Arts, Journalism, and Computer Science:: Collaborations that advance our community

Abstract

Successful interactive experiences often combine the specific talents of many fields to produce the best possible visual design, psychology of play, and a development process that supports both of these [Maxim, 2006]. This is the standard in professional game production, but it is often difficult to replicate this cross-disciplinary experience for students at the academic level. A host of issues due to siloed departments, semester time restraints, entrenched mindsets, and others unique to academia often present themselves [Wolz et al., 2007]. Programs that focus on game production are in a unique situation to build bridges between subjects that normally do not interact within the academy. This talk explores the initiation, development, and expansion of two upper level courses that merged to provide students this type of cross disciplinary experience.