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Class in the Spotlight
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High school students delve into game design
 Photo by Charlie Ribbens Vladimir Neykov (second from right) points out aspects of game design to Savannah Summer Seminar students Rico Scott (second from left) and Nick Bruhnke (right), while Angela Gaozerano (left) looks at an online game. By Monique Bos Published: Friday, June 29, 2007 Aspiring game designers spent June 18-22 learning about the industry in a Savannah College of Art and Design Summer Seminars workshop taught by SCAD graduate student Vladimir Neykov. Interactive design and game development professor Brenda Brathwaite is teaching the remainder of the summer game design workshops, but she had to speak at a conference during the first session. So she chose Neykov to teach the course and selected undergraduate student Jeff McNab as his assistant. The pair said one of their primary goals was to communicate to the students, who ranged from rising sophomores to rising seniors, that game play and game design differ more than people might expect, and that the field encompasses more than just video games. “We had them create a simple game on paper, to teach them about the fundamentals,” Neykov explained. “Their final project was to redesign a Monopoly board.” This approach initially surprised the students, he said. “In the beginning, they were disappointed, but they’re really happy when they see how it all ties together,” he explained. “They come here looking at games as players and learn to look at them as designers.” Rico Scott, a rising senior from Marietta, agreed. “The class wasn’t what I expected, but it gave me a good idea of what I need to improve on for what I want to do,” he said. “I learned … a lot of things about designing games — basic principles of what to do and what not to do,” said Lee Saxon, a senior from Statesboro. “Just because you’re a good gamer does not mean you will be a good game designer.” One of the other assignments required students to visit Wikipedia, click the “Random articles” link three times, and develop a game concept based on one of the articles they found. “It’s basically not about creating a super-amazing thing, but about the thinking process,” Neykov explained. McNab stressed the importance of foundation studies classes such as Drawing, 2-D Design and 3-D Design. “Every class you take can be applied to every future class you’re going to take,” he said. “If you start realizing what you want to do in the industry — art-related work, design-related work — SCAD … can help you develop your ideas and put them into the right format.” Both instructors emphasized the benefits of attending an art and design college. “You find other people who are into this kind of thing,” said McNab. “You get to talk to them and work with them.” Neykov added, “Imagine an environment in your classes where everyone is skilled, gifted, interested in what you’re interested in.” Based on the summer seminar students’ comments, by the end of the course they not only understood the differences between game play and design, but they also learned much more. “I had no idea what really went into game design,” said Angela Gaozerano, a rising senior from Pawleys Island, S.C. “I learned a lot of new stuff — what mechanics are, how to play-test games, how IPs work and working in a group for an ultimate goal.” “I learned that a lot of components go into making games — specific programs, art, development,” said Will Noonan, a rising senior from Atlanta. And they anticipate this knowledge will be useful as they work toward their careers. “What I learned this week, I will be able to carry for a long time,” said Connor Rensimer, a rising sophomore from Houston. But perhaps Nick Bruhnke, a rising junior from Spartanburg, S.C., best summed up the week’s lessons: “I learned making games is a lot harder and a lot more fun than it sounds,” he said.  |
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