iD Gaming Academy Summer Camps: University of Denver
University of Denver
- Camp Overview
- About This U & Maps
- About Our Courses
- Tours & Activities
- Faculty & Instruction
- Safety & Peace of Mind
- Testimonials
- FAQ
iD Gaming Academy at the University of Denver
iD Gaming Academy, Ages 13-18TWO-WEEKS | CO-ED | RESIDENTIAL ONLY | TEEN ONLY
INTENSIVE EXPERIENCE IN VIDEO GAME DEVELOPMENTCalling all teens…Got game? iD Gaming Academy, the leading summer technology program for teens in the U.S., gives students an immersive, pre-college experience in the dynamic world of game development. The two-week sleep away programs are held at elite universities and taught by faculty with proven video game development credentials. Highlights of the iD Gaming Academy:
- Discover 3D modeling, game programming and level design with industry-grade software
- Learn from elite faculty in small, personalized classes of just 8 students or fewer, guaranteed
- Tour a major game design studio
- Have a blast with our LAN gaming tournaments (not to infringe on instructional time)
- Graduate with an online portfolio (and receive an Official Transcript with Continuing Education Units (optional))
- Win GUNNAR Advanced Gaming Eyewear glasses at each session!
Students can no longer wait until college to start gaining necessary skills in the competitive field of game development. Start building your portfolio here and now. Go to Step 2 for course availability and dates.
Additional Tech Programs at the University of Denver
iD Tech Camps, Ages 7-17WEEKLONG | CO-ED | DAY CAMPS | OVERNIGHT CAMPS
COURSE TOPICS: VIDEO GAME DESIGN, PROGRAMMING, APPS, WEB DESIGN, & MOREWe’re celebrating our 13th season as the Denver area’s premier summer computer camp destination. Our popular weeklong day camps and overnight camps at the University of Denver boast a maximum of 8 students per instructor (you won’t find Counselors-in-Training or online tutorials at iD) and customized curriculum for beginner to advanced learners. You can register for one or several weeks of our summer camps and experience life on the beautiful University of Denver campus! Live in the college dorms! Design a video game! Build a website, program a robot, make your own iPhone® Apps, edit your own video and more with the best brand name products from Adobe®, Apple®, Autodesk®, Microsoft® and beyond.
About the University of Denver
NOTE: Our specific location on campus at this Colorado teen camp, along with maps and driving directions, will be found in My Account after you register.
We have chosen the University of Denver to host our teen gaming computer camps in Colorado because of its reputation as a highly academic institution. Founded in 1864, the University of Denver is the oldest independent university in the Rocky Mountains. Campus is located in a dynamic, cosmopolitan city close to pristine mountain wilderness, and the university is distinguished by its creative combination of liberal arts, professional programs, selectively focused graduate studies and associated schools and centers. Teen students can take in iD’s challenging game development curriculum while enjoying an independent pre-college experience.
The iD Gaming Academy is a one-of-a-kind offering for students seeking to get better at the art and science of game development. The program is intended for high-school-aged students ages 13-18.
General Location:The University of Denver is located just 8 miles south of downtown Denver, 15 miles to the mountains and only 45 minutes from Denver International Airport, making it a very accessible overnight camp location.
Campus Life & Meals
As part of the full university experience, students will eat in university dining halls and sleep in real dorms. All meals are included.
About Our Courses
Students use industry-standard applications including Autodesk® Maya®, Adobe® Photoshop®, XNA® for the Xbox 360®, Unreal® Engine 3, and of course some of the latest, most popular commercial video games for instructional purposes and serious game play. This game design camp for teens is taught by top-tier instructors with demonstrated game development skills. Course Details.
Our Courses:
iD Game Studios 101
3D Modeling & Animation with Autodesk® Maya®
Level Design – Unreal® Development Kit
Programming for the Xbox 360®
Game Development for iPhone® amp; Android™ with UnityContinuing Education Credits
Continuing Education Credits at the iD Gaming Academy are available from Stanford Continuing Studies (SCS)*. The credits will go on file at Stanford upon successful completion of a course at the iD Gaming Academy, and a transcript will be mailed out to the participant. Continuing Studies offers a credit awarding transcript generation service to academic programs.
*Note: If attending the iD Gaming Academy held at Villanova, the CEU transcript will be provided by Villanova University.
What are the benefits/objectives of awarding Continuing Education Credits?
- Encourage students to utilize educational resources to meet their personal and educational goals.
- Assist with pre-college advanced placement through proof of related work.
- Demonstrate that the student has completed course content with college-level difficulty.
- Enable individuals to have an accurate source of their current CEU activity with tracked proof of completion (Certified Certificate of Completion) by an accredited University program.
Note: CEUs are not transferable as college credit.
Tours & Activities
Note: We tour a real game development studio, but studio venues may change without notice.
TOUR: To Be Determined
The iD Gaming Academy held at the University of Denver will be taking an off-site excursion to a real game development studio. Check back soon for details.
Activities
Academy activities are as diverse as the teens who attend our programs. After each day's instruction, you'll take time out to socialize, relax, watch movies, play sports, catch up with friends on Facebook, or game in one of our nightly NVIDIA®-hosted gaming tournaments (with hot new titles like Team Fortress® 2). Some highlights from last summer include team-building activities, group game design challenges, human Tower Defense, kickball tournaments, trivia nights, bowling, Settlers of Catan, and more!
Stay the weekend within the session and you will also have the opportunity to tour local points of interest off campus!
Note: Students may be allowed to travel in groups within local boundaries, depending on the restrictions imposed by the university. Our supervising staff will remain in the vicinity to check in with students periodically. Academy students enjoy extra privileges appropriate for their environment and maturity levels. While we maintain standard supervision ratios, teens will feel a sense of freedom.
Gaming Tournaments at the iD Gaming Academy
What better way to learn how commercial games are created than to fire up the most cutting edge titles and play! LAN parties are a big part of what makes the iD Gaming Academy so immersive. With industry leading names like NVIDIA®, Team Fortress® 2, Portal™ 2, Counter-Strike®, Half-Life® 2, Left 4 Dead™ 2, and more, you know you are in for many incredible nights of ducking, dodging and fragging.
Our Computer Gaming Tournaments use some of the hottest and most recognized game titles on the market, and all students will have opportunities for gameplay with local tournaments. We use Valve® Steam® technology and NVIDIA GeForce® gaming cards for peak PC gaming performance. When we need to get out of our chairs for some console action, we’ll break out the Nintendo® Wii or Xbox 360®.
Gaming Tournaments are an exciting element of our teen activities, but do not replace or infringe on instructional time. NOTE: Games in our Gaming Tournaments are rated “T” for Teen and “M” for Mature and are selected at the sole discretion of iD Tech Camps staff.
Faculty & Instruction
The iD Gaming Academy fosters real game development skills, in addition to STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) development. Students “learn by doing” through intensive, hands-on instruction. Our classes are small, ensuring personalized instruction and allowing students to move at their own pace. This is our 2nd year hosting iD Gaming Academy at the University of Denver. Here are a few veteran faculty from other program locations:
- John: John is a 3D environment artist, level designer and game developer. He has worked for professional game development studios including Hi-Rez studios, where he was an Environment Art Intern for their high-end MMO Global Agenda. He is a graduate of the Savannah College of Art and Design in Atlanta, Georgia with a B.A. in Interactive Design and Game Development. While at SCAD, John led several 3D game projects including a collaborative Augmented Reality project with the Georgia Institute of Tehcnology.
- Cody: Cody is a student at the Rochester Institute of Technology in his 4th year of studying Game Design and Development. He has worked on several projects developing games for Windows and the Xbox 360. He works as a peer tutor at his university, teaching students in engaging 1-on-1 sessions about programming, mathematics and physics. Cody is a returning instructor, and has prior experience teaching gaming programming at iD Gaming Academy at Lake Forest College.
- “Drew”: As a lifelong gaming enthusiast, Drew has worked in the game industry for companies such as Electronic Arts Tiburon and Eduweb, as well as freelancing in his spare time doing work for fulldome theaters and independent games. He is equally passionate about digital and traditional art. He specializes in 3D modeling using Autodesk Maya, as well as rigging and animation.
- Joe: Joe is an artist currently enrolled at the world-renowned Ringling College of Art and Design. As a student completing his BFA with a major in Game Art and Design, as well as a minor in Business of Art and Design, Joe is adept and knowledgeable in every aspect of the video game creation pipeline, including concept creation, character and prop modeling, high-resolution sculpting, texturing, level design, lighting and more. He has attended the annual Game Developer’s Conference in San Francisco, California for the past two years as a working volunteer, helping the conference function from the inside. With more than 13 years of traditional art experience prior to his college experiences, Joe brings an artist’s eyes to the table – i.e. an emphasis on visual communication as well as sophistication. He believes that everyone is an artist, and strives to make certain their creative spark is showcased through creating amazing things.
- Darren: Darren attended the University of Advancing Technology in Tempe, Arizona where he received his B.A. in Multimedia in 2009, dual majoring in Digital Animation and Game Design. During the course of his degree, he was Lead Animator on a number of student projects. In 2007, Darren was awarded an Internship at 7th Street Motion Capture, a studio that specialized in house mo-cap animation for THQ. Brought back as a Contractor upon the completion of his internship, Darren worked on motion capture animations for THQ-owned studios such as BHG, Concrete, and ValuSoft.
- “Sarge”: A graduate of the University of Advancing Technology in Arizona, Sarge is an independent game developer. Besides teaching at iD Gaming Academy, she is the co-founder of Blue Void Studios, an independent game company where her specialties range from design to 2D art, texture art, 3D art, and whatever else the small company needs.
- “Toast”: A graduate of the Savannah College of Art and Design, Toast is a game designer with a passion for teaching. His goal is to become a college professor. Toast currently works as the Lead Level Designer and Environment Artist for a startup company called “Meeting of the Minds.” He is a returning iD instructor, with previous experience teaching at both Harvard and Brown.
Safety & Peace of Mind
Risk Management
Adult staff and instructors supervise all activities. iD has a policy of never using Counselors-in-Training (CITs).
American Camp Association® Accreditation
iD Tech Camps is accredited by the ACA at multiple locations, meaning we have met over 300 health and safety requirements. All camps follow ACA guidelines.
Background Checks
We conduct criminal background checks, sexual offender background checks, multiple reference checks and identification checks on all summer staff.
CPR & First Aid
All camps have Directors and Staff that are CPR and First Aid Certified.
Testimonials From iD Gaming Academy
What Parents Are Saying
“This is my son’s 3rd year with iD Tech Camps. He has finally found a camp where he fits in and is doing something that gets him excited. He will definitely be back for another session next year. Jane W., parent, Harvard iD Gaming Academy
“Perfect environment for young students to get a head start. Thank you. Berk D., parent, Harvard iD Gaming Academy
“My son doesn’t often comment positively about things. However, when I asked him if he would come back, he said “yes.” Well, that speaks volumes. Thank you for your time and effort on behalf of my son and all the kids who love gaming. Edie S., parent, Stanford iD Gaming Academy
“I felt my son was safe, and in willing and capable hands the entire time at camp. Leah N., parent, Emory iD Gaming Academy
“Usually my son does not communicate with us at all, but after his experience at iD Gaming Academy, he has not stopped talking. He had a great time, and I appreciate the experience. Amanda R., parent, Stanford iD Gaming Academy
What Academy Students Are Saying
“I had a really good time here…the instructors were PRO and I had a lot of fun. The classes were great and I learned many things. Everything was awesome, thank you. George K., student, Stanford iD Gaming Academy
“This was an incredible experience that I won’t forget. My instructors were excellent…they really know what they’re doing. I made some new friends, played great games with them and thoroughly enjoyed my two weeks at Stanford. I hope I can do this again next year. Sean K., student, Stanford iD Gaming Academy
“Being a six year veteran of iD Tech Camps, my experience this year at iD Gaming Academy proved to be amazing as well. My time at the Academy really put me further in touch with career options in gaming. Patricia H., student, Emory iD Gaming Academy
“This was an awesome course in which I learned a lot but also had a great time. The instructors were both very energetic and knowledgeable throughout the 2 weeks. They offered great personal help to everyone. I would recommend this course to anyone somewhat interested in the field of 3D modeling. Alex H., student, Harvard iD Gaming Academy
“This camp was, to put it simply, pure awesomeness. We learned things at iD Tech Camps that would be very difficult to learn anywhere else. It’s a place for everyone to learn skills to apply later in life. Samir G., student, Stanford iD Gaming Academy
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does this teen camp cost?
The cost for the two-week residential teen camp is US $3,599 - $3,799. Check our site for special promotions. Continuing Education Units are available from Stanford Continuing Studies, for an additional fee. Age restrictions apply. Weekend Stays are optional, but recommended, and cost $349 per weekend. Most students choose to stay the weekend with us.
What are the dates of camp?
Our teen camps run throughout the summer. Check Step 2 to see date availability for specific courses. You can also see what iD Tech Camps courses and dates are available at this location.
What courses are offered at this location?
Go to Step 2 to see Course Availability, Tuition & Dates.
How do I find out if the course I want is open for enrollment?
View real-time availability all courses by going to Step 2.
How do I register?
Go to Step 2 and choose your course, then continue along the steps.
What if the curriculum is too easy or too hard once my program starts?
Don’t worry - students learn at their own pace, and the curriculum is customized to fit each student’s skill and experience level. Our instructors work closely with each student and adjust project specifications to be challenging yet fun.
Do I need to bring a computer to camp?
No, students do not need to bring personal computers to their session. iD provides a computer for each student to use over the course of their program, along with all materials necessary for the course.
Do you offer any non-overnight programs?
Yes, other iD programs include weeklong iD Tech Camps with both day camp and overnight camp options. iD Tech Camps courses are held at 60 universities nationwide, with topics ranging from iPhone® app development to video game design, website design and more. The courses are divided up by age range, so you can still choose to have a teen-only experience if you wish.
What if I get sick or have summer school?
Balance payments, less the non-refundable deposit, are refundable up until 3 weeks prior to the start of a confirmed camp week/session. No refunds will be issued for cancellations or withdrawals within 3 weeks of the start of a confirmed camp week/session. All cancellations must be submitted in writing to the internalDrive Inc. office or online in My Account no later than 3 weeks prior to the start of camp. For more details, please see our Terms & Conditions.
Who should I contact with questions or concerns?
Contact our Client Services department at 1-888-709-TECH (8324) or 1-408-871-2227. You can also email us at info@internalDrive.com. And, if you’d like a brochure sent to you, please click the brochure link.
