SMU Guildhall

Today we welcome 56 students at New Student Orientation. Cohort 34 joins us from China, India, Taiwan and the United States (with 10 states represented). 40% are female, and 18 students have already worked or interned in the gaming industry! We are so excited to see what you ideate, create, and achieve over the next two years. Welcome to the Hilltop and your new home in Ford Hall 🎉

We look forward to welcoming Cohort 34 to campus — beginning with today’s Meet & Greet event and followed by Orientation on Friday and the 2024 GameJam on Saturday! It will be a great weekend 🙌🎮

Turn yesterday's Flag Day 🇺🇸 into Flag WEEKEND! 🏁🏁 Gather your friends for some good fun with Fastival, a single or multiplayer racing game now free on Steam. Who can collect the most wacky item power-ups and speed around the carnival rides the fastest? https://bit.ly/3Rp1d4k

3-2-1, go! 🚦🏁 Your bumper car is ready 🏎️ Come race in Fastival, a new student-made racing game on Steam. Pick your player and zoom around the carnival from level to level, collecting carnival tickets for wacky power-up and defense items. https://bit.ly/3Rp1d4k

Pick your adorable player and add this game to your wishlist now! Get ready to race tomorrow, 6/14, as Fastival launches on Steam. Race around a merry-go-round and a field of giant wack-a-moles, zoom across a roller coaster, fly through a ring of fire, and get launched by a cannon up into the big top circus tent. The fun awaits you: https://store.steampowered.com/app/2830700/Fastival/?curator_clanid=34088398

Coming this Friday: Fastival, a cute and cartoony arcade racing game made by SMU students. Race through an enchanting carnival and look out for wacky obstacles and cool shortcuts as you compete against up to three friends. Wishlist now on Steam! https://store.steampowered.com/app/2830700/Fastival/?curator_clanid=34088398

Fastival on Steam Race through an enchanting carnival and be on the lookout for wacky obstacles and cool shortcuts as you compete against up to three other friends in this cute and cartoony arcade racing game!

Did you catch our feature in the Spring 2024 edition of Magazine? The story originally ran in the as well. We were excited to be able to share about our 20th anniversary of game development education and unlocking achievements for 20 years as .

A few photos from this very special day. More to come!

As we prepare for Cohort 32 to graduate tomorrow, we honor all that they have completed throughout their two years of study in our program. From thought-provoking research to commercial-quality team games, they've worked so hard to get to where they are today. Way to go! View our C32 catalog here:

SMU Guildhall Graduate Catalog — 2024 Cohort 32 Joomag digital interactive publication

Congrats to the Kneedle Knight team for winning Best Game Mechanics and the Short Form Game of the Year awards at this year's Student Game Awards! https://linktr.ee/studentgameawards
Play free: kneedleknight.com

@studentgameawards | Linktree Linktree. Make your link do more.

More photos from our annual Thesis Exhibition. Thank you to the students and faculty who shared these great captures!

Did you know we live stream our Guildhall graduation ceremony every year? Watch the SMU Guildhall Diploma Ceremony this Saturday at 11:30am on our YouTube channel:

SMU Guildhall - YouTube See segments covering news, events, features, games and more from The Guildhall at SMU.

Thank you to everyone who came out to learn more about the impressive, brilliant work done by our C32 game development master’s students. We love getting to hear them show off their thesis projects after many, many months of very hard work. You did it!

Congrats to students in Cohort 32 for your hard work! Today, we showcase C32's Thesis students at our annual Thesis Exhibition from 11am-2:30pm. Stop by Ford Hall and see their thought provoking studies, or view our newly published C32 cohort catalog: https://joom.ag/v6kd

You are invited to join us May 3 from 11am-2:30pm for our 2024 Master's Thesis Exhibition, showcasing Cohort 32. Come mingle, support, snack & observe! Session 1 11am-12:30pm; Intermission 12:30-1pm; Session 2 1-2:30pm
Register here to attend! https://lp.constantcontactpages.com/ev/reg/bmafycf

We are now officially badged as a 2024 Unreal Academic Partner! This signifies confirmation that our program is recognized by Epic Games as a valid and proven Education & Training Partner for Unreal Engine.

Unreal Academic Partner - 2024 • Guildhall - Interactive Technology in Digital Game Development • Unreal Authorized Partners Home of digital credentials

Very cool to watch the 2024 Eclipse at Ford Hall with the students, faculty, and staff of SMU Guildhall ☀️🕶️🌙 Take a peek at some of the great photos shared from the collective.

New : Download the Art of Asurya's Embers today! Embark on a captivating journey to the majestic Himalayas as you delve into the enchanting world of Asurya's Embers through the pages of our exquisite (and free!) digital Art Book: https://store.steampowered.com/news/app/2491710/view/4199117793151349430?l=english

Asurya's Embers - Download the Asurya's Embers Art Book for Free! - Steam News Download the Art of Asurya's Embers today! Embark on a captivating journey to the majestic Himalayas as you delve into the enchanting world of Asurya's Embers through the pages of our exquisite (and free!) digital Art Book. The genesis of the artwork for Asurya's Embers dates back to the summer of 2...

Recruiter registration is still open to attend our Career Fair! Have an anticipated opening? Come interview students seeking opportunities starting summer and beyond. Questions? DM us. We have ways to participate even if not presently hiring.

Career Fair | SMU Guildhall Connecting today’s top studios with tomorrow’s top talent. The SMU Guildhall Career Fair connects students and alumni with the industry’s top studios.

Hiring studios and developers: Your insight is needed! Want to attend our annual Career Fair but your company is not currently hiring? We've heard you and created a new opportunity just for you, the Application Workshop. We're looking for industry professionals to participate in a brand new, special way by helping our students to "level up" their application materials. This includes networking with our students and providing resume feedback, portfolio reviews, and mock interviews. Learn more & Register: https://lp.constantcontactpages.com/ev/reg/a6byduh

You can now play Kneedle Knight on Epic Game Store! https://store.epicgames.com/en-US/p/kneedle-knight-f3bbbb 🎮
Learn why reviewers can't get enough: "This game rocks. The amount of effort put into it man, the cutscenes, the voice acting, the OST, it all feels on par with something of a paid game, and I honestly would've paid money for this." | "Fun, cozy game with creative enemies and beautiful art. Satisfying and fun!" | "This is an excellent throw back to the old N64 3D platformers I highly recommend everyone give this one a go."

Kneedle Knight | Download and Play for Free - Epic Games Store Download and play Kneedle Knight for FREE at the Epic Games Store. Check for platform availability and play today!

Are you in the industry and/or seeking talent? Join our Career Fair this April! We'd love to connect you with our eager May graduates in art, design, production & programming. Learn more/register: https://myemail.constantcontact.com/Employer-Registration-Now-Open--SMU-Guildhall-Career-Fair-2024.html?soid=1133507324888&aid=R2frbLzK99w

Employer Registration Now Open: SMU Guildhall Career Fair 2024 Join us for our annual Career Fair and Mixer on April 10-11, 2024   You're Invited: SMU GUILDHALL Career Fair Employer registration is now open for our 2024 Career Fair! Graduating and current studen

Embarking on the journey of game development as students is no small feat. Each of our Capstone games accept a unique challenge: creating captivating games within a single semester! 🔨 Listen as developers from Asurya's Embers reflect on the hustle and creativity that went into not building the game against a tight 400-hour timeframe, including constantly fine-tuning it based on player feedback. How did the team manage their time effectively, and what lessons can we glean from their experience in balancing development and playtesting?

Let's dive into a conversation about the challenges and triumphs of student game development. How can time constraints fuel innovation, and what strategies are crucial in managing limited resources effectively?

✂️ Time Constraints 58 seconds · Clipped by Lindsey McGonigle · Original video "Asurya's Embers Developer Panel Interview" by SMU Guildhall

The programmers for Asurya's Embers faced a challenging quest: crafting seamless in-game animations that bridge the gap between third-person aesthetics and the immersive experience of a first-person game. Imagine the intricate dance of creativity and technical prowess as they tackled the challenge of making animations designed for one perspective shine in another. How did they overcome the hurdles, and what trade-offs were made in the pursuit of visual perfection?

The ultimate showdown: Creating a final boss that not only looked good but soared through the skies, interacted seamlessly with the environment, and posed a formidable threat to players. 🛡️💥 Share your thoughts on the art of balancing visual spectacle with gameplay mechanics. How crucial are these details in elevating the overall gaming experience?
https://youtube.com/clip/Ugkx44IZZn54AKZZMQqzG_D6fHN8UraNKmV_?si=Gz7y10dqC7yUZPtQ

Play now on Steam (https://bit.ly/49U7njR + EGS (https://bit.ly/42YW9by)

✂️ Challenges with Animations 34 seconds · Clipped by Lindsey McGonigle · Original video "Asurya's Embers Developer Panel Interview" by SMU Guildhall

Texas summers are notorious for their scorching heat, but the developers behind Asurya's Embers found inspiration in the relentless sun. They challenged the concept of light vs. shadow by making shaded regions the "safe zone" within the game. Have you played Asurya's Embers yet? How did flipping the script on light vs. shadow present new challenges and opportunities for the player? Play now on Steam (https://bit.ly/49U7njR + EGS (https://bit.ly/42YW9by)

https://youtube.com/clip/Ugkx0xa9Q62qwIP8OzgKPY7zCbJdnUHEqk4B?si=KyDJMF6UYA7YeoX0

✂️ Nature of Light & Shadow 29 seconds · Clipped by Lindsey McGonigle · Original video "Asurya's Embers Developer Panel Interview" by SMU Guildhall

One month away! Our annual Career Fair is April 10-11 in Dallas, TX. We invite game studios and companies looking for game development talent to come meet our job seekers. Registration is open for employers & job seeking students and alumni. Learn more: https://www.smu.edu/guildhall/about/career-fair

In honor of the Pangolin in Asurya's Embers, the development team made a contribution and symbolic adoption of a Pangolin to the World Wildlife Fund to help protect species and their habitats. We love seeing student generosity at work for worthy causes.