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Why I built this course:
"Game reviews have become a major consideration in the game development process. You may not think about it when you're sketching a character or mapping out a level, but reviews can have a huge impact on the success of games and in some cases, their legality. In this course, my goal is to teach you how to analyze and criticize video games-to identify the key elements in a game and make intelligent judgments about whether the game succeeded or failed in its objectives. The ability to think, talk, and write about what makes games work (or not work) is simply essential to your success in the industry." |
The Developer: Alex Jimenez is a veteran game designer and Vice President/ Lead Designer of Tesseraction Games. The creative force behind the original Dungeons & Dragons games by Capcom, Alex has contributed to the concept, design, story writing, and development of a host of high-profile licenses including X-Men: Children of the Atom, Army Men Sarge's Heroes, Darkstalkers 1 and 2, Super Street Fighter 2, Battle Tanx 1 and 2, Marvel Super Heroes, Enigma: Rising Tide, Minigolf Maniacs, and Alien Vs. Predator. Alex has implemented projects on a wide range of platforms including PS 1 and 2, PC, N64, and coin-op formats. Alex has lectured on the game industry topics at conventions and to college students and both developed and taught video game development courses to high school students.
The Course: Challenges students to identify and explore the components that make a video game a success or a failure. Students learn analytical skills by studying professional reviews and writing critical analyses of current video games. Students also get the chance to develop writing skills that are crucial for the game industry. Employers are looking for game designers who not only understand video games but also are able to express their view persuasively in writing.
Who Should Take It: Any student wishing to explore the designer track in game development or looking to develop a high quality writing sample while having fun along the way. The course involves three in-depth game critiques, so students interested in video game journalism will also get a lot out of this course.
Cool Factor: Breaking down the component parts of a game, challenging yourself to identify the designer's intent, studying how professional reviewers approach their jobs, sending your assignment to the editor (instructor), expressing your passion for video games in writing!
Course Projects: Three in-depth game critiques focusing on different aspects of video game design. |
