The Launch U program is an opportunity for CAS students to follow their passions and launch their careers. It consists of working on a self-defined, self-paced project while working with alumni and faculty to develop a professional network. In Spring of 2024 I applied for Launch U and pitched a project to develop throughout the program’s duration. The puzzle game called “Forgetism” that I had been working on as a Game Design & Development major was something that I was interested in continuing and finding help on the direction the project should take. This blog post covers my experience in the piloting of Launch U for 2024, concluding with what I learned as a result of participating in the program.
Project Goals
Launch U has students proposing a project that they would like to work on throughout the program, giving themselves a goal that will be at the center of their career-building network. It’s an opportunity to pursue something that you’re interested in, and when I applied I was already looking into how I should further develop a project from my GDD Game Labs which I was the lead programmer and later the team lead for. Future applicants for the program will undoubtedly have vastly different ideas of what to pursue based on their own majors and passions. Like myself, you could suggest an existing project that you’d like to further develop, or this could be an opportunity to launch something new that you’ve wanted to try but weren’t sure where to begin.
Working on Forgetism with my team was what I saw as a promising first step, so when mapping out my plan for Launch U my main goal was to get the game out of the classroom and into the hands of players as a product they could buy. The question of how to go about this was something I hoped could be answered with help from Network Associates.
Connecting With Network Associates
Using the project they’ve decided to pursue as the guide, a student in the Launch U program next considers the questions they have about how to accomplish their goals. For myself, these were centered around the process of completing and marketing a video game. I listed out all of the questions I could think of regarding subjects such as how to start a crowdfunding campaign, the steps of releasing a video game on Steam, ways to market a video game and find an audience, and so on.
Once I had my questions, the next step was to determine who I should ask them to, which is where the Network Associates come in. These are faculty, alumni, and others that you reach out to for advice about your project. I was able to connect with graduated students from the Game Design & Development major, who gave me insight about their own projects and advice for how to make a game like Forgetism a success. I learned a lot about how important it is to get the word out about our project, such as by using social media and sharing with as many friends and family as possible. Wishing to learn more about this topic, I also contacted alumni and Professors from the School of Business about effectively marketing an independent game based on their expertise. In this way, the scope of my search for advice continually widened as I came up with new questions that QU’s Network Associates could help me answer.
What I Learned From Launch U
The biggest takeaway from my time in Launch U has been the importance of forming and maintaining connections. This program was the springboard that let me begin conversations with others who are associated with Quinnipiac University, letting me receive advice that I wouldn’t have known to look for otherwise. Thanks to all of the people I reached out to, I was able to get a better grasp on how to continue developing Forgetism while generating discussion about the project from a potential playerbase. Even though my time in the program has concluded, this has been an educational experience with lessons I will continue to put into practice throughout my career. Other students who wish to find direction and advice surrounding a project or topic that they’re passionate about may find that Launch U is an opportunity to get their ideas off of the ground.
Interested in participating in Launch U? Get additional information and get started!
