The lovely Beth Noveck alerted me to the announcement that Electronic Arts has given USC's School of Cinema-TV $8m to create a master's degree program in video game design and to fund an endowed faculty chair. According to the press release: "The program will help forward USC-CNTV’s goal to educate the next generation of high-level gaming design and visionary thinkers in what will be one of the 21st Century’s primary entertainment media."
No word on whether the program will include MMORPG/VW design components.
Funny - people have been designing high quality games for years without some sort of specialized degree.... why do we need one now?
Posted by: Sourtone | Mar 23, 2004 at 11:01
Sourtone>people have been designing high quality games for years without some sort of specialized degree
You're right, they have.
More useful would be a course on how they might get their well-designed games published.
Richard
Posted by: Richard Bartle | Mar 23, 2004 at 12:15
"The _lovely_ Beth Noveck?"
Watch out Dan, some might think you are sexist. :-)
Otherwise, I can't wait to see how you describe me when you blog about my next paper. :-)
Randy
Posted by: F. Randall Farmer | Mar 23, 2004 at 12:59
The simple answer is, because someone can make money off these courses.
The long answer is, because someone can make money off it and it's specifically the person taking the courses :-P
Posted by: Lee Delarm | Mar 23, 2004 at 14:35
Rich>>More useful would be a course on how they might get their well-designed games published.
Oh what I wouldn't give to find a couple venture capitalists that have to much money and a love of games..... (and like my designs)
Posted by: Sourtone | Mar 23, 2004 at 15:14
F. Randall Farmer>I can't wait to see how you describe me when you blog about my next paper
Just so long as it's not "the Randy Farmer".
[American readers seeking an explanation should look here]
Richard
Posted by: Richard Bartle | Mar 24, 2004 at 04:46
Randy, you're the "lovely and randy etc etc".
Posted by: Dan Hunter | Mar 24, 2004 at 06:51