Can you write a little code but want to use your new-found powers to make awesome videogames? Or, are you already using graphical tools to make games and want to get into programming them too? No idea where to start?
Start here! Game Dev 102 is a one-day intermediate games development course that gets to grips with all the tools and skills you’ll need to dive into programming your own videogames.
About the course
This course is an intermediate level series of practical hands-on mini lessons, which focuses on creating games right in the browser using pure JavaScript and the amazing Phaser games framework. Firstly we’ll be learning how to quickly get things moving (and exploding!) using nothing but JavaScript, a text editor and a can-do attitude. Following this we’ll get a little deeper and start to explore the amazing Phaser games framework – using real examples of the games we all know and love to get into what makes a really fun videogame really sing. This course is also highly flexible, and open entirely to fun tangents and directions that we as a group would like to explore.
The overall aim of the course is to give attendees a quick and effective jump-start to games programming and design concepts – although we’re using JavaScript, these lessons and concepts apply absolutely everywhere.
This course starts at 10:00am and finishes at 5:00pm. Lunch is served at 12:30pm.
Who is this course for?
This course is suitable for:
- Confident beginner to intermediate coders – if you’ve been through Codecademy or a few workshops and want to use your knowledge for videogames, this is the course for you!
- Established programmers who wish to use their powers for games development instead of boring stuff.
- Anyone who has completed Gamedev 101 and wants to get into programming properly.
The course is aimed at adults, but will be suitable for many younger people too (under 14s must be accompanied by an adult).
Equipment you’ll need
Please bring a laptop computer with Windows, Linux or OSX installed. If you don’t have access to a computer please let us know in advance so we can arrange one for you.
As we’re using nice cross-platform and web technologies, all you’ll need installed is:
- Google Chrome (or any modern web browser)
- The Atom text editor (https://atom.io/)
As this is a one-day course, and we want to spend as much of it as possible making lovely videogames, it would be helpful if you can install this stuff in advance, but if you struggle, we can get you up and running on the day.
All other lesson content will be provided on the day, and includes a huge collection of license-free video game assets from kenny.nl that attendees can use in their own future creations.
Cost
The cost is £120 (inclusive of VAT). This covers:
- One day of tuition
- Lunch and refreshments
We have a limited number of bursary places available on this course for a reduced rate of £80. These are open to people who are underemployed, unemployed or full-time students. Please contact us (details below) for more information.
Booking your place
For your convenience, we offer a number of ways to book:
- Book via Eventbrite
- Invoice or PayPal – by phoning 0161 839 6324 or emailing office@madlab.org.uk
- Payment by cheque – made out to MadLab CIC, and sent to MadLab 36-40 Edge Street, Manchester M4 1HN
- We also accept card payments in person
Please find MadLab’s Cancellation Policy here.
Your Tutor
Dan is a BAFTA award-winning creative technologist, digital artist and games developer from Manchester. After spending three years working for BBC Children’s and then a year in BBC Research & Development, Dan now works as a creative tech gun-for-hire, building big interesting things with code and technology that people can play with, make stuff with, or dance in front of. When he’s not doing that, by night he’s also a performing live visual artist, creating eye-melting improvised live visuals for concerts, festivals and beyond – most recently via the Algorave movement, and regularly at chiptune and electronica shows, most notably doing headline visuals at last year’s Superbyte Festival.
He’s also an experienced technical educator and serial hack event organiser – he instigated the Manchester Game Jam which still runs today, and also teaches Gamedev 101 courses as well as regular digital creativity workshops and all sorts in between. Dan has previously spoken for the likes of Resonate, Reasons To Be Creative, BLAB, Code Mesh, and countless others.
