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Game Maker Academy |
Game Maker Academy is a Wilmette Public Library program that teaches young adults how to make their own computer games while acquiring competencies as music and sound effect editors, graphic designers, animators, and computer programmers. Game Maker Academy is offered free of charge as a program of WPL's Game Design Club and Teen Advisory Board.
Over the course of 5 weeks (2 hours per week) students learn how to make their own space combat, sports, tactical and platform games. Using a variety of open source software applications, students learn how to compose music and sound effects, create and edit backgrounds and sprites, animate characters, explosions and other game objects, design levels, and coordinate and control interactions between game elements.
All students receive a free CD containing the Game Maker application, Audacity (sound editing program), Anvil Studio (Midi composing software), and GIMP (graphics editing program). Over the course of the program students receive additional handouts and the digital materials needed to create their own version of classic games. Thanks to the generosity of the Friends of the Wilmette Library, each student also receives a Game Maker Academy t-shirt. Graduates of the Game Maker program continue working on projects as members of WPL's Game Design club.
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Computer game artist (and New Trier grad) Rachel Nador joined members of the Game Design Club to demonstrate 3D modeling techniques. (www.rachelnador.com)
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Game designer Patrick Curry (Stubbs the Zombie, Stranglehold) visited the Game Design Club to talk about creativity in game design. (www.patrickcurry.com)
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Game Maker Academy is offered intermittently throughout the year, with several offerings scheduled during the sumer months. To learn when the next program is scheduled, contact Brian Myers at bmyers@wilmettelibrary.info
