Gaming and Simulation Development

Jason Witherell

April 12, 2007

Who is this Guy?

• I teach in the Digital Gaming & Simulation major at Shawnee State University (Portsmouth).

• I received my Master’s Degree in Computer Animation from OSU.

• I love playing games and have been making them/playing them for 20+ years.

What is Game Development?

GameOr

Simulation

EngineeringArt

Music

Writing

Software Engineers

Mathematicians

Theoretical Computer Scientists

“Traditional” Artists

3D/2D Modelers

3D/2D Animators

Composers

Sound FX creators

Business

Lawyers

Public Relations

Accountants

PublishersManagers

Creative writers

Dialogue writers

Historians

Testers

Doctors

Military Personnel

Auto Makers

…

What Game Development Is NOT

• All about playing games.– OK, we do some of the time– But you have to enjoy the process more than

playing them.

• Making levels for games– We make our own new games!

• Just about making games.– Medical simulations– Military training

Game Development is Fun!

• A very rewarding career• Can be financially rewarding

– Average Salary for programmers: $80,000– Average Salary for Artists: $65,000– Average Salary for Business: $95,000– (Keep in mind many of these are in Texas, California, Oregon:

higher cost-of-living)• You get to design the next cool game!• Game development is a quickly growing industry.

– ($9.9 Billion in 2004)– Makes more than the book and movie industry ($5.2B, $9.4B)– Getting close to the music industry ($10.7B)– Has many serious (medical, military, manufacturing) applications

too.

Game Development is Hard Work!

• College (and graduate school) certainly help.

• You have to love problem-solving and research and reading.

• You sometimes put in very long hours.• It’s not enough to just love playing games

– you have to enjoy the subtle details.• You have to learn a lot of things that seem

boring at first.

What does a Game Developer do?

• 2D/3D Modelling

• Research

• Programming

• Testing and Debugging

• Meetings

So What do I need to study now?

• Math– Similar problem-solving

skills in Development– We use a lot of trig,

geometry, calculus and physics:

• Also: – music, art, english, history,

etc.– The more varied your

background, the better games you can create!

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A Quick Example (if we have time…)

• The start of a space invaders game

• Written in Python

• Uses two sprites I already designed.

• Game development is like this (but on a lot bigger scale)

More info

• Info on the handout

• Shawnee State– http://games.ssu.portsmouth.oh.us/

• Email me– jwitherell@shawnee.edu

• Start making your own games (start small…)

• THANK YOU!!