Pioneer Game Design (EDT)

Pioneer sets up students with the tools to make games that could be played by thousands of players. They will use GameMaker 2, a fully-featured 2D game engine, to further expand on their existing knowledge of the 2D game space. The Pioneer classes will introduce topics such as functions, looping, and object parenting. At the end of each two-month unit, students will have a finished game that can be published on a storefront such as itch.io.

Pioneer Code (EDT)

Want to build your own web comic? A snake game? A classically-themed asteroids game? Pong? Your own functioning calculator? A chatty AI? Code can do that! Students in Pioneer Code take the black box that is coding and blow it wide open. They study syntax, variables, classes, loops, methods, conditionals, and more while developing functioning applications and games. Using languages like Python, C#, HTML5, CSS, JavaScript, they build a portfolio of projects that they can share and showcase.

Game Dev Team (EDT)

The Game Dev Team program, formerly known as GameWerx, is a separate initiative available to the Pioneer, Voyager, and Pathfinder classes. In this self-driven program, students join teams under the supervision and guidance of their Game-U instructor and work to reproduce the professional game development process, from planning to publishing – all to bring their own unique games to fruition!

Pioneer Minecraft Modding (EDT)

Pioneer takes things to the next level within MCreator! Students will learn advanced texture animation, 3D modeling, and how to publish mods online to build a portfolio. At the end of each one-month unit, students can have a mod uploaded to the internet that they can send to their friends to download and play!

Pioneer Robotics (EDT)

Learn engineering, programming and robotics skills through hands on experiences with the Lego Mindstorms EV3 system. Game-U will sponsor, mentor and help the students create robots and learn programming, presentation, and teamwork skills to prepare for the First Lego League Competitions. First Lego League teams research a real-world problem and are challenged to develop a solution. They must design, build, and program a robot using the Lego Mindstorms technology.

Pioneer 2D Art (EDT)

Pioneer will allow students to practice methods that allow them to create a wide range of designs and illustrations for their games. Using Krita, a free-to-use art software, students will be creating vast landscapes, dazzling fantasy characters, UI icons, and even spy gadgets. Each one-month unit gives the students the opportunity to finish one project that they can put onto their portfolio.

Pioneer Roblox Design (EDT)

Pioneer is where students can take their Roblox game development to the next level! Students will learn how to use advanced terrain tools, make teleport systems, use more advanced LUA coding, and create leaderboards. At the end of each two-month unit, students will leave with a published game on the Roblox website.

Open Lab (EDT)

Open Labs are available free of charge to current students. While no lessons are taught in Labs, students have the opportunity to work on achievement badges, ask questions, watch makeup videos, improve on current projects, and work on side projects, all under the supervision of an instructor.

STEM Open Lab (EDT)

Looking to sharpen your STEM skills? Want to wow your teachers and friends with all sorts of mad science experiments and amazing facts? Come check out our new STEM Open Lab! We’ll be covering super cool demonstrations and experiments from outside our usual curriculum, covering topics from clean energy, to archeology! Not only that, but you guys will get to submit your questions, and suggestions for experiments every week during class! No further materials will be necessary – just log in and learn! See you in the classroom!

Open Labs are available free of charge to current students.