[game_edu] loopy Proposal - The Aggies!

[Alex Jarvis]

Mark,

That was an incredibly well-thought out response, and I have taken it to
heart. Currently, I am attempting to bring game design as a major at my
university, which (as a student) has been a pretty uphill battle. Constantly
I am grouped with computer science majors, and as you said, the rich
technical aspect does not supersede the artistic foundation of Ludology and
game studies. So, as a convenient turn of conversation; what would it take
for academia to respect games? I understand that it is no quick process, but
are we supposed to wait for a generation of gamers to inherit education, or
is there anything that can be done beforehand?

-Alex

On Dec 4, 2007 11:36 AM, Mark Baldwin <mark at baldwinconsulting.org> wrote:


> Mike, et al,

>

> While I was not particularly impressed with the article Mike pointed out,

> I

> must question Mike's complaint.   Note that before I entered academia

> several years ago, I had a successful 20 year career in the game industry

> with numerous published games including Game of the Year.  So I know a

> little about both academia and the computer entertainment industry.

>

> But Mike complains about industries lack of respect for academia.  I would

> suggest that if academia wants respect from the computer entertainment

> industry, I would suggest it show some understanding and respect in

> return.

>

>

> What am I speaking of?  Consider the film industries response to academia

> if

> most film studies were taught in Physics Departments because making a film

> requires a knowledge of optics.  Ridiculous, right?  Yet what do I see in

> Mike's return address but that game studies is part of the Computer

> Science

> Department at the University of Whales.

>

> In a like way, what would painters think of academia if art was taught by

> chemical engineers?  Yet, it was just this last year that I got into a big

> disagreement with the department head from a well known school who

> insisted

> computer network engineers were qualified to teach game design!

>

> Or consider the field of literature and academia.  One of the basic

> considerations for a professor to teach literature is that he or she has

> actually published works of literature.   Yet, what percentage of

> professors

> that teach game studies have ever had a game commercially published?

>

> And you ask why industry does not respect academia.  I would suggest it's

> mainly because academia does not respect games and the fact that games are

> creative works.  Games part of the arts.  Yes, there is a rich technical

> aspect, but that is not the core of what games are about.  Industry knows

> this but most of academia apparently does not, or does not care.  Until

> academia shows some respect to industry and understands what it is

> teaching,

> I'm afraid it's not going to get much respect from industry.

>

> Cheers,

> Mark

> ******************************************

>  Mark Lewis Baldwin

>  Associate Professor

>  Game Design and Development

>  University of Advancing Technology

>  303-526-9169

>  mbaldwin at uat.edu

>  http://baldwinconsulting.org

>  mar80401 (YIM, AIM, Skype)

> ******************************************

>

>

> _______________________________________________

> game_edu mailing list

> game_edu at igda.org

> http://seven.pairlist.net/mailman/listinfo/game_edu

>




-- 
Alex Jarvis
Ludology Student
http://ludologistjarvi.blogspot.com/
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://seven.pairlist.net/pipermail/game_edu/attachments/20071204/52ce277a/attachment.html>