The Academy for Game Design

Teens:Academy for Game Design  

Design your own game using Autodesk® Maya® 2013

Receive one-on-one instruction from experienced instructors

See your own levels and characters come to life using Maya® and the Unreal™ Development Kit

Your career as a 3D character artist or digital designer begins here

Learn Game Design using Maya® and the Unreal™ Game Engine

Serious about video games? Are you interested in a career in game art and design? Then two exciting and immersive weeks at the Digital Media Academy for Game Design summer camp are for you! Campers are guided through the process of game design by seasoned professionals, all while using industry-standard game-development tools. Learn modeling and texture-mapping essentials by creating your own video game characters and environments, utilizing the same techniques that industry pros now use! All students have the opportunity to load their character into the Unreal Engine™ and play in a professional game environment.

This academy also includes project planning, critical thinking and group problem-solving and is a great experience for any tech-oriented problem-solver interested in high-level game development.

What You’ll Learn: Academy for Game Design

Course Content Software Used
• How to develop a 3D environment in Maya®
• How to take 3D from concept (using illustrated and photo reference) to completion
• The basics of Autodesk® Maya® 2013 for environmental design
• Techniques for low-polygon modeling and optimizing poly count for games
• Texture creation using Adobe® Photoshop®
• Low-polygon modeling techniques for 3D creature/character design
• High-detail sculpting techniques with Autodesk® Mudbox®
• Character unwrapping and texture mapping
• How to prepare and rig characters for the Unreal™ game engine

Digital Media Academy may slightly vary curriculum to better fit the needs/expertise level of a given class.

Who Should Attend: Academy for Game Design
Ages 13–17 | Beginner – Advanced | No Previous Programming Experience Required

Spark the imagination of a gamer with a behind-the-scenes look at how games are made. For anyone considering an artistic career in the video-game industry or interested in learning more about game design. If you want to become a 3D character artist or digital designer, this is the perfect place to start.

Related Courses: You May Also Be Interested In…

Course Title Quick Description Duration
3D Game Creation: Level Design with Unreal Engine Create new worlds as a videogame designer 1 Week
3D Game Creation:  Character Design and Modding with Unreal Engine Create your own 3D video game characters 1 Week
Academy for Game Programming Learn Python, C++ and Microsoft Visual Studio® 2 Weeks
Introduction to Game Programming with Python Bring games to life with powerful programming code 2 Week

Questions about a course or additional weeks at DMA? Ready to register? Please call 866.656.3342 for more information and to speak with a Guest Experience Representative.

2013 Fees & Additional Options: Academy for Game Design

Options Price Duration Meals
Tuition $1,995 2 Weeks, Mon-Fri Lunch not included
Lunch Plan (for non-residential students) add $90 or $130* 2 Weeks, Mon-Fri 10 lunches
Residential Program – Dorm (shared room) add $1,020 2 Weeks, Sun-Fri (weekend add’l) 3 meals/day
Residential Program (Harvard/ UCLA) add $1,620 2 Weeks, Sun-Fri (weekend add’l) 3 meals/day
Stanford Continuing Studies Credit add $180 8 Quarter Units NA

*Depending on location.
To view all options, including weekend stays, visit our Options & Fees page.   

2 Weeks   |   Ages 13–17   |   Beg – Adv

“High-quality teaching with high-quality equipment.”
— Nilo, DMA Game Design Student

2013 Locations & Dates

  • GWU

  • Jul 08-19

  • UBC

  • Jul 29-Aug 09

  • UCSD

  • Jul 29-Aug 09

  • Yale

  • Jul 29-Aug 09