Former Lecturer Spencer Striker left UW-Whitewater last winter, leaving behind the class he created several years ago in Bloomington, Ind.: GameZombie.

Students in the class were shocked to hear he had left, but with his departure, there was more freedom of creativity for the students.

Alec Frey took over as executive producer, and there are now six students on the production team helping maintain the website.

Assistant Producer for GZ Max Mallory said Striker was helpful but was strict when it came to putting content on the website.

“He would strike down so many of our ideas, and it would stifle our creativity,” Mallory said.

Katie Stull, a co-lead for GZ, said Striker had different ideas from the students for how he wanted the website to be constructed, and his leaving gave students more freedom and more creativity.

GZ now has a new system for content on the site.

“Before, we would have an idea, pitch it to Striker, and he would just say yes or no,” Mallory said. “Now, it’s we have an idea, we talk about it and construct it, and throw it out there.”

The class also has taken many more of its ideas from its students.

“It’s basically student run now,” Stull said. “We don’t have a professor standing over our shoulder telling us what to do.”

When Striker left, there was a need for a new professor, or in this case, two professors.

The two new professors are Jeff Herriot and James Terkeurst.

Mallory said he is grateful for the new professors, because they let the students run the show.

“The professors are very laid back and let the production team lead things,” Mallory said. “Most of our class time is really spent getting our content out and updating the website.

Herriot and Terkeurst take turns every Monday guiding the students and helping them with new ideas.

Striker leaving was a huge change for GZ, but Stull said they knew they had to keep going.

“If we aren’t motivating ourselves, then no one will be,” Stull said. “We could all stop working, be laid back, we wouldn’t get a good grade, and nothing would happen, but no one wants that. We all want it to succeed.”

Mallory said the program is a success due in large part to the students.

“With GZ, we get what we put in, because we all really care about the site and want to see it thrive, and if we have everyone on the team thinking that, then you know we will,” Mallory said.

GZ has a new look, new logo and has redone its website. It has created new TV and radio shows and even has a new name, GZTV.

Mallory said the GZ web team redesigned the website in only eight weeks and has even noticed a boost in viewers since the renovation.

With all the revamping and conventions, GZ has kept busy.

“There is so much stuff going on, it’s crazy,” Mallory said.

GZ publishes content on its website almost every day, including reviews and previews of new and upcoming games. Stull said they want to start incorporating polls to get more feedback from viewers.

GZ kept busy over spring break, working on a new show and traveling to PAX East and the Midwest Gaming Classic, keeping the website up to date with what was going on at the conventions.

GZ was approved for five press passes at PAX East, which is big for the group.

Mallory said they had a good team going to the convention and posted content about it right away.

GZ is a class, but anyone interested in participating can join.

“It’s less like a class and more like a dedicated club you get graded on,” Stull said. “In a club you can come whenever you want, but with GZ, there are high standards and expectations.”