Orbit is a series of community-driven mentorship and discussion groups designed to provide greater opportunities for learning and collaboration at Tech Valley Game Space.

The goal of Orbit is to bring local game makers (and aspiring game makers) together based around mutual interests, and provide a consistent environment for sustained skill development, personal growth, and community building.

Each Orbit group focuses on a particular area of interest, and meets on a monthly basis to host presentations, discussions, and group activities related to that topic. These online gatherings provide an opportunity for participants to share information, discuss projects, ask questions, and obtain guidance from experienced mentors.

Orbit group meetups are hosted as online gatherings via the TVGS Discord. New participants are always welcome, but we do ask that you sign up in advance and read the age guidelines for each group before participating. You can sign up by filling out this form.

You can find more information about each of the currently active Orbit groups below.

Orbit Group Info

Organizers: Tess Wainwright
Meeting Times: Every First Saturday, 1-2:30pm
Suggested Participant Age: 15+
Sign Up Link: Here

Do you like to write? Do you enjoy narrative-focused games? This group discusses a variety of topics including writing, game design, and interactive fiction. If you are new to game development, we can also help you learn how to create interactive stories using Bitsy, Twine, Ren’Py and other intuitive authoring tools.

Organizers: Jamey Stevenson
Meeting Times: Every Second Saturday, 1pm-2:30pm
Suggested Participant Age: 9+
Sign Up Link: Here

This is the perfect group for beginners who want to learn the basics of game creation. Never made a game before? No problem! Join us and learn about how to design and build 2D games using easy-to-learn tools such as Construct. No previous experience with programming is needed!

Organizers: Jamey Stevenson
Meeting Times: Every Third Saturday, 1pm-2:30pm
Suggested Participant Age: 14+
Sign Up Link: Here

Want to improve your digital art skills? This group is for you! Gatherings serve as an opportunity for local artists and game makers connect, and provide opportunities for mutual support and peer-based mentorship. Group discussions focus on topics related to 2D and 3D art creation for games and interactive digital media.

Organizers: Jamey Stevenson
Meeting Times: Every Fourth Saturday, 1pm-2:30pm
Suggested Participant Age: 16+
Sign Up Link: Here

Looking to expand your 3D game development skills? This group is for you! Group discussions focuses on topics related to the design, coding, and implementation of 3D games using popular engines such as Unity, Unreal, Godot, and more.

Want to Get Involved?

We are currently looking for additional organizers, mentors, and guest presenters for each of our Orbit groups! If you are interested in sharing your knowledge and expertise with others, please let us know using this form.

Do you have a particular topic that you’re enthusiastic about, and a desire to meet other local creators that share your interests? Let us know what other types of groups and discussion topics you’d like to see by filling out our group topic suggestion form.

If you have additional questions or feedback about Orbit, please contact the TVGS Mentorship Coordinator at mentorship@techvalleygamespace.com.