DAILY LOBO new mexico
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April 2, 2012
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Students create video game, profits go to charity by Victoria Carreon vcarreon@unm.edu
Instead of playing a video game, some students on campus are creating one that would benefit a charity for children with diabetes. About 30 students are working together to develop Alloy, a video game in which players create robots out of scrap metal in a barren wasteland. The assignment is for the capstone course in the Interdisciplinary Film and Digital Media program, and dozens of volunteers are also pitching in work for the project. Once completed, the game will be available for free download online. Those who play the game will have the option of making a donation to the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation. The earning potential of a video game was evident to the students in the IFDM course. But making profits that the students were allowed to keep would have been legally complicated because the game is being produced through the University, not independently. Profits would have been divided up between the school and the students working on it. Hannah Gillis, the game’s producer and a senior in the IFDM program, said the students decided to donate the proceeds to the foundation. “We wanted to capitalize on the opportunity with a good cause. We felt like JDRF was a good choice. My 6-year-old cousin was diagnosed with Type 1 (diabetes) about a year ago, and our director has family members with Type 1 as well, so JDRF was kind of close to heart.” Eric Geusz, another capstone student, enjoys playing real-time strategy games. He said he wanted the game to have replay value. The player develops the BuilderBot, which uses the
Courtesy photo Some concept art for the video game “Alloy,” shows a barren world. The game was created by students from the Interdisciplinary Film and Digital Media Program for a capstone project. available materials to create new bots. The bots are then used to find power crystals that power other bots. The crystals are coveted, and the dynamic creates a “capture the flag” situation. Geusz said the robots in the game rely on juice pods to keep operating at top capacity, something similar to the insulin injections children with diabetes need. This was a small instance in which the game’s developers
could relate the disease to the game aside from the fundraising aspect. Students produce every aspect of the game — from the concept to the graphics, students are in charge. Gillis is in charge of setting deadlines and goals for game. An important aspect of her job is to ensure that people have a job that matches their capabilities. While most of the group’s leads are students in the
capstone course, the majority of the game’s developers are not. The basic programming was done using Unreal Development Kit, which creates the basic platform for the game. Gillis said that along with raising funds, the game’s developers are working on the Beta release of the game, which will come out on April 8. The live release for the game is April 21. The game will be available at AlloyVideoGame.com.
Live release: April 21st AlloyVideoGame.com
Astronaut visits UNM, urges passion for science by Miriam Belin
mbelin08@unm.edu
Danny Olivas/ Courtesy photo
Inside the
Daily Lobo volume 116
issue 128
A former astronaut came to UNM to pitch the benefits of jobs in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) fields. Retired NASA astronaut Danny Olivas was chosen to be an astronaut in 1998 and is one of 13 Hispanics who have participated in NASA’s astronaut program. Olivas encouraged students to maintain passion as they pursue their careers in various fields, but especially careers in STEM fields. “Passion has to be deeply seated,” he said. “Look inside yourself. Find what passions you have. Work hard to better your skills and talents.” Olivas was a crew member in the STS-117 Atlantis and STS-128 Discovery missions. According to the NASA website, both missions included taking supplies to the International Space Station. UNM’s Engineering Student Services,
Ball Aerospace and Technologies Corporation, the Hispanic College Fund and others hosted the NASA Awareness Day on Friday at the Centennial Engineering Center on campus. Olivas was the keynote speaker. Marcos Valdez, the director of college student leadership for the Hispanic College Fund, said he wanted to help organize an event that would make students consider careers in the engineering field and at NASA. “The need for experts in the (STEM) fields is as great as it’s ever been,” he said. “The U.S. is severely lagging in the technological and innovation front in the global context. Thus, we need to inspire students to not only continue on to higher education, but for them to highly consider the STEM fields.” Olivas said a family trip to Johnson Space Center when he was a boy and seeing the rockets there motivated him to become an astronaut. “I wanted to be one of those rocket
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engine parts,” he said. “I wanted to contribute to something bigger.” Valdez said because of Olivas’ drive and achievements, he is someone students can admire. “Dr. Olivas has accomplished much in life and serves as an impeccable role model for students of the younger generation,” he said. “His story of perseverance and following his passion sheds light on the opportunities that these students will hopefully explore.” Olivas said perseverance meant dedicating himself to his studies. He admitted he had failed some of his classes many times, but he was determined to get good grades. He urged the audience to be focused on the things that are important to them, be flexible because changes happen and be optimistic about the future. “Passion is not fleeting,” he said. “It is self-sustaining. When you believe it inside yourself, nothing is going to deter you.”
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