About This Week's Lesson:
The homework you did last week becomes the basis for this week's class lab exercise. Be sure to bring your completed homework from last week to class this week! You will compete in a Battle in the Arena of Ideas where we will determine a champion and award some extra credit points. This is a vital exercise that ties in with this week's lecture subject.
And that lecture is one I call The Birth of a Notion. The one thing you never learn in school is how to think. You learn how to follow directions, do what is expected, and give the desired responses, but no one has ever tried to teach you how to cook up and deliver good, creative ideas that will make you prosperous in your chosen career. True creativity is a process. In this class, I explain that process as taught to me by Roger von Oech.
These links feature the supplemental material that you are responsible for knowing before the next exam. Be sure to click on every link in this section!
Article: Creative Think by Roger von Oech
Roger the is guru of creative thinking. If you want to get ahead in the entertainment industry, his books are 'must reading.' This link will take you to his web site where you can learn more about the man and his methods. This week's lesson was based principally on his book A Whack on the Side of the Head (shown here).
Article: Learning from Einstein's Creativity by Ron White
Inspirational and motivational, Mr. White has summed up this subject brilliantly. The time you spend reading this article may well be the most rewarding 10 minutes of your life!
These supplemental links are worth pursuing only if you are seriously interested in working in the game business and want to know about it in the broadest possible sense. This material will not be directly included in the exams, but if you're serious about delving deeply into the subject of game production, here's some more lessons from others who have also "been there."
Article: The Real Value of a Great Game Idea by Alan Emrich
Stop adding zeroes to the value of your game idea; one is all you'll need.
Article: The Return of Innovation? by Chris Morris
Industry veterans are forming new development studios to bring back innovation.
Bibliography: Week 8
