Published 2013-05-15T06:00:00Z”/>
Zachary Coyl
Chico State’s applied computer graphics program will offer a course solely dedicated to mobile game design in the fall.
The class titled “APCG 398 Special Topics” will cover a variety of material related to mobile gaming spanning art, design and monetization strategies.
The course is a natural progression from the foundational video game design classes currently offered by the program, said Clarke Steinback, who will teach the course in the fall.
Those involved with the program wanted a course to help expose students to the full process of making a mobile game for consumers, he said.
Students can expect to learn not only the differences between traditional and mobile gaming, but also how to make them as well.
Part of the class will have students examine existing games and trends to see what works and what does not. From there, they will write proposals, design and prototype their own games, ultimately publishing them at least locally.
Chico State alumni who have launched their own video games will also be coming back to speak to students about their successes and frustrations in the field.
Jeff Underwood, an APCG professor who helped design the course, thinks the video game industry will change students’ interest in the field and that they can benefit from taking the course.
“It’s a very dynamic industry; it’s growing exponentially right now,” he said. “A lot of game development is shifting entirely into mobile, so we hope that this will give our students a leg up in getting jobs.”
Kody Dennis, a junior applied computer graphics major, is excited to take the course next semester.
“Mobile game design seems like a really good idea because there is a huge market for it, and there’s probably where a bunch of jobs are going to be really, really soon,” Dennis said.
The new class is a part of a swell of courses recently added to the applied computer graphics program since the video game design minor was added in 2011.
“I think it’s really cool that we are getting all these new classes here,” said Anthony Graceffa, a sophomore applied computer graphics major. “We just got level design last semester.”
Steinback hopes the mobile gaming design class won’t be the program’s only new addition in the semesters to come, but for now, he is excited for the course and its students.
“I think it’s going to be exciting, and hopefully what you guys learn from this then you can take on to further classes and start making good games and go out there and make us proud,” Steinback said.
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<strong>Zachary Coyl can be reached at</strong> <em>[email protected]</em>
