Online Video Game Development, Design Courses Now Available
Expanding industry offers potential job seekers with above average, entry-level salaries.
Fort Worth, Texas (PRWEB via PR Web
Direct) April 21, 2005 -- The Game Institute and Gatlin Education Services announced today their partnership in
providing online video game development courses to institutions of higher
learning across the country.
These video game development courses are
designed to give those interested in the rapidly expanding video game industry
the skills necessary to seek employment in that, and a number of related
professions, including general computing (corporate applications, databases, web
applications), entertainment media development (3D computer animation for film
and video), engineering applications (computer-aided manufacturing, robotics,
simulations), and emerging technologies (artificial intelligence,
biotechnology).
“The videogame industry is a multi-billion dollar global
business that is growing rapidly,” Joe Meenaghan, president of the Game
Institute, said. “Giving students the opportunity to take rigorous coursework
through the Game Institute will open doors for them into this emerging
industry.”
Prior to its partnership with the Game Institute, Gatlin Education offered the 3ds Max certification program, a
course geared towards the design, development, and animation of 3D video game
characters.
CEO Stephen Gatlin believes the combination of his current
course offerings and the new programs provides interested students with a
well-rounded source for video game training.
“We seek to be at the
forefront of technology in education,” Gatlin said. “Working in such a rapidly
developing industry requires up to date courses, which we are proud to
provide.”
According to the Interactive Digital Software Association
(IDSA), 45 percent of the American population (145 million people) plays video
games, which places those who can develop creative, state of the art concepts at
a fast and reliable pace in high demand.
A survey to be published in the
April issue of Game Developer magazine states that the average annual salary for
entry level videogame programmers is $54,300, much higher than that of most
entry level occupations.
Since seventy two percent of users claim they
play because games are challenging and stimulating, staying on top of consumer
demand is important when training new developers.
“The leap in required
knowledge from competent general-purpose coder to games coder has grown
significantly,” Alex Tchernychov, independent game developer said in a review of
the institute’s programs. “The Game Institute provides a serious advantage with
a focused curriculum and an attention to detail.”
Game Institute courses are
developed by experts in the fields of computer science and interactive
entertainment, many of which have developed successful commercial game titles,
authored best-selling industry textbooks, or taught at the graduate or
undergraduate level.
Courses are constantly being added to ensure that
the latest techniques and product releases are represented. Several academic
partners offer college credit for institute courses.
“Game programming is
hard work, but if you can program games, you can program anything,” Meenaghan
said. “Our courses teach the hard stuff in a fun and engaging way. Our students
appreciate the value of challenging coursework. They come away confident that
their training is state-of-the-art and industry relevant.”
Gatlin Education Services is the largest provider of
asynchronous web-based, instructor-supported training to colleges and
universities. GES open-enrollment programs are designed to provide the skills
necessary to acquire professional caliber positions for many in-demand
occupations.
For more information on Gatlin Education Services, visit http://www.gatlineducation.com. Direct media inquiries to
Sandy Bell at 972-934-2850 or e-mail protected from spam
bots.
Contact:
Sandy Bell
Gatlin Education
Services
972-934-2850
Fax: 972.934.2870
http://www.gatlineducation.com
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Source : http://www.prweb.com/releases/2005/4/prweb232021.htm