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U of U hosts second video game design camp due to high demand

Posted at 9:13 PM, Aug 01, 2013
and last updated 2013-08-01 23:13:22-04

SALT LAKE CITY – The University of Utah hosted a video game design camp this week, and 21 middle school students toured video game studios, learned about game design and even tried their hand at coding.

The camp was taught by the entertainment arts engineering program, which is the number one program in the nation for video game design.

The camp was so widely popular that the U of U had to open a second camp for students. Graduate students said that as of now more than half of the digital media jobs in Utah are in the video game field.

The program teaches students about video games and the process behind making them. Teachers said the students come up with really interesting game ideas as their skills develop.

Student director Jake Muehle said the camp attendees have a wide range of ideas when it comes to games.

"It's a forced side-scroller, but within that, they can have whatever they want,” he said. “Kids are making anything from a bear in a river eating fish to a tank avoiding ninjas on a battlefield. So, just absolutely anything."

Enrollment for next summer’s video game camp will begin in February or March of 2014. Parents can download a free license of Game Maker: Studio for their children to experiment with game design and engineering by visiting this website.

For additional information about the class, email Luke Lavin at llavin@aoce.utah.edu