About this Course
The Intro to GameDev course is designed for high schoolers that have beginner level experience in computer programming and are looking for an exciting challenge. In this course participants will create a simple computer game as their central project. To do so, participants will learn fundamental programming concepts in the Python programming language such as if/else statements, loops, functions, lists and classes through various exercises during live sessions. Participants will then use this their conceptual knowledge to code an entire game from scratch!
In addition to programming, learners will explore areas in graphic design to create all the graphic elements related to their game including game characters and backgrounds. Learners will also explore various topics in Earth and Space sciences, such as space travel and sustainable space exploration. To succeed in this course, learners are encouraged to take the IGNITE Tech Explore (Level 2.5) course, or have some previous experience programming in Python.
FAQ
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Who can sign up for an IGNITE Program course?
Anyone in grades 9 to 12 can sign up for an IGNITE course.
Please make a decision based on your previous experiences and comfort levels.
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How do I sign up?
imply click register and complete the Registration process. You will receive a confirmation email once your registration is complete!
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What happens after I register?
You will receive an email from our team containing a Google Classroom class code. Add the class to your Google Classroom - inside the classroom you will find the weekly link to the sessions and all other content (slides, assignments, games, etc.).
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Is there a fee to register?
The cost of participating is $140.00 CAD for 10 weeks!
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Where do the sessions take place?
The sessions take place virtually on a platform called BlueJeans. All you have to do is download the program once (for free) and use the same link to join the session each week!
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I’ve got questions, what do I do?
#Testimonial What Students Say
I had a pretty good experience with the Intro to GameDev Program and the Mathstronauts team of teachers. I was able to learn a lot of things without having to over-stress, because the homework was achievable. I learnt a lot of new things about graphic design in softwares such as InkScape, Canva and Paletton. I also learnt about the Python programming language, and how to use it to code a game from the beginning. In general, the experience was very good. o
Grade 10, St. Patrick High School (Toronto, ON)
Game Dev ParticipantI liked learning Python, as a person who has some experience with some other languages such as javascript and typescript I really enjoyed the class. I hope in the future there are some programs about web development and website development. o
Grade 10, Grimsby Secondary School (Grimsby, ON)
Game Dev ParticipantMy favourite part about participating in this program was the hands-on coding work. The instructor was nice and the volunteers were helpful whenever people had questions. o
Grade 11, Holy Trinity Catholic Secondary School (Oakville, ON)
Game Dev ParticipantThis experience was definitely something I will not forget. It was an opportunity to expand on my prior knowledge of coding. This course was very valuable and informative and I liked how involved all the teachers were and how willing they were when helping us learn! o
Elio Genovese
Game Dev ParticipantMy experience with GameDev was amazing! I had a blast. From the instructors, to TAs, to students, everyone was really nice. And learning how to code was really fun!!! I love how the TAs and instructors were there for us when we needed help, and they were very helpful. I loved how well the coding was taught because coming into this program, I did not know how to code python, and now after the program, I can do it really well. o
Amaan Umair
Game Dev ParticipantThis was a great program that introduces you to game development and once you understand how to do it you learn to love it! I liked how organized the lessons were, the meetings are recorded for you to go back to if you forgot something, the slides are accessible and very informative. I participated in this course because I aspire to be a software developer. This experience is definitely worth it because I would like to create more games with the knowledge I learned throughout this course. o