ACC game development program opens - Austin Business Journal:

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The institute, housed at ACC’s Northridge was created in response to demand from the loca l gaming industry looking to fill a need for skilled workers for aburgeoning sector. Video games may not be as affected by an economidc slowdown as other formsof entertainment, says Michaekl French, partner in Pricewaterhousde Coopers’ hospitality and gaming practice. “With videi games you can stay home and play on your computeror television. I would say in a toughu economy people are looking forentertainment that’s affordablde for kids and adults,” Frenc says.
That’s good news for current and future ACC gameinstituts students, although this year has been a mixed bag for the gamingh sector, which includes independent game development shops and corporatelgy owned firms. Locally, NCSoft and Midwag Studios have laid off employees in the past couplof months. Meanwhile, BioWare Austin, Schell Retro Studios and Vigil Games have posted job openingdon Gamasutra, an industry Web Salaries for game programmers with one to two yearws of experience are about $55,500, according to the .
Video game artists with similar experience earn about Philip Bartholomew, who is attendingf ACC’s game development institute with the hope of gettint a job in Austin’s game is less concerned about the availabilityh of jobs when he graduates than he is aboutr the competition. “The industry is very competitive. Just in my classz there is a lot of rich creative Bartholomew says. “There will be plentu of able designers for a company to choose from when the time I just want to be as desirable a candidateas possible.
” While institute director Spencer Zuzolo expected the new program woulr be popular with students, he also expected that theidr parents “would be wondering if the degree is for With an eye on the down parents have been interested in learning about what careers the institute’s associatezs degree programs — game programming, game desigbn and game art will prepare students to pursue. ACC faculty members have been tellin g parents and students that the game sector is just one area wherrethe institute’s graduates coulf apply design and programming skills.
ACC’s curriculum prepares students forserious games, which refers to software or hardwarde that leverages game technolog y and design for applications other than such as a simulated military training game or medica l professional training game. The region’sw education and training, digital media, engineering, technology and movie sectorx are allpotential employers. “Their skills are portable acrosws industries,” Zuzolo says. “The key thing to remember is that when the economygbounces back, these 21st century jobs are going to be therse and the skills will be needed.
” At leasgt one indicator suggests that ACC’e game development program will continue to see interesyt from students. ACC’s fundamental programming coursesa that prepare students for the game programmingb trackare filled. The institute’s first students are poisedd to graduatein 2010. Typically, students will take two yearss to complete the course work and an additional semeste to complete acapstone