If you have ever dreamed of discussing videogames during class without looking like that guy, you'll be pleased to know that UC Berkeley is now offering a course on StarCraft.
Although I can easily picture the class instantly filling up due to students thinking that it will be a walk in the park, the syllabus makes the course sound pretty technical. You aren't just playing StarCraft for credits here -- you are also looking at the game's inner workings and the science behind it.
Honestly, the class would go way over my head to the point where I probably wouldn't enjoy it very much, but I can see how serious real-time strategy players would love enrolling.
[Via Tumeroks -- Thanks, darkair and Crunshii]
Jordan Devore is Destructoid's PC gaming manager and founding ginger editor. He is said to be easy to love but difficult to know. When Samit inquired about his curious bio photo Jordan simply replied:
"bitches love sandcastles" ... yet, there is no sandcastle in that photo. We may never truly understand his ways.
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Contest:
12:00 PM on 01.28.2009
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Basically, we were supposed to learn about collecting data and testing hypotheses using World of Warcraft (damage parsers etc). It was basically an excuse to play instances for homework, and since the class was paid for by the University, I got a free copy of WoW. :D
Easiest A+ ever.
I hope we see more of these courses popping up in Universities over the next few years, it's great to take a more analytical look at video games.
Destructoid University, if you will.
About a month ago Terrans have been using mech instead of bio against zerg players. Mech has been used before but it never was this successful against zerg. As of now there is still no viable counter to this new trend for zerg players but I do think there will be one very soon.
I'm sure almost nobody here knows what I'm talking about but that's ok lol. If you are interested in the slightest bit, sc2gg has english commentaries covering the Korean starcraft scene.
Though I wouldn't presume the game--er, course to be a cakewalk, it would be a pretty interesting experience all the same.
Anyways, I think its pretty cool, and being a guy who did play Starcraft pretty heavily up to even two years ago, I can imagine the class could get a bit overwhelming, hopefully you don't pass or fail depending on if you get your actions per minute up high enough, cause really playing that game at a high level isn't for everybody, not even gonna get into the pro level.
This makes me wanna go play it some...its been a good 2 months since I last went on Bnet.
I'd be more likely to compare it to a sports practice than a film studies class.
Actually, I'm thinking about teaching one myself: Ayn Rand and Bioshock: a narrative analysis. Next fall, for reals.