Saturday, 26 May 2012

Online Game Software Development Classes Overview

Online game software development classes can be found in game programming, video game art and game design programs. While these programs are generally available online at the bachelor's degree level, they can also be found through online certificate programs. Graduates are prepared for careers as application developers, game designers, game testers and game software developers.

Overview of Online Game Software Development Classes

Online game software development courses teach students to apply creativity, logic and analytical thinking to the design and development of software for computerized games. Enrollees study interactive software products and learn industry-standard techniques for graphics and sound in order to make games come to life. They develop the technical skills needed to develop games and the creativity to make them entertaining. Students also gain a strong understanding of programming languages, animation, game design and networking principles.

Requirements for Online Classes

Students interested in taking online game software development courses must have access to a computer and high-speed Internet. Computers need to be able to play CD-ROMs, and students may be required to have an e-mail account to communicate with instructors. Many courses use step-by-step tutorials that are easy to follow and allow students to stop, pause and rewind at their convenience. Some programs require students to install a specialized software program; this software allows students to complete assignments, participate in interactive learning and communicate with peers and instructors online.

Common Online Game Software Development Classes

Game Design and Development Class

This course introduces students to game genres and the gaming industry. Students analyze popular games on the market and study story development, programming and visual art production.

Programming Class

A programming course focuses on the fundamentals of programming languages. Students learn about the functions, control structures and expressions in programming. An emphasis may be placed on pointers, recursion and linked lists.

Animation Class

Students are introduced to 2D and 3D animation and image generation. Topics in this course cover user interface, primitive objects, retouching, image manipulation, filters, layers and texture creation. Opportunities are available to learn about human form and its artistic depiction, animation software programs and character design.

Software Engineering Class

In this course, students are educated in the development of software applications for games. Students learn how to create applications for gaming consoles and portable devices, such as cell phones and iPods. The possibilities and limitations for these devices vary, and students need to understand how to operate within these constraints while continuing to advance the technology in this area.

Artificial Intelligence Class

Candidates in this course study the principles and techniques involved in artificial intelligence for games. They learn to create different algorithms for movement, which allow characters and objects to run, chase, evade, jump and attack. Additional topics include fuzzy logic, minimax, finite state machines and rule-based artificial intelligence.

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