It’s that time of the year again, when the leaves drop off of the RPI trees and scuttle down Sage Avenue into Troy while families drop by campus for a visit. It’s FallFest 2007: Family Weekend. I would like to take a moment to welcome all the families and friends of RPI students to campus. Hopefully, you’ve already signed up for one or more of the events RPI is offering, or you have grandiose plans for visiting the Capital Region. Either way, RPI and the surrounding areas offer a multitude of opportunities—including visiting historical sites like the State Capital, going apple-picking at a local orchard, or the chance to drag your son or daughter out of their dorm room to experience some fine cuisine in downtown Troy. Enjoy your stay and be sure to visit again soon!
For those students who do not have parents visiting this weekend or are not fortunate enough to be taken out to dinner in downtown Troy, have you ever found yourself saying something to the effect of, “Gee, isn’t there anything to do on this campus?” While you may have skipped out on the Activities Fair in early September or missed participating in the Hockey Line in late September, that’s no problem because, as your trusty Grand Marshal, I’m here to tell you all about the opportunities on campus. That is, when I am not updating you on the latest campus-wide events or issues being covered by the Student Senate, of course.
At a school like RPI, social interaction is paramount to establishing a healthy work/life balance. I realize I may be preaching to the choir with this point, but how many of you actually spend the extra time you have (that is, when you aren’t cramming for an IEA exam or holed-up in the Greene building finishing a final project) with friends and doing something fun? And no, dinner doesn’t count, namely because it’s a given that you need to eat at least a chicken patty, french fries, and ice cream in the Commons Dining Hall in order to survive.
We may not have the best weather here in Troy, but the Student Senate has been working on bringing more events to campus for those days when it seems easier to sled down Congress Street than walk … or just for those typical fall days, when trekking outside seems like too much effort.
If you’re already resenting the chill in the air that seems to have permeated our campus in the past week, or you’re looking for something to do, or you really enjoy getting involved, particularly with games, I’ve got an opportunity for you.
The RPI Student Senate has been working with students from Yale University on bringing a revolutionary gaming platform to RPI called GoCrossCampus. As the inventors of GoCrossCampus describe, this platform “ ... aims to revolutionize casual gaming by blending simple interfacing and gameplay with strategic depth and social interactivity.” Simply put, this is an opportunity for the entirety of RPI to engage in a campus-wide activity which will be understanding of the fact that not all of us are on the same schedule, much less near our laptops at the same time.
Now that I’ve got your attention, here’s a quick explanation of the game. Essentially, we have developed a special RPI-oriented map that will allow students to conquer parts of campus in a “Risk”-like multiplayer online game. The motto for GoCrossCampus is both self-explanatory and fitting: “Win Your World.” Six teams have been formed for RPI’s game, based upon residence halls, and the game is free for all students, both undergraduates and graduates alike. Even though it’s free, there are no advertisements whatsoever.
GoCrossCampus is similar to the traditional world-domination board games, like “Risk” or “Diplomacy,” complete with armies and territories, except in this case, the map is our campus—complete with the 15th Street footbridge, CII, and Student Union. The game advances each calendar day, giving teams the chance to strategize and communicate amongst themselves, and is expected to finish in early December. If you live on campus, it is recommended that you join the team that includes your residence hall, but off-campus students can join any team of their choosing as a “mercenary.” Registration has been going on since Monday and is in full swing, so make sure you get involved!
Check out the RPI website for more information about this game at http://gxc.myrpi.org/ and register for one of the six color-coded teams by visiting the RPI link from the general GoCrossCampus website: http://rpi.gocrosscampus.com/. The actual game kicks off tomorrow and you do not want to miss an opportunity to annex Barton Hall or take over the entire Quad, now do you?
I always welcome thoughts, comments, bribes, ideas, and suggestions: gm@rpi.edu.
