The Art of Gaming

6 week courses start Tuesday 7th Jan

The gaming industry is booming and there are no signs of that changing as technological advances mean that virtual worlds are becoming an ever present and exciting part of our lives.
A whole generation has now grown up with the opportunities to digitally create and learn in the palm of their hands.

But what makes a good game?
This courses focuses on creative processes of game design from concept development, to character art and animation. We will look at what makes certain games so popular by exploring storytelling, characters, adventure and escapism.

We will dive into the history of video games and classic games of the past, the different genres that exist and how the way we have played has changed. We will also look to the future and think about what gaming might look like 20 years from now.

Please note this course will be art and design focused and we may touch on coding but the main projects will be based on creative art + design techniques.

We will be playing games in the Submarine studios using our large screen and projector, creating an immersive environment where students can present the games they love. From Tetris and Super Mario to Minecraft or Roblox. What kind of games do you want to design?

The technology is available to everyone to build games but can we create the ideas that will make them good.

Introduction Course 4-5.30 (9-12 yr)
Projects will include:

Concepts
Creating a simple hand drawn game concept and making it playable.

Character Design
Hero’s and Villains - What makes a great rivalry. Mario and Bowser, Sonic and Dr Robotnik, Link, Zelda and Ganon. We will design a hero and a villain character of our own. (using hand drawn and digital art techniques)

Pixel Worlds
Creating pixel art, backgrounds and settings for your characters - learn how to layer assets and create a scrolling background.

Storytelling
Understanding how to write and link up an interactive story.

Animation
Learn how to apply movement to characters and make them move within a space - (using Procreate and Procreate Dreams apps)

Gameplay
Create your own game using Pixicade app. Bring your own game idea to life and play them together.

Advanced Course 6.30-8pm (10-14 yrs)
Projects will include:

Suitable for students progressing from introduction class or with some basic experience of coding.

2D game concept creation
Introduction to Gamemaker software
Creating character and background assets
Animating assets
Basic coding and game building
Interactive Storytelling

All games we play or explore will be age appropriate.

Each group will have its own online gallery page where they can download and share all the digital work they create.

All equipment and materials included.
Students will receive digital prints of their best work and can take away all completed projects.

Submarine Terms of Service

VENUE: SUBMARINE

36 HENDERSON ROW, EDINBURGH

Class Dates: Jan - April 2025

Tuesday 7th Jan
Tuesday 14th Jan
Tuesday 21st Jan
Tuesday 28th Jan
Tuesday 4th Feb
Half term (no class)
Tuesday 18th Feb