-Kookmin University’s Zero-One Design Center, a Game Training Institute?
-Kookmin people are still unfamiliar with the Game Training Institute. Most students ask: “Do we have that?” so I will introduce the ‘Game Training Institute’ at Kookmin University. The Game Training Institute of the Zero-One Design Center, which is located in Dongseung-dong in Daehangno was opened in March 2011 with the purpose of finding a solution for the high class manpower shortage in the game industry and training talented people for the industry.

-How is the major of the Game Training Institute and the course curriculum?
-The Game Training Institute separates a total of 6 courses to train for practical business. Courses such as game projects, creating scenarios, game concept art, 3D game graphics & animation, game client programming, game server programming are offered and the program is run through participating practical business projects and stop experience through a cooperative relationship between famous businesses, both foreign and domestic. Especially, we conduct team game projects with a practical development system and then we provide a game training system, which supports the student’s foundation and pushes them ahead through the cooperation development obtained in these excellent team projects.

-What about course credit, the professors, and locating jobs?
-To reinforce a methodical theory and get credits, if you complete 140 credits within a credit system, you would get the degree of Educational Science Technology Director. In the case of completing the graduate conditions of the Game Training Institute, you would get certification from Kookmin University’s president. Our professors consist of developers with practical experience and master or doctorate degree professors with studying abroad experience and who are experts or CEO’s in businesses connected with games. In addition, we have an employment team whose strategy is helping all graduate students finding the right job.

-What are the outcomes of the Game Training Institute this year?
-Game development studios such as Hea Wum, Aahi Soft, G3, Phni Studios, Jaribiwum, and Game,etc., which are run by freshmen, have developed: Hell Train, Elly Mental Runner, Running Rudolph, Penguin Chasing , Dogma Cell, Line Attack etc. Their homework is to spread their dreams by releasing 6 puzzle-like games in one semester in Apple’s app store in America.

The best outcome for this year is that Jin Ki Kim (major in Game Programming ’11, Game Training Institute) was awarded the grand prize from Korea Indi Game and Game Idea Exhibition. He was praised for his excellent program “Line Attack”, which is almost perfect and is a great creation.

-What is the secret of getting results as soon as the school opened?
-The Game Training Institute got the first new students this year. Freshmen didn’t have any information about programming or conducting games, so what is the reason that they had unbelievable results in only the first semester? They trained students with the aim to cultivate game talent from morning to evening. Also, they had a ‘program room’ in the institute which was open from 9AM into the night. In the morning, the student training focuses only on course credit; in the afternoon, they receive practical training about producing games called ‘major reinforcement’, and in the evening, they are taught mostly with practicing.

Professor Jung Soo Park from the programming department said: “New students are so passionate even though I have to teach them how to type. Even during the vacation, I opened the classroom for students to do projects with me and many professors participated too. That’s why they upload 6 games in the Apple App Store in the first semester. To upload it on internal app store, we have to pass many processes so we decided to upload them on America’s store first then keep our eyes on the reaction.” Prof. Park said: “Normally other game institutes are run like normal universities so they can’t realize as many outcomes. Unlike them, we will have the aim to release apps each semester and when students graduate, they will have their own portfolio.”

The Game Training Institute which opened in this year had remarkable outcomes. I think student’s passion and love along with a great curriculum might be what makes those outcomes possible. While I see them, I think that lots of experience and other conditions are not that important. I think the most important thing may be the passion and will of the individual. Through this interview, I learned and felt many things that have helped me find passion for my work now. I hope students from the Game Training Institute would find even more passion for their work.