Join the CUNY Games Network for episode 5 of their gamecasting channel. In this episode, we interview Deborah Sturm, an Associate Professor of Computer Science at the College of Staten Island. Dr. Sturm designed and teaches two gaming electives and introduced an area concentration in game development at her college. Dr. Sturm is the faculty coordinator for the Faculty Interest Group in Gaming and Pedagogy under the auspices of the Faculty Center for Professional Development. She was the Co-PI and a Project Director on a NSF-STEM grant, “Science and Technology Expansion via Applied Mathematics (STEAM),” an NSF-funded program to expand undergraduate STEM education. Through this and other grants, she collaborates with members of the Psychology Department to design and develop research apps for children on the Autism spectrum.

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Episode 4 of the CUNY Games Network’s new gamecasting video series has just been released! In this episode, we interview Carlos Hernandez, co-creator of Meriwether, an epic game that chronicles the historic journey of Meriwether Lewis and William Clark. Carlos Hernandez is an Associate Professor of English at the Borough of Manhattan Community College (BMCC) with broad interests in multicultural literature of the United States, experimental literature, creative writing, and contemporary fiction. In his conversation with the CUNY Games Network, he talks about the trials and tribulations of creating a Kickstarter-funded game as an academic.

According to the game description: “In Meriwether, you play as Captain Lewis, the man President Thomas Jefferson selected and specially trained to accomplish this mission. You’ll join forces with your long-time friend and former commanding officer, William Clark, and with him you’ll form the Corps of Discovery, a party of hand-picked soldiers, interpreters, and hunters to whom you’ll trust your life every day of the 28-month journey.”

The game has also received high praise from both the game development and academic communities:

“I’ll just come right out and say this: Meriwether is absolutely fascinating.” — Adam Smith, Rock, Paper, Shotgun

“I actually had a chance to play this game about a year ago and found it extremely involving, even at such an early state. From the looks of their Kickstarter page, the game has improved by leaps and bounds since then.” — Andy Hull, TIGSource

“[Meriwether is] part of a new crop of games, from the highly mainstream (Assassin’s Creed 3) to the academic-indie (Walden) to the art-game avant garde (Proteus) that scrupulously renders and unabashedly celebrates nature.” — Joseph Bernstein, Kill Screen

“Josh’s work will bring not only a new dimension to this exciting story but will also win a new generation to the timeless event.” — Dr. Gary Moulton, Acclaimed Lewis and Clark Scholar

“Meriwether: An American Epic is going to take an important step forward in terms of bringing together great gameplay with reality-based drama…” — Richard Lemarchand, Lead Designer of the Uncharted Series

“Josh DeBonis is one of the smartest game designers that I know.” — Eric Zimmerman, Acclaimed Game Designer and Scholar

To learn more about Meriwether, follow them on Kickstarter, or follow this link for the discussion: https://games.commons.gc.cuny.edu/video/