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Ellis Abel Learns.

Game Design Summer Camp in Austin, TX

The Austin–Round Rock–San Marcos, TX metro area has about 2,620,945 residents, ranking 25th in the country. Game Design Summer Camp works the same way here as anywhere: give a child a problem too hard to guess at, then refuse to hand them the answer.

Ages 8-14 · For families · Texas · South

Game Design Summer Camp — Ellis Abel Learns STEM summer camp materials used in Austin, TX
Game Design Summer Camp — Ellis Abel Learns STEM summer camp materials used in Austin, TX

What the week actually is

Game design is systems thinking with the boring name removed. Balance, incentive, feedback loops, difficulty curves — a child who can explain why their level is too easy is doing analysis, and they will do it for six hours without being asked.

Day by day

  1. Paper prototype, no computer
  2. Playtest and take the criticism
  3. Balance passes on the numbers
  4. Build the digital version
  5. Showcase: strangers play it in front of you

Austin, TX — what applies locally

  • The Austin–Round Rock–San Marcos, TX metro area has about 2,620,945 residents, ranking 25th in the country.
  • Metro area: Austin–Round Rock–San Marcos, TX
  • State: Texas · Region: South

Questions we get from Austin, TX

Do they build a real game?
Yes, playable by the end of the week, and playtested by the other campers who are ruthless.
What tools?
Beginner engines and paper prototyping first. Paper catches bad design faster than code does.
Is this just playing games all week?
No. Playing is the testing step, and they have to write down what they changed and why.

Other camp themes in Austin

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Game Design Camp elsewhere in Texas

Dallas, TXMetro areaHouston, TXMetro areaSan Antonio, TXMetro areaMcAllen, TXMetro areaEl Paso, TXMetro areaKilleen, TXMetro areaCorpus Christi, TXMetro areaBrownsville, TXMetro area

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