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SCMP Reporter

In March, the City University of Hong Kong will run a course on computer game development, aiming to provide formal training for those interested in joining the field.

This will be the second time the course has been held since its introduction last year.

According to course co-ordinator Wilson Yuen, a lecturer at division of computer studies, Hong Kong has progressed in game development at a much slower pace than many other countries.

'Courses were offered by universities in the United States years ago for people to develop into professional game developers.

'In Hong Kong, many parents feel reluctant to pay high university school fees just for their children to enrol in courses such as writing game programs,' Mr Yuen said.

He said that such a conservative attitude to education prejudiced many parents against their children considering games as a career.

The course, claiming to be the first of its kind in Hong Kong, was designed to provide technical training for people with knowledge in computer programming and languages such as C, C++ or Java.

Students will be taught script writing and how to add graphic sound effects to two- or three-dimensional computer games.

Mr Yuen said the university provided a motion capture system - which cost HK$3 million - for use on the course.

Animators using the camera attach reflective balls to a live model's body and this enables the camera to track and aid digital mapping of natural human motion.

The individual approach helps developers make game characters more realistic and to move smoothly.

'The course will cover all the basic knowledge in writing computer games. Students are required to hand in a computer game developed by themselves as the final project,' Mr Yuen said.

Compared with the course provided by Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Mr Yuen said City University would concentrate more on technical training, while PolyU's course had more emphasis on the academic side.

About 30 people enrolled in the course last year and some have gone on to become full-time game developers.



Virtual fun in store at CityU course for developers