Courses

A project-based course in which teams of students will work together to create and release simple video games. Each student will contribute on the basis of their specialized training to this point in the program. This is the first of three Game Development project courses, and its primary goal is to introduce students to the experience of working on video games.

Topics vary from year to year.

A survey of the history and current use of sound and music in video games. Students will investigate how audio in video games is unique and where it draws on other media, as well as learn about the tools and best practices used in the creation of sound and music in video games. Through this study, students will become more aesthetically informed critics of the use of audio in video games.

Covers the core components of effective sound design, such as sound effects, voice recording and mixing. This is a hands-on studio-based course in which students will engage in frequent hands-on exercises and in-class activities in order to prepare them to contribute the non-musical audio elements necessary for video game development. Students who are not part of the Game Development program will also benefit from taking this course, as it is also applicable to nongame forms of media production.

Continues the topics of GAME 321 - Sound Design, goes deeper in those topics (sound effects, voice recording, mixing), and adds extra emphasis on studio direction. This is a hands-on studio-based course in which students will engage in frequent hands-on exercises and in-class activities in order to gain the skills and aesthetic judgment necessary to excel in their creation of non-music audio elements of video games. Students who are not part of the Game Development program will also benefit from taking this course, as it is also applicable to non-game forms of media production.

Covers the issues and technologies unique to creating and deploying sound and music for video games and other interactive digital media. In this studio-based course, students will engage in frequent exercises and projects in order to develop the advanced knowledge, aesthetic judgment, and digital audio skills that will help these students contribute effectively to sound design in Game Development projects. Students must have at least a basic understanding of programming to participate in this course.

A critical evaluation of the deployment of visual art in video games. Students will develop a broad appreciation for the incredible variety of video game art and consider the spiritual, moral and ethical issues surrounding visual design choices in game development. Students will engage in theories and tools that will enhance student participation in development projects.

A continuation of the foundational animation courses. Students will research animation techniques and aesthetics and then develop a plan in consultation with the instructor for a semester-long project. Students will build on their existing animation skills and aesthetic judgement as well as gain a wider appreciation for what is possible with animation, whether computerized or otherwise.

An in-depth look at game design theory and aesthetic criticism pertaining to video games. Through the use of significant projects, students will further develop practical design skills, and investigate theoretical topics such as the ability of games to communicate, simulate and persuade. Students will examine the connections between game design and faith, spirituality, ethics, morality, and the Christian tradition in order to become game designers who are thoughtful shapers of culture rather than simply entertainment technicians.