EKU to host game design conference April 30

Expected to be largest ever gathering of video game developers in Kentucky

RICHMOND, Ky. (Feb. 10, 2016) — Eastern Kentucky University is hosting a game design conference on April 30 in the Perkins Building. Created by the EKU Gaming Institute, Richmond office of the Kentucky Innovation Network, RunJumpDev of Lexington and Tech Base 10—Vector is an opportunity for developers from the Southeast and Midwest to network with leaders and peers in the field of game design and development.

“We believe this event will expand awareness of our program beyond Eastern and Central Kentucky and cement EKU’s standing as the premier game design school in the state and region,” said Dr. George Landon, director of the EKU Gaming Institute. “It will also provide our students and alumni and working game developers with a local conference that has many of the benefits of larger west coast game conferences and create a better network for our graduating students by connecting industry with our campus.”

About 300 people are expected to attend the event, making it “the largest gathering of game developers ever in our state,” said Landon.

The day-long event will feature:

• Multiple workshops, hosted by Unity Technologies and geared to various skill levels.
• Roundtable discussions on topics submitted from the gaming community (topics may still be submitted to http://goo.gl/forms/4NSQCOS104.)
• Live demo stations for on-site game play and critique of games in development.
• Student games showcase for high school and college students in Kentucky. Submissions will be judged and students will receive feedback from a panel of industry representatives. Entrants whose games are accepted will receive free admission and exhibition space to demo their game during the entire event. Students should submit their games by March 20 via http://goo.gl/forms/07ov0p4xiQ.
• Expert speakers such as Dan “Shoe” Hsu, senior manager, partner alliance, Department of Developer Relations, Sony Computer Entertainment America and an 18-year veteran of the gaming press; Lisa Brown, independent developer and game designer at Harrisburg University and a former game designer at Insomniac Games; and Jerry Belich, alternative game designer, creator of the award-winning “Choosatron” and the 2016 Vernon Wilson Endowed Chair and visiting game design scholar at EKU.