Video Game Design +Live
Enjoy all the features of our video game design course plus live sessions on select weekdays. These structured online events will include:
Guest speakers: Subject-matter experts and professors
Course mentors: Students and alumni who know the field
Interactive events: Engage with classmates from around the world
*Live sessions are subject to change.
Click below to receive a notification when the 2023 +Live application is open.
Sample +Live Schedule from Prior Year
Select a session from multiple time slots to learn more about what you can expect from the course.
During this session, you’ll learn about Rochester's admissions process as well as the careers available in video game design. Featured guests include Patrick O'Neill from the University of Rochester's admissions team, who will answer questions and provide you with his unique insights.
Guest speaker(s): Patrick O'Neill joined the University of Rochester Admissions Office in 2007, where he currently leads the team responsible for the University’s recruitment, outreach, and application review efforts for all of Upstate New York. He is a former member of the Executive Board of the New York State Association for College Admissions Counseling and a Posse Foundation mentor. He received his B.A. from SUNY Geneseo, and he earned an M.S. and an Ed.D. in higher education administration from the Warner School of Education at the University of Rochester.
Guest speaker(s): Sam Cammarata, Operations Manager; Noah Ratcliff, Lead Developer, and Aidan Markham, Lead Artist from Aesthetician Labs
Join the team from Aesthetician Labs, a worker-owned games cooperation, as they give you an inside look at what it's like to start an indie studio. They'll discuss the business, financial, and legal aspects of starting a game and design business with your friends. You'll learn about potential career paths and receive advice about starting a gaming studio.
Guest speaker(s): Joseph A. Loporcaro, PhD, Lecturer, University of Rochester, Video Game Design
Nintendo is one of the top video game companies in the world even though their hardware's about a generation behind other consoles; how is that possible? Join Dr. Joseph A. Loporcaro, the Intro to Video Game Design course instructor, as he dives into Nintendo's business strategy, blue ocean, and how their traditions help drive their success. Whether you're a Nintendo fan or not, this session will provide valuable insight into the business side of the video gaming industry.
Guest speaker(s): Kathryn DeFeo, UI Artist at Visual Concepts
Kathryn DeFeo's work has been featured in projects from the likes of Nickelodeon, Disney Junior, and Nintendo as well as a variety of indie studios. During this session, Kathryn will talk you through her educational path, career, and current work. You'll be able to ask her questions and hear her advice on working in the video gaming industry.
Guest speaker(s): Sam Cammarata, Operations Manager; Noah Ratcliff, Lead Developer, and Aidan Markham, Lead Artist from Aesthetician Labs
Join the Aesthetician Labs team to learn about game jams, events in which video game developers work in groups to create a new game within a set timeframe. Take on the role of a video game developer and work through the most important step of a game jam: the design phase. After this session you'll have the tools you need to begin building your own game.
Guest speaker(s): Joseph A. Loporcaro, PhD, Lecturer, University of Rochester, Video Game Design
What happens to digitially owned games that you want to play in the future? Do the benefits of digital distribution outway the negative impacts? These are a few of the questions we'll explore in this session as we look at the future of the video game industry. Come discuss the future of digital ownership with Dr. Joseph A. Loporcaro.