Reassuring Parents about Game Degrees

I almost missed it with the holidays and all, but game career site gamecareerguide.com had an interesting article at the end of last month entitled “Reassuring Parents about Game Degrees” by Andrew Tuson, who heads the Department of Computing at City University London. He makes a bunch of great points, all of which apply at least as much, if not more, for programs on this side of the pond. In particular:

• “Are there jobs…” - He mentions jobs in the UK, but the industry is clearly booming in the US, and a number of the major Baltimore area game companies have been growing.
• “How can a degree help…” - I agree with his points 100%. There are plenty of examples of people working in the industry who don’t have a game-focused degree, but we’ve talked to lots of game developers, and they all agree. They are desperate for skilled people. Anyone can learn to play a game without formal training, but only a select few can learn game development without formal training.
• “Will a game degree be recognized outside of the games industry” - We came to the same conclusion he does. A “game degree” may not mean much outside the games industry. A game-focused version of a regular degree (Computer Science or Art) can be your ticket into the games industry, but can also just be a fun way to get that regular degree that will be widely recognized.
• “Are game degrees a soft option” - Hardly! Ask any student taking an advanced graphics or AI or parallel programming class (Cell processing anyone?). Just be sure to ask them both if it’s easy, and if it’s fun!

GameCareerGuide is a great site, by the way, run by the same people who do gamasutra, game developer magazine, and the annual Game Developers Conference. Well worth a look.

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UMBC Undergraduate Council approval for GAIM

The UMBC Undergraduate Council has officially approved both the Computer Science Game Development Track, and the Visual Arts Concentration on Animation and Interactive Media! Not that we were too worried, since everyone here is excited about them, but it’s certainly good to have official university-level approval.

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How do I become a special effects expert?

The George Washington University’ is hosting a talk and discussion by Academy Award nominee and visual effects supervisor Bill Westenhofer on the topic How do I become a special effects expert?. Westenhofer holds a BS in computer engineering from Bucknell University and received a MS in computer science from GW in 1995.

Bill Westenhofer, visual effects supervisor and Academy Award nominee, will discuss what it’s like to supervise hundreds of digital artists in creating special effects for major film productions. In his work on The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, Westenhofer was responsible for overseeing nearly 400 digital artists and was one of four individuals nominated for an Academy Award for Achievement in Visual Effects in 2005. Westenhofer’s other credits include Elf, The Rundown, Men in Black 2, Cats and Dogs, and Babe: Pig in the City, which also was a British Academy of Film and Television Arts nominee.

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New UMBC programs on games, animation and interactive media

UMBC is developing tracks tracks for students interested in studies in interactive entertainment and game development. The Visual Arts Department is planning a new undergraduate emphasis on Animation and Interactive Media. The CSEE Department has proposed a new track within the Computer Science program on Game Development. Both departments hope to begin offering these programs in the Fall of 2007.

We will use this blog for news and announcements about these new academic programs as well as related topic, including new courses, events, the UMBC game developers club, etc.

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