1. Playing Games and Making Them Too!
Dr. Marie Sesay
Dean, Instruction
Lone Star College Kingwood

2. Enrollments/ Articulation Agreements
History of the Program
Enrollments/ Articulation Agreements
Programs Used
The program started Fall 2005 with 40 students.
Currently, 122 students enrolled.
There are more men than women enrolled.
We have articulation agreements with University of Houston Downtown, UH - Victoria, and we are currently working with UT-Dallas.
We currently use:
GameMaker
Unreal Development Kit
Android Development Kit
IOS (IPhone and IPad application development)
Unity
Start of program there 1 girl for each semester, number is up to 8 for 40 students this semester in Intro. to Game Design. I have made a conscious effort to promote women in game design.

3. Game Design & Simulation
AAS/Certificate is only available at LSC Kingwood.
Allows students to take their passion for games and shape into the development of games.
Students experience all aspects of game design.
They develop interactive projects.
Students will gain valuable experience walking an original game idea through every phase of development, with a completed and playable game at the end of the program to show for it.
They will have studied the function of games and game play, developed interactive projects that address the technical challenges of a game's production.

4. Game Design & Simulation
Artist/Designer
Programmer/Developer
They learn what it takes to create the "who, what, where, and why“.
We utilize industry standard software.
Create the assets, characters, and environments called for in their original game idea.
Artists learn Photoshop, Illustrator, and 3DS Max
Determine the "how," aligning the technical side of gaming with the designer's vision.
This includes programming characters, actions and triggered events to how the artificial intelligence runs in the game.
Learn programming using C++, Java and the knowledge of manipulating game engines.
Have the option of learning Objective C for Apple Application development.

5. Game Design & Simulation
Lone Star College Kingwood Faculty & Students speak about their experiences in our Gaming and Simulation associate in applied science degree.

6. Game Design & Simulation: Program Plan
Second Year Credit
First Year Credit
ITSC 1401 Introduction to Computer OR 4
COSC 1401 Introduction to Computers
GAME 1303 Introduction to Game Design and Development 3
ARTC 1302 Digital Imaging I 3
ARTV D Modeling & Rendering 3
ARTS 1316 Drawing I 3
GAME 1304 Level Design 3
ARTC 1317 Design Communications I 3
ARTV 1303 Basic Animation 3
ARTV D Modeling and Rendering II 3
ENGL 1301 Composition and Rhetoric I 3
KINE Any physical activity course 1
GAME 2338 Game Testing 3
GAME 1334 Video Game Art I 3
TOTAL Credits for Second Year : 38
GAME 2332 Project Development I 3
GAME 1335 Interactive Writing I 3
IMED 1345 Interactive Digital Media 3
ARTV D Animation I 3
MATH 1314 College Algebra 3
SPCH 1318 Interpersonal Communication 3
ARTV D Animation II OR 3
ARTC 2305 Digital Imaging II
IMED 2345 Interactive Digital Media II 3
SOCI Principles of Sociology 3
Elective2 General Academic Elective 3-4
GAME Project Development II OR 3
GAME Internship
TOTAL Credits for Second Year : 33-34
TOTAL Credits for
Gaming Design and Simulation Designer (Artist) AAS:
71-72

7. Project Based Learning (PBL)
Suggests that students learn best when having to solve a problem.
PBL can increase retention.
Improve attitudes towards learning.
When implemented well increases
retention of content.
Helps students perform as well or
better than traditional learners.
My philosophy in this position has always been to expand the program to include serious game design as well as entertainment - games and applications have become a large part of education, health professions, simulations, and advertising - all industries where my students have found jobs locally.

8. Project Based Learning (PBL)
Essentials to PBL include:
Students learn knowledge to tackle realistic problems.
Increased student control over her or his learning.
Teachers serve as coaches and facilitators.
Students work in pairs or groups.
Teachers can create real-world problem-solving situations by designing questions and tasks that correspond to two different frameworks of inquiry-based teaching: Problem-based learning, which tackles a problem but doesn't necessarily include a student project, and project-based learning, which involves a complex task and some form of student presentation, and/or creating an actual product or artifact

9. Keys to Project Based Learning (PBL)
A realistic problem or project
aligns with students' skills and interests
requires learning clearly defined content and skills (e.g. using rubrics, or exemplars from local professionals and students)
Structured group work
groups of three to four students, with diverse skill levels and interdependent roles
individual accountability, based on student growth
team rewards
Multi-faceted assessment
multiple opportunities for students to receive feedback and revise their work (e.g., benchmarks, reflective activities)
multiple learning outcomes (e.g., problem-solving, content, collaboration)
presentations that encourage participation and signal social value (e.g. exhibitions, portfolios, performances, reports)
Participation in a professional learning network
collaborating and reflecting upon PBL experiences in the classroom with colleagues
courses in inquiry-based teaching methods

10. What is Motion Capture?
Live actors' motions are digitally recorded and then applied to 3D models.
The physical recording itself can be done through one of two methods:
the actor can wear a cumbersome bodysuit wired with complex sensors that detect their movements
or they can attach smaller singular sensors at pivotal points to capture the motion of those particular joints and interpret it into full-limb motion.
Getting the motion capture equipment and giving the students the opportunity to solve real-world problems with it increases retention and success

11. What is Motion Capture?
Digital readings are fed into linked computers, they are recorded and interpreted into motion sequences by programs like MetaMotion's Kaydara.
From there the recorded sequences can be imported into 3D animation programs such as 3D Studio Max, and then applied to character models by mapping recorded motion data onto key points defined on the 3D models.
If errors are made in recording the motions, sometimes the entire scene must be re-shot.

12. Movies with Motion Capture
The Lord of the Rings Trilogy
Shrek
The Polar Express
This technique is highly effective when animating humanoid characters and can create a captivating illusion of reality, or even simulate animated characters interacting with real actors.
Movies with Motion Capture

13. Who Uses Motion Capture?
Game development is the largest market for motion capture.
Games draw as much revenue as movies.
The immense competition to produce the 'coolest game possible' means that greater production capabilities mean higher quality.
To date, our two year college is the only college teaching Motion Capture.
it is easy to see why game development often calls for enormous quantities of motion capture.

14. Additional Uses for Motion Capture?
Web
Greeting cards
Virtual hosts
Add to the human element
Live events
Trade shows
Meetings
Press conferences
Scientific Research
Repeatable experiments can be developed to provide insight into human perception.
Biomechanical analysis
Design of prosthetic devices
Rehabilitation purposes
Measures extent of client’s disability/progress
Engineering
Product designs
Education
More marketable skills!

15. Questions or comments?

16. Thank you for attending!
Dr. Marie Sesay Dean, Instruction Business, Technology, Behavioral & Social Sciences Lone Star College Kingwood Lonestar.edu office