Stewart Returns from Microsoft Academic Days on Game Development
Feb07

MADGD_CSE_papers [Ian ParBerry, Program Committee Chair, site]

Let's start with some specifics:

2nd Annual MADGD-CSE 2007

Microsoft Academic Days on Game Development in Computer Science Education; February 22 - 25, 2007; Aboard the Disney Wonder Cruise Ship

Agenda for Conference 22-25Feb07 (no longer online)

Disney Wonder Cruise Ship [a nice flash demo]

Some of the give-aways

1. the SIMS2 [thesims2.ea.com/] from http://www.ea.com/language.jsphttp://thesims2.ea.com/ [EA, Electronic Arts] a world-wide publisher of digital entertainment.

2. Microsoft Flight Simulator X www.microsoft.com/games/pc/flightsimulatorx.aspx
   www.fsinsider.com/; and more

Stewart's Preliminary Conference Take-Away Stories

1. the Computer Sciences undergraduate degree is good preparation for a career in Game Development and Programming ..., but it would be good to include courses on
   • Computer Graphics (create your own assets and appreciate the work of a team mate who is an artist)
     Why not simply download from the web? (copyright?)
     What about SDSC's Player? SDSC GameGrid, one of the models in their Archive which also hosts the 2 games created by SDSU's Ed Center on CSE by undergrad student for use at Hoover High School science labs (2005-6):
     • Virtual Field Trip to a Lithium Battery [John Nguyen, developer]
     • Physics Game: Crossbow target practice with compensation for varying Magnetic Field [Skylar Hayes, developer]
   • Software Engineering (design documents; thorough testing of software; final, updated documentation of product)
   • Parallel Programming (multicore CPU processor and powerful GPUs)
   • Computer Game Creating/Authoring (experience with at least one Game Engine, its IDE, writing event-driven calls backs to the engine specification)

2. What is a Computer Scientist? (Have your parents asked this?)

3. Careers in Game Programming / Development are challenging. You will be expected
   • to demonstrate your passion for the field
   • to provide proof of accomplishments in the field, e.g. you might take the project from this class and mod it further, for example the www.garagegames.com/products/torque/x/ Torque X; Gaming to the Power of X. Presented by Davey Jackson of GarageGames at the MADGD-CSE-07.
     This summer 07, I will be working with the msdn2.microsoft.com/en-us/xna/default.aspx Microsoft Xna Game Studio Express to becoming more familiar with Torque Game Builder (2d game environment), with my recent request to be part of http://msdn2.microsoft.com/en-us/xna/bb219592.aspx XNA Creators Club.
   • to have a story (short, somewhat focussed)

4. www.gamecareerguide.com/ Game Career Guide (gamedeveloper / digital edition)