- University News Archive - Vlogý Little Rock /news-archive/tag/joseph-williams/ Vlogý Little Rock Thu, 08 May 2025 20:09:08 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.9.4 ‘To The Rescue’ game designers break fundraising goal in just two days /news-archive/2019/08/14/to-the-rescue-game-designers-break-fundraising-goal-in-just-two-days/ Wed, 14 Aug 2019 17:00:16 +0000 /news/?p=74885 ... ‘To The Rescue’ game designers break fundraising goal in just two days]]> Two University of Arkansas at Little Rock students are in awe over all the support shown for their dog rescue shelter simulation game. Their $16,000 fundraising campaign on was reached in just over 48 hours. “We have been totally blown away by the amount of support that we’ve received for this project,” said Olivia Dunlap, one of the Vlogý Little Rock graduate students who created “To The Rescue.” “Locally and around the world, people have flocked to us because they believe in what we are trying to do, and it’s an extraordinary feeling to see that reflected in our Kickstarter’s success. We are so thankful to everyone that has supported us so far, and are really excited to see how far we can reach with To The Rescue!” Dunlap and her partner, Tanner Marshall, a fellow Vlogý Little Rock graduate student, have been designing “To The Rescue” as a pet project for nearly three years. They launched their Kickstarter campaign on Aug. 6 to raise enough money to complete the development of the game. They reached their fundraising. By Aug. 14, the campaign had raised about $25,000 from around 800 donors. In “To The Rescue,” a player is the sole volunteer who is responsible for running the shelter, taking care of the dogs, and making sure they are adopted into their forever homes. The game was created with Joseph Williams, associate professor in the Department of Rhetoric and Writing, who worked on sound design, and Byron Buslig, a Vlogý Little Rock alumnus who served as the game’s artist. Donors can give as little as $1 with various levels of donations. Those who pledge $15 will receive a copy of the game when it is released in 2020, while donations of $30 will receive the game, a sticker pack, and the opportunity to add a dog name to the game. Those who pledge $50, $100, or even $500 can receive even more rewards, including an enamel pin; copy of a special magazine with behind-the-scenes information about the game and the shelters that inspired it; the ability to customize the traits, name, and appearance of a super dog or potential pet parent that will appear in the game; and an in-game donor plague.

Vlogý Little Rock graduate students Olivia Dunlap and Tanner Marshall are developing a dog rescue video game, “To The Rescue.” Photo by Ben Krain.

“Even though we’ve met our goal, the fundraising campaign isn’t over,” Dunlap said. “It’s going to continue until Sept. 3 so that we can increase our budget to make an even bigger, better game. We have a ton of stretch goals planned for these other milestones, including things like more characters, more things to do with the dogs, and more platforms on which people can play the game.” The campaign has already reached three stretch goals that include adding two new characters, a town map, and an outdoor play space to the shelter. Additional stretch goals include adding more characters, new dog breeds, and new animations to the game. While the game designers are thrilled with the continuing success of the campaign, they hope the game will raise awareness about animal shelters and encourage more people to adopt pets from shelters. “I feel like we’ve gotten extremely lucky with the amount of traction it’s received, but the concept of a dog shelter simulator – particularly one that is working to have a real-world impact – is really resonating with a lot of people,” Dunlap said. “Upon release of the game, 20% of all profits will be donated to real animal shelters,” Marshall said. “It just wouldn’t feel right to make a game promoting the needs of shelters and not put a substantial amount of our profits towards the cause.” The Kickstarter campaign ends 9:59 p.m. on Tuesday, Sept. 3. If you would like to support “To The Rescue,” visit the. ]]> To The Rescue: Vlogý Little Rock gamers create simulation about saving dogs at rescue shelters /news-archive/2019/07/02/to-the-rescue/ Tue, 02 Jul 2019 13:57:56 +0000 /news/?p=74646 ... To The Rescue: Vlogý Little Rock gamers create simulation about saving dogs at rescue shelters]]> Two University of Arkansas at Little Rock students are raising awareness of animal rescue shelters while creating a fun, interactive game that will melt your heart. is a dog shelter simulation game that allows players to understand the ins and out of running a dog rescue shelter. Vlogý Little Rock graduate students and best friends Olivia Dunlap and Tanner Marshall have been working on the game as a pet project for the past 2 ½ years. Dunlap and Marshall are roommates and the proud pet parents of a dog jovially named Keanu Reeves. “We were walking to class one day, and Olivia pointed out that there are a lot of interesting emotional decisions to make if you create a game about running a dog shelter,” Marshall said. “You have limited resources, limited time, and you have to help as many animals as you can while making some hard decisions.” In the game, a player is the sole volunteer who is responsible for running the shelter, taking care of the dogs, and making sure they are adopted into their forever homes. “The goal is to keep the shelter open for as long as possible and to get as many dogs adopted as possible,” Dunlap said. “You rely on donations to keep the shelter open. Some dogs have certain health or behavioral issues that make it more expensive to take care of them. People come in looking for specific things that will affect how likely they are to adopt.” The player also has to make tough decisions that Marshall and Dunlap admit can be heart-wrenching. “One of the game’s unexpected challenges is disease outbreaks,” Marshall said. “Your shelter can be running along fine and suddenly you get a heartworm outbreak that is very expensive to treat. You suddenly have to make a decision about if you have enough money to treat all the dogs, or if you might have to euthanize the dogs if you don’t have enough money to keep the shelter open while treating all the dogs. That’s a good example of the kind of emotional decisions you have to make. It’s sad and it’s part of why we wanted to make the game. Someone out there has to make these decisions and help as many animals as they can. It’s good for a potential pet adopter to think about these things.”
Vlogý Little Rock graduate students Olivia Dunlap and Tanner Marshall are developing a dog rescue video game, "To The Rescue." Photo by Ben Krain.

Vlogý Little Rock graduate students Tanner Marshall (left) and Olivia Dunlap (right) are developing a dog rescue video game, “To The Rescue.” Photo by Ben Krain.

Although there is a child-friendly mode for younger players, the game makers feel it’s important to raise awareness about the issues faced at rescue shelters. “It’s a fun game, but we didn’t want to shy away from some of the issues that people might be unaware of,” Dunlap said. “We want to raise awareness for animal shelters. That’s why we will donate 20 percent of the profits to animal shelters.” The game was created with Joseph Williams, associate professor in the Department of Rhetoric and Writing, who worked on sound design, and Byron Buslig, a Vlogý Little Rock alumnus who served as the game’s artist. “Part of our journey was seeking out like-minded people, and Joseph Williams was the most influential person in that regard,” Marshall said. “We have done several independent studies with him. That is how we met Byron, working on a small independent game prototype. That is how we were able to get a game-oriented education. Having access to the CRUX lab in the Department of Rhetoric and Writing has been invaluable. We are happy that it is here on campus since the workspace really helps us to develop our games.” The game creators will launch a Kickstarter campaign for “To The Rescue” on Aug. 6, where they hope to raise enough money to complete the game and manufacture the first orders. “To The Rescue” is expected to be available on PC and Mac OS computers in early 2020. The game is available to add to your .]]> Vlogý Little Rock gamers create app for Clinton Presidential Center exhibit /news-archive/2018/10/08/white-house-green-building-app/ Mon, 08 Oct 2018 16:02:24 +0000 /news/?p=72056 ... Vlogý Little Rock gamers create app for Clinton Presidential Center exhibit]]> A University of Arkansas at Little Rock professor, student, and alumnus have created at the Clinton Presidential Center. The app was built to accompany the exhibit, which is on display at the Clinton Presidential Center from Sept. 8, 2018, to March 24, 2019. This exhibit explores how the Clinton administration worked to improve the environment, the green building design elements incorporated into the Clinton Presidential Center, and ways to make sustainable living a part of everyday life. The exhibit uses videos, augmented reality games, hands-on interactives, photos, and text to teach about those themes. The creators of the app include Joseph Williams, associate professor in the Department of Rhetoric and Writing; Tanner Marshall, a graduate student in the Department of Computer Science; and Robbie Hunt, a Vlogý Little Rock alumnus. All three are members of the Little Rock Game Designers and a company called Little Rock Games. “The app has three components,” Marshall said. “One part is a sustainable homebuilding game, another is an informational component where you can read virtual placards throughout the exhibit, and there is a scavenger hunt where you find hidden markers throughout the exhibit.” The app uses augmented and virtual reality and took more than 100 hours to create. Williams’ favorite part of the app is the homebuilding game, which allows users to virtually build a home to see the environmental outcomes of their choices. “There are pieces that represent how big the house is, flooring and roofing options, and other choices that can make the house energy efficient,” Williams said. “You encourage people to be cognizant of how these choices change the overall impact that their house has on the environment. The interface gives users a green rating for how well they are doing, and it tells them how much the house will cost. If they make green choices, when they are finished the house will show plants and happy animals. If they choose poorly, you may see acid rain at the end. It gives them a visual representation of the outcomes of their choices.”
A screenshot from the app developed for the "White House, Green Building" exhibit at the Clinton Presidential Library.

A screenshot from the app developed for the “White House, Green Building” exhibit at the Clinton Presidential Library.

Museum Curator Christine Mouw said the app has been a positive addition for the exhibit, and she is hoping to incorporate more apps into future exhibits. “They were so great to work with and customized the games to fit our exhibit and our ideas, and they taught us so much about what could be done,” Mouw said. “The end product is fabulous. We’ve gotten so much positive feedback. People are spending a lot more time in the exhibit than they otherwise would, playing the game! I hope we can put games into more of our exhibits in the future.” In choosing projects for their company to complete, Williams said they look for “games that make a difference in people’s lives.” “Our unofficial company mission is to design and work with games that have some sort of social impact,” Williams said. “That matters to us. This project ties to an interest in sustaining world climate and livability.” “The kinds of things we are interested in as a group go beyond games and technology,” Marshall added. “When we can work on a project that has a broader impact, that is meaningful.” In the upper right photo, members of Little Rock Games include (L to R) Tanner Marshall, Brad Sims, Olivia Dunlap, Joseph Williams, and Robbie Hunt. Photo by Ben Krain/Vlogý Little Rock Communications and Marketing. ]]> Vlogý Little Rock game creators raise more than $27K to manufacture game /news-archive/2018/08/14/ua-little-rock-game-creators-raise-more-than-27k-to-manufacture-game/ Tue, 14 Aug 2018 19:38:52 +0000 /news/?p=71367 ... Vlogý Little Rock game creators raise more than $27K to manufacture game]]> A group of University of Arkansas at Little Rock employees, students, and alumni who created a space-western storytelling card game – dubbed Galactic Scoundrels – have reached their online fundraising goal to raise enough money to have the game manufactured, breaking their fundraising goal by more than $10,000. The creators of Galactic Scoundrels include Joseph Williams, associate professor in the Department of Rhetoric and Writing, Tanner Marshall and Olivia Dunlap, graduate students in the Department of Computer Science; Brad Sims, instructional designer and media specialist for the College of Education and Health Professions; and Robbie Hunt, Vlogý Little Rock alumnus. Kevin Cates, associate professor of graphic design, joined the team and created all of the art for the game. Williams and crew, who co-founded the Little Rock Game Designers group in 2014 and last year formed a company called Little Rock Games, started a to raise enough money to have the game manufactured. The game creators set a goal of $17,000. By the end of the campaign on July 25, a total of 666 backers donated $27,430 to turn the game into a reality. “The campaign went really well, and we were blown away. In the last 48 hours of the campaign, we raised almost $4,000, and everyone was feeling a lot of joy,” Williams said. “We were so thrilled. At the beginning of the process, I was worried we wouldn’t even get funded. This is the first time any of us have tried anything like this. To have it this successful the first time around is really amazing for all of us.” Galactic Scoundrels is inspired by beloved fictional scoundrels like Han Solo from “Star Wars” and Malcolm Reynolds from “Firefly.” Players gamble and bluff each other to win a job and then tell the shared story of that job by playing cards. Each job is a mini-adventure lasting 15-20 minutes with spaceships, crew, cargo, strange and wonderful characters, and exciting twists. The game has simple rules, which can be learned in about 10 minutes. This allows players to emphasize storytelling, negotiation, and social interaction.
Galactic Scoundrels

Galactic Scoundrels

Their Kickstarter backers reached two stretch goals – a funding target set by the project creator beyond the original Kickstarter goal – meaning that gamers will receive a thank-you gift from the Galactic Scoundrels creators in the form of 10 additional game cards that will create extra twists and turns in the game. Williams said they are planning an initial run of about 800 games that should be delivered to their Kickstarter backers in January 2019. Meanwhile, the developers are already working on their next game. Dunlap and Marshall came up with the idea for a video game called To The Rescue, where players learn how to run an animal shelter and help real-world shelters by supporting the game. “People can make it a charity experience for themselves,” Williams said. “We believe that games can be more than entertainment, that they can used to do something meaningful in the world. This is a game that definitely fits that category.” In the upper right photo,the creators of Galactic Scoundrels include: (L to R) Tanner Marshall, Brad Sims, Olivia Dunlap, Joe Williams, and Robbie Hunt. Photo by Ben Krain/Vlogý Little Rock Communications and Marketing.]]> Vlogý Little Rock game designers start Kickstarter campaign to manufacture new space-western game /news-archive/2018/06/28/galactic-scoundrels/ Thu, 28 Jun 2018 20:37:18 +0000 /news/?p=70964 ... Vlogý Little Rock game designers start Kickstarter campaign to manufacture new space-western game]]> A group of University of Arkansas at Little Rock employees, students, and alumni have joined forces to create a game to bring out the space scoundrels in all of us. 

The space-western storytelling card game – dubbed Galactic Scoundrels – is inspired by beloved fictional scoundrels like Han Solo from “Star Wars” and Malcolm Reynolds from “Firefly.” The game is designed for 3-5 players to play for 90-120 minutes.

“It started out with an idea of telling space scoundrel stories. When I was a kid, I wanted to be Han Solo,” said Joe Williams, associate professor in the Department of Rhetoric and Writing and lead designer of Galactic Scoundrels.

Williams started designing the game with Tanner Marshall and Olivia Dunlap, graduate students in the Department of Computer Science; Brad Sims, instructional designer and media specialist for the College of Education and Health Professions; and Robbie Hunt, Vlogý Little Rock alumnus. Kevin Cates, associate professor of graphic design, joined the team and created all of the art for the game.

“I’m older now, but my friends and I still want to tell great stories when we get together for game night, but we don’t have time to generate those stories over weeks, or months, or years. Usually, all we have is an hour or two. It lets us tell the crazy, quirky, sideways tales we love.”

Players gamble and bluff each other to win a job and then tell the shared story of that job by playing cards. Each job is a mini-adventure lasting 15-20 minutes with spaceships, crew, cargo, strange and wonderful characters, and exciting twists.

The game has simple rules, which can be learned in about 10 minutes. This allows players to emphasize storytelling, negotiation, and social interaction. A full game lasts 90 minutes or so, but players often just play as many stories as they feel inspired to tell.

Galactic Scoundrels
Galactic Scoundrels

 

Williams and crew, who co-founded the Little Rock Game Designers group in 2014 and last year formed a company called Little Rock Games, have started a to raise money to have the game manufactured. They have already raised nearly $11,500 from 271 backers by June 28, so odds seem favorable that they will reach their $17,000 goal by July 25.

Backers can pledge $5 to get a print and play PDF version of the game, $25 for one copy of Galactic Scoundrels, and $40 for the game plus an expanded universe card pack. Those who pledge $75 or more get the extra honor of designing a card for the expanded universe card pack.

If the Kickstarter campaign is successful, Little Rock Games plans to produce an initial launch of 500 games that they will sell to online and brick and mortar retailers. Williams said two local game stores have already ordered advance copies of the game.

Williams will be interviewed on the radio show “,” which broadcasts on 101.1 FM at 1 p.m. Saturday, June 30. The show will be, and listeners can call in during the show at 501-823-0965 or tweet @ShanePlays.

“I think we are just really excited,” Williams said. “None of this would have been possible without us connecting at Vlogý Little Rock. We love that the university provides a creative place to generate ideas like this and let them grow.”

In the upper right photo, the creators of Galactic Scoundrels (L to R) include Brad Sims, Robbie Hunt, Joe Williams, Tanner Marshall, and Olivia Dunlap.

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