When networks are used to monetize your data, video game genres are dominated by “freemium” titles and Massive Online Battle Arenas (MOBAs) and mobile gaming encourages solitary, isolated gameplay. We need a platform that brings people together in physical public spaces, and is conducive to a broader range of
This workshop covers case studies and playable demos made with HappyFunTimes focusing on projects such as Savvy Chopper, a game where players work in pairs to pilot fruit shaped helicopters and deposit hats on clones of George Costanza; Nuclear Family, where players assume leadership of fictional nations, and attempt to survive a nuclear war with espionage, backstabbing, and resource management; Tonde Iko, a 60 player platformer that takes place over 5 different networked screens; and OTOYO, a stylized multiplayer jam session.
Alex Rickett is a game maker, hacker, and multimedia artist. In a past life, he coded for small mathematical software companies, military contractors, serious games research labs, and multinational business technology companies, but now he seeks to diffuse games into new and unfamiliar contexts thematically, functionally, and aesthetically.
Alex RickettTyler Stefanich is the manager of the UCLA Game Lab and is an artist and designer. Through installations and performances, his work uses software-based systems to explore issues related to history, memory and identity. Stefanich received a BFA in Interactive Media from the Minneapolis College of Art and Design, and earned an MFA from UCLA in Media Art.
Tyler StefanichFeatured Sessions
