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Why I built this course:
"As
a game designer, you need a great understanding of
what makes
games fun. Game development always seems to be focused
on the next generation of games and tools. Nevertheless,
anyone who wants a future in the field should take
some time to consider the innovations of its past." |
The Developer: With ten years of
experience in game art and design, Steve Kalning has
witnessed the evolution of today's games first hand.
He will walk students through the many successes and
failures of video games since their invention in 1958.
Steve's enthusiasm and experience in gaming will bring
a unique perspective to this fun, fact-filled course.
The Course: Our timeline of the video
game industry starts in 1958, and really gets going in
the days of PAC-MAN and Atari. Students will explore
the early origins of gaming, including the simplest consoles
and game premises, and learn about the video game crash
of the mid-80s. 2D gaming, with favorites like Mario
and Tetris, are covered in detail, leading up to the
rich, immersive 3D gaming experiences of today. Examples
of historical games and consoles are provided throughout,
and students are expected to play some "old school" games
and discuss their art and design features.
Who Should Take It: Students gearing
up for a career in game art or design will benefit
greatly from this look at the origins of gaming. It's
essential to understand the successes and failures
of the past to produce top games today. This course
is also a must for anyone who loves classic games...
if you pine for your old Atari 2600, you'll feel right
at home.
Cool Factor: Photos of classic
consoles, from the Atari 2600 to Intellivision to
the original Game Boy, make this course a real blast
from the past. And with each example comes tons of
insight into gameplay, art, and technology that is
still used today!
Course Projects: Classic game critique,
80s game critique and analysis of the console wars, comparison
of current and classic games. Each project requires students
to play a game of a corresponding era. |
