April 15th, 2017 RIT SAU Building

Hosted by

S PA C E - T I M E A D V E N T U R E S

AT

RIT

Rules and Standards of Conduct STARfest Policies • Do not record panels, presentations, performances without permission.

RIT Policies or

• Be considerate of games and other hardware you do not own. Destructive behavior will not be tolerated. • Keep food and drinks out of the game room, escape room, and Artemis/Guns Of Icarus room. • Wear your STARfest con badge at all times when attending the convention. • Listen to STARfest and RIT staff and volunteers. They are here to help ensure everyone enjoys STARfest. • Wil Wheaton says, “Don’t be a dick.”

If you have any questions, concerns, or emergencies, ask at the sign in desk or talk to a STARfest volunteer.

• The Rochester Institute of Technology is a smokefree environment. Smoking is not permitted in any RIT buildings, and is only permitted in designated smoking areas around campus. • Alcoholic beverages and controlled substances may not be brought onto the RIT campus. • Weapons and explosives may not be brought onto the RIT campus. Prop guns must have clearly visible orange tips. • Full text of RIT policies can be found at rit.edu/YA4Kd.

Map - Floor 1

Map - Floor 2

Convention Schedule

Panels, Performances, and Activities Al Biles & GenJam

Cantina

Al Biles and GenJam play straight up jazz, which may prompt the question, “What's that got to do with a sci-fi festival?” Well, GenJam, the Genetic Jammer, is a genetic algorithm-based software agent that improvises jazz by listening to Al play trumpet and evolving what it hears with its own ideas to generate spontaneous and highly responsive improvisations. In other words, GenJam is a creative intelligent agent and equal front-line partner in a virtual jazz quintet. Can you say artificial life?

End STARfest with dancing, music, party games, and a ton of provided food!

Room 1510 · 2:00-3:00 PM

Artemis: Spaceship Bridge Simulator Room 1740 · 3:00-8:00 PM

Have you ever wanted to serve on the bridge of the Enterprise? Artemis is a co-op multiplayer game that puts you in control of one of a spaceship’s bridge positions: Captain, Helm, Weapons, Engineer, Science, or Communications.

Ask An Astronomer Room 1010+1015 · 5:00-6:00 PM

Want to know about the newest exciting exoplanet system? Or are you curious about gravitational waves? Or want to know what happens when supermassive blackholes collide? Or have questions about the science behind Sci-Fi? Come to the Astronomy AMA panel and get your questions answered! (But please, no space elevators.)

The Best Of Starbase Rescue Room 1500 · 12:00-7:00 PM

Join a team, adventure into a derelict space station, and solve mind-bending puzzles as you seek to rescue the Galactic Senator trapped inside!

Brain-Blast To The Past! Room 1510 · 5:30-6:30 PM

Hey, you remember that one time in that one show from the late '90s and early 2000s? We sure do, and a bunch of those shows were sci-fi! Join us as we talk about those shows “only 90's kids remember.”

Cats In Sci-Fi

Room 1510 · 4:00-5:00 PM

There are a lot of cats in science fiction, let's talk about them! We'll cover cats in space, cats with aliens, and cats who are aliens.

Room 1300 North · 8:00-11:30 PM

Cosplay Contest

Fireside Lounge · 4:30-5:30 PM

Do you have a stellar costume to show off? Are your out-of-thisworld threads cosmically cool? Stop by and enter the cosplay contest, hosted by stars from RIT Cosplay Troupe, and see if your astronomically awesome outfit wins first prize!

Cowboy Bebop

Room 2610 · 1:00-3:00 PM

The Bebop crew is just trying to make a buck. This motley lot of intergalactic loners teams up to track down fugitives and turn them in for cold hard cash.

Flawless Ladies Room 2050 · 3:30-4:00 PM

Celebrate Octavia Butler's upcoming 70th birthday with a dance party! Enjoy a trippy VJ set of weirdly-mixed imagery of Black women and girls over an irresistible soundtrack of Black divas (Rosetta Tharpe to Beyoncé).

FlixREMIX Screening: Science Of Star Wars: The Force Awakens Room 2050 · 2:00-3:00 PM

FlixREMIX is a second screen mobile app. While you watch a movie, the FlixREMIX app watches (and listens) along, and during “Teachable Moments” the app will show, and speak, Expert Commentary and Interactive Quizzes! We will screen Star Wars: The Force Awakens while attendees run the free FlixREMIX app to make it an interactive, educational experience!

Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood Room 2610 · 5:00-7:00 PM

Disregard for alchemy’s laws ripped half of Ed Elric’s limbs from his body and left Al's soul clinging to a suit of armor. To restore what was lost, the brothers seek the Philosopher's Stone.

Panels, Performances, and Activities Game Room

RIT Improv*

Play a variety of sci-fi video, board, and card games—from classic favorites, like Halo and Star Fluxx, to newer games, like the Portal board game, Nintendo Switch titles, virtual reality experiences, and STARs Against Humanity.

RIT Improv brings improv comedy entertainment to the RIT and Rochester community with free comedy shows, workshops, and events!

Room 1300 North · 11:00 AM-6:30 PM

Guns Of Icarus

Room 1740 · 12:00-2:30 PM

Take on your friends or work together in the premiere steampunk co-op airship combat game!

Intro To Aetherpunk Room 2520 · 6:30-7:30 PM

Most people know what steampunk is, but what about aetherpunk? When magic meets steampunk, a whole new world of possibilities opens! Join RIT's Fantasy Club in an exploration of popular examples of aetherpunk, as well as how the genre has forged a unique identity.

Jamz

Fireside Lounge · 3:00-4:00 PM

Sci-Fi Metal*

Room 1510 · 12:30-1:30 PM

Want to know about Sci-fi Metal? Ever hear of the wonders of Metal Space Operas and want to know more? The join us in discussing the works of Les Friction, Ayreon, DragonForce, Dream Theater, and more!

Sci-Fi Solutions To Political Issues Room 2050 · 6:00-7:00 PM

Tired of politicians making campaign promises that never come true? Sci-fi has the answers you need! Politics isn't a science, it's a science fiction.

Star Trek Continues

Room 2610 · 11:00 AM-1:00 PM; 3:00-5:00 PM

Fireside Lounge · 12:00-2:30 PM

A sci-fi themed jam session run by RIT Jam Club members.

Return to 2269 and continue the five-year mission where we left off in the award-winning continuation of the classic series.

Lightsaber Duels

Voltron Meet-Up

Battle your enemies (or friends) using simple weapons from a more civilized age.

Form Voltron! With other cosplayers, that is. Come and meet other Voltron fans while having the opportunity to take part in some great photos.

SAU Lobby · 1:00-4:00 PM

The Narrative Uncanny Valley Room 2520 · 2:30-3:30 PM

You may have heard of the “uncanny valley”—the unsettling point where an artificial face looks almost human, but not quite. Does an uncanny valley exist in writing as well? Is our ability to relate to characters dependent on how they are written as compared real humans, and can this narrative uncanny valley explain how some non-human characters feel more relatable than some human ones?

Room 1010+1015 · 3:30-4:30 PM

Zero Escape: Now What?* Room 2050 · 1:00-2:00 PM

The Zero Escape trilogy has finally ended, but in some ways, Zero Time Dilemma left us with more questions than answers. Come chat with other fans, discuss the trilogy, and share theories on the remaining mysteries and where the series could go if another volume were made.

Nintendo Sci-Fi: From Metroids To Xenos Room 1510 · 7:00-8:00 PM

Spanning almost four decades, Nintendo's impact on video games is undeniable, and their sci-fi pieces—including Metroid, F-Zero, Xenoblade Chronicles, and Pikmin—are just as substantial. Come take a look at their sci-fi works and the works that inspired them.

*May contain content inappropriate for children

Thank you to... Rochester Institute of Technology RIT Anime Club RIT Center for Campus Life RIT College Democrats The Construct @ RIT RIT Cosplay Troupe RIT Electronic Gaming Society RIT Fantasy Club RIT Improv Rochester Wargamers Association and Guild All STARfest donors, panelists, performers, vendors, volunteers, and attendees!

Follow STARfest online: https://www.facebook.com/RITSTARfest https://plus.google.com/+RITSTARfest https://twitter.com/RITSTARfest https://RITSTARfest.tumblr.com

Let us know what you thought! Tomorrow at 1:00 PM in Room 1010+1015 Or submit feedback online at tinyurl.com/STARfestFeedback2017