Games are a universal form of human expression found across epoch and culture. Games are ancient, pre-dating civilization itself, yet games have emerged as the preeminent entertainment medium of the twenty-first century. Today, games are fertile area to explore as visual artists and makers. This course is your introduction to this vital and dynamic creative medium. 

Many like to play games, yet few know how to make effective, fun and impactful games. In this introductory course, students will learn the basics of game design, game development, and game production, while exploring a variety of game forms and genres, from social, to tabletop, to animated digital games.  

As a class, will engage with gaming cultures, gaming’s history, game design principles, and theories of play. We will investigate many games and genres with an eye towards making our own games, both digital and analog. Genres of games we will play and design include: video games, roleplaying games, sports or physical games, board and card games, art and experimental games, installation and site based games, virtual and augmented reality games, and social games. 

No prior knowledge of programming is required, as basic programming skills will be learned in class. Students will also use Tabletop Simulator and Unity Playground, two applications that allow non-programmers to build digital games. “Workshop: Game-Making” serves as the initial course on the new Games Track within the Animation program, though it is open to all students who meet the prerequisites.