CMU hosts gaming convention weekend

Video…Video Game Symposium March 31, events from noon to 8 p.m. April 1, events from 9 a.m. to 1 a.m. Carnegie Mellon University campus Free 412-268-2409

The School of Art at Carnegie Mellon University and CMU’s Entertainment Technology Center will host a two-day video game symposium Monday, March 31 and Tuesday, April 1. The symposium will feature discussions led by game developers, artists and researchers to investigate the current perspective of video games – specifically their relevance as an art form.

“This idea has been debated by game developers for a long time and is now becoming a more public issue,” said Heather Kelley, organizer of the symposium and the Kraus Visiting assistant professor in CMU’s School of Art.

“Many mainstream games are shallow,” Kelley said. “We are interested in the ways games can be made to be more meaningful.”

At the Art of Play Arcade – curated by Montreal-based experimental gaming group Kokoromi – guests will attend a gallery show displaying new and innovative games. Those in attendance will also have the opportunity to play independent and commercial games developed over the past 10 years. These games are particularly important, as Kelley describes them as “aspiring to something more interesting than sheer entertainment in their diversities.”

In addition to the Art of Play Arcade, which will be open both days, Monday evening will feature presentations by multi-talented and influential game designers, writers and artists including – Randy Smith of Electronic Arts LA and columnist for EDGE magazine, Jason Rohrer of Arthouse Games, Jesse Schell, CEO of Schell Games and professor of CMU’s Entertainment Technology Center, and Kelley, game designer and co-founder of Kokoromi.

On Tuesday, guests will have the opportunity to attend the Poetics of Gameplay Master Class in which 12 CMU students will showcase their own games, followed by tours of the ETC and a panel discussion. The two-day event will conclude with a party at the Brillobox.

For more information on the symposium, including a schedule and speaker biographies, visit http://www.theartofplay.com, call 412-268-2409 or send an e-mail to artscool@andrew.mcu.edu. The symposium will take place at the College of Fine Arts of Margaret Morrison-Carnegie Hall on the Oakland campus and shuttles will be provided to the off-campus Entertainment Technology Center.