"Create Imaginative Games" Coursera MOOC by CalArts

[Morhighan]

I just joined another Coursera MOOC. This time it is "Create Imaginative Games" by the California Institute of the Arts.

It's a five part specialization for game design, focusing on art and concepts.

The course order is thus:
-Introduction to Game Design
-Story and Narrative Development for Video Games
-World Design for Video Games
-Character Design for Video Games
-Game Design Document: Define the Art & Concepts

The classes are free and open. However if you want a certificate you can either pay the fee or ask for financial aid (which I have.)

Here is the link, if anyone is interested!

I'll let you know my impressions of the class as I go.

[Windchimes]

Looks really interesting! I want to join, but I skimmed through the page and I noticed there are projects and a few assignments? Idk if you've gotten up to that yet, but how are they so far? Are they time-consuming and stuff? I'm already really busy irl with schoolwork so I don't want to be a masochist haha.

[firecat]

I don't think you know anything about game design *younevermadeonegame cough*

Plus the stuff you priced can be found free at Extra Credits with someone who has experienced both in the AAA and indie category. Oh one more thing, you forgot to add musical arts in your MOOC, music is part of the creative imagination games so removing that important information is setting up failed students who believe in you.

firecat has received a one-week ban for this posting. We really, really do not appreciate personal attacks on other users. - Taleweaver

[Rossfellow]

I don't think you know anything about game design *younevermadeonegame cough*

Plus the stuff you priced can be found free at Extra Credits with someone who has experienced both in the AAA and indie category. Oh one more thing, you forgot to add musical arts in your MOOC, music is part of the creative imagination games so removing that important information is setting up failed students who believe in you.

I don't think you're interested in game design discussion at all, but I'm just going to correct a misunderstanding.

The course isn't taught by OP, but by CalArts, which is a very reputable educational facility.

Edit: Extra Credits and similar channels are all nice and helpful, but they are food-for-thought and can never replace formal education/ training and sheer practice.

[ThisIsNoName]

Edit: Extra Credits and similar channels are all nice and helpful, but they are food-for-thought and can never replace formal education/ training and sheer practice.

I agree with you, but I wanted to add that Extra Credits is designed to help people analyze games, not make them. They work as a supplement to help understand how others make games, but it isn't designed to teach how to actually make your own.

Anyways, I kind of second WindChimes' question. This is the busiest/most hectic time of the year for me, so I don't really want to commit to something and then half-ass it because I'm too tired or something unexpected comes up. I'm really digging that Character Design course, though.

[firecat]

I don't think you know anything about game design *younevermadeonegame cough*

Plus the stuff you priced can be found free at Extra Credits with someone who has experienced both in the AAA and indie category. Oh one more thing, you forgot to add musical arts in your MOOC, music is part of the creative imagination games so removing that important information is setting up failed students who believe in you.

I don't think you're interested in game design discussion at all, but I'm just going to correct a misunderstanding.

The course isn't taught by OP, but by CalArts, which is a very reputable educational facility.

Edit: Extra Credits and similar channels are all nice and helpful, but they are food-for-thought and can never replace formal education/ training and sheer practice.

I did a little research on the school and to my surprise its nothing more than an art school. Students who apply in writing have said "its a waste of time". This school offers no real game developer course, only animation or theater.

I checked this so called coursera and email them (still waiting for reply), so to my understanding this site doesn't check whether the teachers are real or of the classes they taught are real. Which just raises more superstition about the program.

[Rossfellow]

I did a little research on the school and to my surprise its nothing more than an art school. Students who apply in writing have said "its a waste of time". This school offers no real game developer course, only animation or theater.

Well it seems that your research overlooked the header at the very top of the page. Highlighted and upsized for your benefit:

Game Design: Art and Concepts Specialization

It's not a programming or writing spec. This is for visual asset creators.

______________________

Edit: I say that, but....

-Story and Narrative Development for Video Games

One of the courses does say story and narrative. Isn't that a bit focused towards story driven games? If I don't want this specific course, is it skippable?

[ThisIsNoName]

One of the courses does say story and narrative. Isn't that a bit focused towards story driven games? If I don't want this specific course, is it skippable?

5 courses
Follow the suggested order or choose your own.

It looks like all the courses are relatively independent of each other, so you can take any/all of the courses you want. I'll just be taking the character design one if I do end up taking any.

EDIT: I found a link from 2013 giving a rough outline of what to expect.
It looks like you can expect to commit about 30 minutes to an hour on average for each weekday, plus a bit at the end of the week.
Most of the reviews I've seen are pretty good, but apparently the moderation/admin can be a bit iffy, depending on the course. Everything I've seen suggests the actual material taught is top notch.

Just figured I'd give a rundown of what I've found for any others who are still deciding.

@Morhighan: Were you planning to put your experiences directly in the thread as you went through the course, or create a different thread/link a blog? It might be worth asking the mods to fork the discussion if it gets too off track.

[firecat]

One of the courses does say story and narrative. Isn't that a bit focused towards story driven games? If I don't want this specific course, is it skippable?

5 courses
Follow the suggested order or choose your own.

It looks like all the courses are relatively independent of each other, so you can take any/all of the courses you want. I'll just be taking the character design one if I do end up taking any.

EDIT: I found a link from 2013 giving a rough outline of what to expect.
It looks like you can expect to commit about 30 minutes to an hour on average for each weekday, plus a bit at the end of the week.
Most of the reviews I've seen are pretty good, but apparently the moderation/admin can be a bit iffy, depending on the course. Everything I've seen suggests the actual material taught is top notch.

Just figured I'd give a rundown of what I've found for any others who are still deciding.

@Morhighan: Were you planning to put your experiences directly in the thread as you went through the course, or create a different thread/link a blog? It might be worth asking the mods to fork the discussion if it gets too off track.

That one was from 2013 it is no longer useful information, many things could have change. The discussion is still about thr course however, people do have the right to be skeptical about it. Just like how people found out that a line artist took work from other sources.

[Morhighan]

@Windchimes -
The first class doesn't seem too intensive! I already finished the third week assignment last night and the class only just started today. I don't know about others yet.

If you want to see a set of examples of the coursework, check this webpage out.

Basically you make a game that can be played with one piece of paper and optionally one or two dice.

@Firecat -
You're right, I don't know anything about game design. That's why I'm taking this class! I'd like to branch out from visual novels into other types of games.

@Rossfellow -
I'm sure you can take whichever courses you want. But if you want the specialization certificate I think you have to take them all. I'm not sure to be honest.

@ThisisNoName -
The classes start every two weeks so if now isn't a good time you can totally take the class at another time. I am totally willing to update the thread as I go, but I might actually make a blog, it's a neat idea.

[KittyWills]

For the love of GOd firecat. CALarts is a huge art school. Places like Disney hire from them on a regular basis. They are pretty legit. They have also been expanding their game development quite a bit in the last 5 years. And game design doesn't always equal coding, you need a lot of art too.
And OP has like 10 games on her website. Stop shitting on people bro.

ANYWHO, It looks like a perfectly fine intro course. I'm thinking of checking it out as well. Most useful class I've ever taken was an art design class. I use that knowledge in bloody everything.

[firecat]

For the love of GOd firecat. CALarts is a huge art school. Places like Disney hire from them on a regular basis. They are pretty legit. They have also been expanding their game development quite a bit in the last 5 years. And game design doesn't always equal coding, you need a lot of art too.
And OP has like 10 games on her website. Stop shitting on people bro.

ANYWHO, It looks like a perfectly fine intro course. I'm thinking of checking it out as well. Most useful class I've ever taken was an art design class. I use that knowledge in bloody everything.

Times have change, no one knows about Calart outside people's knowledge. Disney does not sponsor it anymore which just proves they have moved to better things. Oh its still not supporting game design:

https://www.calarts.edu/news/2015-sep-1 ... s-coursera

You are being taught by different teachers not a school course that other colleges do. By the way, they are offering "how to make characters" rather than understanding that writing is more than that.

So ya they asking money for a piece of online document that employers do not care.

[Rinima]

@Morhighan
Just out of interest, what sort of things can we expect from this course? Other than the basics of what they've layed out, and is it enough content to justify £60?

@everyone else
Please, try not to feed the troll. You know who I'm talking about.

[Morhighan]

@Rinima -
There is also peer review as well as the ability to talk to the teacher and the mentors, which I think is a major plus. Other than that it's hard to say since it's only the first day. XP

[Windchimes]

@Morhighan:
Thanks for the info! I'm really really tempted to take one or two of the courses now...
But correct me if I'm wrong. I've never taken a course on Coursera before so I don't know how this works. I think you mentioned the classes are free, but when I clicked enroll it required $75 per course? I did notice there's a financial aid application thing. How easy is it to get a financial aid application approved?
Thanks