Starting a Simulation

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Starting a Simulation Game Development
Program
Farhad Javidi CPCC
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Evidence

• As we move further into the 21st century, it
  becomes evident that the future of industry,
  education and entertainment is one in which games
  and simulations play an increasingly important
  role in our society - one in which they change
  the way people live, work and play.  Leading
  analysts forecast that video and computer game
  software sales alone will soon surpass 40
  billion, and that the next generation of video
  game consoles may achieve household penetration
  rates approaching 70 percent, making them nearly
  as commonplace in American homes as video
  cassette recorders.

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Top Ten Game Industry Facts

• U.S. computer and video game software sales grew
  eight percent in 2003 to 7 billion a more than
  tripling of industry software sales since 1996.
• In 2003, more than 239 million computer and video
  games were sold, or almost two games for every
  household in America.
• Half of all Americans age six and older play
  computer and video games.
• The average age of a game player is 29 years old.
• The average game buyer is 36 years old. In 2003,
  94 percent of computer game buyers and 84 percent
  of console game buyers were over the age of 18.

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Top Ten Game Industry Facts

• Thirty-nine percent of game players are women.
• Eighty-five percent of all games sold in 2003
  were rated "E" for everyone or "T" for teen.
• Ninety-two percent of parents surveyed who have
  children under the age of 18 say they monitor the
  content of the interactive games their children
  play, and 55 percent of parents say they play
  interactive games with their kids at least once a
  month.
• Forty-three percent of game players say they play
  games online one or more hours per week, up from
  thirty-seven percent in 2003 and thirty-one
  percent in 2002.
• More than half of game players expect to be
  playing as much or more 10 years from now as they
  do today.

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From Entertainment to Education

• The gaming industry is being fueled by a
  generation of young people who have grown up on
  video games, making the crossover to training and
  other industries even more likely. As
  baby-boomers leave the workforce, the demographic
  changes dramatically with a shift toward
  employees who embrace electronic games
  intuitively, and who dont know a world without
  the Web.

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From Entertainment to Education

• The same technology and structural elements
  required for the development of a well-designed
  electronic game are also required for complex
  simulations used in a variety of experiential
  training programs. Many industries are now
  employing simulations because they have proven to
  be highly effective and cost effective.
  According to CPCCs IT Division Director, Tom
  Idema, While one quickly associates simulation
  and games with video games, perhaps its biggest
  impact is beginning to be seen in other fields
  such as medicine, manufacturing, energy and
  defense. Simulations are now created for
  surgeries, manufacturing methods, energy systems
  and defense training that includes the pilot in
  the cockpit as well as the soldier on the ground
  using virtual reality to enhance his abilities in
  urban combat situations.

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Demand for Professionals

• According to the Entertainment Software
  Association, the game development industry is an
  11 billion per year industry 2002, and trained
  developers and animation experts are highly
  sought after. The Bureau of Labor Statistics
  ranks software engineering 1 out of the top 25
  fastest-growing occupations. Annual salaries for
  Art/Animation Specialist, Simulation/Game Design,
  Audio/Video Specialist and Level Design positions
  can range from the high 40,000's to around
  70,000 after one or two years of experience.
  Annual salaries for Programming positions can
  range from the high 50,000's to around 110,000
  after one or two years of experience.

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Current Similar Academic Programs

• Currently, no such program exists in North
  Carolina. The nearest post-secondary institution
  offering such a program is located in Florida.

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Simulation Game Development

• This new initiative at CPCC is being led by
  program chair, Farhad Javidi, who has developed
  the initial courses currently being taught, and
  the AAS degree program that is now awaiting state
  approval. A national advisory committee composed
  of game industry professionals is currently
  forming, and is assisting in guiding the design
  and development of the curriculum.

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Target Markets

• Entertainment Industry, Engineering, Health Care
  Industry, Forensics, Education, NASA, etc.

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Sample SGD Jobs

• IT Purchasing Systems Analyst
• Senior Tools Programmer
• Reports and Tools Programmer
• Audio Manager
• Public Relations Assistant
• Quality Assurance Assistant Manager
• Game Support Lead Game Master
• Senior Graphics Programmer
• Foreign Language Game Tester
• Compatibility Assistant Manager
• Account Services Representative
• Senior Server Programmer
• Network Operations Manager
• Oracle Database Administrator
• Web Designer

• Oracle Database Administrator
• Level Design and Build
• Network Engineer
• 3D Graphics Engineer
• Scripter
• Designer
• Game Tester
• Animator
• Concept Artist/UI HUD
• Engine Support/Documentation Manager
• FX Artist
• High-Res Modeler
• Internet Services Programmer
• Japanese Technical Translator/Customer Liaison
• Production Assistant
• Programmers
• Texture/Concept Artists

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Job TitlesThe Simulation/Game Designer

• Simulation/game designers decide what the
  simulation/game will actually do. They decide on
  the theme, objectives and rules of play. Most
  development teams have a lead simulation/game
  designer who is responsible for the overall
  concept and feel of the simulation/game. Design
  team members work with artists and programmers to
  develop the lead simulation/game designers
  vision into a working reality. Simulation/game
  designers work closely with their team. Their
  work involves brainstorming, collaboration, and
  repeated revisions. Designers organize their
  ideas by writing short scripts or narratives and
  by sketching storyboards to describe the
  sequential action of the simulation/game.
• Simulation/Game Designer
• Level Designer
• Interface/Navigation Designer
• Interaction Designer

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Job TitlesThe Simulation/Game Artist

• Simulation/game artists are responsible for the
  look and feel of the simulation/game. Artists
  develop a consistent look and style for the
  simulation/game through the creation of the
  characters, environments, graphic effects and
  menu interfaces. Common roles within the artistic
  team include character modeling and animation,
  background modeling, textures and conceptual
  design.
• Concept Artist
• Technical Artist
• Character Artist
• Environment Artist
• Vehicle Artist
• Animator
• Level Artist

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Job TitlesThe Simulation/Game Programmer

• Simulation/game programmers turn the fanciful
  visions of the designers into reality by planning
  and writing the simulation/game software. The
  programmers translate the design and artistic
  teams work into mathematical equations that the
  computer understands. Simulation/game programmers
  control the speed of the simulation/game as well
  ensure the proper placement of art and sound
  within the action. As the technical experts of
  the simulation/game, programmers are faced with
  the challenge of optimizing and managing the
  project schedule, cost, quality of the code and
  player satisfaction.
• Simulation/Game Programmer
• Senior Simulation/Game Programmer
• Simulation/Game Database Programmer
• Render Programmer
• Audio Programmer
• Animation Programmer
• AI Programmer
• Simulation/Game Engine Programmer
• Mobile Programmer
• On-line/Network Simulation/Game Programmer

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Job TitlesThe Simulation/Game Tester

• Many young simulation/gamers dream of a career as
  a simulation/game tester because they get to play
  simulation/games for a living! In reality, the
  job of a simulation/game tester involves much
  more than merely playing. Testers work closely
  with the programmers throughout the development
  process to ensure the code is bug-free and play
  each part of the final simulation/game to find
  errors in the simulation/game before the final
  product is shipped to stores. In addition to
  reporting their findings, testers are often
  responsible for determining solutions to the
  problems they discover.
• Simulation/Game Tester
• Quality Assurance Analyst

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Other Job Titles

• The Simulation/Game Engineer
• Network Engineer
• Software Engineer
• Audio Engineer
• The Simulation/Game Manager
• Simulation/Game Producer
• Simulation/Game Project Manager
• Art Director
• Creative Director
• Technical Director
• The Simulation/Game Marketer
• Simulation/Game Marketer
• Designers/Creators
• Artists
• Programmers
• Sound Engineers

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Where are we going?

• Establish a Simulation and Game Development
  program as part of the Information Technology
  division.
• CPCC will offer a two-year degree and several
  certifications for those individuals pursuing a
  career in Simulation and Game development.
• The programs core will consist of Information
  Technology courses in Simulation and Game
  Development.
• This program is not offered at any college or
  university in North Carolina therefore, the
  program will need to be created from scratch.

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Where are we going?

• Students will acquire a combination of skills in
  Object-Oriented Systems, C/Java/ActiveX/OpenGL/L
  ingo Programming, 2D and 3D Character/Scene
  Drawing and Graphics, Perspective, 2D and 3D
  Design, 2D and 3D Animation, Lighting/Texture/Scen
  e/Gesture Design, Color Theory, Anatomy, Motion
  Mapping, Character/Scene Modeling, Level Design,
  Game Play Design, Scriptwriting, Storyboarding,
  Prototyping, Network/On-Line/Wireless/Mobile/Pocke
  t PC Design and Programming, Math/Physics/Geometry
  /Physiology/Kinesiology, Audio/Video Development,
  Virtual Reality. Students will also learn the
  importance of creating portfolios that reflect
  their knowledge of the industry.
• Approximate cost to start the program is 350,000.

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CPCCs Innovation vs Costs

• Staying current with new technologies and
  applications presents significant challenges to a
  community college. Identifying the latest,
  greatest new development of the day that will
  actually be here tomorrow is a moving target.
  Funding issues can be daunting for some new
  technologies, there are sometimes cumbersome
  approval processes to navigate, and an almost
  continual process of required faculty training
  and re-training. However, the return on
  investment for being early adopters is
  significant being able to offer relevant IT
  training to increasing numbers of students, even
  in down times. The Information Technology
  Division at Central Piedmont Community College
  has a tradition of innovation and has
  aggressively pursued the new, high-demand
  technologies and creative applications. These new
  technologies are not just the latest hot item,
  but have passed the litmus test of being
  industry-critical. With the increasing pace of
  change evident in most information technology
  sectors, it is necessary for community colleges
  to be responsive and quickly adopt new programs.
  Getting these new programs to market (into
  classroom curriculum) more quickly than the
  competition is the goal, and minimizing the
  inherent risks is a critical step along the way.

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Simulation Game Development

• The most recent example of an innovative program
  is Simulation and Game Development, a new
  Associate in Applied Science Degree Program being
  developed at CPCC. Since the early 1970s when
  the first video game Pong was invented followed
  by the infamous Pac-Man, the game industry has
  taken advantage of enormous technological
  innovations and phenomenal increases in
  processing power to produce increasingly
  sophisticated game environments. The modern-day
  video game industry took shape in 1985, when
  Nintendo introduced the eight-bit Nintendo
  Entertainment System (NES). Soon thereafter, the
  16-bit Sega Genesis was launched, followed by
  Super NES. In the early 1990s, the PC game
  business surged with the introduction of CD-ROMs,
  falling prices for multimedia PCs and the
  introduction of high-level 3D graphics cards. In
  1995-1996, Sony PlayStation and Nintendo 64
  launched a new generation of video game consoles.
  In 1999 and 2000, the computer and video game
  industry reached unparalleled heights with the
  introduction of new video game consoles. Segas
  Dreamcast was the first 128-bit console and
  Sonys PlayStation 2, with its 300-MHz processor,
  allowed users to not only play games, but also
  watch DVDs and listen to audio CDs.

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Justification

• The decision to invest scarce College resources
  in any new instructional initiative must be based
  on hard data that establish realistic demand
  projections for training and for analysis of the
  job market that will justify delivering
  well-trained students into this particular niche
  of the industry. Interactive games, little more
  than a curiosity twenty years ago, are now one of
  the most popular forms of entertainment and a
  pervasive component of global culture. The
  simulation and game industry has a world market
  value of 26 billion and is expected to grow to
  36 billion by 2007. Mr. Javidi states that,
  according to the Entertainment Software
  Association, sales of computer and video game
  software and hardware reached 10 billion last
  year. Furthermore, games are increasingly being
  played on PDAs and other hand held devices, as
  well as on mobile phones and consoles. According
  to NPD Interactive Entertainment Service, the
  gross income of games and interactive media
  exceeded for the first time in history the movie
  industry in 2002. It is expected that the
  interactive game business will swallow the
  movie business and they will become one and the
  same the fusion of art and science. Even if one
  looks at the gaming industry itself, the
  robustness of its prospects are impressive, but
  the simulation and game industry is expanding
  into other arenas, where the potential for growth
  is even greater.

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Program Planning Process Notification
Date of Notification October 1, 2004
Central Piedmont Community
College intends to initiate a planning process
for Simulation and Game Development. The
planning process is expected to be completed by
February 2005 with program implementation in Fall
2005. The anticipated area to be served by this
program is the Charlotte-Mecklenburg region..
Any college interested in participating in the
feasibility study and planning process should
respond to Farhad Javidi at farhad.javidi_at_cpcc.edu
by November 15, 2004. Invitations to a planning
meeting will be sent to all responding
colleges. Dr. Tony Zeiss President Central
Piedmont Community College Tony.Zeiss_at_cpcc.edu
Phone [phone] Fax [phone]
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Sample SGD Courses

• Introduction to SGD
• Figure Drawing I
• Figure Drawing II
• Animation
• 3D Design and Modeling
• 3D Animation
• 3D Modeling Tools
• Level Design
• Scene and Lighting Design
• MOD Development
• Game Production and Documentation
• Audio/Video for Game Development
• Character Development
• Scriptwriting
• Acting Movement
• Storyboarding
• Anatomy for SGD
• Sculpturing for SGD
• Math and Physics for SGD

Physiology/Kinesiology for SGD Psychology for
SGD C and Advanced C DirectX and OpenGL for
SGD Philosophy and Ethics SGD Project Multiplayer
Game Programming Wireless Game Programming Network
/On-line Game Programming Linux Game
Programming Palm/Pocket PC Game Programming Java
Game Programming Flash MX Game Programming Artific
ial Intelligence Virtual Reality Path finding
Algorithms Lighting and Shading Algorithms Level
Design II 3d Animation II 3D Design II
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Sample Course Descriptions

• Introduction to Simulation and Game Development
  This course provides an introduction to the
  field of game development. Topics include game
  design, game concepts, setting, storytelling and
  narrative, character design, interface design,
  game play, internal economy and core mechanics,
  game genres, AI in games, on-line games, effects
  of games on society and other fields, the
  psychology of games and careers in game
  development.
• Figure Drawing This course is an introduction to
  rendering the human figure and will focus around
  drawing from the life model, addressing
  representations of the human figure and the human
  figure as the subject for drawing. Students will
  learn the history of life drawing, the structure
  and function of the human skeleton and
  musculature through lecture, research,
  demonstration and discussion. Students learn how
  to draw the human figure in action and repose
  through intensive studio practice. Attention will
  be given to an understanding of volumetric
  description and underlying structure of the human
  form.
• 3D Design and ModelingThis course will explore
  the principles of design as applied to
  three-dimensional form and space and introduces
  the student to industry standard 3D animation
  tools used to bring their models and objects to
  life using 3D Studio Max. Areas of emphasis
  include keyframing, motion paths, function curves
  and graphs, animated parameters and modifiers and
  animated hierarchies.

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Sample Course Descriptions

• MOD DevelopmentThis course challenges the
  students to create their own original game
  modification based on a current 3d engine.
  Working in groups, students will create original
  levels, characters and animations for a real-time
  multiplayer game.
• Game Production and DocumentationThis course
  introduces the techniques and methods of creating
  a production document and a design document.
  Students will work through production
  documentation issues including scheduling,
  production plans, marketing and budgeting. The
  design document is the actual premise for the
  game. Students will create a game design document
  that describes all aspects of the game, which
  then could be used in the game production class.
• Audio/Video for Game DevelopmentThis course will
  develop the students understanding of the
  purpose and impact of sound in a production
  environment. Students will explore the techniques
  necessary to produce and edit sound for multiple,
  digital mediums. Students will also explore the
  basic fundamentals of sound theory, composition
  and engineering.

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Sample Course Descriptions

• Character DevelopmentThe class develops the
  students ability to create a fictional
  personality for use in digital video, animation
  or game. Stock characters, stereotypes,
  archetypes and allegory will be explored as a
  means for developing character attributes. Topics
  include the study of the elements of character,
  how to develop background, and character voice.
  Particular emphasis will be placed on the context
  of the character and how the character will be
  used (e.g. what differentiates game characters
  from counterparts in film and literature).
• ScriptwritingThis course is an introduction to
  writing for the screen (digital video, animation
  and/or game). Topics will include plot
  development, format, three-act structure, genre,
  dialogue, voice, scope, and context (how
  screenplays are shaped by political, social, and
  economic forces). An emphasis will be placed on
  developing and defining each student's individual
  style and personal themes. The goal of this class
  is for students to write a solid final draft of a
  short screenplay. Handouts, film/tv clips and in
  class projects will be used to provide insight
  into the craft of storytelling as well as the
  process of writing itself.
• Acting Movement This course introduces the
  student to the basic principles of acting and
  stage movement. Topics include terminology used
  by directors, exercises in voice projection,
  rhythm and alignment. Techniques for
  memorization, concentration and relaxation will
  be explored. Monologues and short scenes may be
  performed and critiqued.

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Sample Course Descriptions

• 3D AnimationThis course introduces the student
  to industry standard 3D animation tools used to
  bring their models and objects to life using
  Maya. Areas of emphasis include keyframing,
  motion paths, function curves and graphs,
  animated parameters and modifiers and animated
  hierarchies.
• Level DesignLevel Design 1 will introduce
  students to the tools used to create levels for
  real-time games. The course will incorporate
  level design and architecture theory, modeling
  for a 3d engine, and texturing methods such as
  photo manipulation and digital painting.
• Scene and Lighting DesignThis course introduces
  the student to the theories and techniques used
  in lighting and scene design when creating a
  setting for digital video, animation or game
  projects. Script analysis and interpretation may
  be used to teach the principles of style, form
  and balance in scene design. Lighting subjects
  include the psychological effects of light and
  color. Students will be introduced to the basic
  lighting elements of visibility, selective focus,
  modeling and imparting mood to a scene.

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Process

• College Approval
• Founding
• Advisory Board
• Planning and Research Process
• New Degree Application
• New Course Form
• Meet Deadlines
• Training Faculty

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Simulation

• What they call Serious Games, Educational
  Arcade or Game-based Learning, we simply call
  Simulation.

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Henry Ford Health System

• Dr. Mani Menon used a new, high-tech operating
  room to beam a prostate surgery to 1,500 doctors
  at the World Congress on Endourology in Mumbai,
  India.

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Simulations Engage, Educate, Illustrate
Perspective and Introduce Alternatives

• Simulations pull the jury into the scene and
  allow them to experience the incident firsthand.
  With the aid of a computer simulation, the
  expert's testimony is transformed from an
  abstract, oral presentation into a visual
  experience that jurors can relate to on an
  intellectual and, often times, emotional level.
• Simulations allow experts to communicate complex,
  technical processes to non-technical juries. With
  such visual tools, the expert not only educates,
  but interprets the complex as well. When juries
  are able to clearly understand and relate to the
  issues of the case, they are better able to keep
  their attention focused on the facts and make
  informed decisions.
• Simulations illustrate the incident from multiple
  viewing angles such as top-down and side views.
  They also communicate more abstract information
  such as reaction time more effectively than with
  verbal descriptions.
• Simulations explore alternative, or "what if",
  scenarios - they demonstrate the jury what the
  outcome of the situation could have been. They
  demonstrate how a life could have been saved had
  the proper safeguards been in place.

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Vision Representations Pilot
This vision representation shows how the world
looks through the eyes of a pilot who has
suffered complications after eye
surgery. Original image representing the pilot's
vision on the job before surgery - shown left.
  This is how the pilot sees the same image
after surgery. This pilot can
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Vision Representations, Double Vision
The images below represent the vision of a person
who suffers double vision due to a head injury.
In this case, both an eye chart and a typical
nighttime scene was used to demonstrate the
visual experience caused by this person's
condition.
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• Questions?
• Comments?