With smart phones on the rise and applications gaining popularity, a young program at Western Piedmont Community College may provide local students the chance to create the next Angry Birds.
The simulation and game development — SGD — associate’s degree in applied science prepares graduates for jobs or careers as independent contractors, artists, video programmers, game and sound design, game testers and producers.
Combined with the digital effects and animation technology — DEAT — associate’s degree in applied science program, students should be able to design and implement games and animated projects, program coordinator and instructor Jonathan Crumpler said.
The SGD program launched in 2009, while the DEAT program launched in 2003, and some students have already seen success, Crumpler said.
SGD student Michael Curtis just added his video game “Doorways” to the iPhone and iPad App Store.
A logic puzzle, the goal of the game is to open the door found on each level, Curtis said. Gamers have to find items hidden in the level to open the door.
The game went up Thursday night and by Friday afternoon 500 users had downloaded it, Curtis said. He hopes to make it available on Android phones, too.
It took about three months to complete the project, Curtis said. He worked on the project as part of his internship with Blind Squirrel Digital, a Newton-based digital media production company.
Blind Squirrel founder Michael Neely’s film credits include Pirates of the Caribbean III, Spider-Man III, Fantastic Four and The Incredible Hulk 2. And co-owner Jeremy Cooper’s portfolio includes work on Madden and NCAA football video games.
Neely said he returned to the area and began searching for an intern for digital signage.
Blind Squirrel hired Chimin Xiong, a WPCC student in the DEAT program, and that’s how Neely and Cooper met Crumpler and became instructors for the SGD’s first year.
Now, Blind Squirrel employs two interns, including Curtis, from the SGD program and hopes to continue the relationship, Neely said.
Crumpler said the programs’ goal is to produce independent developers, particularly because the economic recession hit this area hard.
“We hope eventually to spur economic development (here),” Crumpler said.
Chris Aiken, an instructor in the SGD program and president of Aiken Development in Lenoir, said the program is a great asset to a community that has suffered from manufacturing job losses.
“These types of careers can occur here. You don’t necessarily have to move away,” Aiken said.
The career skills taught in the program can lead to self-employment, to the software and technical fields and outside the traditional gaming field, Aiken said.
Aiken predicted almost everyone would be using these technologies five to 10 years from now as mobile devices continue to gain popularity.
The SGD program launched with 20 students and this year 40 students filled up the program, Crumpler said. And though some students have dropped out of the program, it’s not always because of the workload.
A student had graduated from the DEAT program before entering the SGD program, Crumpler said. But before she could complete the coursework, she was offered a job and took the opportunity.
It’s not an uncommon occurrence for students to leave the program early for jobs, Crumpler said.
Crumpler compared the current state of mobile apps to the Wild West where opportunities abound.
For more information contact Crumpler at jcrumpler@wpcc.edu.
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