Jobs & Education in Game Industry

We have new curriculum options in gaming here at RIT at the Master's level and are developing similar options at the undergraduate level.

Since we have a College of Imaging Arts and Sciences (CIAS) and a College of Computing and Information Sciences (CCIS), our approach is a little different. We offer two degree options, one in each college, an MS in CCIS and an MFA in CIAS. Each college also offers a minor concentration for the other college. Since the gaming industry hires a range of folks from artists to programmers and combinations inbetween, we want to provide an environment where students can find and develop their strengths within that range.

- Marla

The kinks are being worked out it and I'm not quite in that loop but this is what I know:

-students won't split into the separate gaming track until junior year
-projects and techniques specific to games
-the technology (output) will be different
-we aren't a tech school so we won't be creating programmers
-senior project would be more game oriented and not an animation
-most of all our intension isn't make more of the same that is all ready out there (first person shooters)

ed

The major isn't due to really get rolling until a year after next so the details are still a little sketchy. But I think we are looking at projects where student(s) would design a working level for a game. And as we do on the character animation side we will be steering students away from what is traditionally seen as stereotypical content; so you won't be seeing any first person shoot 'em up games.

ed

So there will be no programming taught? Is this the plan now? Thanks

I know EA uses Maya. Most animation programs are pretty similar and use the same tools and principles; it usually just a matter of learning the interface to learn a new one once you are comfortable with another. Maya would be your best bet, it's the standard in film and is slowly taking over game now that it's getting more and more hi-res.

Ringling has a new Gaming major starting up that you might want to take a look at. We have been pretty success putting people into gaming as is, the major will only make it better.

ed

I don't think there are any scripting classes planned but that is not to say it won't be technical in nature. We are an Art and Design school foremost and not a technical institute so our focus will be are the look, design and game play.

Luckily the games engines are getting to the point where the artist can import their work more easily into the game by themselves without the need of a tech person. It is comparable how a user friendly interface had moved computer animation from the scripter in the days of Tron into the hands of the "artist" today.

This is not to say that those guys making Tron where not artists in their own right but you really needed to be a math or computer science major back then to do anything in computer animation back then. Lucky for people like me those same math and computer science majors made the interface that brought it down to a level where us not so technically inclined can create art on the computer today.

ed

Just out of curiosity Ed, how does Ringling's game program differ from the regular 3D animation program?

Mahalo,
the Ape

Hey Ed. I've seen the final short films that the Ringling seniors do. What kind of final project will the gaming majors do? Are you thinking of something similar? When will this be "rolled out?"