Back To School

Classes start on Monday.  I usually don't care much about school, but I'm pretty excited this time around.  Mostly, I'm looking forward to the huge amounts of free time the early part of a semester (usually) grants us students.  Coming off of a full-time job, this change in available free time can be welcomingly drastic.  Even while maintaining a part-time job, until midterms roll around, I usually have enough empty time on my hands to take two naps a day.  I can't promise anything, but this semester I'm going to attempt to turn some of that nap time into 'Danny is learning how to make games' time.  This semester also has me excited because two of my classes are actually about games!

Here's my schedule:

• Database management systems
• Advanced game programming
• Operating systems,
• Introduction to applied statistics for IS&T
• Game design as art
• Internship in computer science

Here's the course description for advanced game programming:

This course is intended for those with an interest in video game programming. This course introduces the advanced concepts of game programming including 3D programming, game networking, and development of a multiplayer, networked game by learning and using the XNA environment.

I read the introduction of the textbook for this class, and it looks like I'll be learning some C# and .NET.  I've never had any exposure to C# as a language or .NET as a framework, and I'm excited to learn something completely new that I'm not sure I'd ever peruse on my on time.

And game design as art:

This course will encompass theory and practice of game development, game creation as an art process, and an exploration of the work of artists who have created game based work. Areas of study during the course will include game design and mechanics, explorations of theory, narrative and storytelling with game paradigms, social and ethical concerns of gaming and gaming as cultural resistance.

I'm really excited about this one!  Even with the course description, I don't know what expect.  There's no required text, so sky's the limit I guess.  I'm really glad this course is offered through the art department rather than the CS department.  I haven't spent a whole lot of time around art majors during my university time, and am looking forward to different perspectives on games.

These two classes are obviously pretty darn relevant to what I've been documenting on this blog the past 40 or so days, so expect to hear some of my tales from the classroom.

If you're curious, here's where I go to school and here's where I take most of my classes.

Cheers,

Danny