The Department of Interactive Games & Media represents a core unit within the B. Thomas Golisano College of Computing & Information Sciences at the Rochester Institute of Technology. Founded July 1, 2009, the department is focused specifically on the exploration and study of media-centric computing in a variety of contexts.
IGM Academic Exploration
We approach computing from the perspectives of content, experiences, and creativity.
By content, we mean that we perform computing in the service of a constructive process. At one level, we can describe such content as multimedia: image, audio, text, and video. However, we perceive content at a higher level. We go beyond image and think of 3D models, lighting, textures, and compositions. We go beyond text and think of discourse and community. We go beyond audio and think about soundscapes for simulations and interactive environments. The concept of content also goes beyond software. We define content as being also of the physical – anything from simple input systems to augmented environments to manifestations that push the boundary of digital art. At the same time, when we explore these concepts we do so through the creation and construction of tools, systems, and technologies.
By experiences, we mean we use computing to create environments with a high degree of interactivity but we also create environments that are capable of conveying a message. Experiences can be light and fun or can be serious and thought provoking – they can tell stories, they can elicit emotional response, and inspire belief in alternate realities and virtual worlds. For example, when creating video games, we strive to create experiences that provide a sense of fun with the user. However, those same games can be used to illustrate a particular social problem and be used to jumpstart serious dialogue around a particular issue or theme.
When we refer to creativity, we refer to exploring new ways of developing technologies of expression. We push the borders of what can be built and experienced. We look for new ways of using games, multimedia, social connections, for a wide range of applications and uses. Our goal is to create highly technical applications and installations to create meaningful, memorable, and entertaining experience. This represents a focus not just on technology, but on systems that drive message and deliver content, and which in some instances may be utilizing commercially available systems and in other instances rely on the creation of entire technologies from scratch.
IGM Students
Students entering these programs typically arrive at orientation with questions such as “How can I create video games?”, “How can I build experiences/entertainment I can share with others online?”, “Can I impact the ways people communicate with each other online?”, and “How can I say what I want to say with a computer?” Much as in the early days of photography and film, the emphasis in these programs is shifting away from the technology itself to the use of technology as a tool for creativity and expressiveness . The students entering our programs are unique in their backgrounds. Most of them have experienced computing differently from a generation ago: their experiences around computing are defined by video games, web interactions, and digital devices such as cell phones, iPods, and much more. Our students are consumers of the technology revolution and invent new ways to use technology, going well beyond those initially intended by developers. Our students define themselves by moving beyond the role of consumer. They want to be at the forefront of creating new experiences and technologies for people just like themselves.
In service to the exploration of media-centric computing, the department offers three distinct academic programs of study, two at the undergraduate level (the Bachelors of Science in Game Design & Development and the Bachelors of Science in New Media Interactive Development) and one at the graduate level (the Masters of Science in Game Design & Development). Each of these programs holds a central theme the construction and examination of media-centric systems, content delivery, and use-inspired design.
IGM Research & Development
Our faculty and students publish in a variety of venues related to games and media. We produce traditional scholarship published in journals and conference proceedings, and we also create content that is disseminated both nationally as well as internationally through the web, through gallery showings, through downloadable games, and through live performances. We are engaged and involved in the regional and national efforts that surround our curriculum, as well as in producing models of creative practice for industry, peer institutions, and others. Our scholarly outputs range from the traditional to the experimental, from science to art. A key component to this aspect of the department is the diversity of the IGM faculty and their breadth of experience in tackling issues in the field.
IGM Community Outreach and Involvement
Because of the public nature of our work, faculty, staff, and students of the department are often called upon to work with the general public in a variety of contexts - from explaining game development to elementary school students to creating websites and designs for charities and non-profit organizations. We view our involvement in this arena as a critical component of our ability to educate and extend our work into the field. Many of our students have acted as role models to future generations and helped encourage the next generation of computing professionals.
The Department of Interactive Games & Media
In every sense, the department of Interactive Games & Media represents a family of students, faculty, and staff brought together by our fascination with and exploration of media-centric systems. It is our hope that, should you find resonance with our mission, vision, and approach to computing, you will consider joining us as we continue to explore this exciting field.
