As part of a collaboration with Prep School Consulting, we at STEAM Bot Workshop are offering a 9 week course split into 3 weeks of teaching the fundamentals of CAD programming and 4 weeks of teaching game design with Unity, and finally 2 weeks of students presenting their finalized work for a chance to earn a $1,000 cash prize and have their game launched on apple and google stores!

We use the popularity of video games to inspire students to develop professional skills in programming, computer graphics, creative storytelling, and project management.  We provide a unique blend of traditional lectures and discussions with hands-on projects that give students a taste of state-of-the-art video game development.

This truly multidisciplinary program is designed for students aged 12-18 who are interested in computer science, engineering, visual art, graphic design, and/or storytelling. 

Programming and CAD Fundamentals

In the first three weeks of the program, class instruction consists of daily lectures and workshops centered on crucial skills needed to build a video game. Topics include Programming in Unity, 2D art, 3D art, project management, storytelling, game design, animation, and sound design/music composition. These topics all receive equal weight. Homework is assigned in every class, and the instructors evaluate the homework and give detailed and comprehensive feedback.

Collaborative Projects

Over the following four weeks of the program, each student team builds their own popular video game Asteroid Shooter. Students will learn the basics of 3D game creation, including use of models, coordinates in 3 dimensions and scripting. Scripting will be done in the C# programming language.  Students will create a game in the popular Unity editor. 

 In this project, the teams are selected by the faculty to maximize each student’s potential for success based on our observations of their performance. This game is an all-original idea, playable on a PC or Mac, designed to become a portfolio piece, that the student could use in the private school or college admission process. This project begins with a pitch process where the team presents three ideas to the faculty. One is selected and the team builds it from scratch, using the expertise they acquired in their classwork combined again with daily hands-on mentoring by the faculty.

Presentation and Competition

During the last two weeks of the program, the team will finalize the game and present it to the faculty in a competition.  Students are taught the business and legal knowledge as well as the presentation skills necessary to pursue funding and/or a publishing deal for their games. Faculty will pick the best student team and publish the games that can be played on Microsoft Windows or Mac OSX.

FAQ:

• Is there any specific software program needed? 

              In the program, students will need to install 2 online programs (no extra cost)

• • • Autodesk Fusion 360 (free to students)
    • Unity (Free)

• Is there any specific supply needed for this program?

              Each student will need a working laptop.

• Is Asteroid the game all students are designing?

              Yes. Asteroid is a space-themed multidirectional shooter game, dated back to 1979. It is one of the most classic golden age arcade games.  Modern variations of this game are still in high demand. Working off this classic game will allow students to fully utilize the skills they are acquiring through this program, instead of being distracted coming up with original gaming ideas.

• What are the criterias for the competitions?

              The judges will evaluate students’ projects from the following aspects:

• • • Professional settings in the design
    • Imaginations in the design
    • Ability to follow instructions
    • Teamwork spirit 
    • Presentation

Teacher Bio:

Brian Buckley 

has had the honor of coaching a Vex IQ Robotics team all the way to the world championships. Before becoming a STEAM educator, he worked at a major aerospace company for 12 years, where he wrote software that helped qualify ion engines for spaceflight.  Now he's excited to share his enthusiasm for science and technology with his students.  

Adrian Cecilio Castellon

has been active in the VEX U robotics competition for the last 6 years. He has led the CSUN robotics team to the VEX World Championship 6 years in a row. Some of his work is designing housing for gears, connections for structures, and parts to integrate sensors. 

Aside from his background in design he also has a passion for teaching. He has been mentoring multiple robotics high school and middle school teams to the VEX State Championship and World Championship.