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Class in the Spotlight
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Neykov explores serious issues through game design
 Photo by Charlie Ribbens Vladimir Neykov is incorporating serious game aspects into his thesis project, which he said is geared to provide users with an introspective, character-oriented experience. By Monique Bos Published: Friday, June 29, 2007 High school students who opted to take the Game Design Basics class during the first Savannah College of Art and Design Summer Seminars session received instruction from Vladimir Neykov, who has completed all of his Master of Fine Arts coursework at SCAD and is finishing his interactive design and game development thesis this summer. Neykov — who was selected by professor Brenda Brathwaite to teach Game Design Basics during the first seminar session — said he enjoyed the teaching experience. “It was challenging and rewarding,” he said. “It’s interesting to stand on the other side of the line. I realized a different skill set is needed to actually do this … Teaching is not only knowing the subject matter but dealing with people. You’re the students’ friend, but you’re also the authority. I’ve gained a lot of respect for my own teachers.” One teacher who has had an obvious influence on Neykov is Brathwaite. In addition to choosing him as a workshop instructor, she has provided him with guidance throughout his educational experience at SCAD. “I played some of her games when I was little,” he said. “She’s a character development expert.” That experience is part of what spurred Neykov to choose her as topic consultant for his thesis. He also wanted to learn from her insights into serious games; she has created games for disabled people, and Neykov, who is from Sofia, Bulgaria, tackles weighty issues in his own work. “One thing I feel really strongly about is societal and economic issues, such as poverty and AIDS,” he said. “I kind of have a European perspective on it; I work to live, not live to work. My career is important to me, but what makes me happy are serious games.” One of his projects showed the destructive effects of Hurricane Mitch on Honduras in 1998. For his thesis, Neykov is designing a game that he hopes will encourage users to take an introspective look at their own lives. “My thesis is about using game characters as vessels for examining the human condition,” he explained. “It’s meaningful play. My thesis is an inward journey of a protagonist trying to find meaning at the moment of his death.” The thesis is a work in progress, slated to be completed in August, but some of the design is featured on his Web site, www.vladimirneykov.com. One interactive scene features a tree; users can manipulate the growth of the tree and nearby flowers, and control wind that blows through the branches. Neykov won a Best in Show award at the department’s “Entelechy” exhibition this spring for the piece. “The tree’s kind of my symbol,” he said. Neykov said he always wanted to attend SCAD, but for financial reasons, he opted to pursue undergraduate studies at the State University of New York instead. He developed a strong portfolio, and when he applied to the graduate program at SCAD, he was awarded a Combined Honors Fellowship. Professionally, he has received valuable career preparation from SCAD. He has served two internships with Kaneva, an Atlanta-based company that explores 3-D Web environments. In addition, he worked on a project for Sherry Graner Ray, president of Sirena Software, to whom Brathwaite introduced him at the department’s Women in Games conference in April. A nondisclosure agreement prohibits him from discussing the project, but he said, “I think she was very happy with the work I did.” As dedicated as he is to his academic pursuits, Neykov’s experience at SCAD has extended beyond the interactive design and game development department. He served as vice president for the Intercultural Student Association in 2006-07, and also represented the ISA on the college’s United Student Forum. In addition, he worked as an orientation assistant at quarterly international student orientation events. He is enthusiastic about the burgeoning population of international students at SCAD, and the many ways they enhance the college. “The international student population is growing really fast,” he said. “There are people from everywhere; we have this big, diverse group. It brings a lot of new ways to look at things and triangulate, and that allows an enriching experience.”  |
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