Game development team members who worked on the project to digitally recreate Herrington Hall included Quaveon Ransom of Tulsa (seated, from left) and Derrick Wilson, along with Kevin Terneus of Claremore (standing, from left) and Daniel Hutton of Tulsa.
An iconic building on the campus of Rogers State University entered the digital world in the spring 2024 semester with the creation of a virtual Herrington Hall as part of a project for the university’s Game Design program.
According to RSU Technology and Justice Studies Instructor Abhilash Minukuri, the project virtually recreates the exterior and interior of Herrington Hall in an interactive game, allowing the user to walk an avatar through the building, and play various games and informative activities to learn more about university life.
“This immersive game allows the user to explore university life, from classrooms to drone activities and esports tournaments,” Minukuri said. “The user can start their ‘journey’ through Herrington by talking to their advisor, who guides them through various courses like business, C# (programming language), and game development.
“Each classroom challenges the user with a quiz after listening to lectures, making learning fun and interactive,” he continued. “The user can engage in mini-games, such as drone activity where they experience flying drones firsthand and meet the AeroCats (RSU’s STEM student outreach group), or dive into the Esports Arena, which features a first-person shooter mini-game and an arcade-style side-scroller called ‘Floppy Po,’ in which the player navigates a character through obstacles to score points.”
And sharp-eyed users may even spot Sarge the Swan, Minukuri said.
Although the project is not yet completed, students may play the game to offer their feedback, and it may be enhanced by future Game Design class students, with other areas of the university to eventually be incorporated into the game.
“Our goal is to recreate the entire campus (virtually), adding new locations and activities to the game each semester,” he said. “Future classes will expand on the soccer field, dormitories, and more.
“We’re excited to expand the campus into a vibrant, interactive world that mirrors student life at Rogers State University,” he said.
View the trailer created for the project.
RSU began its game development curriculum in 2006 and was one of the first universities in Oklahoma to offer this unique focus. RSU offers a bachelor’s degree in information technology with a game design option.
RSU’s game design option provides students with the highest possible quality education in the areas of game development and general education. The program blends skill in art, computer science, mathematics, physics and writing to provide students with the opportunity to pursue a career in computer gaming development, including possible careers in game development for entertainment, training and education.
For more information about RSU’s technology programs, including game development, visit www.rsu.edu/TJS.