Games to the People: Creating video games with Blender

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The goal of this workshop is to initiate the participants in 3D and game development using Blender (blender.org) — a free and open source software for production in 3D. Its embed game engine easily allows users to prototype video games and other interactive 3D digital environments, due to an accessible visual programming interface. In the first part of the workshop, the participants will be instructed to recreate a classic video game, and in the second they will create an alternative and functional version of the game, applying the newly acquired skills and by further exploring the software.
Contents:
– Introduction to the Blender interface;
– Introduction to the Blender Game Engine;
– Physics and Materials.

At the end of the lab, participants will be able to create their own video game prototype.

Target participants
Beginners and enthusiasts in the conception and development of video games and 3D virtual environments. It is not required for participants to possess any experience with Blender or with other 3D tools, or even to know any programming language.

Participants should bring
Their own laptop (Mac, Windows, or Linux) with Blender 2.71 (or later) previously installed.
A three-button mouse.
Electric extensions!

games2people

2014

Coordination Pedro Cardoso Mariana Owen
Schedule15 Oct 2014
Location ID+
Instructors Pedro Cardoso is a designer and researcher at ID+, Research Institute on Design, Media and Culture. He has a MA on Design and is currently a PhD student on Art and Design both at the University of Porto, pursuing studies in video games in the context of new media and interaction design, and developing experimental work in this scope. He is currently a guest lecturer in the Department of Design at the University of Porto, Portugal. Mariana Owen completed a BA in Communication Design from the Faculty of Fine Arts and is currently pursuing a Master in Multimedia, both at the University of Porto, with a focus on interaction design and user-centered design and usability.