SCAD Introduces Business Launcher For Gaming And Digital Products

SAVANNAH, Ga., Oct. 9, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, the Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD) announces the launch of SCAD+, a groundbreaking university program designed to assist alumni in developing commercially viable digital products.

This is the first entrepreneurial program for SCAD, the preeminent leader in preparing students for careers in creative fields. SCAD was the first university to use VR technology in acceptance letters and AR technology in a college course catalog, advancing the college admission process on an international scope.

Nine alumni were selected from hundreds of applications by the SCAD+ advisory board to participate in the program. Alumni were placed on to four teams and provided with a living space, work studio, and an incremental stipend over the course of twelve months. The projects focus on gaming, virtual reality, augmented reality and mobile experiences. The inaugural SCAD+ program will culminate on Demo Day, when each group will present their ideas to potential investors.

"Video games comprise a 75-billion-dollar global industry, a macrocosm of creative demand and opportunity. The launch of our latest alumni atelier, SCAD+, directly addresses the demand for creative content paired with sophisticated technology," said SCAD President and Founder and SCAD+ Advisory Board Member, Paula Wallace. "SCAD+ offers SCAD grads who are innovators and entrepreneurs a direct-to-market expressway to success. Think Super Mario, Madden and Minecraft — the next big gaming obsession is coming from SCAD+!"

SCAD plans to expand SCAD+ among more degree programs in the near future.

"The SCAD+ program is a prime example of how SCAD fosters innovation, particularly in emerging fields such as virtual and augmented reality," said John Paul Rowan, Vice President for SCAD Savannah and SCAD+ Advisory Board member. "We are proud to cultivate an environment where SCAD alumni can develop projects with a lasting global impact."

SCAD+ Projects 2017-2018:

• Battery Jam – A two-to-four-person multiplayer combat game where gamers push, pull, stun and knock players into lethal traps around an arena.
• TSA Frisky – Players become TSA agents to earn "employee of the month" honors. No bag or person can be left unchecked and flights must remain on schedule.
• Manifest – A hands-free god simulator, this game allows players to make decisions that affect the growth of emerging ancient civilizations. (initially built for Android devices)
• KineticARds – A collection of augmented reality greeting cards that animate on screen through a special AR app. From gender reveals to bridesmaid proposals, condolences to congratulations, there are secret messages revealed in every design.

Innovations in augmented and virtual reality

SCAD+ is the latest program in SCAD's suite of technology "firsts." SCAD introduced the first augmented reality college catalog produced and designed entirely by a university. In 2017, an integrated SCAD team launched "Dialect Effect: A Tale of Two Tongs," an immersive Chinese language and culture learning simulation utilizing voice recognition technology, authentic environments, and engaging animated non-player characters to teach a semester of entry-level Mandarin. In 2016, SCAD debuted the world's first VR musical short film, a collaboration among students from fourteen different degree programs including film and television, animation, costume design, dramatic writing, visual effects and motion media design. In 2015, SCAD introduced the first virtual reality experience in acceptance letter packages, featuring customized Google VR goggles that enabled students to virtually visit SCAD's four global campuses.

SCAD: The University for Creative Careers
The Savannah College of Art and Design is a private, nonprofit, accredited institution conferring bachelor's and master's degrees at distinctive locations and online to prepare talented students for professional careers. SCAD offers degrees in more than 40 majors, as well as minors in more than 75 disciplines across its locations in Savannah and Atlanta, Georgia; in Hong Kong; in Lacoste, France; and online through SCAD eLearning. With more than 35,000 alumni worldwide, SCAD demonstrates an exceptional education and unparalleled career preparation. The diverse student body, consisting of nearly 14,000, comes from across the U.S. and more than 100 countries worldwide.

In 2016, the prestigious Red Dot Design Rankings placed SCAD in the top four universities in the Americas and Europe. Career preparation is woven into every fiber of the university, resulting in a superior alumni placement rate. In a study of Spring 2016 SCAD graduates, 98 percent were employed, pursuing further education, or both within 10 months of graduation. For more information, visit the official SCAD blog.

SOURCE The Savannah College of Art and Design

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