Get ready to press “start” on a whole new level of creativity at Valparaiso University. The Center for Games and Interactive Entertainment is officially open, and it’s your new go-to spot to explore, create and play in the world of video games and tabletop adventures.
While the center is the first of its kind on the Valpo campus, this is not the first time games have been implemented in the classroom.
“I developed and offered [English 200: Video Games, Playing with Stories], which was a really successful class. I had an immediate waitlist and ended up offering three sections that first year and they all filled up,” said Professor of English Martin Buinicki. “So, I talked with [then-English Department chair Richard Severe] about what we could do next. We knew we had a subject matter that interested students and that games were a great way to engage them. So we thought, should we develop a program, or create a center on campus?”
The answer? Both. Following the success of Buinicki’s class, the English Department announced its new 15-credit game narrative and design minor for students to explore the increasingly popular video game and tabletop game industries. The only question that remained was how to fund the gaming center.
The university’s prayers were answered on June 5, 2023, when Valpo received a $25,000 Ball Venture Fund Grant from the Independent Colleges of Indiana to fund the Center for Games and Interactive Entertainment—thanks to a grant proposal written by Buinicki.
“Knowing we had the Ball Venture Fund Grant behind us, and knowing the kind of things we wanted the game center to do, we held a community meeting where we invited game designers, retailers, educators, live-streamers and staff from the Advancement office to brainstorm about what the game center could do for the campus, and the greater Valpo community as a whole,” Buinicki said. “We had all the equipment paid for, but we needed a space, and that was a long process but finally, we ended here, and I think it’s going to be great synergy between the game center and the Center for the Arts (VUCA).”
The Center for Games and Interactive Entertainment found its home in VUCA, Room 1412, where students bring their ideas and innovations to life.
“Games are really wonderful because they’re so interdisciplinary,” Buinicki said. “[While I’ve been the face] trying to make this all happen, it’s a collective effort by so many people who have been heavily involved in making this a reality. I’m just trying to be the one who gets us over the finish line.”
Games have increasingly been integrated into studies at Valpo. In addition to the new minor in Game Narrative and Design, Kinesiology now offers a program in Esports Management. Geography offers a course on virtual spaces, including games. Math and Statistics faculty publish work on the pedagogical use of board games, while a history professor uses roleplaying games to bring events like the U.S. Constitutional Convention to life for students.
The game center officially opened it’s doors on Feb. 4 where Joseph Goodman, president and publisher of Goodman Games, was the grand opening guest of honor. Goodman, who donated over $4,000 worth of books and supplies to the game center, served not only to speak with students about the industry but provide valuable networking—something Buinicki strives to bring to the forefront of the center’s initiatives.
“Role playing game companies are eager to reach a younger market and we’re in a great position to do just that. So I think there’s going to be a lot of potential for collaboration with the center,” Buinicki said.
Chaosium, the publisher of the popular “Call of Cthulhu” role-playing game, is among the potential collaborators Buinicki is in talks with to help bring the center’s full vision to life.
“It means a lot. It’s been four long years. As a professor, I have seen how powerful games are in the classroom and how much they can help students feel a sense of belonging, connection, excitement and creativity. So finally being able to see this long project come together, and knowing the good I think it’ll do, it means a lot,” Buinicki said.
The center is open Sunday through Thursday from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. and Friday and Saturday from 4 p.m. to 11 p.m.
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