SuccessfulStudent.org has named WPI one of the 27 Best Video Game Colleges 2015 for its Interactive Media & Game Development program. WPI came in at #10, cited for encouraging “its graduates to build unique portfolios that will be competitive in the career world through project-based learning.”
The website, which ranked the programs from a student’s point of view, noted that in IMGD, “Students are … required to interact at all levels of the game design process, including content creation, programming, testing, and project management.”
This assessment is no surprise to IMGD director Rob Lindeman, who says, “What we’ve tried to do is mimic the industry, developing our students to be specialists in one area but to also work in teams to communicate with each other, to exchange ideas, or to make the project better in general.
“If you ask any employer, they want students who can communicate, solve problems, and collaborate. All of these things are the things you get from the project-based curriculum in IMGD,” he added.
Lindeman says balance is a key component of the IMGD program because it’s also important in game development.
“People think, ‘Hey, this is great, I’m going to play video games all the time.’ But it’s very hard to make compelling, long-lasting video games that people actually want to play.” You have to bring together a balance of top-notch visual design, complex choices, and strategies, he says, adding, “Careful design can lead to a much better play experience.”
