KANNAPOLIS — These days, just about anyone can play a video game, but not everyone has the skill to actually design a game. This summer, Rowan-Cabarrus Community College will embark on its fourth year of ever-expanding “tech camps” to help students imagine, plan, design and create their very own game. Additionally, offerings have expanded to include mobile app development and graphic design.
The camps are designed to excite and inspire young minds as they explore their interests and consider career options for the future.
“Game development is being implemented in many different types of industries and professions. Simulation and design are already being used in Fortune 500 companies for education, training and management modules,” said Ian Stevens, associate dean of information technologies. “The expansion of game design development techniques within all industries will eventually be inevitable.”
Rowan-Cabarrus developed the tech camps to introduce students to the world of computer programming.
“These budding developers often don’t even realize they’re learning important transferable skills and concepts they must eventually master to succeed in the competitive global IT workforce — things like object-oriented and event-driven programming, agile development, graphic interface design, idea sharing, peer review, revisioning, presentation, and, above all, confidence,” said Zach Hubbard, camp coordinator. “Students leave having completed a game in a week that would have taken seasoned developers from earlier generations a year to develop.”
“This program shows that education and fun really can go together,” said Dr. Carol S. Spalding, president of Rowan-Cabarrus. “I’m excited about the new ways Rowan-Cabarrus is reaching the community.”
The camps cover a variety of topics:
June 16-19, June 23-26

Rowan-Cabarrus building on the N.C. Research Campus
Instructors: Zack Hubbard, Harold Thompson, Corey McNeill, Joyce Camp
This summer camp will teach the fundamentals of computer programming through the use of Microsoft’s XNA Game Development Software Package. Each camper designs and creates a fully functional game. Basic computer literacy is necessary to be successful in this camp. Software: Visual Studio and the XNA Game Development Plugin.
July 14-17

Rowan-Cabarrus building on the N.C. Research Campus
Instructor: Zack Hubbard, Jessica Enlow
In this camp, students will build more complex games with more enhanced sounds, music, levels and gameplay. More complex game rules and more sophisticated games will continue to satisfy the camper’s need to be intrigued and to creative. Successful completion of the Xbox Game Development Level 1 is required as this camp will continue to expose students to programming techniques using XNA Game Development and Visual Studio.

July 7-10

Rowan-Cabarrus building on the N.C. Research Campus
Instructor: Stephen Umland
In this advanced course, campers who have honed their skills in previous game development camps can take their creativity to a whole new level using the open source software Unreal Engine 3. Unreal Engine 3 is a complete game development framework. Every aspect of the Unreal Engine 3 game development toolset has been designed with ease of content creation and programming in mind, with the goal of putting as much power as possible in the hands of artists and designers to develop assets in a visual environment with minimal programmer assistance. Intermediate game creation skills or completion of an Intermediate Game Development Camp is required. Each camper will receive individual attention in this camp, which is limited to 20 attendees.
August 5-8

Rowan-Cabarrus building on the N.C. Research Campus
Instructor: Zack Hubbard, Jessica Enlow, Corey McNeill
Have you ever wondered how you could create your own app? Develop and launch your own mobile app in four days! The Rowan-Cabarrus Mobile Apps Camp introduces students to the growing world of mobile apps, teaches them the technology and skill of creating apps from conception to development. Basic computer literacy is necessary to be successful in this camp. No prior experience creating apps is necessary. Each camper will receive individual attention in this camp, which is limited to 20 attendees.
July 21-24

South Campus, Concord
Instructor: Eric Tucker
Learn the basics of Adobe Photoshop in this graphics camp. Campers will gain the knowledge needed to develop images for game, web, photography, film, editing, graphic arts and advertising industries. They will learn how to make layer-based images, merge photos and use filters to create unreal effects. Basic computer literacy is necessary to be successful in this camp. Each camper will receive individual attention in this camp, which is limited to 15 attendees.
July 28-31

South Campus, Concord
Instructor: Eric Tucker
Learn the more advanced functions of Adobe Photoshop in this graphics camp. Campers will gain the knowledge needed to develop images for game, web, photography, film, editing, graphic arts and advertising industries. They will learn how to modify layer-based images, merge photos and use filters to create unreal effects. Basic computer literacy is necessary to be successful in this camp. Each camper will receive individual attention in this camp, which is limited to 15 attendees.
“We have some great offerings here at Rowan-Cabarrus that people just don’t know about,” said Dr. Rod Townley, vice president of academic programs. “The tech camps show students and parents that we offer innovative courses and programs that they might not think about otherwise.”
In addition to the camps, Rowan-Cabarrus also offers high school students tuition-free courses for college credit through the Career & College Promise program allows students to simultaneously enroll in high school and college so that they can receive both high school and college credit for courses taken as part of the program.
For more information on the camps or IT offerings, contact Ian Stevens, associate dean of information technologies, or Zack Hubbard, at techcamp@rccc.edu . For more information about Rowan-Cabarrus Community College, visit www.rccc.edu .