January 2013
ModIT workshop: online HTML game engine/creation tool
Introduction to a set of tools for creating games. Modit is currently in private beta but in this workshop, we will showcase our HTML5 game development. ModitTM seeks to transform HTML5 games into a new medium for self-expression by turning players into game creators. By bringing a full development environment into the browser, players will be empowered to modify the games they play and instantly publish and share those creations with the world.
Find out more »August 2013
GAME DEVELOPMENT FOR SOFTWARE ENGINEERS
Week-long workshop offered through MIT's Short Programs.
COURSE SUMMARY
Digital games pose greater challenges than business software projects of similar scope due to complexities in prototyping, testing, and platform variability. Game developers are thus required to exercise more flexibility in software specifications and functionality. Professionals have to modify their approaches to design and team management while keeping abreast of broad changes to technology such as cloud computing, mobility, and tools.
January 2014
Push Button: “What is so special about the Arcade?”
MIT Game Lab researcher Todd Harper talks about the performative aspects of the arcade. How is playing games in public different than on home computers and consoles? What were the cultural aspects of the arcade and how did this affect the design and play of arcade video games? What parts of the arcade have followed us home now that consoles are the norm? Afterwards, MIT Game Lab staff will lead a workshop on the design of arcade games in the …
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Find out more »Push Button: Translating the Arcade for the Home
Nick Montfort, Director of MIT Trope Tank, will lecture on what happens when games originally designed for the arcade are ported to home consoles. This follows on his work in platform studies, which looks at the base hardware and software systems that are the foundation of computational expression and examines how the these elements intersect with the creative production of new media. Afterwards, MIT Game Lab staff will lead a workshop on the design of games outside of established game …
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Find out more »Push Button: From Crazy Otto to Ms. Pac-Man
Ms. Pac-Man was released in early 1982, so she turned thirty last year. Steve Golson, one of the original developers of Ms. Pac-Man at General Computer, will recount little-known stories about the creation of the game. How and why did it transform from Crazy Otto to Ms. Pac-Man? Using source code and graphics ROMs extracted from his 30-year-old 8" floppy archives, Steve will show the evolution of game play and character design. Part of the Push Button: Examining the Culture, …
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Find out more »Push Button: Co-Op Game Design & Arcade Aesthetics
MIT Game Lab Research Scientist Mikael Jakobsson talks with us about Co-Op Game Design. Designing for collaborative co-located gaming experiences offers many interesting possibilities but also challenges. What are the different ways of playing collaboratively and how can we think about design when the experience outcome is shared between two or more players? This talk will invite the participants to think through what the unique properties of local co-op gaming are and how we can mine these in our game …
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Find out more »May 2014
Cardboard Jam 2014
Join us the weekend of May 3 & 4 for Cardboard Jam. We will make non-digital games using simple materials: paper, pencil, cards, and board.
Find out more »June 2014
Playtest Best Practices Workshop
In this workshop, MIT Game Lab design staff Sara Verrilli and Rik Eberhardt will walk participants through best practices for getting useful data and feedback during board game playtest sessions.
Concepts covered include how to be a 'good' tester (as a game designer and as a 'naive' player), how to interact with your testers, and how to best analyze feedback received from testers.
Find out more »November 2014
Interactive Fiction Jam
We're hosting a game jam centered on Interactive Fiction! This is a great way to get started making narrative games if you've never done it before, or just to push yourself to make a game in a weekend if you're familiar with the IF genre!
Find out more »Girls Make Games — Boston Workshop!
Hosted by the MIT Game Lab Join us at Girls Make Games, Boston's first all girls game dev workshop that inspires girls to explore the world of video games. Girls Make Games Intro from LearnDistrict Inc. on Vimeo. Workshop Highlights Intro to Game Design, Art, and Programming Classes taught by professional game devs Price: $250 *financial aid available Dates: November 22-23 Ages: 9 - 15 Register online to attend.
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