To get started, game design is an incredibly broad term. There are so many different categories and jobs that fall under the scope of game design. We have storyboarders, 3D artists, Coders, Designers; even project managers and team leaders. There are so many faces to consider when we are looking at the whole of game design.
The best way that we’ve found to introduce students to game design topics is to get them building games. We enjoy giving students the opportunity to explore all facets of game design and learn about the parts of the process that they enjoy. This gets students invested in their own learning. An important part of introducing students to game design is giving them access to a finished product of their own creation as fast as you can.
This does not mean that we are giving them half finished projects and instructing them on the exact path they need to take to complete the project. Instead, we limit the scope of their initial projects and give them the chance to start from the ground up. They build, animate, code, and play their own games; and as soon as they finish their first project, the only thing they can think about is what they’re going to build next.
We have chosen to utilize Blocksmith as our core game design software for several reasons.
First, Blocksmith is a very beginner friendly software that any student can pick up and have something awesome created within an hour.
Second, it specializes in 3D game development which is something that kids love. Being able to create, and immediately play, in a 3D space is a huge bonus as some of the most popular games currently being produced exist in a 3D environment.
Third, Blocksmith can be used on just about any computer. They have a downloadable application and a web based builder that can be used on anything as powerful as a Chromebook.
Lastly, Blocksmith gives students the chance to try out whatever avenues of game design they wish to explore. They can 3D model using the huge array of given shapes and pieces, or create advanced event systems that power their games.
As well as being an incredible standalone program, Blocksmith prepares students for more advanced game engines. By using similar problem solving and strategies that they used to build games in Blocksmith, students are usually surprised at how easily they can move into programs like Unity and Unreal Engine.
Through the hundreds of projects that we’ve helped students make in Blocksmith, we always see students using it as a medium to create, push their limits, and spark their creativity.
Want to start learning game design? Contact us today!