As an IASC student, you can access a wide array of design and production facilities and digital technologies in support of your interactive media project work. A significant number of these facilities and technologies are maintained directly by the Department of Digital Humanities (DH).
Additional facilities and technologies are maintained by Brock University and the DH’s partners, supplementing the available options for our students.
DH managed facilities are available for shared use by IASC students as outlined below.
The Collaborative Production Lab is our 24-hour student dedicated workspace. Fully renovated and updated in 2016, the lab includes the following features:
- Upgraded to 24 dual monitor workstations with uninterruptible power supplies and Wacom Intuos Pro tablets;
- All workstations are Windows 10, DirectX 12 capable with Nvidia Quadro video cards;
- Professional interactive media and design software from Adobe, Autodesk, Unity and more;
- State of the art mobile presenter console with 3 x 55″ universally accessible HD displays;
- Multiple generations of playtesting and research video game consoles plus two HD widescreen televisions;
- Online accessible software version control repositories for student projects;
- Collaborative and configurable meeting and workspace areas integrated directly into the environment.
The Collaborative Production Lab is our 24-hour student dedicated workspace. Priority is given to special bookings, and quiet individual work. Fully renovated and updated in 2016, the lab includes the following features:
The Fourth Year Production Lab, similar to the Collaborative Production Lab, is 24/7 accessible to IASC students in our senior practicum classes. The lab serves as the dedicated studio space for IASC 4L00 and IASC 4F03 (GAME program). This 24/7 access space offers:
•15 dual monitor performance workstations with uninterruptible power supplies;
•Mobile VR-ready workstation with Oculus Rift & HTC Vive support.
•Whiteboards and meeting tables.
The Fourth Year Production Lab, similar to the Collaborative Production Lab, is 24/7 accessible to IASC students in our senior practicum classes. The lab serves as the dedicated studio space for IASC 4L00 and IASC 4F03 (GAME program). This 24/7 access space offers:
•15 dual monitor performance workstations with uninterruptible power supplies;
•Mobile VR-ready workstation with Oculus Rift & HTC Vive support.
•Whiteboards and meeting tables.
The Interactive Media Teaching Lab has regularly scheduled instructional hours for IASC and GAME courses and is otherwise open to students as a workspace. Updated in 2020, the lab front-facing teaching lab includes the following features:
- Teaching lectern with FHD projector, HDMI laptop connector;
- 24 dual monitor workstations with uninterruptible power supplies;
- All workstations are Windows 10, DirectX 12 capable with Nvidia Quadro RTX video cards;
- Professional interactive media and design software from Adobe, Autodesk, Unity and more;
- Online accessible software version control repositories for student projects
The DH houses a multimedia seminar room that accommodates 25 participants. All of the tables and chairs are on castors, allowing the rooms to be reconfigured into various setups. The room is equipped with a PC, a region free DVD player, VCR, audio, two projectors, two screens, one document camera, three white boards, and dimmer lights.
The Brock University Design Studio (BUDS) has reserved hours in TH269K, which includes an audio recording studio and 8 workstations that are outfitted for design and production work.
Services
The Department of Digital Humanities houses and supports teaching and learning spaces that include computer labs for language learning and versatile multimedia equipped seminar rooms.
On-site support is provided in the form of hour to hour assistance for all lab-based and multimedia-assisted classes including those using the Netsupport School Classroom Management Software. Workshops can be arranged, and are recommended, for those teaching within the DH, particularly the computer labs.
New software required for classes is tested and installed as requested by instructors. All new material must be provided to the DH well in advance of the beginning of each semester to ensure sufficient preparation and testing time. Fall/Winter material must be submitted to Clara Suba and the Technical Associate in the DH by the beginning of August, while Spring/Summer material must be submitted by the beginning of April.
In addition to classroom support, the following services are provided:
- Support for research and creation in the digital humanities and interactive media
- Video and game viewing facilities
- E-learning and teaching support
- Introduction and implementation of new multimedia components
- Individual or group workshops provided for supported multimedia
- Support for development of course material and individual research projects
- Facilitation for design and development of departmental and individual faculty web sites
- Advising, consulting and facilitating faculty research and innovation in emerging areas of digital humanities and games
- Consultation services for digital humanities research
- Student mentorship
- Workshops
