[game_edu] Domestic Collaboration

[Kevin O'Gorman]

Following up on Ian's point and question:

It seems that collaborating between schools is easier than collaborating
within a school.  I've never had any luck with the latter.  My students at
the Art Institute of Atlanta have worked on extracurricular/non-credit
projects with teams at GaTech and Southern Poly (with a few more about to
start up).  We are also creating assets for an educational game project by
an independent studio and playtesting a board/card game for another
developer.  I inherited the GaTech connection, but all the rest have been
based on a personal relationship I had with the point-person from the other
school/studio, with one even hashed out at the Thristy Bear at GDC (so
mirroring the real industry in more ways than one).

I think the key to success has been the fact that the skillsets have been
very delineated -- we bring the art, you guys bring the programming.  While
I'd love to collaborate with SCAD, I think there would be too much overlap
and toe-stepping.  In fact, our relationship with SPSU started with the
first Global Game Jam.  Our students mixed so well together and complimented
each other's work so cleanly that it seemed a natural fit to us.  Also, our
campuses are not right next to each other, but close enough that we can meet
face-to-face if needed.

With intra-campus collaborations, it seems everyone is vying to impress the
same leadership.  When it's inter-campus collaboration, everyone gets to go
home and be the hero for their respective deans and presidents.  That's my
running theory anyway.

Another factor that has yet to be brought into play just started this
weekend.  At the 3rd annual SIEGE conference, the Georgia Game Developers
Association convened its first Academic Committee meeting, chaired by me,
where we invited faculty and administrators from any school in Georgia to
attend (Ian was even allowed to attend based on the ambiguity that he had
traveled in from "Columbus").  Although a number of topics were discussed,
the end of the session seemed like the founding of the United Federation of
Planets with reps from Art Institute, SCAD, UGa, SPSU, Gwinnett Tech, DeVry,
and others agreeing that we are all in the same boat and can benefit our
students and programs more through co-operation than competition.  We'll
have to see how that turns out.  : )

--Kevin O'Gorman
Art Institute of Atlanta
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