Vandal Overnight Games will be Sept. 30 in the University of Idaho Commons and Teaching and Learning Center.
This is the seventh Vandal Overnight Games held by the UI Information Technology Services (ITS) department as a community outreach gaming event. The event is open to all UI students and members of the community and is free with no pre-registration required.
The original vision for Vandal Overnight Games was to create an event for an underserved group of students that likes to get together, hang out, and play videogames, said Darren Kearney, UI ITS manager and Vandal Overnight Games co-founder. However, Kearney said it has quickly evolved to include much more than just videogames.
He said the event includes a variety of activities such as gaming competitions, board games, cosplay and Dance Dance Revolution as well as karaoke and a photo booth.
File photo by Kira Hunter | Argonaut
Students play an assortment of games during Vandal Overnight Games in the Idaho Commons Oct. 3, 2015.
“We want this to be an event where students can just come in and not worry about anything,” Kearney said. “We don’t want any stress.”
Clubs and groups from around campus and the community come to the event to share what they love to do with others, Kearney said. He said student groups can get plugged into the event by talking to ITS. Kearney said one of the most popular activities is put on by a UI murder mystery group that usually participates. Palouse Board Games comes to the event to let people try a variety of new games, including some that have yet to be released, Kearney said.
From 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. there will be free food including hamburgers, chicken sandwiches, Idaho chips and fresh fruit. ITS will also be giving away free T-shirts, Kearney said.
He said they use almost every open space available, with ITS reserving every classroom in the building for the night. Vandal Overnight Games will also mark the opening of the new student lounge in the Idaho Commons, and be the first event to use the lounge.
Jacob Flynn, ITS employee and one of the other co-founders of Vandal Overnight Games, said one of the most exciting moments of the night is the UI Leadership Invitational — a Mario Kart tournament involving UI President Chuck Staben, Dean of Students Blaine Eckles, Vice President of Infrastructure Daniel Ewart and Vice President of Finance Brian Foisy. The four administrators compete against each other, playing the game on a 12-foot screen in front of all the attendees.
Kearney said ITS sets up a special network in the TLC specifically for the event. He said they’ve challenged their network team to make the connection faster each year. Attendees are welcome to use any technology at the event or to bring their own gaming devices and technology, from cell phones to gaming consoles, Flynn said.
“We’ve had people show up with 30- or 40-inch TVs,” Flynn said. “The event is designed so you can plug in and go.”
In addition, Kearney said attendees have access to new virtual reality technology, 3-D printers, and small robots.
There will be a drawing for a $1,000 UI scholarship around 10 p.m., Flynn said. The scholarship is available to anyone who is in attendance at the time of the drawing and who will be a student at UI next semester. He said it is basically a participation prize.
“It’s an opportunity to say ‘hey you’re a part of the community,’” Kearney said.
Jordan Willson can be reached at [email protected]