[game_edu] ESA Foundation Computer and Video Game Scholarship Program

[Jim Parker]

I don't necessarily *oppose* programmers as game designers. However, in 
the first case many CS programs are not creating programmers any more in 
favour of  'computer scientists', who are mathematicians in effect. My 
experience with this 'new generation' of computer scientists is not 
completely positive.  Many lack the ability to connect with the other 
disciplines that are essential to game development and design, the 
disciplines from which CS was built and where CS grads used to go. Much 
of the work that was done by programmers 10 years ago is done by canned 
code these days - there's some left, of course.

Next,  I would say that stage designers (as an example) are much more 
experienced at extracting production details from a script than are 
computer scientists. They could in fact determine the places where new 
programming had to be done and give it to the programmers, just as  art 
and music are parceled out to relevant professionals. There is 
creativity in those tasks as well, of course, and some feeds back to the 
global design. The majority of CS majors think in too linear a fashion 
and have too limited exposure to the other disciplines to make a 
significant contribution.

Having said that, my own background is in computer science. I'm just 
saying that it's rare for a CS person to be a good game designer.

My opinion, of course!

Jim

Malcolm Ryan wrote:

> I agree that game development is not game design, and that game design 

> doesn't belong in CS (even though, by necessity, that is where I teach 

> it). However I'd like to make a case in favour of programmers as game 

> designers.

>

> Game design is procedural art. A game is not just a static thing like 

> a picture or a fixed sequence like a film, but a process; a collection 

> of dynamics that arise from the player's interaction with the rules. 

> And in my experience computer programmers are more proficient in this 

> kind of procedural thinking than artists who work in non-interactive 

> media. They are used to the kind of problem solving which asks "What 

> mechanical elements should I use to build processes to produce a 

> particular experience?". This is a fundamental problem of game design. 

> I might even say _the_ fundamental problem. It is what sets a game 

> apart from a collection of animations, music and story.

>

> Of course at the end of the day what we want to foster is a skill set 

> that combines elements of all these disciplines taught proudly under 

> the banner of "Games" and not making excuses for itself as part of CS 

> or drama or animation or whatever. In the meantime, I guess we work in 

> whatever corners we can get a foothold and try to throw our arms open 

> to as many would-be designers as we can find, whatever they background.

>

> Malcolm

>

> On 28/02/2009, at 10:54 AM, Jim Parker wrote:

>

>> Computer Science? Why there? Many more relevant things in the arts. 

>> Frankly, programming is programming, but game design is more about 

>> narrative, art, music and design. Many CS departments are not 

>> interested in games because they have too many non CS things 

>> connected. (sadly)

>>

>> Push on your drama department ...

>>

>> Jim

>>

>> Leo Moreno wrote:

>>> It gets even more challenging when you try to integrate it into a high

>>> school level program into Computer Science!

>>>

>>> Leonard A. Moreno - InfoTech Instructor

>>> FalconTech Pathway

>>> Regional Occupational Programs

>>> Palmdale High School

>>> (661) 273-3181 x.362

>>> http://infotech.phsfalcons.org

>>> "No Child Left Unplugged

>> -- 

>> -- 

>> Home

>> ......................................................................... 

>>

>> One day Alice came to a fork in the road and saw a Cheshire cat in a 

>> tree. "Which road do I take?" she asked. "Where do you want to go?" 

>> was his response. "I don't know," Alice answered. "Then," said the 

>> cat, "it doesn't matter."

>> ......................................................................... 

>>

>>

>> Dr. J. R. Parker,                    Digital Media Laboratory

>> Professor of Play                    http://www.ucalgary.ca/~jparker

>> Faculty of Fine Arts (Drama)         jparker@ ucalgary. ca

>> University of Calgary                403-220-6784      AB606/AB611

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-- 
--
Home
.........................................................................
One day Alice came to a fork in the road and saw 
a Cheshire cat in a tree. "Which road do I take?" she asked. "Where 
do you want to go?" was his response. "I don't know," Alice answered. 
"Then," said the cat, "it doesn't matter."
.........................................................................

Dr. J. R. Parker,                    Digital Media Laboratory
Professor of Play                    http://www.ucalgary.ca/~jparker
Faculty of Fine Arts (Drama)         jparker@ ucalgary. ca
University of Calgary                403-220-6784      
 AB606/AB611