Playing The Game: The Future Of Animation And Game Design

Summary: The popularity of video games is a staple of our culture and appears as though it's going to stay. From the different genres of video games to the complex stories and character developments, video games have become an entity that spans generations of gamers. For many, it is an escape into a new world of fantasy and adventure. As a result, it is no wonder why so many high school and college graduates are going into the field of animation and game design. Several colleges offer...

The popularity of video games is a staple of our culture and appears as though it's going to stay. From the different genres of video games to the complex stories and character developments, video games have become an entity that spans generations of gamers. For many, it is an escape into a new world of fantasy and adventure. As a result, it is no wonder why so many high school and college graduates are going into the field of animation and game design. Several colleges offer courses and programs related to learning how to create video games. The video game industry is a growing, multi-billion dollar field and many of the college graduates want to get their hands on the controller. The increasing demand for more games with better stories and more life-like graphics has been on the minds of serious gamers for years. There is no satisfying the serious gamer because the graphics continue to get better every year and the stories tend to get more interesting, too. Therefore, the video game players expect more every time. This is why colleges are now offering courses in animation and game design. They see the prevalence of video games in our culture and the people who want to build and design these games. But the programs and courses that deal with animation and game design are not only about drawing and how to create a video game. Creating a game that is both playable and sellable is not an easy task. Basic classes for those who begin in animation and game design deal with topics such as artistic terminology and artistic theory. From there, a student can expect to enter classes in which they generate ideas and concepts for their particular video game. There is also an additional course dealing with presenting your idea to a video game company. If you decide to go into the field of animation and game design, you can also expect to take some more educationally geared courses. There are some that deal with the history of video games along with other courses that teach the demographic makeup of who plays certain games. You may also be required to do reviews of games and learn about the nuances of the different gaming genres. But success in these classes will inevitably lead to more enticing topics such as artificial intelligence and prototyping your game. For the avid video game player, taking these courses may make the game-playing experience a more interesting one as he thinks about the intricacies of every move made on the screen. For others, however, these courses may serve to only ruin the mystery that they have associated with playing video games. The field of animation and game design is not, as the name implies, all fun and games. In fact, it is the opposite. There is a lot of hard work that goes into designing these elaborate games. From conception to the store shelves, many experts have contributed something to its success or, consequently, its failure. Learning the techniques of being a successful video game creator is much like learning how to play an instrument. You have to learn note by note, then chord by chord before you can even think about learning how to play a song. That is the same thing with this lucrative field. You can be a gamer your entire life but, other than the occasional game idea, your gaming skills are irrelevant when it comes to creating a game. By completing the animation and game design program, you will see and appreciate where the growth and direction of the animation and gaming industry is headed.