Sharpsburg camp gives teens a glimpse of gaming design

Tawnya Panizzi
Tuesday, July 16, 2019 2:05 p.m. | Tuesday, July 16, 2019 2:05 p.m.

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Presented by the Pittsburgh International Game Developers Association and Global Game Jam Next, a Sharpsburg camp taught children tips on gaming, storytelling, graphics and mechanics.

Aspiring gamers attended a summer camp to learn the ins and outs of computer design hosted by the Triboro EcoDistrict at the Sharpsburg Community Library.

Ten teens from Sharpsburg, Millvale and Etna attended a camp that taught children the foundations of gaming design.

Teens learned from professional gaming designers at a camp hosted at the Sharpsburg Community Library.

Ten lucky teens from Sharpsburg, Etna and Millvale got the chance to attend an intensive hands-on gaming camp at Sharpsburg Community Library where they learned the ins and outs of design, storytelling and graphics.

Sponsored by the Triboro Ecodistrict and presented by Heather Mallak and the Pittsburgh International Game Developers Association, the sessions allowed teens the chance to meet with industry professionals from Deeplocal, Schell Games and PIGDA, making lasting connections, Sharpsburg Library Director Sara Mariacher said.

“They developed their own video games while participating in Global Game Jam Next,” she said.

#GGJNext group shot of youth designers getting into #bitsy @GamestarMech #twine to make games for the community #QualityofLifeLenses pic.twitter.com/LtOvKkZIJA

— Heather Mallak (@digisalad) July 10, 2019

The camp culminated in a community showcase where the public was invited to play the games designed by local children.

Each game was critiqued by members of PIGDA.

“Within the short time frame given, it was impressive to see the various styles of game play present in the teens’ games,” Mariacher said.

“Games ranged from text-based to 8-bit RPGs.”

The aim of the camp was to empower youth to build video games, deepen tech fluency and encourage civic making.

#GGJNext group jamming w/ tech support from @FCASD learning from + playing #STEMChallengewinners on @GamestarMech from @ELineMedia @remakelearning pic.twitter.com/bJ3WDV1GvG

— Heather Mallak (@digisalad) July 10, 2019