What Vancouver, B.C. schools offer good Game Design programs?
January 21, 2010 11:39 AM Subscribe
I am thinking about applying to some Game Design / 3D animation programs in and around Vancouver, B.C. Got any suggestions?
I've heard some good things about
- Vancouver Film School
- Masters of Digital Media
However, Game Design is largely a field in its infancy. I would venture to say that most Indie Game Devs don't have any formal game design training in their background; most of it is done by 'feel' and 'experience'. I strongly recommend you take courses in Computer Science (programming) and/or visual arts (if you an artistic type) and learn how to work in the digital medium.
Then just start making games, and you'll learn your own special brand of game design soon enough.
As an game designer myself, I find I spend a lot of time chatting about concepts and meeting other designers and swapping ideas, gaining new insights. It really is just about getting involved in the community.
That said, you might want to consider attending the Global Game Jam at the end of January (2010 for future internet readers). It's being held at UBC, and it is an invaluable resource for both networking and learning (and getting a game under your belt!).
There are also some excellent books out there. I haven't read this one myself, but it's been recommended to me dozens of times:
The Art of Game Design (and 100 lenses)
And of course, the book that all designers should read regardless of medium:
Don't Make Me Think by Steve Krug
posted by weasel at 12:32 PM on January 21, 2010
- Vancouver Film School
- Masters of Digital Media
However, Game Design is largely a field in its infancy. I would venture to say that most Indie Game Devs don't have any formal game design training in their background; most of it is done by 'feel' and 'experience'. I strongly recommend you take courses in Computer Science (programming) and/or visual arts (if you an artistic type) and learn how to work in the digital medium.
Then just start making games, and you'll learn your own special brand of game design soon enough.
As an game designer myself, I find I spend a lot of time chatting about concepts and meeting other designers and swapping ideas, gaining new insights. It really is just about getting involved in the community.
That said, you might want to consider attending the Global Game Jam at the end of January (2010 for future internet readers). It's being held at UBC, and it is an invaluable resource for both networking and learning (and getting a game under your belt!).
There are also some excellent books out there. I haven't read this one myself, but it's been recommended to me dozens of times:
The Art of Game Design (and 100 lenses)
And of course, the book that all designers should read regardless of medium:
Don't Make Me Think by Steve Krug
posted by weasel at 12:32 PM on January 21, 2010
My thoughts are proceed with caution and keep an eye on the long term future employment and where the business is heading. Also check reviews here http://www.artschoolreviews.ca/
posted by jade east at 12:59 PM on January 21, 2010
posted by jade east at 12:59 PM on January 21, 2010
Huh, they used to be in Vancouver - but DigiPen is a good school for this, so I hear (they're partnered with Nintendo, if that helps). Now located in Redmond, WA.
posted by dbmcd at 1:14 PM on January 21, 2010
posted by dbmcd at 1:14 PM on January 21, 2010
You're going to get a lot of good recommendations here, like DigiPen.
However, in terms of real long-term usefulness, they are ALL going to come in second place to you actually getting the tools and messing around on your own time. If you're looking into game design and animation schools, you should be also doing game design and animation by yourself, right now, with free tools and resources that are available to you right now.
I've worked with a lot of DigiPen grads. They're good people. But I can tell right away who just went to class, and who actually did stuff at home and actually learned to turn out solid work, day after day after day.
posted by Cool Papa Bell at 3:18 PM on January 21, 2010
However, in terms of real long-term usefulness, they are ALL going to come in second place to you actually getting the tools and messing around on your own time. If you're looking into game design and animation schools, you should be also doing game design and animation by yourself, right now, with free tools and resources that are available to you right now.
I've worked with a lot of DigiPen grads. They're good people. But I can tell right away who just went to class, and who actually did stuff at home and actually learned to turn out solid work, day after day after day.
posted by Cool Papa Bell at 3:18 PM on January 21, 2010
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by raw sugar at 12:23 PM on January 21, 2010