mscruise
DESCRIPTION
slides from the Microsoft Academics in Game CruiseTRANSCRIPT
What is the IGDA?
International Game Developers Association
Special Interest Group
Mission: To create a community resource that will strengthen the academic membership of the IGDA while enhancing the education of future and current game developers.
How we do itlistserv
wiki
conferences & professional development
community
curriculum framework
http://www.igda.org/education
Curriculum Knowledge Base
Education Summit
History2000 - 1st academic summit at GDC
2002 - 2nd academic summit at GDC
2003 - 1st version of the framework released (v2.8 beta)
2006 - Creating the SIG
2007 - collecting an archive of course outlines and syllabi to guide the next revision / international outreach
2008 - 2nd version of the framework released (v3.2 beta) at GDC
Goals of the Framework
Provide a conceptual guide to game-related educational programs
Describe the knowledge areas & practical skills required
Define a set of Core Topics
The Framework
Does not expect you to do EVERYthing
No single curriculum can apply to the vast number and types of institutions that have/plan game programs
We do not suggest specific courses or degree requirements
Guiding Principles
Shared Identity
Fields of Study
Collaboration & Shared Vocabulary
Theory & Practice
Living/Evolving Document
Practical SkillsSpeaking & Communication
Writing
Collaboration
Working in large teams (4 or more)
Working with people outside of their area of expertise
Respecting those disciplines
What are Games?
A game is an activity with rules. It is a form of play often but not always involving conflict, either with other players, with game itself, or with randomness/fate/luck. Most games have goals, but not all. Most games have defined start and end points, but not all. Most games involve decision making on the part of the player, but not all.
and so....
A videogame is a game that uses a digital video screen of some kind, in some way.
Game Design
Game design is the process of crafting a system of play in which players’ actions have meaning in the context of the game environment. [Salen and Zimmerman, Rules of Play, 2004]
Game Development
Game development is a process that involves the cooperation of technical disciplines like software engineering and creative disciplines like art and music to implement a game design in a playable real-world format [Rabin, Introduction to Game Development, 2005]
Game Studies
Game studies deals with conceptual basis and vocabulary used to study and analyze games. Related to game audiences, game history, videogame history, technology/platform history, game criticism, games for educational and instructional purposes.
Core Topics
Core TopicsCritical Game Studies
Games & Society
Game Design
Game Programming
Visual Design
Audio Design
Interactive Storytelling
Game Production
Business of Gaming
Critical Game Studies
Criticism, Analysis & History of Electronic & NON-Electronic Games
Approaches from history, literature, media studies and design. Goal: develop and refine a critical vocabulary for articulating the aesthetics of games.
Games & Society
Understanding how games reflect and construct individuals and groups as well as how games reflect and are constructed by individuals and groups.
Game Design
Principles and methodologies behind the rules and play of games. Fundamental ideas behind gameplay, storytelling, challenges, basic interactive design, interface design, information design and world interaction.
Game Programming
Aspects of traditional computer science and software engineering that also address the technical aspects of gaming. This includes physics, mathematics, programming techniques, algorithm design, game specific programming and the technical aspects of game testing.
Math & Science Techniques
Style & Design Principles
Information Design
Game Engine Design
Prototyping
Programming Teams
Design/Technology Synthesis
System Architecture for Real Time Game Environments and Simulations
Computer Architecture
Tools Construction
Graphics Programming
Rendering
Animation
Sound & Audio Programming
Artificial Intelligence
Networks
Game Logic
Play Analysis
Visual Design
Designing, creating and analyzing the visual components of games. Fundamentals of traditional (painting, drawing and sculpture), communication (illustration, typography and graphic design) and time-based media (animation, filmmaking) design that study the history, analysis and production.
Audio Design
Designing & Creating Sound. Range of theoretical and practical audio related areas such as: music theory, history, composition, recording, 3D sound processing and generative audio structures.
Interactive Storytelling
Traditional storytelling and the challenges of interactive narrative. Such as: narrative theory, character development, plot, dialog, back-story as well as experimental approaches to storytelling in literature, theater and film (with relevance to games).
Game Production
Practical challenges of managing the development of games. Games are complex and focus on collaborative efforts. Learning how to manage the technical challenges, design documentation, content creation, team roles & dynamics, risk analysis as well as people and process management are not necessarily intuitive and have to be experienced.
Business of Gaming
What type of student does industry want?
What type of student does industry want?
T
TBreadth
Versed in all aspects of the industry, be it their subject of expertise
or that of members of their team
TBreadth
Having a sense of history of the medium
TBreadth
Studies the classics as well as modern literature to understand the culture
TBreadth
Has a passion for videogames and has the ability to collaborate
TDepth
Top in area of expertise, well read, honed their skills.at least one
Create Portfolios
Create Portfolios
Special Thank You
Yusuf Pisan
Magy Seif El-Nasr
Tracy Fullerton
Thank You
Susan Gold
http://www.igda.org/education