Troy, N.Y. — While most 18-year-olds were making final decisions this spring about where to attend college, Ryan Trinkle was in the midst of completing final projects for a dual bachelor’s degree in computer and systems engineering and computer science at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute.

During his time at Rensselaer, Trinkle has interned at MapInfo Corporation, served as a professor’s research assistant, designed control and agility features for robots, and developed and analyzed algorithms for several computer applications. For fun he participates in activities held by the Paintball Club and Gaming Club at Rensselaer, plays the violin, and goes hiking.

As he prepared for Commencement, Trinkle received an acceptance letter and faced a difficult decision. What would he do after graduation – attend Harvard Law School or start a game development company?

“It wasn’t really a decision between the two,” says Trinkle. “I’m taking 15 months off from school to launch a product and pursue research interests. Once the business is up and running, I’ll go to Harvard.”

On May 21, Trinkle will graduate during Rensselaer’s 199th Commencement.

A Gifted Student
Trinkle was identified by teachers as a gifted student at a young age. “I enjoy learning,” he says. “Learning new things has always come easily to me.”

During the summer after third grade, he taught himself how to write simple code on his father’s computer after reading a programming manual. “I’ve always been interested in computers,” he explains. His father, Jeff Trinkle, is a professor and chair of Rensselaer’s Computer Science Department and a robotics researcher.

Instead of traditional high school, at 13, Trinkle attended an Early Entrance Program at the University of Washington. The program provided an intense one-year transition from seventh grade to college.

“It was a positive experience and really prepared me for the workload of college,” he says. Trinkle started college at 14 and transferred to Rensselaer when he was 16.

Computer Games and Law
In his spare time, Trinkle has been programming the first computer game that will be released by his company, tapping into the entrepreneurial spirit encouraged at Rensselaer. He was inspired to create a computer version of a complex board game designed by his roommate and now partner in the new venture.

“The board game is a lot of fun, but it took at least eight hours to play because it was so complicated,” he says. “I thought, we should make this into a computer game so that you can play it in a reasonable amount of time.”

“Our game is set in space and you have the ability to travel faster than the speed of light between star systems, moving in and out of multiple universes,” says Trinkle. “We designed the game for players who enjoy rich, complex gameplay but don’t have time for traditional strategy games. Players can devote just a couple hours per week, with vast campaigns unfolding over the course of months.”

Trinkle plans to have a beta version of the game ready by September so he can ask students to try the game and offer feedback when classes resume at Rensselaer. He expects word-of-mouth promotion to help move the game from Rensselaer to other universities and gaming communities.

Trinkle says he has many interests related to technology, but remains fascinated by law.

“I’m more interested in the effects of technology than the technology itself, although I’m very interested in the components, too,” he says. “At law school, I plan to study law as it relates to the use of technology, such as intellectual property or privacy law. I want to make sure that what I do benefits the greater good.”

Contact: Tiffany Lohwater
Phone: (518) 276-6542
E-mail: lohwat@rpi.edu