David Simkins Headshot

David Simkins

Associate Professor

School of Interactive Games and Media
Golisano College of Computing and Information Sciences

585-475-2391

David Simkins

Associate Professor

School of Interactive Games and Media
Golisano College of Computing and Information Sciences

585-475-2391

Areas of Expertise

Select Scholarship

Full Length Book
Simkins, David. The Arts of LARP: Design, Literacy, Learning and Community in Live-Action Role Play. Jefferson, NC: McFarland, 2015. Print.
Published Conference Proceedings
Simkins, David, et al. "Martha Madison: Marvelous Machines: Exploring Simple Machines in an Open-Ended, Collaborative Sandbox." Proceedings of the Frontiers in Education 2014. Ed. M. Castro and E. Tovar. Madrid, Spain: n.p., 2014. Print.
Goodman, Gordon and David Simkins. "Updating Aristotle, Freytag, and Campbell with Lakoff and Frames: Designing Interactive Narratives in Games." Proceedings of the Frontiers in Education 2014. Ed. M. Castro and E. Tovar. Madrid, Spain: n.p., 2014. Print.
Simkins, David, et al. "Gone Home: Playful narratives and Classroom (De)Constructions of Contemporary Culture." Proceedings of the Games+Learning+Society. Ed. A. Ochsner, et al. Pittsburgh, PA: ETC Press, 2014. Print.
Simkins, David. "Designing Beyond the Game: Leveraging Games to Teach Designers About Interaction, Immersion, and Ethical Perspective." Proceedings of the Games+Learning+Society. Ed. A. Ochsner, et al. Pittsburgh, PA: ETC Press, 2014. Print.
Steinkuehler, Constance, Sean Duncan, and David Simkins. "Massively Multiplayer Online Games & Education: An Outline of Research." Proceedings of the Computer Supported Collaborative Learning. Ed. C Chinn, G Erkins, and S Putambekar. New Brunswick, NJ: Rutgers University, 2007. Print.
Journal Paper
Simkins, David, Seann Dikkers, and Eliabeth Owens. "Unbroken Immersion." Well Played 2. 1 (2012): 13-25. Print.

Currently Teaching

IGME-602
3 Credits
This course presents students with core theories of game design, informed by research results from media theory, narrative methods and models, theories of ideation, and the nature of games, play and fun. Specific emphasis is placed on the examination of historical successes and failures, along with presentation of ethical and cultural issues related to the design of interactive software. Students will engage in formal critique and analysis of media designs and their formal elements.
IGME-695
1 Credits
This required colloquium will introduce students to a range of emerging topics and themes in the field of game design and development. Students will attend lectures by and discussions with RIT faculty and visitors, complete related readings, and offer both oral and written responses to readings and presentations.