brace Yourself Games in Vancouver as their Game Design Director, he’s worked on a variety of titles from limb-flailing motion games, epic space sims, indie darlings and established AAA fan favorites. With a passion for design frameworks, methodologies and collaborative design and is all about being a force multiplier for teams. When he’s not grinding on Destiny, binging One Piece or running D&D you’ll probably find him hurtling down a mountain somewhere or trapped under his cats.
Andrew Stewart: Andrew Stewart is a born and raised Vancouverite who has been fortunate enough to animate on such projects as Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Luigi’s Mansion 3, and the Gears of War franchise. Throughout his life, he has maintained a passion for video games, art, and anything that allows him to express himself creatively. He is laser-focused on growing his craft and sharing his knowledge with others. He also enjoys any sort of athletic or food-related activity.
During the session, we'll discuss different types of licenses and explain how to access them, including popular game engines like Unity and Unreal Engine. We'll also provide tips on software setup and how to optimize your workflow. This is a must-attend event for anyone interested in game development or looking to enhance their software skills. Don't miss this chance to discover new tools and software that can help you succeed in the world of game development. Join us to learn about student licenses and software setup with TRUSU Game Dev Club.
Join us for the Game Engine Round Table by TRUSU Game Development Club! Dive into discussions on popular engines like Unity, Unreal, and Godot. Learn about their features, limitations, and get tips from fellow developers. Don't miss out on this chance to level up your game development knowledge!
Welcome to our Game Jam Round Table! Whether you're a seasoned developer or just dipping your toes into game creation, this event is your gateway to the thrilling world of game jams. Join us for an interactive session where we'll delve into the ins and outs of game jams, sharing tips, tricks, and strategies to excel in these exhilarating challenges.
Join us for Basics of Godot with TRUSU Game Development Club! Whether you're new to game dev or want to expand your skills, this session covers the essentials of Godot. Learn to set up projects, navigate the interface, and implement basic mechanics. Don't miss out on this chance to kickstart your game dev journey!
A general overview of the basic components of Unity including scenes, the camera, game objects, and basic scripting.
A breadth-based survey of Artificial Intelligence (AI) approaches actually applied in modern game development, including path planning, decision making, and procedural content generation.
Joseph Brown explores lootboxes and free-to-play models, discussing their mechanics, ethics, and impacts on player experience. Learn how to implement monetization strategies that balance profitability with player satisfaction.
A general overview of game design frameworks such as Flow, MDA, and Game Feel, followed by a paper prototyping session allowing students to practice applying these concepts.
Joseph Brown breaks down the principles of designing clear, engaging, and fair game rules. Gain insights into balancing mechanics, ensuring intuitive interactions, and avoiding common pitfalls in rules design.
Join us for the Game Development Tools Round Table, hosted by the TRUSU Game Development Club! Dive into discussions on your favorite software and tools for game development. Share insights, exchange recommendations, and explore new avenues to elevate your game creation journey. Don't miss this opportunity to connect with fellow enthusiasts and discover the tools that can revolutionize your game development process!
Join us for an engaging round table discussion on the highly anticipated Game Development Conference (GDC). This session is designed to provide a platform for educators and students to share their experiences and insights from attending GDC. If you've attended the conference in the past, come and share your experiences, tips, and takeaways. For those who haven't yet had the chance to attend, this is the perfect opportunity to ask questions and learn more about what to expect at GDC.
Join us for the Monetization Round Table by TRUSU Game Development Club! Explore strategies like in-app purchases and ads, learn best practices, and connect with fellow developers. Don't miss this chance to boost your game's revenue potential!
Game design spans many different aspects of a game: what the game entails, how it feels, what the players experience. The design of underlying systems dictates the potential success and stickiness of a game.
During this demonstration Principal Animator Andrew Stewart will walk you through the basics of setting up a scene in Maya, creating a small character animation, preparing the animation for export, and finally bringing that animation into the game engine for blueprint integration.
Joseph Brown delves into creating realistic camouflage in games. Discover the algorithms and techniques for generating effective camouflage patterns that enhance gameplay and visuals.
Practical frameworks to structure your game around. We'll cover Game Pillars, Loops and User Stories. How they interlink, how they help us get unstuck / working on the right things and improve a game's vision and identity.
We'll talk about common pitfalls we've all made as designers and how to mitigate them, the importance of design soft skills (and what they are), plus what lead designers actually look for in portfolios and design candidates when hiring. We'll also jam and field loads of questions until we get kicked out.
