Game Design Challenge: You’ve Just Got Two Students and a Microphone

Have you ever wanted to make a video game but didn’t know where to start? This class will provide the tools and instruction required to create what we’re calling a ‘one-button audio game’. Students in the class will work in pairs to create one game using an engine created at the Singapore-MIT GAMBIT Game Lab codenamed ‘Click to Speak’. As part of the challenge, the games are audio only and only using sounds produced with a simple microphone.

The class is scheduled to run for two weeks. Each week consists of 6 hours of lecture and guided work time, with 3 or more additional hours of lab time. Topics covered in lectures include: game design, writing dialog for games, designing characters and themes, recording audio, and developing for the one-button audio game engine, ‘Click to Speak’. The games will be featured and available for download from the GAMBIT website at the end of the two weeks (but the students will own the work created).

Participants should be Freshmen or Sophomores at MIT, Harvard, or Wellesley who are interested in designing games but have not yet had the chance to do so. No programming experience is required. Lecture 11am to 1pm/Lab 2pm to 4pm.