Jump Start Game Jam: March 20-21, 2021 – Online
Start your journey today! The Jump Start Game Jam welcomes all – especially high school students or those interested in making a game for the first time! Online! Free! Preregister now!
Note regarding Becker – 3/3/21
MassDiGI is part of the Becker College family. Yesterday’s update regarding the college was tough to read. We appreciate the messages of support we have received and welcome any questions though we may not have any answers – not yet, at least. That said, from our perspective, the work we do at MassDiGI is the work we do and our expectation is that it will continue. We will share more information when we can.
XP1 team selected – 1/25/21
XP1 team selected
Late last year, after running a pilot effort in the fall, we announced the MassDiGI Experience Program (XP). Designed with recent college and university graduates as well as current students in mind, XP is an internship opportunity for folks who have had their early career or academic path disrupted by the pandemic and are interested in a high quality, virtual game development experience to bolster their resumes and add to their portfolios.
The first cycle of XP received almost 100 applications from recent grads and students representing 29 different colleges and universities. After the challenging process of reviewing each application, 22 interns were offered positions. These interns come from WPI, University of Maine, University of California Santa Cruz, Rutgers, RIT, Quinnipiac, Pratt, Northeastern, MassArt, Hampshire, Fitchburg St., Brown and Becker.
Similar to SIP, MassDiGI XP is a competitive eleven-week program that includes the mentoring, guidance and stipends to help teams advance. XP1 will run from January 26 to April 16. Applications for XP2 will open on March 8.
XP is funded in part through a CARES Act grant from US EDA through its University Center program. XP is expected to run three more times.
Save these dates! – 1/20/21
Save these dates!
2021 is shaping up to be a busy one at MassDiGI. Lots going on!
- SIP21 application opens up – January 21, 2021
- Game Challenge registration opens up – February 8, 2021
- XP2 application opens up – March 8, 2021
- SIP21 application closes – March 22, 2021
- Game Challenge – March 26 & 27, 2021
- XP1 ends – April 16, 2021
- XP2 application closes – April 23, 2021
- 10th Birthday Celebration – April 26, 2021
- SIP21 begins – May 18, 2021
- XP2 begins – June 7, 2021
- XP3 application opens up – July 12, 2021
- SIP21 Open House – August 12, 2021
- SIP21 ends – August 15, 2021
- XP2 ends – August 20, 2021
- XP3 application closes – August 27, 2021
- XP3 begins – October 4, 2021
- XP3 ends – December 10, 2021
Of course, given the pandemic, all programs and activities are expected to be virtual. However, we hope that at some point we will be able to return to the way things were – or at least to some semblance of the way things were – later in the year.
BostonFIG Fest: January 16, 2021 – Online
Join us at the first virtual BostonFIG Fest! Tickets are available and pay-what-you-like.
MIT Sandbox Mentor Training Session: 12/10/20 & 1/7/21 – Online
Join MassDiGI managing director Monty Sharma as he leads a two-part MIT Sandbox Mentor Training Session. The first session will be held on 12/10 from 4:00 to 5:00pm and the second session on 1/7 at the same time. Contact us for information on how you can get involved.
Announcing XP, our latest program – 12/2/20
Announcing XP, our latest program
Today, we’re happy to announce our latest effort, the MassDiGI Experience Program. Designed with both recent university graduates and current university students in mind, XP is an internship opportunity for folks who have had their early career or academic path disrupted by the pandemic and are interested in a high quality game development experience to bolster their resumes and add to their portfolios. XP is now accepting applications through January 4, 2021.
Similar to SIP, the MassDiGI Experience Program is a competitive eleven-week virtual internship program that includes the mentoring, guidance and stipends to help teams build a game and prepare it for launch.
The first cycle of XP is scheduled to go from January 26 to April 16, 2021.
XP is funded in part through a CARES Act grant from US EDA as part of its University Center program. The program is expected to run for 4 times – XP 21.1, XP 21.2, XP 21.3 and XP 22.1. Dates related to the latter three will be determined soon.
For more information about XP, please click here.
GAME LAUNCH: Tap into love with Fostr – 11/13/20
Tap into love with Fostr
Fostr, a free and fun pet care idle game, is available for download now on the Apple App Store and Google Play.
Help cute animals find their forever home in Fostr. Start off as a beginner and advance your skills in order to foster more animals – including exotic and wild ones who also need a safe and loving environment.
The mobile game was created during the 2020 MassDiGI Summer Innovation Program (SIP) as part of a special collaboration with UMass Dartmouth. The team included Jack Carpenter, Mike Correia, John Egan Marcus Johnson and Ryan Wickett from UMassD as well as Mikey Schubert from Becker College and Primrose Kirk from Berklee College of Music.
Working over the summer, the team produced a beta/near-release version of the game – watch the trailer here. From there, we brought Fostr into our Collab (FKA LiveStudio) program during the fall ’20 semester. Through Collab, more UMassD students had roles – as did others in our Becker-based marketing lab – in polishing the game and getting it ready to launch. For a roster of all the contributors to the game, check out the credit roll. You can download Fostr today for iOS and Android.
MassDiGI Pre Game Challenge: November 21, 2020 – Online
For more information and to register for the third annual MassDiGI Pre Game Challenge, please click here!
Venture Cafe Esports & Gaming: November 5, 2020 – Online
Join MassDiGI Executive Director Tim Loew at the Venture Cafe’s Thursday Gathering on esports and gaming. More information here.
