Page 15 - OSG Presents Classic Gamer Magazine #7

NES Era
NES Era
Professor NES As you can tell from the class webpage,

the manuals had varying results, due to
some groups being blessed with pure
artists, and others not so much.
By Skyler Miller size that game design is more than just
programming. How did the students I chose to allow non-programmers in the
Dragging yourself to class is a without programming skills contribute to class because I've been in previous in-
whole lot easier when that class is called the experience? terdisciplinary classes and projects that
"Game Development for the 8-bit NES." turned out very well because everyone
Taught during the Spring 2004 semester BR: I make a huge distinction between was an expert at something different.
at Carnegie Mellon University (as part of game development and game design. Looking at my previous game, Sack of
a program that lets students teach other One of my professors offers an excellent Flour, as an example, the quality of the
students), the class emphasized multiple game design course at CMU, which I music and the coherency of the artwork
elements of game design including pro- really enjoyed when I took it. But I tried and color palettes are much better than I
gramming, music, art, and even box de- to avoid reiterating everything taught in would have been able to do myself,
sign. (ROM hacks need not apply!) The that class, so I only covered a few very even though I consider myself an ac-
mastermind behind the class was Bob specific areas of game design, such as complished musician and a decent art-
Rost, 24, who holds a B.S. in Computer 2D side-scroller game design, and some ist.
Science and a Masters in Entertainment general NES-specific design tips. And of
Technology, and has development cred- course I constantly reiterated the best CGM: What did you learn from teaching
its with Electronic Arts and Ritual Enter- game design advice ever: Less is more. the class?
tainment. Rost graciously agreed to an-
swer a few questions for CGM about his BR: I learned that I still enjoy teaching.
teaching experience. I've tutored before and taught private
music lessons for several years, but this
Classic Gamer Magazine: Besides just was the first time I had taught a large
being a fun experience, what do you lecture on a weekly basis. It was a lot of
think the students took away from the work, preparing the lecture slides, mak-
class that they can use in a career, life, ing sure everything I had was correct (it
etc? sometimes wasn't), and trying to keep it
all interesting. But the most important
Bob Rost: Some of the students gave thing learned about myself is that I am
I
me specific feedback on this. I think that a good teacher, and more people than
everyone gained a greater appreciation just my mother have told me that now. I
for the amount of work that goes into heard it from people not in the class,
creating a video game for any system, who talked to students, and I heard it
and the complexity involved in humble occasionally from the students them-
little grey boxes sitting by the TV. I know selves, and I was very pleased when I
that some artists learned more about consistently saw on the final course
how computers deal with graphics, and comment sheets that nearly every stu-
musicians learned a bit about digital mu- dent said it was one of the best or most
sic, and how it differs from the concert exciting classes he or she had taken so
hall. I was surprised to hear from several far.
computer science students that the Simplify.
class actually helped them to put to- The class had a few students with no CGM: What do you think was the best
gether years of seemingly disconnected programming skills. Some of them game to come out of the class?
programming knowledge. Using the de- dropped near the beginning, but a few
velopment tools I created for a low- decided to stick it out. The main problem BR: I'll let people judge that for them-
powered system such as the NES, and that haunts computer scientists trying to selves: http://bobrost.com/nes/games.
understanding why I created them the make a game is often making it look and php
way I did, allowed the students to begin sound good, which is exactly why the
to understand how modern computer game industry has the term CGM: What's your favorite NES game
science evolved. I was surprised to hear "programmer art," to indicate artwork (and video game in general)?
comments like this even from some of that looks like a 5-year-old made it while
the Masters students. And of course, I learning to use a mouse. So the actual BR: I've always been a big fan of Super
hope the most important lesson every- musicians and artists in the class (and Mario Bros. 2, the one that everyone
one learned is that learning, research, those who attended without credit) were else hates. But recently, in the past
and hard work can be really fun and re- actually able to add a lot. I also required year, I've been addicted to a few others,
warding in the right context. that each group make a game manual like Animal Crossing, Super Monkey
along with the game, since I like to have Ball, and of course classic puzzle
CGM: It seems that you tried to empha- final products be an entire experience. games like Tetris and Dr. Mario.

Classic Gamer Magazine July 2004 15