Research
Notes
|
|
Taking Gamers to the Next Level
 When computer science professor John Clevenger “studies” a computer video game, he sees more than the Orcs battling humans for control in the World of Warcraft.
Instead the Sacramento State researcher recognizes the inner workings of a complex piece of machinery engineered by some of the most talented, creative and intelligent minds in the field of computer science today.
Long regarded in academia as the “Rodney Dangerfield” of the world of computer science, video game design deserves more respect, says Clevenger. “There is some serious stuff going on to make these games come alive. Our students want to learn about this field and become skilled enough to get jobs.”
Video computer games have already captured the attention of consumers—or gamers—who are always looking for the next “big” game. It is an industry with revenues estimated to be nearly $20 billion, beginning to rival Hollywood for a share of the entertainment dollar, Clevenger says.
A Sac State alum, he says that it is about time that game design took its rightful place as a serious area of academic study. Although most people only see the fun of the end result, plenty of advanced principles of computer science are at work. To design games, students must know about subjects ranging from advanced math to physics.
This fall the department of computer science will offer a new course devised by Clevenger on computer game design, “Computer Game Architecture and Implementation,” covering areas such as 3-D graphics, model creation and animation, and intellectual property issues.
“Game designers need to know about algorithm design, artificial intelligence, real-time programming and computer graphics, just to name a few areas,” Clevenger says. “To be successful in the field you have to make the game exciting, it has to have some sort of logic in how it is played, and it has to look good. And you need to advance the game play to a new level.
“There’s a new generation of games out there waiting to be born and they might come from some of our students,” Clevenger says. |
