Updated curriculum and challenges for 2023 - after you finish this class you'll be ready for our 3D classes!
 
This course requires completion of Video Game Design Level 1.

This course takes your child's passion for building in Minecraft, playing games on Roblox or online with their friends and teaches them how to design, create and iterate while they make and share their own games.

We teach the fundamentals of coding through component aggregation. Students learn about events, triggers, and variables by combining simple components into complex behaviors and systems. Using this methodology, students are able to immediately begin to think computationally, solving complex problems without the frustration involved in debugging complex, abstract languages that require intense focus and time to learn and master.
---------------------------------------------------------------

Who this is for:

This class is designed for anyone interested in creating a video game ages 8-12. The only thing they'll need is a computer with a keyboard and mouse and the Camp or Course level 1.
---------------------------------------------------------------

How this course is unique:

Many other classes take a lot of work to set up the software but with our web browser based UME Studio, this class gets students creating a game in Unity without any hassles or installs!  
---------------------------------------------------------------

Why we use the Unity game engine:

Unity is widely used in the game industry to make 2D or 3D games on up to 20 different consoles and platforms.  It’s a robust platform and with our 6 years of experience teaching it to kids, we have some of the best instructors and custom projects designed to get your kids making their own games on day one.
---------------------------------------------------------------

Keep learning with UME Academy on Outschool:
We offer over 35 hrs of continued learning in our UME Video Game Design & Coding programs with camps and multi week programs and Creator Clubs to keep your budding game designer building and practicing their skills.

Build Skills (Levels 1a, 2a, 3a)
In our Video Game Design & Coding camps and multi-week courses your child will learn how to design their own games and systems using physics, math, coding and art and measure their success through feedback from their peers. They’ll learn the latest technology using Unity to build and design games while emphasizing teamwork, feedback and communication.

Practice Creating Games with a cohort! (Levels 1, 2, 3)
UME Creator Clubs and Camps offer an ongoing place for your young game designer to build, create, and practice their game design skills within a safe, fun and facilitated group of peers.

---------------------------------------------------------------
 
COURSE BREAKDOWN

Lesson 1 - Custom Sprites:
Students will learn to use professional-grade graphic design software to create custom sprites to give their characters and environments a unique look and theme. They will consider structure and organization as they learn to group Unity game objects together to act as single objects.

Lesson 2 - Advanced Enemies:
Students will build on their knowledge of movement by applying it to the behaviors of enemy non-player characters (NPCs) to create the appearance of artificial intelligence. They will incorporate these new enemies, with abilities such as “patrol” and “wander,” into a game of their own and explore the relationship between enemy ability and game difficulty.

Lesson 3 - Lock & Key:
Students will reinforce their understanding of state and event-based programming via in-game “triggers.” They will learn to create triggers that enhance the game experience and contribute to the game storyline by opening doors, deactivating deadly traps and unlocking game features. To solidify their knowledge, students will work through a series of puzzles that require them to implement these triggers.

Lesson 4 - Advanced Spawners:
Students will assume the role of captain of a spaceship, using spawned projectiles to clear the way for their ship from an asteroid field which recursively spawns deadly debris when destroyed. Students will come face-to-face with exponential growth and combinatorial explosion, which will require them to think carefully in order to create a balanced game.

Lesson 5 - Teleportation Station:
Students will study the effects of instantaneous travel as they explore teleportation as a game mechanic.  Using this new skill, they will be required to create an intricate network of teleporters that will allow them to navigate a multi-levelled game filled with challenges and rewards.


----------------------------------------

OUR VALUES IN ACTION

We value Positive and Inclusive behavior in our classroom, thereby reserving the right to upkeep and maintain a safe space for our learners and their well-being. We support this by:

- Establishing classroom agreements and expectations.
- Modelling and Maintaining positive and inclusive behavior with and between students.

We value Cohort Based Learning and Accessibility in our offerings.
We support this by:

- Being knowledgeable, engaging and patient with learners.
- Giving one-on-one attention as needed.
- Facilitating collaboration and connection between students.
- Making it super easy to jump into a class without having to install and configure any software.

We value Experimentation, Problem solving and Technology. 
We support this by:

- Demonstrate and encourage curiosity and experimentation throughout our class time.
- Support the process of solving a problem over rushing to a solution.
- Teaching real tools and technology used in the game and entertainment industry.
- Applying STEM, Digital Literacy and Project Based Learning methodologies.
- Constantly improve our curriculum and approach based on you and your child's feedback.
---------------------------------------------------------------

Class Requirements

- Only A computer with a standard keyboard and mouse. 

- A web browser that meets these minimum versions: Chrome - min version 70.0.0, Firefox - min version 69.0.0

- No special software to install!  We stream the Unity game engine to your child’s web browser.  ***Use the custom URL link your teacher gives you at the start of class***

- Speakers(or headset) & Mic, no video camera required.

- Students will be using the Outschool Zoom meeting room for the audio and video communication during the class. The instructor will provide a link at the start of the Zoom meeting to access the UME Virtual Studio Classroom platform for all the game making activities.

-It is recommended to use one computer for both the Zoom meeting room and the UME virtual classroom.

-It is recommended to turn off or temporarily disable a VPN to avoid technical issues in our UME virtual classroom.

------------------------------------------------------

Policy for Absences and Late Arrivals

In general, the instructor can help catch up your child in the following class if they miss one class in this 5-day camp.  Please read the details below with regards to returns and late arrivals.

Absences: Classes that are missed cannot be retaken. Once a session has begun, the Outschool platform does not support transferring students between classes in the middle of a camp week. We do not provide refunds when a student does not attend the class. Parents will receive a full refund if they withdraw from a class or stop their ongoing class subscription within 24 hours of purchasing a class of any type.

Late Arrivals in Classes: Being present at the beginning of each class is essential to student success at UME Academy. We expect learners to join the Zoom meeting five minutes before the class start time to enter the UME Studio. The lesson is delivered at the beginning of the meeting, if your learner has not joined Zoom ten minutes after the class’s start time, they will not be admitted. Latecomers disrupt the flow of the lesson and distract the other students. The instructor will help bring the child up to date on the missed material in the next class. Please note there will be no refunds when a student is over ten minutes late to a class. The teacher reserves the right to end the class if enrolled students are not present within the first 10 minutes.

For more information related to Outschool’s Policies on Refunds please consult the following document: 
https://support.outschool.com/en/articles/16379-outschool-s-happiness-guarantee-and-refunds