A great story on Monday evening's All Things Considered talked about the new way of learning to design video games. In days of old (what, 20 years ago?) most video game designers learned from other designers, a form of apprenticeship that we used to see 200 years ago here (and we still see in some forms...some hairstylists go through apprenticeships rather than attending cosmetology school, for instance).
(come read and listen to the complete story on NPR's website)
Passing down one generation's ideas to the next is certainly one means of teaching, but it has the effect of creating a "we do it this way because it's how we've always done it" culture. It creates a "universe" of ideas from which it's hard to break free. Without fresh perspectives from the outside it's hard for a firm to expand, or even survive. Government bureaucracies can get away with this kind of stovepiping, because it's almost impossible to get rid of them, but the same can't be said for your firm.
The idea presented in the ATC story was that by developing their skills in the university classroom rather than simply watching over an experienced designer's shoulder, the new game designers were encouraged to approach the field as an artistic endeavor rather than merely as a technical exercise. This has led to new types of games that use the same technology but in a different way, presenting a different message through the game. By offering up something nontraditional, these designers have the chance to reach new markets, attracting customers who would never play Grand Theft Auto but who might appreciate a more Zen-like video game experience.
Check out the story at the link above and see what you think. Should game design firms be looking only for university graduates? Should they stick to what they've traditionally done? How can they best mix theoretical or artistic education with practical technical training?
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