An introductory course designed to familiarize students with all the IMA prototyping shop has to offer. We will cover everything from basic hand tools to the beginnings of digital fabrication. You will learn to use the right tool for the job. There will be weekly assignments, created to develop your fabrication techniques. There will be in class lectures, demos, and building assignments. Emphasis will be put on good design practices, material choice, and craftsmanship.
Archives
Big Ideas in the History and Future of Technology (IMNY-UT 203)
“Big Ideas in the History and Future of Technology” is designed to provide students with a critical perspective on current issues in technology in the context of the history, controversies, consequences, and ethical questions in emerging media. This first course in the series includes: in the first half –some seminal early works that imagine a future in which technology enhances/augments human intelligence and capabilities and how that might affect society; in the second half–2 classic works of fiction and some podcasts/ audio lectures that address questions relating to “What is Human.”
Interactive Media Arts (Undergraduate)
2 credits – 8 Weeks
Sections (Spring 2022)
IMNY-UT 203-000 (22284)01/24/2022 – 03/21/2022 Mon,Wed12:00 AM – 1:00 PM (Early afternoon)at Brooklyn CampusInstructed by Lim, Jennifer
Music and Gameplay (GAMES-UT 213)
Music and Gameplay is an intensive course concerned with digital games in which the gameplay is fundamentally influenced by, or oriented around a musical system. In this course, students will engage with music games in a variety of ways: through critical play, design practice, and hands-on development. This multifaceted approach will foster an understanding of how interactive game mechanics can be linked to music expression. Throughout the course, we’ll be drawing inspiration from a variety of music games across 3 major categories:
Intro to 3D Game Animation (GAMES-UT 207)
Intro to Game Animation builds a foundation for animating in interactive media. From a basic overview to a deep dive into the animation process, this course will teach students how to craft a performance to create unique characters and tell a story. Students will be taught to look through the eyes of an animator, investigating how successful games utilize animation principles, and how these principles and techniques functionally serve overall game design. This class encourages students learn through practical experience, teaching familiarity with the animation principles in a 3D environment. This class is beneficial for an artist seeking to be an animator. This class will also benefit developers and designers by providing them a better understanding of the importance of animation and how it fits into the game development pipeline, providing a comprehensive understanding of the game industry as a whole.
Let’s Play: Video Games on Video (GAMES-UT 413)
Game Design (Undergraduate)
2 credits – 15 Weeks
Sections (Spring 2020)
GAMES-UT 413-000 (15611)01/27/2020 – 05/11/2020 Tue5:00 PM – 8:00 PM (Late afternoon)at Brooklyn CampusInstructed by
Math for Game Designers (GAMES-UT 242)
Game Design (Undergraduate)
4 credits – 15 Weeks
Sections (Spring 2022)
GAMES-UT 242-000 (14831)01/24/2022 – 05/09/2022 Mon8:00 AM – 10:00 AM (Morning)at Brooklyn CampusInstructed by
Tabletop Roleplaying Game Design (GAMES-UT 154)
Roleplaying games represent one of the most important design spaces in modern gaming. Beginning in the early 70s, these games quickly took root and influenced games far beyond their own sphere. Mechanisms like levels, classes and hit points have been adopted in a far-reaching swath of board, card, digital and mobile games. But despite their influence, the design of RPGs is largely unexamined. This class will walk students through the design process from concept, to testing, to writing and production. At the same time, students will engage in meaningful play with historically significant games. From week to week the students will experiment with and design systems for roleplaying games with the ultimate goal of designing a complete game as part of a team.
Art Direction for Games (GAMES-UT 202)
Game Design (Undergraduate)
4 credits – 15 Weeks
Sections (Spring 2022)
GAMES-UT 202-000 (14873)01/24/2022 – 05/09/2022 Wed2:00 PM – 4:00 PM (Early afternoon)at Brooklyn CampusInstructed by
Level Design Studio (GAMES-UT 162)
This course focuses on the theory and practice of level design for 3D video games. Students will develop fluency in conveying experience design goals and building 3D spaces, gaining a practical understanding of architecture, lighting, and CG texturing for digital spaces — as well as a more abstract awareness of architectural theory — culminating in a long-term hands-on level design project.
Pixel Prototype Studio (GAMES-UT 128)
Game Design (Undergraduate)
4 credits – 15 Weeks
Sections (Spring 2022)
GAMES-UT 128-000 (14830)01/24/2022 – 05/09/2022 Mon,Wed5:00 PM – 7:00 PM (Late afternoon)at Brooklyn CampusInstructed by
3D Modeling for Games (GAMES-UT 206)
This course is an introduction to 3D graphics for video games, starting with the foundations of 3D modeling and texturing in industry-standard tools. It focuses on building fluency with basic tools and techniques, as well as developing experience with aesthetic issues of look, style, and critical judgement in visual art.
Intermediate Programming for G (GAMES-UT 181)
Intermediate Programming for Games is an undergraduate level course aimed at taking students further with their knowledge of creative coding. This builds upon existing skills developed during Introduction to Programming for Games. Students’ skills within the Unity3D Game Engine with C# will be furthered, as well as their general procedural problem-solving skills and abstract programming knowledge. Throughout the semester, students be assigned weekly homework, as well as in-class practical work, or ‘game jams’. While students will be creating small games in class weekly, there will also be two larger game creation assignments – one midterm, as well as one final game. Most importantly, this course takes the approach that building up a student’s repertoire of advanced techniques in computer programming will expand their ability to express their artistic vision within their games. In addition, those students with a particular aptitude and interest for programming may also use this class to stepping stone towards a double major with computer science/game engineering. This class has Introduction to Programming for Games as a pre-requisite, and Introduction to Game Development as a pre-requisite or co-requisite.
Traditional Card Game Literacy and Design (GAMES-UT 407)
The traditional deck of cards is a device of unparalleled convenience, accessibility, and flexibility. As pocketable as a harmonica yet possessing the spectrum of a piano, this humblest of gaming platforms supports an amazing variety of games: historical classics, 20th century classics, and games by modern game designers, ranging from children’s games to the most intense mental contests, along with everything in between. Every game designer should be conversant with the basic history of playing cards, possessed of a wide selection of games that can be played with a standard deck, and comfortable with using it as a design tool that often cuts straight to the heart of a game mechanic.
Games and Players (GAMES-UT 312)
Game and Players gives students an overview of player-focused approaches to understanding game play, from a variety of methodological and theoretical frameworks. The class combines readings and analysis with exercises that give students hands-on experience with the methods discussed.
Game Design (Undergraduate)
4 credits – 15 Weeks
Sections (Spring 2022)
GAMES-UT 312-000 (14777)01/24/2022 – 05/09/2022 Fri2:00 PM – 4:00 PM (Early afternoon)at Brooklyn CampusInstructed by Clark, Naomi
Board Game Design (GAMES-UT 352)
Board game design is a one-semester course for students who want to dig deeper into table-top games, from design to history to manufacturing. The first half of the course looks at the world of mass market games, which focus heavily on commercials, trends, plastics, licenses, low prices, and casual rules. The second half focuses on hobby games, designed for the dedicated game player, and the different styles of games in that world. The course is hands-on with at least one published game played in every class. There are multiple assignments where students bring these concepts to life through their own designs. Throughout the course, there is a focus on understanding players and designing games for a target audience.
Game Design (Undergraduate)
4 credits – 15 Weeks
Sections (Fall 2020)
GAMES-UT 352-000 (20568)09/02/2020 – 12/13/2020 Tue,Thu9:00 AM – 11:00 AM (Morning)at Brooklyn CampusInstructed by
Introduction to Narrative Design (GAMES-UT 161)
Narrative Design is an advanced game design course where students learn a variety of strategies to bring together game design and storytelling, both in table-top and digital games. Every assignment covers a different challenge when it comes to integrating systems design with storytelling. Students also learn some of the basics of storytelling, such as character development, dramatic action, generating conflict, and world-building.
Intermediate Game Design (GAMES-UT 151)
Intermediate Game Design builds on the foundation of Introduction to Game Design to help build students’ understanding of how game design works in a practical context. While Introduction to Game Design acquaints students with basic foundational concepts and ideas, Intermediate Game Design puts those ideas into action across four very different kinds of projects. These projects emphasize the professional context of digital game design.
Class #
Section #
Meets
Class #: 17700
Section #: 001
Meets: T 2-4:45p; R 11a-1:45p
Class #: 17701
Section #: 002
Meets: T 2-4:45p; R 2-4:45p
Class #: 17748
Section #: 003
Meets: T 2-4:45p; F 8-10:45a
Class #: 17702
Section #: 004
Meets: T 2-4:45p; F 4:55-7:40p
Class #: 17703
Section #: 005
Meets: MW 4:55-7:40p
Class #: 22144
Section #: 006
Meets: TR 2-4:45p
Tackling Representation in Games (GAMES-UT 112)
Identity and representation are two of the most pressing and complex issues for contemporary video games, that without recognizing them an artist or critic would be missing a large part of how games are important in culture. With growing art and activist communities, video games are diversifying and grappling with a wide range of topics rarely seen before in the genre, and with it a greater need for informed perspectives on the topic of how marginalized people are depicted in media. This course discusses foundational theories of identity and encourages students to contribute their own ideas towards the design and interpretation of representation in games.
Game Design (Undergraduate)
4 credits – 15 Weeks
Sections (Spring 2022)
GAMES-UT 112-000 (14735)at Brooklyn CampusInstructed by
Intro to Game Development (GAMES-UT 120)
Introduction to Game Development is a practical course that introduces students to the methods, tools and principles used in developing digital games. Over the course of the semester, students will work alone to create a two digital prototypes or ‘sketches’, before building on them to produce a final polished game, using the lessons learned in the earlier prototypes. This is a hands-on, primarily lab-based course, and so the focus is on learning by doing rather than on reading and discussion.
Game Design: Professional Practice (GAMES-UT 152)
Advanced Game Design focuses on the practical skills that working game designers need to get a job – and what they do at a company once they are there. Over the course of the semester, students will work on two full project proposals – each proposal including design documentation, production and schedule planning, and a prototype specification. In addition, students will take a handful of “game design tests” – based on actual game industry tests that are part of the hiring process. Along the way, we will be visiting a few NYC-based game companies, as well as discussing issues relevant to working game designers today. The goal of the course is to work on our communication, design, and planning skills, and get a sense for what it means to be a working game designer. Required: Intermediate Game Design.